Darksaber
Jul 31, 2006, 09:10 PM
[page=Introduction]
Introduction
I would like to thank Jon at Ultra (http://www.ultraproducts.com) for supplying the review sample.
Ultra Products is a company selling a lot of different parts for PCs. Their most prominent offerings are cases and power supplies. The complete range of products covers case fans and lights, CPU designer cases, DVD products, hard drive coolers, media drives, complete memory solutions, memory coolers and power supplies.
Besides offering these unique parts, they also have an excellent warranty policy. All their memory, cases and PSUs have a lifetime warranty if the item is registered online.
Today we take a look at their Ultra Aluminus case, which comes in three different colors: silver, blue & black.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/alusilver.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/alublack.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/alublue.jpg
Specification
<table border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="ramtable">
<tr>
<th>Material</th>
<td colspan="2"><div align="center">Aluminum body, plastic front </div></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Color</th>
<td colspan="2"><div align="center">Black, Silver or Blue </div> <div align="center"></div></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Motherboard</th>
<td colspan="2"><div align="center">AT, baby AT, microATX & ATX </div></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th rowspan="2">Drive Bay</th>
<td><div align="center">Exposed</div></td>
<td><div align="center">5.25” x 5
3.5” x2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><div align="center">Internal</div></td>
<td><div align="center">3.5” x 5 </div></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Cooling System</th>
<td colspan="2"><div align="center">2x 120mm intake fan mounts </div></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Expansion Slot</th>
<td colspan="2"><p align="center">7</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Front I/O Port</th>
<td colspan="2">USB 2.0 x 2
IEEE1394 x 1
Audio x 1
Mic x 1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Power Supply</th>
<td colspan="2"><p align="center">Standard PS2 (ATX), Redundant PS2</p> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Net Weight</th>
<td colspan="2"><div align="center">5.3 kg </div></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Dimension</th>
<td colspan="2"><div align="center">8.1" (W) x 20.6" (H) x 18.6" (D)</div></td>
</tr>
</table>
So the case comes with a total of 12 drive bays, five of which are internal. Even though this case is called a mid tower, it is quite large, but only weighs in at just over 5 kg. The plastic front certainly helps to keep the weight down. We will take a look at the silver one.
[page=Packaging & Contents]
Packaging
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/boxfronts.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/boxfront.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/boxbacks.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/boxback.jpg)
The case comes packaged in a large, somewhat thin card board box, with illustrations of the case at many different angles. The front shows the case, while the back shows off the features. Overall a very eye catching packaging.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/casepacks.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/casepack.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/caseunpackeds.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/caseunpacked.jpg)
The case itself is protected by two foam cut outs on the top and bottom and comes wrapped in some heavy duty plastic. Foam cutouts are much better than Styrofoam and can withstand a fall or bump without getting destroyed. The case has a window on the side, which is covered in plastic on the inside and outside to protect it from scratches.
Contents
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/boxs.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/box.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/boxcontentss.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/boxcontents.jpg)
Inside the case you will find a rather large box and an illustrated manual. The box holds a warranty card, the keys to the door lock, a bag of screws, drive rails and a front I/O module.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/usbfronts.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/usbfront.jpg)
This is a very nice addition to round up the package. The user can install the front I/O panel if needed and even has the choice to place it in a 5.25 or 3.5 inch drive bay. If the latter is chosen, the frame can be used for something else. A very nice touch! The only negative point would be the quality of the panel. It is made completely out of plastic. You even need to use specific screws to secure it inside the case, as the plastic would not hold with normal screws.
[page=A Closer Look]
The Case
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/sidenews.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/sidenew.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/backs.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/back.jpg)
The side window is large and shows off everything you would want to see from the outside. The hard drives can be seen, while the mostly ugly optical and floppy drives are covered. The space above the power supply cannot be seen and thus can be used for storing excess cables. The frame around the window is perfect for some CCFL lights to illuminate the interior and its contents. The back of the case is painted with the same color as the case itself, so if you were to get the black or blue version the back would be painted accordingly. That way even the back looks good. The frame for the power supply can be turned around, giving you the choice to mount the power supply any way you want. Below that, there is a fan grill for a 12 cm fan while the side panels are secured with thumb screws. All in all, very impressive.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/doorcloseds.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/doorclosed.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/dooropens.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/dooropen.jpg)
The front of the case looks just like the well known Chieftech cases, but definitely does not have their strong feel to it. The door can only be opened from one side, so you may want to get used to it.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/doorhinges.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/doorhinge.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/unevens.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/uneven.jpg)
The use of fairly light weight plastic has its advantages - one being weight and while it may keep cost down, there are a few weak spots. The hinge that holds the door in place is made completely out of plastic and that may be the first thing that breaks. Another small problem I had with my case was that door, when closed, did not line up perfectly with the rest of the front. The culprit is the single hook that holds the door closed, which resides right in the middle of the door. If two hooks were used at either end of the case, this would not be a problem.
Features
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/sidefans.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/sidefan.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/sidevents.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/sidevent.jpg)
The side window comes equipped with two features to reduce temperature of your parts. The CPU duct can be removed to make room for a normal 8cm fan. Below that you will find a rather large air vent. It is located right above the expansion slots and gives access to fresh air for your graphic card. The noise level would suffer a bit, due to this vent as all the noise of the loud graphic card would not be encapsulated inside the case. Imagine a loud X1900XTX with an open side, not a very pleasant thought.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/ultras.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/ultra.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/paintcloses.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/paintclose.jpg)
The external drive bays are covered by a brushed aluminum plate with the Ultra logo embedded into it. It looks absolutely stunning and hides the ugly drives and cables. The paint job of the entire case is perfect as well. Even though it is glossy, you will have a hard time leaving visible finger prints on this case.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/bigdooropens.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/bigdooropen.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/hinges.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/hinge.jpg)
To access the drive bays the entire front can be opened. A 12cm fan can be placed at the same height as the internal hard drives. The door is held in place by metal hinges, much better than the drive bay door. The entire front is actually lime green plastic. The covers are screwed on and then the front is spray painted in the needed color. That way even the screws which hold the drive bay covers in place are painted. The use of actual plastic in the needed color would be a definitive plus here.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/backinsides.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/backinside.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/mbtrayinsides.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/mbtrayinside.jpg)
As seen from the outside, the back can be equipped with a 12cm fan as well and the PCI slots have separate covers, but are screwed on. The mainboard tray can be removed by unscrewing two thumb screws. It even has handles so there is no need to grab any component to place it back inside the case.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/drivebayss.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/drivebays.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/feets.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/feet.jpg)
The hard drive bays are turned 90 degrees to give the user better access to them. There is a lot of space between each drive bay, giving enough room for the airflow to pass through. The feet of the case are screwed on and can be turned outward to give the case a more stable hold.
[page=Installation]
Installation
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/mbtrays.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/mbtray.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/mbinsts.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/mbinsts.jpg)
To install the mainboard the tray was removed. Six of the nine possible mainboard stands were already screwed on. The tray has little round indents which act as standoffs to thecase metal. So that the golden standoffs would not scratch the surface even if they are a little bit too long and go through the motherboard tray. I installed an MSI board which only used the six mounting posts already in place.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/35bays.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/35bay.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/coverss.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/covers.jpg)
To install the 3.5 inch drives, the front must be opened to gain access to the drive rails. They are held in place by metal covers in addition to the plastic ones in the door. As you can see, as soon as they are taken off the door, the green plastic can be seen. even the location of the screws is still green, while the screws were painted in silver as well.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/35bayinsts.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/35bayinst.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/cddrives.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/cddrive.jpg)
Installing the drives was quite nerve racking. The two plastic rails and the plastic I/O panel feel incredibly flimsy. I managed to put everything together so it would line up after a few tries. The drive rails for optical drives look and feel much better and I had no trouble installing them.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/hddrails.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/hddrail.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/hddinstalleds.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/hddinstalled.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/hddinstalled2s.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/hddinstalled2.jpg)
The hard drive rail was the only part of the case which had sharp edges. The hard drive is screwed into the bottom of the rail. It has rubber standoffs which keep the drive vibration from being passed on to the case. This is a good move, as the rail itself is not secured by any screw. The hard drive can be installed with the connectors toward the window or toward the closed side. I installed the hard drive so that the connector could not be seen from the outside.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/allinsts.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/allinst.jpg)
Once everything was installed, I tried to hide the IDE cables and power/reset/speaker cables. This was an easy task, as I could route them behind the drives. It is not hard at all to get most cables out of sight in this case.
[page=Finished Look]
Finished Look
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/finishsides.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/finishside.jpg)
To finish things off, the plastic film protecting the window was peeled off and the case was closed. Looks nice doesn't it?
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/finishfronts.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/finishfront.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/35bayinsides.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/35bayinside.jpg)
The front with the drives installed. I used normal beige drives, but black drives should look very nice too. Some companies even offer silver drives these days, which would be perfect for this case. The included I/O panel looks good next to the power and reset button.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/backinsts.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/backinst.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/finisheds.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/finished.jpg)
The back is now filled with the power supply and the mainboard. I was able to use the included backplate from the case for the mainboard and the first PCI slot fit perfectly with the video card. Overall a very nice looking case.
[page=Value and Conclusion]
Value and Conclusion
<table width="100%" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="result">
<tr><th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/dollar.gif</th>
<td>
The Ultra Aluminus can be had for $99.99 at the Ultra website (http://www.ultraproducts.com/product_details.php?cPath=13&pPath=411&productID=409), but you may find it even cheaper at local retailers or some e-tailers as they offer mail-in rebates from time to time.
</td>
</tr><tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbup.gif</th>
<td>
Aluminum chassis
Great paint job
Two 12 cm fans possible
You can install the front I/O where and how you want
Door can be locked
Window has perfect size
Air duct for CPU
Air vent for GPU
Aluminum cover of the optical drives
Hard drives can be mounted any way you choose
Hard drives rest on rubber spacers
Removable mainboard tray - with handles and stand offs!
Cables can be hidden very easily
Solid feet on the case
Lots of space!
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbdown.gif</th>
<td>
Not screw-less drive installation
Installation of 3.5 inch external drives quite flimsy
Plastic front does not do this case justice
Plastic is not made of silver material, but is spay painted green plastic
Front I/O made completely out of plastic as well
Door hinges made out of plastic
Sharp edges on hard drive rails
</td></tr>
<tr><th>8.9</th>
<td>
The Ultra Aluminus Case may look a lot like a Chieftech case, but it has not much in common with it. The interior is very well though out with a great cooling setup, lots of space and easy cable management possibilities. The case looks fabulous with its glossy paint job. The only gripe I have with this case is the front. It simply does not do the great case justice. The plastic feels very flimsy and the paint job of the front is not glossy, but simply sprayed on while the hinge of the drive bay door is definitively the weakest link. The upside of such a plastic front is weight. The case is very light considering its size. With all the features and the great look, I can recommend this case whole heartily.
</td></tr>
<tr><th></th><td>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/recommended.gif</td></tr>
</table>
Introduction
I would like to thank Jon at Ultra (http://www.ultraproducts.com) for supplying the review sample.
Ultra Products is a company selling a lot of different parts for PCs. Their most prominent offerings are cases and power supplies. The complete range of products covers case fans and lights, CPU designer cases, DVD products, hard drive coolers, media drives, complete memory solutions, memory coolers and power supplies.
Besides offering these unique parts, they also have an excellent warranty policy. All their memory, cases and PSUs have a lifetime warranty if the item is registered online.
Today we take a look at their Ultra Aluminus case, which comes in three different colors: silver, blue & black.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/alusilver.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/alublack.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/alublue.jpg
Specification
<table border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="ramtable">
<tr>
<th>Material</th>
<td colspan="2"><div align="center">Aluminum body, plastic front </div></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Color</th>
<td colspan="2"><div align="center">Black, Silver or Blue </div> <div align="center"></div></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Motherboard</th>
<td colspan="2"><div align="center">AT, baby AT, microATX & ATX </div></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th rowspan="2">Drive Bay</th>
<td><div align="center">Exposed</div></td>
<td><div align="center">5.25” x 5
3.5” x2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><div align="center">Internal</div></td>
<td><div align="center">3.5” x 5 </div></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Cooling System</th>
<td colspan="2"><div align="center">2x 120mm intake fan mounts </div></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Expansion Slot</th>
<td colspan="2"><p align="center">7</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Front I/O Port</th>
<td colspan="2">USB 2.0 x 2
IEEE1394 x 1
Audio x 1
Mic x 1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Power Supply</th>
<td colspan="2"><p align="center">Standard PS2 (ATX), Redundant PS2</p> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Net Weight</th>
<td colspan="2"><div align="center">5.3 kg </div></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Dimension</th>
<td colspan="2"><div align="center">8.1" (W) x 20.6" (H) x 18.6" (D)</div></td>
</tr>
</table>
So the case comes with a total of 12 drive bays, five of which are internal. Even though this case is called a mid tower, it is quite large, but only weighs in at just over 5 kg. The plastic front certainly helps to keep the weight down. We will take a look at the silver one.
[page=Packaging & Contents]
Packaging
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/boxfronts.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/boxfront.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/boxbacks.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/boxback.jpg)
The case comes packaged in a large, somewhat thin card board box, with illustrations of the case at many different angles. The front shows the case, while the back shows off the features. Overall a very eye catching packaging.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/casepacks.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/casepack.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/caseunpackeds.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/caseunpacked.jpg)
The case itself is protected by two foam cut outs on the top and bottom and comes wrapped in some heavy duty plastic. Foam cutouts are much better than Styrofoam and can withstand a fall or bump without getting destroyed. The case has a window on the side, which is covered in plastic on the inside and outside to protect it from scratches.
Contents
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/boxs.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/box.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/boxcontentss.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/boxcontents.jpg)
Inside the case you will find a rather large box and an illustrated manual. The box holds a warranty card, the keys to the door lock, a bag of screws, drive rails and a front I/O module.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/usbfronts.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/usbfront.jpg)
This is a very nice addition to round up the package. The user can install the front I/O panel if needed and even has the choice to place it in a 5.25 or 3.5 inch drive bay. If the latter is chosen, the frame can be used for something else. A very nice touch! The only negative point would be the quality of the panel. It is made completely out of plastic. You even need to use specific screws to secure it inside the case, as the plastic would not hold with normal screws.
[page=A Closer Look]
The Case
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/sidenews.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/sidenew.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/backs.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/back.jpg)
The side window is large and shows off everything you would want to see from the outside. The hard drives can be seen, while the mostly ugly optical and floppy drives are covered. The space above the power supply cannot be seen and thus can be used for storing excess cables. The frame around the window is perfect for some CCFL lights to illuminate the interior and its contents. The back of the case is painted with the same color as the case itself, so if you were to get the black or blue version the back would be painted accordingly. That way even the back looks good. The frame for the power supply can be turned around, giving you the choice to mount the power supply any way you want. Below that, there is a fan grill for a 12 cm fan while the side panels are secured with thumb screws. All in all, very impressive.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/doorcloseds.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/doorclosed.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/dooropens.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/dooropen.jpg)
The front of the case looks just like the well known Chieftech cases, but definitely does not have their strong feel to it. The door can only be opened from one side, so you may want to get used to it.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/doorhinges.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/doorhinge.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/unevens.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/uneven.jpg)
The use of fairly light weight plastic has its advantages - one being weight and while it may keep cost down, there are a few weak spots. The hinge that holds the door in place is made completely out of plastic and that may be the first thing that breaks. Another small problem I had with my case was that door, when closed, did not line up perfectly with the rest of the front. The culprit is the single hook that holds the door closed, which resides right in the middle of the door. If two hooks were used at either end of the case, this would not be a problem.
Features
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/sidefans.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/sidefan.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/sidevents.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/sidevent.jpg)
The side window comes equipped with two features to reduce temperature of your parts. The CPU duct can be removed to make room for a normal 8cm fan. Below that you will find a rather large air vent. It is located right above the expansion slots and gives access to fresh air for your graphic card. The noise level would suffer a bit, due to this vent as all the noise of the loud graphic card would not be encapsulated inside the case. Imagine a loud X1900XTX with an open side, not a very pleasant thought.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/ultras.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/ultra.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/paintcloses.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/paintclose.jpg)
The external drive bays are covered by a brushed aluminum plate with the Ultra logo embedded into it. It looks absolutely stunning and hides the ugly drives and cables. The paint job of the entire case is perfect as well. Even though it is glossy, you will have a hard time leaving visible finger prints on this case.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/bigdooropens.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/bigdooropen.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/hinges.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/hinge.jpg)
To access the drive bays the entire front can be opened. A 12cm fan can be placed at the same height as the internal hard drives. The door is held in place by metal hinges, much better than the drive bay door. The entire front is actually lime green plastic. The covers are screwed on and then the front is spray painted in the needed color. That way even the screws which hold the drive bay covers in place are painted. The use of actual plastic in the needed color would be a definitive plus here.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/backinsides.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/backinside.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/mbtrayinsides.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/mbtrayinside.jpg)
As seen from the outside, the back can be equipped with a 12cm fan as well and the PCI slots have separate covers, but are screwed on. The mainboard tray can be removed by unscrewing two thumb screws. It even has handles so there is no need to grab any component to place it back inside the case.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/drivebayss.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/drivebays.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/feets.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/feet.jpg)
The hard drive bays are turned 90 degrees to give the user better access to them. There is a lot of space between each drive bay, giving enough room for the airflow to pass through. The feet of the case are screwed on and can be turned outward to give the case a more stable hold.
[page=Installation]
Installation
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To install the mainboard the tray was removed. Six of the nine possible mainboard stands were already screwed on. The tray has little round indents which act as standoffs to thecase metal. So that the golden standoffs would not scratch the surface even if they are a little bit too long and go through the motherboard tray. I installed an MSI board which only used the six mounting posts already in place.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/35bays.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/35bay.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/coverss.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/covers.jpg)
To install the 3.5 inch drives, the front must be opened to gain access to the drive rails. They are held in place by metal covers in addition to the plastic ones in the door. As you can see, as soon as they are taken off the door, the green plastic can be seen. even the location of the screws is still green, while the screws were painted in silver as well.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/35bayinsts.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/35bayinst.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/cddrives.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/cddrive.jpg)
Installing the drives was quite nerve racking. The two plastic rails and the plastic I/O panel feel incredibly flimsy. I managed to put everything together so it would line up after a few tries. The drive rails for optical drives look and feel much better and I had no trouble installing them.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/hddrails.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/hddrail.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/hddinstalleds.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/hddinstalled.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/hddinstalled2s.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/hddinstalled2.jpg)
The hard drive rail was the only part of the case which had sharp edges. The hard drive is screwed into the bottom of the rail. It has rubber standoffs which keep the drive vibration from being passed on to the case. This is a good move, as the rail itself is not secured by any screw. The hard drive can be installed with the connectors toward the window or toward the closed side. I installed the hard drive so that the connector could not be seen from the outside.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/allinsts.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/allinst.jpg)
Once everything was installed, I tried to hide the IDE cables and power/reset/speaker cables. This was an easy task, as I could route them behind the drives. It is not hard at all to get most cables out of sight in this case.
[page=Finished Look]
Finished Look
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/finishsides.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/finishside.jpg)
To finish things off, the plastic film protecting the window was peeled off and the case was closed. Looks nice doesn't it?
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/finishfronts.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/finishfront.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/35bayinsides.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/35bayinside.jpg)
The front with the drives installed. I used normal beige drives, but black drives should look very nice too. Some companies even offer silver drives these days, which would be perfect for this case. The included I/O panel looks good next to the power and reset button.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/backinsts.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/backinst.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/finisheds.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Ultra/Aluminus/images/finished.jpg)
The back is now filled with the power supply and the mainboard. I was able to use the included backplate from the case for the mainboard and the first PCI slot fit perfectly with the video card. Overall a very nice looking case.
[page=Value and Conclusion]
Value and Conclusion
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<td>
The Ultra Aluminus can be had for $99.99 at the Ultra website (http://www.ultraproducts.com/product_details.php?cPath=13&pPath=411&productID=409), but you may find it even cheaper at local retailers or some e-tailers as they offer mail-in rebates from time to time.
</td>
</tr><tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbup.gif</th>
<td>
Aluminum chassis
Great paint job
Two 12 cm fans possible
You can install the front I/O where and how you want
Door can be locked
Window has perfect size
Air duct for CPU
Air vent for GPU
Aluminum cover of the optical drives
Hard drives can be mounted any way you choose
Hard drives rest on rubber spacers
Removable mainboard tray - with handles and stand offs!
Cables can be hidden very easily
Solid feet on the case
Lots of space!
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<td>
Not screw-less drive installation
Installation of 3.5 inch external drives quite flimsy
Plastic front does not do this case justice
Plastic is not made of silver material, but is spay painted green plastic
Front I/O made completely out of plastic as well
Door hinges made out of plastic
Sharp edges on hard drive rails
</td></tr>
<tr><th>8.9</th>
<td>
The Ultra Aluminus Case may look a lot like a Chieftech case, but it has not much in common with it. The interior is very well though out with a great cooling setup, lots of space and easy cable management possibilities. The case looks fabulous with its glossy paint job. The only gripe I have with this case is the front. It simply does not do the great case justice. The plastic feels very flimsy and the paint job of the front is not glossy, but simply sprayed on while the hinge of the drive bay door is definitively the weakest link. The upside of such a plastic front is weight. The case is very light considering its size. With all the features and the great look, I can recommend this case whole heartily.
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