We’ve all been there. That first computer that everyone builds themselves. It’s built on a McDonald’s employee budget and a dream to make all your gamer friends envious. And they will be. But sinking hundreds of dollars into new hardware won’t get you envied if your case looks like you picked it up out of a “free box” at Goodwill. You can have the most powerful engine on the planet, but you slap that shiznit in a Pinto and all you’re getting is laughs from the homies.
So how can you pimp your ride without breaking your bank? Well, you could steal it, and stick with the whole gangsta theme I seem to have going here. Or you could visit Ultra Products and check out their latest and greatest. Today I have the Grid ATX Mid-Tower Case, and this is my ride…
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Picture this, if you will. Stealth black. Steel construction. A plexi-glass window to see your computer’s guts. A built in semi-automatic machine gun. No, there’s no gun. But you would swear the thing could fire off rounds. The side of the front bezel supports audio input/output jacks as well as two USB ports. The door conceals all but one drive bay, but opening the magnetically latched front door exposes all four 5.25″ bays and two 3.5″ bays.
The interior of the Grid supports full sized ATX, microATX and AT motherboards, has rolled edges and can house up to seven 3.5″ (5 internal, 2 internal/external) and four 5.25″ drives utilizing a fully tool-less/screw-less mechanism. The side panel features an Intel TAC 1.1 compatible CPU duct and VGA vent. Grid also comes with a front 120MM intake fan and 120MM exhaust fan.
You combine that kind of airflow with a Zalman or Thermaltake heatsink, and we’re talking freaking chill factor baby. You’ll be chipping ice off your CPU for days. Okay, so now you know what kind of stuff the PR people would say about this case. Now let’s see what I have to say about it when I get done cramming all my crap in there.
I started with the motherboard, naturally. Actually, unnaturally. Motherboards aren’t natural. They are abominations to nature. But damn are they sweet. Anyway, I put my mobo in there and use the provided screws to hold it in place.
All the screw retainers were already pre-fitted for me so I didn’t have to do much work there. Just stick it in and screw… er… em. Okay, now I put in the PSU. It’s a big bulky thing that weighs about 75lbs. Went in like butter baby.
And now came the HD. Okay, there are little plastic fittings where the screws should go. This is the tool-less drive system. Just put the HD in the chassis, align the screw holes, and twist the lock on the side and the drive is secure. Nice. Beats the hell out of shoving screwdrivers in there. I hate having to hold onto those little screws.
I got the rest of the components installed just as quickly and proceeded to boot up my new Panzer Tank by opening the front door and pressing the button. I close it back and it’s back to black. I’m liking this craftsmanship so far. I let it sit for a while and warm up. The temp inside the room is usually a steady 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Get it too hot in here and all the posters start turning in at the edge. Would you want that to happen to your autographed poster of Vanilla Ice? I think not.
With all the airflow this case has, two installed 120mm fans and the option to stick a directly cooling CPU fan in the window, not to mention my Evercool Transformer 6 heatsink, I would say there is adequate cooling. But the proof is in the pudding, so I guess I had better take some measurements. I gotta look professional here. I used a program called Core Temp to take the PC’s temperature. After close to an hour I was getting a reading of 69 degrees Celsius on the inside of my case. The core temp of my CPU was 27 degrees Celsius. That is a drop of close to ten degrees for both readings.
Now, I’m not saying that this case is the sole reason for the great cooling. The fans themselves are a huge factor here. 120 mm fans provide a torrent of airflow if they are placed correctly. But the interior design also allows for great airflow too, because everything is out of the way and gives fresh cool air direct access to major components.
Putting versatility and looks aside, this is the kind of thing you should be looking for when you get a new case. And construction is a major factor as well. This one is made of steel. You see what I’m getting at here? Don’t buy a case simply for its looks. A lot of cases out there are like hot super models. They look absolutely gorgeous, but can’t seem to perform the slightest task efficiently. No offense models. Well, yeah, I guess there is offense. But it’s all for the greater good.
Here’s what I found wrong with the Ultra Grid ATX. The tool-less drive system was only available for the hard drives. It would have been entirely possible for them to equip this to the optical drive bay as well. The front door sits level with the ground. If you have a carpeted floor then chances are you are going to put your case on a table or deal with have to put some extra exertion into getting your door open across the carpet. The front side USB and audio jacks are on the side of the case near the bottom. So if your case is on the ground and on the right side of you, as most cases are with right-handed people, then getting to the ports can mean falling out of your chair reaching.
C’mon, we’re lazy computer nerds. We’re not going to stand up and stoop. That’s energy that could have been used typing. Okay, that’s all I have to complain about. Overall this is a great case, with solid construction and great airflow. It supports a wide variety of motherboards and has the look of a black bank safe. This case would be perfect for any mid-level user. Just don’t expect to keep it on the floor.
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