Ultra Aluminus

Rob Williams · 02-02-2006, 09:09 PM

Ultra has recently released a new case called the Aluminus. It's quite similar in design to their Wizard case, but it's been amped up in every single way. This is not just a normal case anymore, they have pulled out all the stops. Let's see how great Ultra can impress us this time!

Discuss the review here!

Greg King · 02-05-2006, 03:30 PM

Nice review!

What a blast from the past with that Soyo! I ran a KT333 for almost 2 years. To bad Soyo stopped making mobos. I always enjoyed them. The looked awsome and weren't to terribly expensive. Oh well, at least I have found DFI.

madmat · 02-05-2006, 10:00 PM

Yes, I loved that Soyo, a beauty of a mobo if ever there was one but it has a few flaky issues such as showing the CPU temp as way high and the voltages as way low but a decent performer nonetheless. I jumped from Soyo to Chaintech...their mobo's from 2003 were simply awesome. Expensive as hell but a great bundle and steller performance.

Anyways, thanks, I like the Ultra a lot, even with the issues it has such as no filters or fans it's a great case. It's beautiful and that black just sucks in the light when you look at it from the straight on but look at it from an angle and it's as reflective as a mirror. Best paintjob I've ever played with from a mass produced case...ever.

JC@Ultra · 02-06-2006, 11:51 AM

Thanks for the great review Matt!

FYI: We're adding a filter to the front 120MM mount as per your suggestion. We're also going to start fastening the accessory box more securely.

FYI part 2: We actually included the front USB "bay box" for the same reason we didn't include fans. People often have their own flavor of front USB or audio device. Case and point (pun intended): Did your Chaintech come with a CBox? So not having a front USB/FW/Audio built into the case was just a way of avoiding a user having an extra set of ports they'd end up not using. The initial idea was to include nothing.

madmat · 02-06-2006, 01:49 PM

Yeah, my Zenith has the Cbox but todays motherboards have a lot more USB ports than ones from my CT's era did. Vinces PC had headers for 6 front mounted USB ports and if you've got 2 optical drives, a media reader or MFP (multi function panel) and a bay bus then you're left with the choice of you either lose your front wire ports that are part of the case or lose the last free bay. And besides, if you want to hook something up to your forward USB/Firewire ports then the case door has to stand open all the time or you have to remove it. That's just unacceptable IMHO, I know too many people that have devices they hook to their forward USB ports either for days at a time or as near to permanent as you'd care to get.

The reasons they don't run off the rear ports are varied from not having easy access to them to having the rear port compliment full. Yes there are hubs but some hubs don't meet the USB specs in the ability to power USB devices unless you hook a wallwart to it and there's another negative, the stupid wallwarts take up 2-3 plugs on your surge protector.

Anyways, I'm just giving you my thoughts on why it's a bad thing not to integrate the ports into the case and I'm sharing the thoughts of the actual end user of the case and her reasons for not caring for it.

JC@Ultra · 02-06-2006, 02:37 PM

I appreciate the insight.

The next version of our Aluminus (currently in conception to CAD stage) does actually have the front USB/Audio headers at the bottom.

I was just explaining our logic. Naturally, not everyone is going to see it the same way.

If we did everything 100% right 100% of the time, there'd be nothing left for us to do!

madmat · 02-06-2006, 03:01 PM

This is very true. Have you considered putting the ports on the side of the case where the front hinges? This would allow for the case front to remain clean and uncluttered and still have the ports out in the open where they would be 100% accessable all of the time. The ports could be arranged in a vertical configuration and affixed to the case front with a trim plate around them that mates up with a notch in the case front so that when the case front is closed it's neat and unbroken but yet the case front can open and not be dragging the cables around. Just a thought.

02-02-2006, 09:09 PM	#1
Rob Williams Editor in Chief Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Atlantic Canada Posts: 8,926	Ultra Aluminus Ultra has recently released a new case called the Aluminus. It's quite similar in design to their Wizard case, but it's been amped up in every single way. This is not just a normal case anymore, they have pulled out all the stops. Let's see how great Ultra can impress us this time! Discuss the review here! __________________ Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 @ 3.20GHz, ASUS P5K Premium WiFi-AP, OCZ 8GB PC2-6400, EVGA GTX 285 1024MB Seagate 500GB, 750GB & 1TB, Pioneer 22x ODD, Corsair 1000HX, Thermalright Ultra-120, CM Storm Sniper Dell 2408WFP 24", ASUS Xonar Essence STX, Ultrasone PRO 750, Gentoo Linux (KDE 4.3.2, 2.6.31 Kernel) "Take care to get what you like, or you will be forced to like what you get!" - H.P. Baxxter Profiles: Last.fm \| Xbox Live \| Steam

02-05-2006, 10:00 PM	#3
madmat Former Editor Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Kennesaw GA Posts: 1,639	Yes, I loved that Soyo, a beauty of a mobo if ever there was one but it has a few flaky issues such as showing the CPU temp as way high and the voltages as way low but a decent performer nonetheless. I jumped from Soyo to Chaintech...their mobo's from 2003 were simply awesome. Expensive as hell but a great bundle and steller performance. Anyways, thanks, I like the Ultra a lot, even with the issues it has such as no filters or fans it's a great case. It's beautiful and that black just sucks in the light when you look at it from the straight on but look at it from an angle and it's as reflective as a mirror. Best paintjob I've ever played with from a mass produced case...ever. __________________ M2N32-SLI Deluxe, Brisbane X-2 4000+ @ 2986Mhz 2x1 gig OCZ PC26400 Platinum EVGA 7950GT SLI Buncha drives, Some other stuff, Even more stuff, If the automobile had followed the same development cycle as the computer, a Rolls-Royce would today cost $100, get a million miles per gallon, and explode once a year, killing everyone inside. --Robert X. Cringely, InfoWorld magazine Sign Me!

02-06-2006, 01:49 PM	#5
madmat Former Editor Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Kennesaw GA Posts: 1,639	Yeah, my Zenith has the Cbox but todays motherboards have a lot more USB ports than ones from my CT's era did. Vinces PC had headers for 6 front mounted USB ports and if you've got 2 optical drives, a media reader or MFP (multi function panel) and a bay bus then you're left with the choice of you either lose your front wire ports that are part of the case or lose the last free bay. And besides, if you want to hook something up to your forward USB/Firewire ports then the case door has to stand open all the time or you have to remove it. That's just unacceptable IMHO, I know too many people that have devices they hook to their forward USB ports either for days at a time or as near to permanent as you'd care to get. The reasons they don't run off the rear ports are varied from not having easy access to them to having the rear port compliment full. Yes there are hubs but some hubs don't meet the USB specs in the ability to power USB devices unless you hook a wallwart to it and there's another negative, the stupid wallwarts take up 2-3 plugs on your surge protector. Anyways, I'm just giving you my thoughts on why it's a bad thing not to integrate the ports into the case and I'm sharing the thoughts of the actual end user of the case and her reasons for not caring for it. __________________ M2N32-SLI Deluxe, Brisbane X-2 4000+ @ 2986Mhz 2x1 gig OCZ PC26400 Platinum EVGA 7950GT SLI Buncha drives, Some other stuff, Even more stuff, If the automobile had followed the same development cycle as the computer, a Rolls-Royce would today cost $100, get a million miles per gallon, and explode once a year, killing everyone inside. --Robert X. Cringely, InfoWorld magazine Sign Me! Last edited by madmat; 02-06-2006 at 03:03 PM.

02-06-2006, 03:01 PM	#7
madmat Former Editor Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Kennesaw GA Posts: 1,639	This is very true. Have you considered putting the ports on the side of the case where the front hinges? This would allow for the case front to remain clean and uncluttered and still have the ports out in the open where they would be 100% accessable all of the time. The ports could be arranged in a vertical configuration and affixed to the case front with a trim plate around them that mates up with a notch in the case front so that when the case front is closed it's neat and unbroken but yet the case front can open and not be dragging the cables around. Just a thought. __________________ M2N32-SLI Deluxe, Brisbane X-2 4000+ @ 2986Mhz 2x1 gig OCZ PC26400 Platinum EVGA 7950GT SLI Buncha drives, Some other stuff, Even more stuff, If the automobile had followed the same development cycle as the computer, a Rolls-Royce would today cost $100, get a million miles per gallon, and explode once a year, killing everyone inside. --Robert X. Cringely, InfoWorld magazine Sign Me!

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02-05-2006, 03:30 PM	#2
Greg King Tech Junkie Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,976	Nice review! What a blast from the past with that Soyo! I ran a KT333 for almost 2 years. To bad Soyo stopped making mobos. I always enjoyed them. The looked awsome and weren't to terribly expensive. Oh well, at least I have found DFI.

02-06-2006, 11:51 AM	#4
JC@Ultra Obliviot Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 2	Thanks for the great review Matt! FYI: We're adding a filter to the front 120MM mount as per your suggestion. We're also going to start fastening the accessory box more securely. FYI part 2: We actually included the front USB "bay box" for the same reason we didn't include fans. People often have their own flavor of front USB or audio device. Case and point (pun intended): Did your Chaintech come with a CBox? So not having a front USB/FW/Audio built into the case was just a way of avoiding a user having an extra set of ports they'd end up not using. The initial idea was to include nothing.

02-06-2006, 02:37 PM	#6
JC@Ultra Obliviot Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 2	I appreciate the insight. The next version of our Aluminus (currently in conception to CAD stage) does actually have the front USB/Audio headers at the bottom. I was just explaining our logic. Naturally, not everyone is going to see it the same way. If we did everything 100% right 100% of the time, there'd be nothing left for us to do!