| Crucial PC3-12800 DDR3 1600MHz BL2KIT12864BA1608 |
| Reviews - Featured Reviews: Memory | ||||||||||||||||
| Written by Olin Coles | ||||||||||||||||
| Tuesday, 01 January 2008 | ||||||||||||||||
Crucial BL12864BA1608 DDR3DDR3 Memory offers such a high front side bus to overclocker's that CPU speeds can reach well beyond extreme. Crucial has produced the Ballistix PC3-12800 CL8 BL2KIT12864BA1608 DDR3 1600MHz 2x1GB RAM kit for hardware enthusiasts to take advantage of. Benchmark Reviews has discovered more overclocking headroom in these modules than any other, and put them to the test in this review. System memory (RAM) manufacturers are in a tough position these days. Everybody wants the latest technology, which runs faster and operates more efficiently, but nobody wants the price tag that comes with it. Because DDR2 fabrication assembly plants are nearing obsolescence, the equipment depreciation has caused DDR2 prices to drop below the actual cost of production. This is bad news for the manufacturer, while conversely it means great savings to the consumer. So while manufacturers try to squeeze the last drops of revenue out of DDR2, along comes DDR3.
Since JEDEC is about to finalize 1600MHz as a standard DDR3 speed, many kits which were once considered High-Speed will now be relegated to standard speed parts. This means that high-grade components such as Crucial's Ballistix will lose the "High-Speed" designation and be relegated to standard SPD assigned profiles. But until the new standard is made official, manufacturers can still enjoy the premium designation for at least a little while longer. Many of the readers will probably not consider DDR3 an important part of the hardware market just yet, and in a very few ways I can agree with them. It's expensive, and it's not going to change their system from a 2 to a 10. Nevertheless, I think that this argument only exists if you have missed the point: DDR3 is a more efficient replacement over DDR2 in many different ways, and high-speed DDR3 (presently anything over 1333MHz) is intended for overclocker's and enthusiasts almost exclusively. In a year from now, expect to have DDR3 pressed into your new motherboard. However for today, the demand behind DDR3 and its high-speed variants is best met by the growing number of hardware enthusiasts which push their equipment well past the stock settings. Benchmark Reviews continues on with our High-Speed DDR3 Overclocking and Review Series, and this article focuses on everyone from the OEM system builder to the hardware enthusiast. Many of the kits we have tested so far have helped achieve extremely uncommon overclock speeds right out of the box, and even though some of the kits aren't trying to set new speed records they still manage to impress us with their combination of performance and value. In this review of the Crucial Ballistix PC3-12800 CL8 BL2KIT12864BA1608 DDR3 1600MHz 2x1GB RAM kit we offer a product that is both affordable and performance orientated.
All of this is great news for the overclocker, the hardcore gamer, and the hardware enthusiast; which has been the case every time high-end system memory parts arrive to the market. It wasn't all that long ago we all had SDRAM with 1 and 1.5CL timings, and then DDR arrived with CL3. Nobody complained then, so I'm not sure why they are starting now. It was the exact same story when DDR2 arrived to replace DDR; which nearly doubled the timings. So from a technical standpoint we should appreciate that the timings have only gradually increased with the clock speed, because history has proven this to be difficult. The Patriot DDR3 1866MHz kit we reviewed not long ago presently holds the record for fastest DDR3 module produced, and the Corsair DDR3 1800MHz kit overclocked to 1900MHz which is simply incredible. But to no surprise the price for this product alone is nearly enough to build a nice computer system. It is for this very reason that system builders have been slow to build off of the DDR3 platform: everything looks expensive. Thanks to phenomenal overclocking headroom the Crucial Ballistix BL2KIT12864BA1608 DDR3 kit will deliver the best of both worlds. EDITORS NOTE: Benchmark Reviews has also published the article DDR3 RAM: System Memory Technology Explained About the company: Crucial TechnologyThe 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. Crucial Ballistix DDR CertificationA 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, and more specifically how the Ballistix PC3-12800 CL8 BL12864BA1608 DDR3 1600MHz memory modules have been tested. 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. What is Ballistix memory? The Ballistix line is specifically built for performance enthusiasts who want to push the performance envelope without worrying about data loss or corruption, mysterious intermittent errors and display problems, or worse - the dreaded BSOD! The Ballistix line of high-performance memory modules features advanced speed grades, low latencies, and integrated aluminum heat spreaders. For more information about the Ballistix memory line, please visit the Ballistix section of Crucial's website.
What is a Ballistix DDR3 240-pin DIMM? Ballistix 240-pin DIMMs are found in DDR3 memory. DDR3 - the next generation of memory - boasts an improved architecture allowing very fast data transmission. Ballistix 240-pin DIMMs are available in DDR3 PC3-12800 SDRAM (DDR3-1600). A Ballistix dual inline memory module (DIMM) consists of a number of memory components attached to a black printed circuit board. Gold pins, found 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. To use DDR3, your system motherboard must have 240-pin DIMM slots and a chipset that supports DDR3 - which is a different technology than that of than its predecessors, DDR2 and DDR. DDR3 incorporates different sockets; they are not interchangeable or backward-compatible. The number of black components on a Ballistix 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. These 240-pin DDR3 DIMMs have only one notch within the row of pins, and each technology has the notch in a slightly different location on the module. Motherboard & processor information*
*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.
** Additional cooling may be required
Don't forget... Crucial Ballistix DDR3 Features
Ballistix DDR3 BL2KIT12864BA1608 Specifications
Closer Look: Crucial Ballistix DDR3The new Crucial Ballistix Edition DDR3 was developed to offer enthusiasts a memory solution that takes full advantage of the capabilities of the Intel P35, X38, and the upcoming P45/X48 Express chipsets. At 1600MHz, theses PC3-12800 modules are presently considered High-Speed until JEDEC completes the specification to include 1600MHz as an official standard. Since the BL2KIT12864BA1608 kit is rated to operate with CL8-8-8-24-1T timings it's in a position to provide enthusiasts with high-performance results regardless of the bus speed.
Since the BL2KIT12864BA1608 kit operates just beyond the 1.5V JEDEC specification, Crucial can retain the standard aluminum heat spreader for the Ballistix DDR3 module. Some manufacturers such as OCZ set the bar for appearance rather high with their Reaper HPC design, and then lift that bar even higher with their recently announced ReaperX HPC Enhanced Bandwidth DDR3. I must confide a "secret" to you though: the extra cooling is a waste. I have touched Corsair DDR3 overclocked to 1900MHz while it was running stress tests, and the modules were barely warm if they were anything at all.
Because Crucial's Ballistix DDR3 modules maintain the standard size profile, this kit can fit into any system. The small profile can be helpful to system builders, too. In our recent reviews, the larger heatspreaders found on the Winchip 64A0TRHN8G17E,Super Talent W1800UX2GP, and Corsair TWIN3X2048-1800C7DF G kits have found themselves too tall to fit in a full range spectrum of system applications. This translates into higher compatibility for the BL2KIT12864BA1608 kit in compact computer builds, such as shallow HTPC systems.
During normal operation, I discovered that the Crucial Ballistix PC3-12800 CL8 DDR3 1600MHz RAM modules generated a temperature only a few degrees over the ambient room temperature. Even with the very best DDR2 kits running at a lowly 800MHz, it is nearly impossible to touch the module during normal operation. This drastic reduction in operating temperature is likely the result of the efficient DDR3 process or possibly the 1.8V used with this BL2KIT12864BA1608 kit.
Crucial has been quick to introduce several different RAM module designs over the past few years, and it seems that the Crucial Ballistix PC3-12800 CL8 BL2KIT12864BA1608 DDR3 1600MHz 2x1GB RAM kit is not really all that different when compared to the appearance of past generations. Granted, there isn't a lot that can change with the appearance thanks to strict profile guidelines, but Crucial still manages to make enough small tweaks to the appearance that you are reminded that this is a new product series. In the next section, Benchmark Reviews covers the finer points of DDR3 and the changes it brings. The overall progress of this DDR3 series is also updated, along with overclocking results. DDR3 Comparison Review ProgressUltimately DDR3 offers a faster design which allows all hardware enthusiasts to take advantage of it. Current high-speed DDR3 memory doesn't offer any benefit when installed into computers running at the stock JEDEC standard speeds of 400 (800), 533 (1066), 666 (1333), and 800 (1600). Instead, the new generation of DDR3 is meant to avoid a bottleneck between the CPU and the system memory; especially in highly overclocked scenarios. With the high-speed variety of DDR3, which presently includes everything beyond the highest 1333MHz JEDEC standard, you increase the Front Side Bus (FSB) and CPU clock speed without being forced to slow the system memory to remain stable. It should be noted that as of late October 2007 the JEDEC 1600MHz speed is still in draft in standard JESD79-3A, but once finalized high-speed DDR3 will include parts beyond this new speed. System Memory is labeled with a new generation for each interval of Front Side Bus development. In terms of DDR, or double data rate memory, the first generation was designed for 100 MHz to 200 MHz speeds (DDR-200 to DDR-400). Later, DDR2 arrived and started production at 266 MHz (DDR2-533) and officially ended (by JEDEC standards) at 400 MHz (DDR2-800). This is where DDR3 begins, starting with 533 MHz (DDR-1066), and scale up to 800 MHz (DDR3-1600).
Each generation of DDR is more than just an update to the memory speed, it is also a more technologically advanced production process and a lower operating voltage and better heat dissipation. The previous generation of DDR2 is manufactured on a 110nm node, whereas the new DDR3 has receives a fab process shrink down to a 90nm node (although some use 80nm) with either 55/45nm prepared for later into 2008. Together, this all helps the hardware enthusiast reach higher clock speeds at the expense of higher latencies. This is why the new DDR3 generation of memory needs a significantly higher clock speed deliver better performance than the preceding generation of DDR2 technology. In additional to the logically progressive changes, there are also improvements made to the architectural design of the memory. One particularly important change introduced with DDR3 is in the prefetch buffer: up from DDR2's four bits to an astounding eight bits per cycle. This translates to a full 100% increase in the prefetch payload; not just a small incremental improvement as there have been in the other area's. DDR2-400 Memory is equal in performance to DDR-400, which is why it must operate at DDR2-667 speed to carry incentive. The same scenario is true with DDR3 when compared to DDR2. While in theory DDR2-1066 offers the same performance as DDR3-1066, this generally means that DDR3 requires a DDR3-1333 speed to show any benefit over DDR2-800. Memories within the same generation (DDR/DDR2/DDR3) are downwards compatible, meaning that if you have DDR3-1600 RAM, you can configure it to operate at 1066 and 1333 MHz speeds. Unfortunately, without the proper chipset to support high-speed DDR3 memory, anything beyond DDR3-1333 (the fastest selectable memory multiplier setting with most motherboards) will be relegated to overclocking. Intel has designed the entire 3 Series of motherboards to be DDR3 compatible; but even though the G33, P35, X38, and the upcoming X48 chipsets all support the newer standard they are still encouraging DDR2 support. This is going to be a power struggle between standards until Intel launches yet another new Front Side Bus. But aren't we forgetting someone? Oh, that's right, Advanced Micro Devices. These days it's almost as if AMD has been late to dinner so often they don't even get a table setting anymore. While little brother (AMD) may have made claims back in 2006 to support DDR3 in their products this year, they appear to eating their words as the move has been stalled until the last half of 2008 when they will likely introduce the 45nm AM3. Which is what brings about the purpose of this article... is it all worth it? DDR3 Test Products:One of the nice benefits of owning a computer sales and service company is that I get to have my hands on a whole lot of inventory that I would never purchase for myself. The other benefit is that I get to make contact with many of the top names in the industry, and can often persuade them to lend us product for testing. Over the next several weeks, you can expect to see top-tier names like: Aenenon, Corsair, Crucial, GeIL, Kingston, SimpleTech, Mushkin, OCZ, Patriot, Winchip, and Super Talent in our featured DDR3 reviews for this mega-comparison round-up. The list below is just the beginning...
This review focuses on the Crucial Ballistix PC3-12800 CL8 BL2KIT12864BA1608 DDR3 1600MHz 2x1GB RAM kit, but as soon as the individual series of reviews have been completed I will address the collective conclusions in a single finale article. The comparison results displayed below are updated in real time as they are completed.
Test System
Testing Methodology: DDR3 RAMBefore the testing really begins, there are several settings to be adjusted in the BIOS. Many combinations of the CPU's front side bus are matched to a specific memory multiplier, giving us the desired RAM (and CPU) operating speed. When high-speed DDR3 is tested, a 1:1 memory multiplier is combined with the highest CPU front side bus speed available to obtain baseline readings; the fastest FSB is presently 1333MHz found in select Intel Conroe and Kentsfield series desktop processors. When I first begin this process and start benchmarking for a baseline, the memory voltage and timing are always left at the manufacturer's default values.
After each and every change to the BIOS, the system is restarted and all RAM modules are automatically tested with MemTest86+ for one full pass. Since the modules are not yet overclocked, one pass is usually sufficient to determine if a bad part exists. Later, once I begin to overclock the memory, these tests are a good way of quickly pre-screening stable configurations. Once the test pass is complete, I move onto the synthetic benchmark tests. Here at Benchmark Reviews we use the following test suites and applications:
After all of the tests have been performed at the default memory clock speed (or highest JEDEC standard), which establishes the baseline reading for our comparisons, I then increase the front side bus to overclock the RAM without adding any additional voltage. My theory is this: a module that overclocks without additional voltage is going to perform better than a module which requires you to potentially damage it or void the warranty. Another way of looking at this is that if a module overclocks well without added voltage, it is likely that there will be more headroom if additional voltage is applied. I am fully aware that many sites turn up the voltage and apply dangerous amounts of power to the modules so that they can unlock that last megahertz; but if I begin down that road where will it end? Do I then start writing reviews where I apply liquid nitrogen cooling to the RAM? Do I volt-mod the motherboard and apply so much power I ruin expensive parts and equipment? In the end, I decided that overclocking will be done at the stock voltage for benchmarks, because I believe most enthusiasts are going to aim for the same goal. If on some rare occasion I determine that adding voltage would potentially return large performance gains, then I will add up to 0.2V to the default volt rating.
In each synthetic benchmark test Windows XP was booted fresh and the application 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. Once the system was ready, I performed a single test-run of the benchmark, followed by three recorded tests. At the end of the series, I averaged the three results for the final score. Sometimes it is very difficult to get broad results between the memory modules tested, so we use several different speeds of memory from participating manufacturers. Benchmark Reviews is very serious about performance, which is why we test the products against as many benchmarks as reasonably possible. Not every test suite is effective in these reviews, and some often calculate processor and other system components into the score. This is what makes a RAM review difficult: unless all of the modules compared have the exact same rating and the CPU operates at the exact same speed for each and every test, the comparison is always going to be subjective. Test Results: BL2KIT12864BA1608Testing RAM is a subject which requires a bit of technical knowledge. I have recently found a few other sites using only video games to benchmark the RAM product they are reviewing, and this whole practice made no sense to me at all. Video games are GPU and CPU dependant, and RAM has a very small impact on framerate performance; as I will prove to you in my own tests. So keeping all of this in mind I use the tools that belong in a system memory review; I use system memory tests for my benchmarks. Additionally, I don't spend three (usually short) pages discussing how I overclocked or how I made it to tighter timings. Every memory module comes with its very own limit, so one size doesn't fit all and this kit may not be the same as the next. As it turned out, the Crucial Ballistix BL2KIT12864BA1608 DDR3 kit could overclock to from 1600MHz to an unexpected 1825MHz without adding any additional voltage or changing clock latency values from the CL8-8-8-24 default. Keep in mind that the default memory voltage is only 1.8V, which means that there is still some room left for safe voltage increases. Our first results were recorded from Lavalys EVEREST using the Cache and Memory Benchmark tool. The results shown below represent the average measurement obtained from the Crucial Ballistix PC3-12800 kit at the 1:1 RAM-to-CPU multiplier of 1333MHz and the front side bus set to 333MHz to produce 1333MHz RAM. After testing the default speed, I then test at the 1600 SPD-set baseline and then the overclocked speed of 1825MHz with a 456MHz FSB. The results for the average read, write, and copy bandwidth from EVEREST are displayed below.
Everest is among my most trusted benchmark programs, and the Cache and Benchmark tool is one of the more reliable in terms of consistent results. The chart above shows that the extra 225MHz over the stock 1600MHz speed amounted to a substatial increase in added bandwidth; the most notable improvement is over the 1333MHz baseline where the the read bandwidth improved by nearly 23% and more than 12% improvement over the stock speed. With both CPU-Z and EVEREST reporting memory clocks at CL8-8-8-24, I will believe that the ASUS P5K3 BIOS settings were configured correctly. Next up was the PassMark Performance Test benchmark which runs several different system memory tests in a row. Although some of the tests are specific to the performance of the RAM, others take the CPU clock speed and front side bus into account when developing a score. Most important are the memory read and write tests, and the score based tests are bias towards CPU speed and other hardware factors.
Passmark's Performance Test offers the most consistent memory test results of the entire group, with each of the test runs resulting in a score nearly identical to the previous test run. Ideally, all of these programs should be this consistent, but until they are I would consider Performance Test to be the best tool available for testing system memory bandwidth. Just as before, the overclocked results indicate that there is plenty of performance waiting to be unlocked from these Ballistix DDR3 modules. The most notable difference was in the small block and large RAM tests; where the BL2KIT12864BA1608 kit performed 13% over the stock speed.
SiSoftware Sandra Lite XIIc offered identical results nearly the same in regards to increased performance; according to the chart above. Although the bandwidth tests are of a different nature, the improvement from 1600MHz to 1825MHz still resulted in nearly 12% in both the integer bandwidth and float buffered tests. The last of our memory testing applications to run is RightMark Memory Analyzer. This program may not offer the same level of consistent test results that Performance Test does, but instead it offers a more technical approach to testing the system memory. Plus, this is a Benchmark Reviews favorite - because it's free.
RightMark Memory Analyzer offer nearly the same tests that EVEREST and Performance Test have, and could be considered a bit redundant, but then again this is a technology article and us geeks like our redundancy. While it's true that Memory Analyzer hasn't been updated in over a year and seems out of development, it's still not a bad tool since it gives the second most consistent results every single run (unlike Sandra). It also offers an average "real" RAM read and write bandwidth result which most enthusiasts don't appreciate because it combines the results of dozens of tests.
Finally, I tested with the memory multiplier set at 1:1 for 1333MHz against the default 1600MHz and overclocked 1825MHz settings in the game World in Conflict. Realizing that games can be either CPU or GPU bound, this made it difficult for me to compare all of the memory sets since the clock speed of the processor would change as I adjust the front side bus for the desired RAM speed. In the end a 225MHz system memory improvement over the 1600MHz SPD setting gave the framerate in World in Conflict only 1 FPS more in the average framerate. More dramatic is how there was only a 2 FPS difference between 1333MHz and 1825MHz. This mediocre improvement is evidence of how insignificant the system memory speed is in relation to video game performance. But don't misunderstand me, because system memory could have a much larger impact on game performance if you use it to overclock the processor or reduce timing. Obviously, if you are using Crucial Ballistix PC3-12800 CL8 BL2KIT12864BA1608 DDR3 1600MHz RAM you aren't going to keep the CPU at the stock speed anyway; and you probably use a video card that more than makes up for the very small gains of overclocked system memory. This means that faster system memory allows for a faster CPU, and in turn produces a faster framerate. But in the world of system memory benchmarks, comparing the different sets of RAM in a game is pointless. Final ThoughtsSome readers may not know it, but Crucial (Micron) is actually the largest producer of system memory in the United States. Worldwide, they are behind Samsung, Hynix, Infineon, and NEC in terms of total production, but they are the only manufacturer on that list to product consumer DDR3 system memory. This means big things for Crucial, and a potential jump-start for their technology. What this translates to for consumers is the added level of progressively improved upon performance which is evident in the Ballistix line of RAM modules. None of the other twelve DDR3 products we have tested in our High-Speed Review Series has come close to overclocking as much as the BL2KIT12864BA1608 has. Some of the faster kits we reviewed such as this one are not going to be something system builders and casual users should purchase for vanilla systems. But this Crucial Ballistix PC3-12800 kit offers something for everyone, and delivers (way) more than you bargain for. If you visit the Crucial website looking for DDR3, you'll see system memory solutions for every market segment. The Crucial Ballistix BL2KIT12864BA1608 kit may be multi-purpose in scope, but with so much performance headroom for hardware enthusiasts and overclockers this kit can lend itself to any purpose.
BL2KIT12864BA1608 ConclusionSince beginning this DDR3 series, the presentation rating has been replaced with a performance score. In our system memory reviews, we offer this score to represent the overclocking potential and memory timing capability of the product reviewed. The Crucial Ballistix PC3-12800 DDR3 RAM kit successfully overclocked to a stable 1825MHz while maintaining CL8-8-8-24 timings and 1.8 volts. With a high-speed rating of 1600MHz, it surprised me to actually achieve such an extreme overclock. After testing more than one dozen DDR3 kits in the past months, this Ballistix kit has more overclocking headroom than any other. Moving on to the appearance rating, it's hard to be excited by the lack of innovation in the DDR3 series of Ballistix system memory. Crucial uses an attractive design for all of their Ballistix RAM, but it's a very similar look with each product release. In truth though, the anodized aluminum look is one of my favorites because of personal tastes, but I still think that the industry leader in memory products could have gone a bit farther with the design. With regard to product construction, Crucial's BL2KIT12864BA1608 DDR3 kit offers a good level of durability thanks to the heatspreader covering the entire module and being securely mounted to each side. The PCB is protected, and the IC chips are not going to come into direct contact with anything that could damage them. This DDR3 system memory kit could survive harsh abuse, but I still recommend you handle with care. Even at this early stage of DDR3's introduction into the consumer market, Crucial has released a product above and beyond the JEDEC expectations. At this particular point in time the Crucial Ballistix PC3-12800 CL8 DDR3 RAM kit offers an opportunity to reach into the highest speeds currently possible. Add in the additional 225MHz overclock for a total of 1825MHz, and this Ballistix DDR3 kit suddenly competes with some of the fastest kits available. High-Speed DDR3 is going to grow more popular with time, but for early adopters who don't want to wait another year this means that the 1600MHz guaranteed to perform at CL8-8-8-24 in the BL2KIT12864BA1608 kit will give them the chance to significantly overclock their system and get the most performance out of it. Because DDR3 is still very much a new standard to the industry, pricing is nowhere near as discounted as you see with DDR2. I explained earlier how manufacturers have dropped DDR2 retail prices to match production costs, if only to help avoid the depreciation of a fabrication factory with a looming expiration date. This leaves DDR3 with a price slightly higher than cost, which appears expensive in comparison. At this early stage of introduction, Crucial's BL2KIT12864BA1608 DDR3 1600MHz 2x1GB RAM kit is available at NewEgg.com for $259.99, or you can buy directly from Crucial for only $199.99 each. If you're a loyal reader to Benchmark Reviews, you've no doubt noticed that some of the best kits available were saved for the last half of our series. It's been a lot of work to find the best methods and combinations to compare some many products, and I'm very pleased that the industry has made the effort well worth the effort. Crucial offers excellent performance for hardware enthusiasts while also remaining an attractive OEM solution for higher-end system builders. Resellers may find this an attractive kit to meet the needs of two separate consumer groups. The Ballistix DDR3 modules are good for pushing the rest of your system well beyond the manufacturer's intended specifications. However until enthusiast and overclockers can create a larger demand, the price of such products will remain high. Pros:
|
||||||||||||||||
Comments