Every review we begin by thanking our sponsor for the attention and products they have provided us for a review. Ultra has been great to us by providing us with this and other items for a reviews. From the behalf of UMLan we thank Ultra for this review to happen.

 

 

 

About the Product

What we have here is a perfect ATX case. Let me rephrase that. This case is what you would want to have for your gaming machine or a mid-end file server. This case is ultra light and has some excellent features that would dramatically increase the performance of pc. The case doesn't come with any fans or what so ever but it can take up to 2 120 mm fans, on the the front to cool the hard drives and one in the back to drag out the heat from the whole system. One of the main features is the duck hole for the quick escape of the cpu heat.

The following is from the Ultras web site.

Lightweight Aluminum!
The all new Aluminus lightweight aluminum case is in a class by itself when it comes to dazzling looks and phenomenal performance for a wide range of systems. As its name implies, the Aluminus has been crafted using the finest, most durable lightweight aluminum on the market. And it includes a large innovative clear side panel.

Incomparable Compatibility
Why buy a computer case that does’t give you a wide selection of compatibility choices, when you can purchase the Aluminus at an incredibly low price? This sleek chassis makes a perfect fit of all the leading motherboards. AT, Baby AT, ATX and Micro ATX…it fits virtually all motherboard sizes, and the removable motherboard tray makes installation easy. There's plenty of room to grow with its seven (7) expansion slots. The front swing-out bezel and drive bay covers can be locked for security. The side panel, drive bays and motherboard tray all feature hardware that allow for easy and tool-less removal and installation.

Optimize Your PC's Airflow
Good looks, superior expandability and incredible compatibility don’t make a great computer case. What puts the Aluminus at the head of its class is how easy it allows the user to route cables behind drive bays allowing for better airflow within the case. Cables can even be hidden underneath the large "Ultra" drive bay cover, keeping them out of the way of air flow... and out of sight! CPU cooling and VGA cooling vents keep the air flowing effectively to preserve the integrity of your components within the most productive, heat-producing systems. The Alumnus also includes a 120 mm fan bay for even more cooling power.

Ultra Aluminus, the showcase of your extreme gaming or power computing system.

 

Product Features and Specifications

• Color: Silver
• Dimensions:
  Depth: 18.6"
  Width: 8.7"
  Height: 20.55"
• Drive Bay:
  5 - 5.25" Bays
  5 - Internal 3.5" Hard Drive Bays with quick release and reverse mount
• 2 - External 3.5" Bays
• Material: High Grade Aluminum
• Form Factor:
  AT
  Baby AT
  ATX
  Micro ATX
• Expansion Slots: 7 Standard Slots
• Case Fan Mounts:
  2 - 120mm Fan Mounts
• LEDs:
  Green - Power
  Orange - Hard Drive Access
• Switches:
  Power
  Reset
• Front Swing-out Bezel Cover with Lock
• Quick Release Side Panel with extra large clear side
• Large Front Panel Vent System
• Easy access front panel:
  2 - USB 2.0
  1 - Firewire
  1 - Headphone
  1 - Microphone

•  

  High Gloss Liquid Gloss Finish will give your computer the sleek design you have been looking for.	This intricate cooling system involved two 120mm fan ports, which allows for great airflow throughout your case.
  Constructed of high grade plexiglass, this extra large clear side panel will give you the opportunity to show off what your computer is really made of.	The removable motherboard tray is designed for easy installation and features a hollow center for cable management underneath the board.
  Keep the temperature of your CPU down by bringing cool air directly from the outside onto the CPU.	Innovative quick release hard drive bays are designed for easy installation and upgrades.
  This vent is specifically designed to allow cool air to flow in directly for your high end video card. Meets all Intel® Specifications.	Mount your hard drives forward or backwards, you decide. This allows for maximum case modification, and cable management.
  This stylish cover will hide the 5 1/4" Drives to give your case a professional clean look. This cover is also removable for easy access.	Easy access front ports, featuring USB, Firewire, and Audio will allow you to quickly connect external devices or headphones.

Now that we went trough everything as far as the specs go, let's take a look at the pictures. After all a picture IS worth a 1000 words. :)

Closer look

The box		Side of the box		Top of the box

The package came in just as you see it above. When I shook the box I could hear something rattling inside but wasn't concerned.

Lets open up the beast!

Open box from top		Nice packaging		Very nice and neat

Opening up the Aluminus was not difficult at all. The top of the case easily came undone when I used a traditional utility knife. Once the box was opened it was a breeze to get the case out. (Remember the easiest way to get a packed object out of a box is to flip the box on to the opened side, and shake gently)

Sticky shrink wrap		Ultra bay cover		Door and wrap off

When I took the case out I thought to myself, "Wow this is pretty light!", and indeed it is! The whole package including the packaging material was around 10 pounds. WOAH! Aluminus's left side came with protective tape attached. This tape protects the plastic door from scratches during the shipment of the item. The thing that I thought was most impressive at first glance was the air ducts for fast escape of the hot air inside of the case.

Reverse side of the door		CPU air vent duct		Video card cooling

Package includes

Thumbscrews		Manual and accessories		Inside of the manual box

When I opened the case I found a smaller box inside it. This explained the rattling noise from before. The box comes with a manual and registration form for an Ultra Products membership. The box also included a front panel for easy access of USB, sound and firewire ports; screws and mounts for the hard drives

Front access ports		Close up on the front ports

 

Cover off side view		Hard drive bays		Removable motherboard tray

What I found extremely convenient was the removable motherboard tray. It was mounted on the back plain of the case by two screws. However that wasn't the only thing that was impressive, the reverse mounting of the hard drives was also a great idea of Ultra's.

Removed motherboard tray		Front end		Font open

I removed the motherboard tray to show how user-friendly Ultra designed the case. I also installed a LGA775 socket motherboard to show how a motherboard would look in the tray. This took little effort and was accomplished rather quickly.

Motherboard tray		Mounted motherboard

 

Ultra Products		Right side of the case		Look ma! no doors

One thing I want to note is the simplistic yet effective design of this case. The case is aluminum so expect it to be a little warm to the touch. Consumers should not be too concerned by this. It appears Ultra has tried to compensate for this by adding 2, 120 MM vents to the front and the back of the case. With the right fan control you shouldn't experience any problems cooling the case.

Rear		Rear close up		Into the case From PSU slot

From the back of the case we can see your standard ports. Nothing is cramped for space here.

Front door opened		Close up of front door		Door off

The front bay door comes right off for easy access to the drives. Good idea? Of course it is!

Close up		Everything back together		Front overview

When it was time to reassemble this case, it literally took me 4 minutes to get everything put back into place. The accessibility of this case still amazes me.

Legs		Legs

Last but not least, the legs. It would be a disappointment to have this case without any kind of support from the sides. As this case is loaded with internal parts it is easy to see how quickly it will become heavy, and you do not want it to fall over and become scratched.

Conclusion

For the conclusion of this review I would like to say that it has been a pleasure to review this fine product. If I could sum up this case in one simple statement, it would be, “Easy, Fast and Beautiful”. The whole case is painted with a liquid gloss finish that shines brightly and makes the case look spectacular. This product is a great buy for the offered price, $99. Of course this is not Falcon NW, but it is definitely a winner in my book. The cooling of the case would not be difficult to accomplish. If I may, I would recommend the use of a water-cooling system for this case.

 

Some pros we found:

Glossy finish

Amazing accessibility and ease of installation

Lightweight

Removable motherboard tray

Reverse mount hard drive space

Ultra bay cover

 

Some Cons we found:

I couldn't find any cons about this case.