Crucial Ballistix Tracer 4GB PC3-10600

Finally after what has quite possibly been forever, DDR3 memory is now starting to become affordable. Still, do not expect to pick up a DDR3 memory kit for anywhere near current DDR2 prices, that is simply not going to happen, at least not right now anyway. Although DDR3 does at best still cost twice as much as similar DDR2 memory, it is getting cheaper.

For example, it is now possible to purchase a 4GB DDR3 memory kit containing two 2GB modules for around $130 US. However at this price you will not be getting weapons grade stuff, rather a modest pair of modules clocked at just 1066MHz using average timings. For a decent pair expect to pay anywhere from $160 US to around $200 US.

Unfortunately the key problem that DDR3 memory has faced over the past year or so has not been the hideously expensive price tag. Rather, many have struggled to look past the fact that it’s not any good. Actually, let me rephrase that, it’s not any good when paired with a Core 2 processor. For very exciting and technical reasons that we won’t go into right now, the Core 2 processors are unable to make use of all that extra bandwidth being offered by DDR3 memory.

What this meant was that the higher latency DDR3 was in some cases slower than DDR2 memory at similar frequencies, and even then overclocking the hell out of it did not do much good either. So for the past year or so, DDR3 memory has been too slow and too expensive for most of us to bother with. This all changed recently of course when the new Core i7 processors were unleashed upon the world.

The new Core i7 architecture resurrected the problem that limited the bandwidth of Core 2 processors by doing two things. First the memory controller was moved from the chipset and onto the processor. Secondly the FSB (Front Side Bus) was abolished and replaced with something much faster. Not only did Intel relocate the memory controller, but they also enhanced it, providing the new Core i7 processors with the ability to use triple-channel memory.

Therefore, any and all useful DDR3 memory is now going to come in 3’s so that it may be paired with a Core i7 processor. So today we are obviously going to be looking at a new triple-channel DDR3 memory kit … err well no, not exactly. Crucial, the memory company that sticks Micron chips on PCB’s and gives them crazy names like Ballistix, is a little behind when it comes to triple-channel memory kits.

As it stands they currently offer no high performance triple-channel memory kits, with their infamous Ballistix range including only dual-channel kits. They do however sell single modules, which is interesting as many makers do not, at least with their performance modules anyway. This means that while we are looking at their Ballistix Tracer 4GB PC3-10600 kit, which features a pair of 2GB sticks, they can also be purchased individually.

Therefore while this high performance kit can be purchased for just under $200 US, it is possible to buy the sticks individually for around $90 US each. So really it should not be long before Crucial piece together a triple-channel memory kit. Unfortunately we do not have three modules, so instead we will be forced to test them on the Core 2 platform where they will be not nearly as efficient.