Overclocking and thoughts
OverclockingOverclocking tests were run with timings of 2-2-2-5, 2-3-3-7, and 2.5-3-3-8, respectively. DDR voltage was raised to 2.9v. A 10-minute Memtest86+ error-free run was the basic benchmark of RAM stability.
Almost DDR440 speeds with the tightest possible timings. That's impressive for PC4000 memory. Most other manufacturer's high-speed memory simply fails to operate with these savage timings. The motherboard's FSB ceiling is called into question with the highest speed of 271MHz as the modules could manage 270MHz with 2.8v. Crucial's Ballistix PC4000 RAM is extremely flexible in nature, covering the broad spectrum of extremely tight timings and high MHz speeds.
Thoughts
It's always difficult to make absolute recommendations based on the results obtained from a couple of modules. However, if the performance of the sample pair are representative of the vast majority of Crucial Ballistix PC4000 modules, I'd have no hesitation from recommending them to a wide range of enthusiasts. The test pair seem to break the long-held belief that high-speed RAM, along with associated high timings, cannot be run at moderate speeds and extremely low latencies. Priced at around £190 for a 1GByte pair, Crucial Ballistix PC4000 modules sit alongside equivalent modules, in both price and specification, from the likes of Corsair, OCZ and GeIL.
The sample's low-latency nature sets them apart from the competition, so users wishing to run with default FSB speeds can also enjoy a boost in performance. Premium memory is intrinsically expensive. Crucial's the newest player on the block with some of the finest DDR1 modules I've had the pleasure to test. Highly recommended if all Ballistix PC4000 modules can emulate the performance shown by the test sample.
