Introduction: Crucial PC2-8500

Everyone always wants good stable system memory, but not everyone wants to pay the price. When computer enthusiasts build or upgrade a system, RAM purchases are often relegated to the cheapest parts available, saving money at the expense of performance. Benchmark Reviews has tested the 2GB set of Crucial PC2-8500 CL5 Ballistix BL12864AL1065 DDR2 1066MHz RAM against the rest of the competition, and the results may just be enough to sway your opinion away from discount memory.

What is Ballistix Tracer memory?

Ballistix Tracer memory is specifically built for performance enthusiasts and case modders who want to push the performance envelope while adding flash appeal to their boxes. The Ballistix line of high-performance memory modules features advanced speed grades, low latencies, and integrated aluminum heat spreaders. Ballistix Tracer memory features a black PCB, black integrated heat spreaders, and one or two rows of eight "chasing" red and green LEDs atop the module, circulating in a random pattern based on memory utilization. A custom-designed circuit relays bus activity to the LEDs, allowing them to accurately reflect usage of each memory module. In addition, eight blue ground effects LEDs emit a constant glow near the pins.

What is a Ballistix Tracer 240-pin DIMM?

A Ballistix Tracer dual inline memory module (DIMM) consists of a number of memory components that are attached to a black printed circuit board. The gold pins on the bottom of the DIMM provide a connection between the module and a socket on a larger printed circuit board. The pins on the front and back of a DIMM are not connected to each other.

Ballistix Tracer 240-pin DIMMs are used to provide DDR2 SDRAM memory for desktop computers. DDR2 is a leading-edge generation of memory with an improved architecture that allows it to transmit data very fast. Ballistix Tracer 240-pin DIMMs are available in DDR2 PC2-5300 (DDR2 667) SDRAM, SDRAM, DDR2 PC2-6400 (DDR2 800), and DDR2 PC2-8500 (DDR2 1066)..

To use DDR2 memory, your system motherboard must have 240-pin DIMM slots and a DDR2-enabled chipset. A DDR2 SDRAM DIMM will not fit into a standard SDRAM DIMM socket or a DDR DIMM socket. (Information about which memory technology your system uses is included in the Crucial Memory AdvisorTM tool.)

The number of black components on a Ballistix Tracer 240-pin DIMM can vary, but it always has 120 pins on the front and 120 pins on the back, for a total of 240. Ballistix 240-pin DIMMs are approximately 5.25 inches long and 1.18 inches high, though the heights can vary. While 240-pin DDR2 DIMMs, 184-pin DDR DIMMs, and 168-pin DIMMs are approximately the same size, 240-pin DIMMs and 184-pin DIMMs have only one notch within the row of pins. The notch in a 240-pin DDR2 DIMM is closer toward the center of the module.

About the company: Crucial Technology

The Crucial story starts with Micron Technology, Inc., one of the largest dynamic random access memory (DRAM) manufacturers in the world and the only one based in the U.S. Headquartered in Boise, Idaho. Micron manufactures DRAM chips and assembles them into high-quality memory modules for sale to original equipment manufacturers ("OEMs") worldwide. For nearly three decades, Micron has learned that when you make some of the very best memory in the world, lots of companies want it, from computer makers to wireless device manufacturers to printer producers.

But then Micron asked, well, what about the end user? What about the everyday folks who want to upgrade their existing systems with OEM-quality memory - the home desktop user, the IT network guy, the student notebook user? Why don't we offer our memory to the public, at factory-direct pricing?

So in 1996, Micron responded to a growing demand for high-quality memory upgrades among end users who wanted the best possible performance from their systems. Micron launched Crucial Technology in September of that year, and for the first time end users had the opportunity to buy directly from the manufacturer the same memory modules bought by the world's major OEMs for original installation in their systems.

Having a direct sales division focused on selling Micron's DRAM to the public was apparently an idea whose time had come, and 10 successful years later, we have expanded our product line to include graphics cards, flash cards and readers, and USB flash drives.

Closer Look: Crucial BL12864AL1065

For the past seven years I have been a Crucial reseller. Whenever system stability and performance were the most important factors, I would make sure to offer their products in place of less expensive parts. The difference of a few dollars up front is well worth the hours spent diagnosing faulty RAM down the road. Even better than the peace of mind you get, is the fact that each module is tested to standards well above everyone else in the industry.

Just because I am a reseller though, does not make me a fan. There are several ways which Crucial has impressed me over the years, and a few that did not. Crucial has always shipped their product in the most economical packaging possible: a brown box. This helps to keep costs down, I'm sure, but it also means you won't see their product on store shelves; Crucial is a factory direct product.

Crucial has been favored by my company for years now, because they are one of the very few companies who deliver exactly what you ask for every single time. The quality has always been superior, and since brown box and static bag never changed, their product became very familiar. This complacent familiarity would eventually turn into their brief downfall.

For several years Crucial produced "naked" system memory modules, even though other manufacturers had products with heatspreaders. Each had black RAM chips, and each RAM chip came on a green PCB. Nothing changed, except for the market around them. For too long Crucial produced RAM that looked like stone age throwbacks, while companies like GeIL, G.Skill, OCZ and Corsair pushed out seriously imaginative parts.

But now things have changed, or more specifically Crucial has changed. The market evolved, the products have evolved, and even the consumer has evolved. It was just in the final moments that Crucial made the right power play by producing the Ballistix series of performance RAM.

Ballistix Features:

• 240-pin dual in-line memory module (DIMM)
• Fast data transfer rates: PC2-8500, PC2-8000, PC2-6400, or PC2-5300
• 512MB (64 Meg x 64) and 1GB (128 Meg x 64)
• Exclusively designed for high-performance systems
• Critical performance parameters tested for functionality
• Speed verification performed in-system
• VDD = +2.2V ±0.1V, VDDQ = +2.2V ±0.1V
• VDDSPD = +1.7V to +3.6V
• Differential data strobe (DQ, DQS#) option
• Four-bit prefetch architecture
• Auto Refresh (CBR) and Self Refresh Mode
• 7.8125μs maximum average periodic refresh interval
• 64ms, 8,192-cycle refresh
• On-die termination (ODT)
• Serial Presence Detect (SPD) with EEPROM
• Gold edge contacts
• Aluminum heat spreader
• Red and green LEDs showing memory activity
• Blue ground effects LEDs
• 1.18" (30mm) PCB Height

Crucial Module Specifications:

Module Size: 2GB kit (1GBx2)
Package: Ballistix Tracer 240-pin DIMM (with LEDs)
Feature: DDR2 PC2-8500
Configuration: 128Meg x 64
DIMM Type: Unbuffered
Error Checking: NON-ECC
Speed: DDR2-1066
Voltage: 2.2V
Memory Timings: 5-5-5-15

Now that they are back in the saddle again, Crucial has resumed their place at the top. Quality has always been their gig, just as much as value and service. But now that Crucial offers PC2-8500 CL5 Ballistix DDR2 RAM the performance crown is also up for grabs. So who deserves it?

How Does Crucial Ensure Ballistix Products Meet Specifications?

A basic overview of Crucial's test methodology

So you ask yourself, "What has Crucial done to make sure Ballistix products operate at the published speed ratings?" Good question! Let us briefly explain how they test their Ballistix product line.

After Crucial manufactures the module, every Ballistix product is tested in a platform capable of running at its published operating speed. Whereas the methodology may change over time, the following sections illustrate how we currently perform testing.

Ballistix and Tracer DDR

Module performance is verified by testing each Ballistix DDR DIMM in the three motherboards shown in the table below. The modules are tested in pairs at the front side bus (FSB) speeds specified for each module type. I n addition, the chipset, CPU, and BIOS revisions are listed for each motherboard setup.

*At the time of product qualification these are the systems that were used to verify performance. As newer Motherboards/BIOS are released we may use them for our production testing.

Ballistix and Tracer DDR2

Module performance is verified by testing each Ballistix DDR2 DIMM in the four motherboards shown in the table below. The modules are tested in pairs at the front side bus (FSB) speeds specified for each module type. In addition, the chipset, CPU, and BIOS revisions are listed for each motherboard setup.

*At the time of product qualification these are the systems that were used to verify performance. As newer Motherboards/BIOS are released we may use them for our production testing.

Don't forget...
Crucial put great effort into testing the Ballistix modules in the configurations detailed above, but keep in mind that some system configurations may not operate at the published Crucial Ballistix memory speed and timing settings. Actual performance may vary based on configuration, usage, and manufacturing variability. Overclocking, running your system faster than published speed, or otherwise modifying your system timing may result in damage to computer components. If you plan to operate your hardware outside of specifications, do so at your own risk.

DDR2 RAM Testing & Results

Test System

• Motherboard: ABIT AB9 Pro v1.6 BIOS (Intel 965 chipset)
• Processor: Intel E6600 Core 2 Duo 2.2GHz operating at 3.2 GHz (356 MHz FSB)
• Cooling: Thermaltake MaxOrb CL-P0369 CPU Cooler
• Memory: 2 GB (1,024 MB x2 modules) Crucial PC2-8500 CL5 Ballistix DDR2 RAM
• Video: FOXCONN GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB operating at 600MHz Core and 900MHz RAM
• Audio Device: HT Omega 7.1 C-Media 8788 Oxygen Chipset
• Hard Disks: (2) Western Digital WD360GD 10,000 RPM SATA in RAID-0 array
• Optical Drive: Lite-On SH-16A7S-05 SATA DVD R/W
• Enclosure: Lian Li PC-B20A ATX Case with 2x120mm and 1x90mm cooling fans
• PSU: Hiper HPU-4M730-SS Type M 730W PSU
• Operating System: Windows XP Professional SP-2 with IE7

DDR2 Test Products:

• Crucial PC2-8500 CL5-5-5-15 Ballistix BL12864AL1065 1066MHz DDR2 RAM (Featured Product)
• Corsair PC2-8500 CL5-5-5-15 XMS2 TWIN2X2048-8500C5 1066MHz DDR2 RAM (Comparison Product)
• Patriot PC2-6400 CL4-4-4-12 PDC22G6400LLK 800MHz DDR2 RAM (Comparison Product)
• Corsair PC2-6400 CL4-4-4-12 XMS2 TWIN2X2048-6400C4 800MHz DDR2 RAM (Comparison Product)
• Passmark Performance Test v6.01.1001
• RightMark Memory Analyzer v3.72
• Company of Heroes v1.70.0
• FEAR v1.08.0

In every test we ran, Windows XP was booted fresh and the test program was opened. Task manager was then utilized to end the explorer.exe (Windows) process so that only the most essential services were running and a trim 16 processes total were consuming system memory. This procedure allowed the RAM to be as isolated as possible for our testing.

It was difficult to get broad results between the memory modules tested, so two sets of 1066MHz memory and two sets of 800MHz memory modules were utilized. Benchmark Reviews is very serious about performance, which is why we test the products against as many benchmarks as reasonably possible. Not every test gave marginally distinct results, so only those benchmark tests which offered measurable difference have been featured.

Following five test runs with Passmark Performance Test v6.01.1001, the total Memory Mark score was averaged. The results are reflected in the chart above. While it may not seem like much difference, five test runs confirmed that despite identical memory specifications the modules still perform measurably different. These measured differences would be impossible to detect without benchmarks to catch the minute differences.

During our tests with RightMark Memory Analyzer, we discovered each round of test results to be very similar to the previous. Regardless of the consistency, each test was completed three times before being averaged. The results for the average read bandwidth are displayed above.

The average read test showed the most defined deference between the Crucial PC2-8500 CL5 Ballistix BL12864AL1065 DDR2 RAM and the Corsair XMS2 PC2-8500. From all of test results, the Crucial Ballistix performed to the largest margin over Corsairs XM2 DDR2-1066 RAM.

In our testing of the Crucial PC2-8500 CL5 Ballistix BL12864AL1065 DDR2 RAM, we felt it was only fair to judge it against other products of identical specification. Unfortunately our inventory of DDR2-1066 RAM was limited, so DDR2-800 RAM was also added for a basis comparison in our charts.

In the RightMark Average Write Bandwidth test, the Crucial PC2-8500 CL5 Ballistix BL12864AL1065 DDR2 RAM just barely outperformed the Corsair XMS2 memory. It's worth noting that the 800MHz Corsair XMS2 memory clearly outperformed the Patriot counterpart in the average read bandwidth test, but the results were very different in the average write bandwidth test.

We also tested a few games, but after seeing identical results down to the nearest 1/100 of a percent, it was not worth spending more time on. Even the difference between 800MHz and 1066MHz was barely evident, such as we found in an average CoH frame rate improving from 54.9 to 55.2 at maximum settings. F.E.A.R. showed even less improvement with the average stuck at 67 frames per second after a three round test with each at maximum settings.

Final Thoughts: Crucial BL12864AL1065

If this were a DDR2-800 vs DDR2-1066 article, we would go on at length about the many improvements in bandwidth to be had in the faster PC2-8500 part; but this is a review of the Crucial PC2-8500 CL5 Ballistix BL12864AL1065 DDR2 RAM. Although the Crucial part outperformed the reigning champ, it wasn't by much; and it was certainly not worth bragging about. However when you take into consideration the price differences, saving twenty dollars and still getting better performance will really make the Crucial PC2-8500 CL5 Ballistix kit shine bright.

If your decision to step up to PC2-8500 rests on gaming performance you should know the entire story before you buy, because game play will remain nearly exactly the same. The increase in bandwidth will load the game faster, which could mean the difference between loading a map in twelve seconds instead of fifteen (CoH), but otherwise the performance lies in other functions. Video post-processing and audio conversion will see some time saved, but it too will amount to very minor differences between the two. The need for DDR2-1066 RAM is really best left to new systems, which will see the higher front side bus allowing the RAM to function at the correct rate without the need to overclock.

Speaking of overclocking: Benchmark Reviews will be releasing a how-to guide later this summer which will include overclocking methods and results, so we didn't take up a lot of room in this review with our findings. There are a few important notes to mention regarding the initial overclocking results we discovered while conducting tests on both sets of DDR2-1066 memory. While the Crucial Ballistix required a mere 2.0 volts to operate at the 356MHz front side bus yielding DDR2-1068 (534MHz). Meanwhile, the Corsair SMX2 memory would occasionally deliver a BSOD at startup with the same 2.0 volts applied. The instability was rare, but the evidence was overwhelming: The Crucial Ballistix required no extra voltage to reach the DD2-1066 specification, but the Corsair XMS2 was a borderline product at that voltage. Keeping in mind that most every DDR2-1066 module you will find at this time is an already-overclocked DDR2-800 module with a new label. None of the testing equipment I used detected the RAM appropriately.

Conclusion

I hate to do this because it's what is inside that counts, but the little brown box is not always the best looking package to excite the consumer into purchasing the product. Despite a colorful sticker, the plain brown box is still a sub-par solution for retail suppliers trying to move product based on shelf appeal. Crucial takes a slight hit in our rating of product presentation because of their minimalist packaging, despite how efficient and cost-saving it is.

Thankfully the Crucial PC2-8500 CL5 Ballistix BL12864AL1065 DDR2 RAM look absolutely stunning; especially when the LED lights are visible at work. This pushed the appearance rating well above the average memory module, and certainly far beyond the modules we compared against. Additionally the heat spreader finish is not cheapened by a colored sticker, like the Corsair XMS2 sports, but instead utilizes a painted emblem for better heat transfer (and radiation).

The construction is second to none, because this is Micron's own branded product after all. Many other manufacturers utilize Micron memory modules in the construction of the RAM sets, but only Crucial can claim that it's all built at the source. Just take another look at the "How does Crucial ensure specification" section and you will understand why the construction is not to be questioned. DOA memory from Crucial is practically unheard of, and by far the lowest RMA rate in the entire industry.

Operating at a mere 2.0 volts, the Crucial PC2-8500 CL5 Ballistix BL12864AL1065 DDR2 RAM remained very stable at the specified DDR2-1066 speed. Although we were able to overclock this unit beyond the competition we compared it to, this is not factored into the score for a review. Despite this, functionality was completely acceptable and far above the standard.

More for less; that should soon be the Crucial motto. This Ballistix kit is twenty dollars less than the Corsair XMS2 kit it outperformed; presently the BL12864AL1065 DDR2 RAM module is available at NewEgg for $45.99 each or direct from Crucial $53.99 each.

It may not improve your video game frame rates, but it sure will speed up the loading time for everything you open. Keeping in mind that high-performance RAM is best served with a very fast 10,000 RPM hard drive, or a RAID-0 disk array to take advantage of the full benefits the increased bandwidth offer. Additionally, the newest quad-core CPU's will demand the wider bandwidth which PC2-8500 can deliver.

Functional at only 2.0 volts, the Crucial PC2-8500 CL5 Ballistix BL12864AL1065 DDR2-1066 RAM comes highly recommended to all hardware enthusiasts and overclockers. Even hardware modders and gamers would benefit from both the improved performance as well as the unique LED lighting effects. The new DDR3 might soon become the standard, but it's still DDR2's show for now.

Pros:

+ Extremely stable at 2.0V
+ Outperforms the leading competition
+ Attractive heat spreader design
+ LED activity light array
+ Overclocking potential
+ High-quality construction
+ Excellent value
+ Attractive overall appearance

Cons:

- Poor retail packaging may deter some buyers
- Could benefit from extended heat spreaders

Ratings:

• Presentation: 7.25
• Appearance: 9.75
• Construction: 9.75
• Functionality: 9.5
• Value: 8.75

Final Score: 9.0 out of 10.

Award: Benchmark Reviews Golden Tachometer Award.

Questions? Comments? Benchmark Reviews really wants your feedback. We invite you to leave your remarks in our Discussion Forum.

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