Crucial Ballistix Tactical LP DDR3-1600 16GB Kit
| Article Index |
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| Crucial Ballistix Tactical LP DDR3-1600 16GB Kit |
| Installation, Test Setup and More |
| Let the Benchmarks Begin |
Product: Crucial Ballistix Tactical LP 16GB Kit
Provided By: Crucial
Price: $89.99 (estimated) at Launch
Introduction:
Today I'll be taking a look at Crucial's line of low profile RAM. Crucial is a well known name when it comes to RAM. They are a brand of Micron, a very large manufacturer of RAM, so they spare no expense to maintain a superior level of quality. They also produce other storage products like Solid State Drives and USB storage. You can check out more of their products here.
The sample I'll be reviewing today is Crucial's Ballistix Tactical LP Series DDR3 PC-3 12800 @1600MHz. This kit contains 2 x 8 GB sticks, they are rated at 1.35 Volts (1.5 volts XMP2), and has a timing of 8-8-8-24 1T. I used XMP1 (eXtreme Memory Performance) mode to get listed timings. I'm running an Intel based rig, so it was a simple BIOS change.
First Impressions:
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The Ballistix Tactical LP came packaged in a standard, plastic clamshell. A removable inner tray helped protect the sticks, and everything seemed securely in place when I inspected it. There is also a sticker on the front telling you what is contained so there is no confusion.
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The Ballistix Tactical is definitely a low profile design, but the heat spreaders look like they can definitely help dissipate any excess heat. This coupled with the lower voltage used in default and XMP1 modes makes cooling a breeze.
They also feel pretty high quality. The heat spreaders are aluminum with cutouts to create more surface area. It is also emblazoned bright yellow with the Crucial Ballistix logo.
On the next page we'll cover installation and test system specifications before we begin testing.