Enermax Ostrog ADV LED Gaming Fortress Chassis Review

Final Thoughts

When we were asked to look at the Ostrog ADV LED Gaming Fortress, from what we saw in images, we liked the look and idea behind this chassis very much. Once we got it in hand, filled it, and powered it up, we were pleased with the end results. Even when it came down to the fan controller, we found the low setting to be unheard from a foot away, the medium setting delivering 27dB of noise, and the high setting sending out 34dB of fan noise. All of which is tolerable when dealing with a chassis built to keep things inside of it cool in the heat of battle.

The MaxBright LED technology is also a huge success. No matter how hard you look at the chassis, you cannot tell where the individual LEDs under the strips are located. This delivers a solid glow that looks very sharp, and with the various modes for them and the fans, it was a bit of fun messing around with it and enjoying the light show.

However, there were some not-so-great features as well. We did not care for the older generation feel of the tool-free mechanisms on the ODD bays, nor did we like the fact that only one HDD cage is removable. With one less ODD bay and both cages allowed to come out, we would have an option for liquid cooling in the front, not even hitting on the fact that multi-card systems may run into issues with the lower HDD cage as it is. It is nice that there is plenty of room up top for liquid cooling, but it is likely to be an AIO, as there is not much room for a pump inside of the chassis unless it is part of a bay reservoir.

As for the back, you may get lucky with a custom radiator placed there, but the AIOs we see day to day were too wide to be installed in the back. Our PSU blocked the optional fan location on the floor, the chassis is easily flexed with minimal pressure, and things like the side door handle on the left side panel shouldn't be needed if the door was not so tight. Also, since the right side panel is just as tight, you have to use the raised section of the panel to push against, as there is no handle there for easy removal. While we do like the chassis in a few areas, the older layout of the interior, and the ways in which it seems things were not completely thought out for their maximum potential, Enermax is showing they have a long ways before they can compete with the champions of this industry.

It all boils down to what you want to look at with a chassis such as this. The interior being what it is, the lack of black on most of the wiring, the amount of wiring, and the fact that the front bezel and top panel are not easily removed due to said wiring, the list of issues seemingly keeps piling up compared to so many others in this segment. While the front, top, and fan lighting, along with the various modes is an interesting addition, we do not feel that this alone is worth dealing with an aging design on the inside, and especially when Enermax is getting in the $115 to $120 range for this mid-tower chassis.

For the novices out there, this case is likely enough to keep you happy for a couple of years, but for those who know how much you can get for your dollar in mid-tower layouts these days, it is likely you feel the way we do. If these chassis were to shed some weight to the tune of about $40 to $50, then yes, we would be saying it is worth it just for the lighting, but as it sits, we do not feel that this is a chassis that the masses would not pick apart on their own. There are just too many better offerings in this segment to be swayed by what is fantastic lighting but was not enough to carry us through all the way to the end.

Chad's Chassis Test System Specifications

• Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-Z68X-UD4-B3
• CPU: Intel Core i7 2600K (buy from Amazon)
• Cooler: Corsair H80i GT (buy from Amazon)
• Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws F3-12800CL6D-4GBXH
• Video Card: ZOTAC GeForce GTX 970 AMP. Extreme Edition (buy from Amazon)
• Storage: SuperSpeed 128GB SSD
• Power Supply: SilverStone SST-ST85F-G (buy from Amazon)
• OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit (buy from Amazon)

Product Summary Breakdown

Performance	90%
Quality including Design and Build	78%
General Features	71%
Bundle and Packaging	90%
Value for Money	65%

Overall TweakTown Rating

79%

The Bottom Line: We have to give Enermax credit for the Max Bright LED technology as it is stunning, but is not enough to sell a chassis so aged in design. Considering the cost involved, there are many better offerings out there, as long as the lighting is not a deal breaker.

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