Introduction

The Enermax Fulmo GT is a gigantic full-tower case supporting EVGA’s Classified SR-2 motherboard, which at the moment is the only motherboard in the world based on the HPTX form factor. It also supports E-ATX, XL-ATX, and smaller motherboards. This case has 10 expansion slots, 10 internal 3.5”/2.5” storage bays, one external 3.5”/2.5” docking bay, and supports the installation of two power supplies. Let’s take a good look at this unique product.

HPTX (High Performance Technology eXtended) motherboards measure 13.6” x 15” (345 x 380 mm) and E-ATX (Extended ATX) motherboards measure 12” x 13” (305 x 330 mm). XL-ATX (eXtra Large ATX) is not an official standard size: Gigabyte defines it as 12.8” x 9.6” (325 x 244 mm) while EVGA defines it as 13.5” x 10.3” (343 x 262 mm). The Fulmo GT supports both.

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Figure 1: Enermax Fulmo GT case

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Figure 2: Enermax Fulmo GT case

The Fulmo GT has a big mesh on its left-side panel, which comes with two twister bearing 180 mm “VEGAS” fans (Enermax ES182012-0AL) installed and has room for you to install two additional 180 mm fans. See Figure 3. These fans come connected to an analog single-channel controller. Different from the other “VEGAS” we’ve seen, this one glows only in blue, and you can turn the LEDs off or change their pattern through a button available on the top panel. We made a short video showing these fans turned on.

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Figure 3: The left-side panel

The reviewed case also allows you to install a 120 mm fan on its right-side panel, to cool down the underside of the main CPU.

There are no air filters on the side panels.

The Front Panel

The front panel of the Enermax Fulmo GT has four external 5.25” bays, using meshed covers with air filters. The case comes with a 180 mm fan identical to the ones used on the left panel installed on the bottom part of the front panel. This fan is also connected to the fan controller and has an air filter in front of it.

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Figure 4: Front panel

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Figure 5: Front fan

The Top Panel

The Fulmo GT comes with a 230 mm fan on its top panel (Enermax ES203012V-0AL), and it supports the installation of an additional 120 mm, 140 mm, 180 mm or 230 mm fan. It is important to understand that “230 mm” is the size of the frame of the fan on its longest side; the blades of this fan measure 190 mm. The manufacturer doesn’t state the technical specifications for this fan, which uses a standard fan three-pin connector, but you can connect it directly to your power supply using the included adapter.

If you install a power supply on the top part of the case, you will need to remove the 230 mm fan that comes with it. A better solution is to reinstall this fan on the place reserved for the additional fan. If, however, you decide to install a radiator for a liquid cooling solution on the top panel (the case supports radiators up to 420 mm), you will need to permanently remove this fan.

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Figure 6: Top panel

The top panel comes with an air filter, which can be easily removed as shown in Figure 7.

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Figure 7: Air filter

This case comes with four USB 3.0 ports, one eSATA port, and the traditional audio jacks. The USB 3.0 ports use internal connectors, so make sure you install a motherboard with two internal USB 3.0 headers. If your motherboard doesn’t have two USB 3.0 front panel headers, you can install two of the USB 3.0 ports on a USB 2.0 header, thanks to the adapter that comes with the case. The case also has a single-channel analog fan controller and a light control switch, which are connected to the front and left-side fans.

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Figure 8: Buttons and connectors

The reviewed case also has a 3.5”/2.5” docking bay on its top panel. See Figure 9.

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Figure 9: The 3.5”/2.5” docking bay

The Bottom and Rear Panels

The bottom panel has a single air filter, covering the power supply fan and the optional fans that you can install on the bottom panel.

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Figure 10: Bottom panel

The rear panel and the interior of the Enermax Fulmo GT are painted black.

On the Enermax Fulmo GT, you can install the power supply on the top part of the case or at the bottom. You can even install two power supplies at the same time. However, the product doesn’t come with the required adapter to allow this installation. (It is easy to make it; all you need to do is to get a wire and connect the green wire of the two power supplies together.) As previously mentioned, if you install a power supply on the top part of the case, you will have to either move or remove the top fan.

The case comes with a 140 mm fan installed on its rear panel. No technical specifications for this fan are available. It uses a standard fan three-pin connector, but you can connect it directly to your power supply using the included adapter.

As already explained, this case has 10 expansion slots. Usually, cases come with seven expansion slots. All slot covers are vented.

The Enermax Fulmo GT has seven holes for hoses of liquid cooling solutions, all using rubber covers. These holes are 1.1” (27 mm) in diameter.

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Figure 11: Rear panel

The case comes with a set of wheels, shown in Figure 12.

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Figure 12: Wheels

Let’s now take a look inside the Enermax Fulmo GT.

Inside the Enermax Fulmo GT

Both panels are attached to the chassis using black thumbscrews. The motherboard tray has two holes (since the EVGA Classified SR-2 motherboard supports two processors) for you to access the backplate of the CPU coolers without having to remove the motherboard from the case, several holes protected with rubber covers for you to route cables behind it, and several metallic clips for you to fasten cables using cable ties.

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Figure 13: Overall look

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Figure 14:  view behind the motherboard tray

In Figure 15, you have another overall look inside the case. Expansion cards are fastened using thumbscrews. The Enermax Fulmo GT supports video cards up to 16.7” (425 mm) long and CPU coolers up to 7” (177 mm) tall, if the left-panel fans are installed, and up to 7.5” (190 mm tall), if these fans are removed.

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Figure 15: Overall look

The Enermax Fulmo GT allows you to install two 140 mm fans on the side of the hard drive cage. See Figure 16.

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Figure 16: Support for two 140 mm fans

As explained, the power supply can be installed either at the top or at the bottom of the case, and you can even install two power supplies. In both cases, it can be installed with either its bottom fan facing up or facing down, so you can decide if you want the fan of your power supply pulling air from inside the case or from outside of it.

The bottom power supply compartment has a Velcro strap to fasten the power supply very tightly, preventing vibration and noise.

The Fulmo GT allows the installation of two 120 mm or two 140 mm fans, or one 230 mm fan on its bottom panel.

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Figure 17: Bottom power supply compartment

The Disk Drive Bays

The Enermax Fulmo GT has four external 5.25” bays, one external 3.5”/2.5” docking bay, and 10 internal 3.5”/2.5” bays. The 5.25” bays have tool-less installation mechanisms.

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Figure 18: Disk drive bays

Each 3.5”/2.5” bay is actually a small drawer featuring rubber rings to absorb vibrations from 3.5” devices.

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Figure 19: One of the 3.5”/2.5” bays

Main Specifications

The main specifications for the Enermax Fulmo GT include:

• Style: Full-tower
• Application: HPTX, XL-ATX, E-ATX, ATX, and smaller form factors
• Material: Zinc-coated steel (SECC) body
• Power supply: Doesn’t come with the product
• Available colors: Black
• Side panel: Meshed
• Dimensions: 25.2 x 9.2 x 26.5 inches (640 x 235 x 674 mm) (H x W x D)
• Net weight: 33.5 lbs (15.2 kg)
• Gross weight: 40.5 lbs (18.4 kg)
• Bays: Four external 5.25” bays, one external 3.5”/2.5” docking bay, and 10 internal 3.5”/2.5” bays
• Expansion slots: Ten
• Maximum video card length: 16.7” (425 mm)
• Maximum CPU cooler height: 7” (177 mm) or up to 7.5” (190 mm tall) with the left fans removed
• Fans: One 180 mm “VEGAS” fan on the front panel, two 180 mm “VEGAS” fans on the left panel, one 230 mm fan on the top panel, and one 140 mm fan on the rear panel
• Optional fans: One 120 mm fan on the right panel, two 120 mm or 140 mm fans or one 230 mm fan on the bottom panel, two 140 mm fans on the hard drive cage, and 120 mm, 140 mm, 180 mm or 230 mm fan on the top panel
• Extra Features: One single-channel analog fan controller
• More Information: http://www.enermax.com.tw
• Average Price in the US*: USD 210.00

* Researched at Newegg.com on the day we published this review.

Conclusions

For the user building the ultimate gaming machine, the Fulmo GT comes at a very attractive price tag for all the features it has to offer.

Strong Points

• Support for HPTX, XL-ATX, and E-ATX motherboards
• Air filters for the front, top, and bottom fans
• Meshed 5.25” bay covers with air filters
• Support for 13 fans, comes with five
• Single-channel analog fan controller
• Ten expansion slots
• Vented slot covers
• Support for 11 3.5”/2.5” storage devices
• Rubber rings to absorb vibration and noise from 3.5” storage devices
• Support for four long video cards up to 16.7” (425 mm)
• Expansion cards are fastened using thumbscrews
• A huge hole in the motherboard tray for accessing the backplate of the CPU coolers
• Holes protected with rubber covers for routing cables behind the motherboard tray
• Metallic clips for fastening cables using cable ties

Weak Points

• No air filters on the meshes on the side panels
• Could have more than one fan controller
• The top and rear fans are not controlled by the fan controller
• Doesn’t come with an adapter to allow the installation of two power supplies at the same time (although this is very easy for any user to do)