Introduction

Let's briefly turn back time and relive a little nostalgia. In fact let's remind ourselves of the old days when 72pin 5V FP (Fast Page) memory was the norm and everyone was entirely happy with the 80ns latency and 50MHz maximum frequency it supported. The same was more or less true just over a decade ago back in 1995 when EDO (Enhanced Data Output) memory swept into stores featuring a lightning 60ns access latency and maximum 66MHz frequency. Those were the days when the personal computer concept really sprung into action - some of us remember it all too well. Add Microsoft Windows 95 into the mix that finally allowed for reliable multi-tasking and the PC revolution just got all the merrier. Fast forward to today and we've become just a little greedier, first we demand ever faster processors and secondly memory that offers substantial bandwidth to feed the former, for what you may ask - but of course more speed. It's a fast paced hectic life being an enthusiast but one that's interesting to the trained eye. For those who live, breathe, and even sleep beside technology, we look at a full 2GB (2x 1GB) of speedy Ballistix memory from Crucial. Could this be the memory that should reside in your AMD AM2 Athlon 64 FX-60/62 or Intel Pentium Extreme 955/965 rig? There's only one way we'll know, it’s time to forget about the early 1990's and fast forward to Crucial's Ballistix PC2-800 DDR2.

First Impressions

Crucial launched the Ballistix series of memory back in 2003 and we've looked at its various versions several times over the years. The appearance of this PC2-8000 version is identical to all other Ballistix DDR2 flavors and hence the copper look aluminum heatspreader is all too familiar. This is not a bad thing however and its presence would not be out of tune with some of the flashy cases. The memory arrives in familiar looking packaging that hasn't changed over the years, which itself is not necessarily a bad thing. Inside, in addition to the memory we find an installation manual and a Ballistix case sticker. Crucial wraps up the package by offering a limited lifetime warranty for that consumer peace of mind, plain and simple.

Click images to enlarge.

Specifications

Part Number: BL2KIT12864AA1005
Module Size: 2GB (2pc kit)
Package: Ballistix 240-pin DIMM
Feature: DDR2 PC2-8000
Configuration: 128Meg x 64
DIMM Type: UNBUFFERED
Error Checking: NON-ECC
Speed: DDR2-1000
Voltage: 2.2V

Memory Timings: 5-5-5-15

Specs: DDR2 PC2-8000, 5-5-5-15, UNBUFFERED, NON-ECC, DDR2-1000, 2.2V, 128Meg x 64