Ultra m998 Case - Ultra Handy - Hardware Installation and Conclusion

Installation:

The installation was really fun, my first time doing it without supervision by a more experienced person, it went alright. Well, maybe my mount screws were cross threaded in my old case, so it was a bit of a hassle to get those off. Then some of my mount screws threading was gone so I had to replace those. Thankfully there were more than enough screws provided with the case.

The motherboard tray was of immense use when installing the motherboard, although my humongous Zalman CPU cooler was just barely able to make it into the case. It actually got stuck at one point because of some wires between it and the top of the case.

Motherboard Installed

CPU Cooler Blocked

Installing the power supply was a little different than was expected. It was actually able to be installed through the top of the case in a huge space that was able to keep all of the power supply’s big cords up there and out of the way. 

PSU Center

PSU Installed

PSU Cords

The cd/dvd drives installed easily with the regular screws; however, when I tried to install my Ultra hard drive cooler the drive bays were too big. Longer screws would have helped but I did not have any, so I just screwed two screws kitty corner from each other, it held it pretty well.

Drives

Front

Video card installed fine, like I said earlier I had to use a screwdriver on the thumbscrews because they were too tight. I had plenty of room for the card and would have plenty of room for any other huge video card.

Video Card Installed

In the end I didn’t actually use the power bar in the case, however, that was only because I didn’t need it for the small amount of drives I put in. Bring her all together and then everything’s installed and now we are ready to fire her up.

Case - Finished Inside

Tangle Of Cords

Case - Finished

Yes, I know I need a few lessons in cable clean up, but it was the best I could do (the extra room really helped keep it clean a little more). I fired her up and noticed that the fans were running a little noisier than the ones in my Cooler Master Centurion 534m, but only marginally. The case also was a tight fit in my little cubby hole I usually keep my tower, it kinda sticks out an inch or two, and has only like a millimeter of room between each side.

Case - Tight Fit

Conclusion:

In conclusion I’d like to say that this was a very excellent case for anyone, from hard-core gamer to simple office work. Roomy, easy access and many accessories make up just some of this case’s good points. The power bar isn’t really necessary for the average user, but it would make life easier for those people who have three hard drives and multiple cd/dvd drives. A case on wheels is definitely a handy thought as well. Durability with this case is not in question, I actually kicked it over during the night and there wasn’t even a scratch on it. There are a few downsides to this product but I’d have to say that the good outweighs the bad in this particular situation. The case was a little too pricy for my budget, but if you’re willing to spend a few extra bucks, this case is an excellent candidate.

Pros:

• Roomy
• Lots of accessories
• Mostly easy access
• Easy installation
• Good airflow
• Durable

Cons:

• Large
• Noisier
• Front panel hard to take off
• Pricy

Although this case just misses the mark of a "Top Pick", it certainly is a recommended purchase if you looking for a high-end case for your gaming rig.  The power bar is a great idea that will help tame the tangled beast of cables that lives in many cases.

I'd like to thank UltraProducts for sending us the m998 case.  We'd love to hear your feedback and you can post it in the forum at the "Comments" link below.