What color? What form factor? What style? These are common questions we ask ourselves when looking for the right case. The options are plentiful and growing by the day. Deciding on which case to go with has a lot to do with what you actually plan on doing with the computer. Today we are going to take a look at Ultra's newest case offering the X-Blaster. The X-Blaster has a little more to offer than just the Beige color seen in the picture.
First Impression:
As with all Ultra products, the X-Blaster comes in a stylish and informative box. The box lists most features and specifications as well as showing off images of most of them. The case is fitted with a clear plastic bag and sits between two foam pads to keep it centered in the box and scuff free. Both samples came undamaged.
Looking at the front of the X-Blaster you will see the four external 5.25" drive bays, the one external 3.5" drive bay, and the integrated Firewire/USB/Audio ports. Along the bottom section of the case you will see the Power/Reset buttons, Power/HDD activity lights and the Ultra Logo molded into the case running vertically.
On the left side of the case we have the lower front vent, lower side VGA vent, and the upper CPU duct to allow fresh air access for the CPU cooling fan.
From this view we can see one of the main features of the X-Blaster, which is the included 350 Watt V-Series power supply, along with the rear fan mount that accepts a 120mm exhaust fan (included). Last but not least is the standard I/O plate and expansion slots.
On the right side you will see another lower front intake vent for the front mounted 120 MM intake fan (not included).
Overall I like the looks of the X-Blaster. Yes it can fall in the "Steel Beige Box" category, but it offers a lot for a steel case. The X-Blaster has some modding potential behind it as well. Being constructed of steel, it will be a durable case and can handle getting moved around with no problems. The X-Blaster also looks to have adequate cooling for its size. The added VGA vent and CPU Duct will aid in getting fresh air to the two components. It can accept five internal 3.5" hdds, four external 5.25" drives, and one external 3.5" drive. This will allow the buyer to configure just about anything they want. The X-Blaster is very similar in design compared to the Grid case Ultra released not to long ago. So lets dig in and see how this thing holds up.
Features:
Steel Construction
Constructed of high grade Steel, this 1mm thick
chassis provides a solid foundation for your PC.
Side Mounted Hdd Bays
Innovative side mount hard drive bays are designed
for easy installation and upgrades.
Cooling System
This intricate cooling system involved two
120mm fan ports, which allows for great airflow throughout
your case.
Tool-Less PCI Slots
It's simple, just insert pci card into slot and
close lever to secure into place. No tools, no screws, no hassle!
CPU Air Duct
Keep the temperature of your CPU down by bringing
cool air directly from the outside onto the CPU.
Tool-Less Drive System
With this tool-less drive system it's simple.
Slide the drive in, align the holes, twist the lock, and your
done. No tools, no screws, no hassle!
VGA Vent
This vent is specifically designed to allow cool
ai to flow in directly for your high end video card. Meets all
Intel® Specifications.
Front USB/Audio Ports
Easy access front ports, featuring USB, firewire,
and Audio will allow you to quickly connect external devices,
headphones, or even a microphone.
