Ballistix PC8500

[Quintero]

What voltages have you tried? The 8000's need more than 2.6v to shine.

But would the higher binned PC8000s need higher voltage than the PC5300 Value sticks running at the same settings?

I've tried anything from 2.0 - 2.3, as well as significant drive strength increases. When it comes to raw clock speed, the Value sticks seem to perform better at any voltage. Quite a surprise, I must say.

[Gautam]

I couldn't do 600 4-4-4 well even at 2.5v. At 2.62 they did it easily and at 2.75 they went up to about 630-640 stable.

2.0-2.3 won't cut it for these sticks, they crave voltage.

[TEDY]

but it safe to give them so high voltage?

[Gautam]

No.

[NinjaZX6R]

No.

Can't ever hate the man for being honest.

Although he's making me run 2.55v into my ram as we speak

-Collin-

[Quintero]

I couldn't do 600 4-4-4 well even at 2.5v. At 2.62 they did it easily and at 2.75 they went up to about 630-640 stable.

2.0-2.3 won't cut it for these sticks, they crave voltage.

I hear you, but that still doesn't explain why the Value sticks OC much higher at any voltage. You know, the PC8000s use the very same chips (higher bin), and probably better PCBs as well. The value sticks are even stable @ DDR2-1150 @ only 2.1 v when using all four sticks at the same time.

My priority is high clock frequency, and I don't think that higher voltage would be the answer. I know that tight timings require higher voltage, but exceeding 2.3 v only hurts clock scalability. That "anomaly" is highlighted by the fact that my memory overclocks higher when Data / DQS drive strength is reduced to 0.75x.

[Gautam]

All sticks act different. It's hard to make any sort of generalization like that about scaling. For example, I had tracer 8500's that did awesome at low voltage. 2.4 was enough for 600 4-4-4, but they absolutely stopped scaling past 2.55v. It just started hurting there. My ballistix 8000's, despite being high bin from the same company, act almost like a polar opposite.

[Hutch]

i got just myself a pair of Ballistix Pc8000 2x512mb and they are clocking really strange. The DS3 board is a pretty bad ram clocker. They were doing 450mhz cas 3 last night with only 2.28V, Cas 4 525mhz 2.27V but can't hit any higher with more voltage or cas 5...

[EnJoY]

i got just myself a pair of Ballistix Pc8000 2x512mb and they are clocking really strange. The DS3 board is a pretty bad ram clocker. They were doing 450mhz cas 3 last night with only 2.28V, Cas 4 525mhz 2.27V but can't hit any higher with more voltage or cas 5...

Chipset limitation. Up vMCH.

[Hutch]

Chipset limitation. Up vMCH.

vmch and vfsb both maxed. I'm gonna try AS5 on this NB and then vmod the vmch and vdimm, just need to find some 20K Vr's, only have 10K's around and my soldering kit is at my rents place i think.

[Algeriano]

2.45V

[Infa]

I had to go 2.60 to get it ATLEAST 1M superpi @ 1200 cas 4
dont wont to destroy them though...just tried it, nothing more...

its all a mather of how much vdimm u want to give the poor Rams, and you'll get there, atleast for me.. and my BallistiX :P

regards.

[Xtreme Addict]

And I thought that Ballistix 8500 are the best DDR2 memory on the market There was one beautiful serie and that's all. Now they overclock quiet averege for highend memory...

[Buckster]

mmm - I was sure mine needed the standard 2.2 (2.25V on my Asus) ... until last night ...

thought I'd try the 1090 I was at at 5-5-5-15 - but at 2.1V .. as the RAM modules at 2.25V were getting rather hot ...

to my surprise it passed memtest

so now doing 5-5-5-8 - still at 2.1V and fine - quite impressed for this type of clock at 2.1V ?

Mark.

[nullface]

So, they arent as good as before?

I am looking at the 8500 sticks, are they worth it? And am i still garanteed MGH?

[eva2000]

So, they arent as good as before?

I am looking at the 8500 sticks, are they worth it? And am i still garanteed MGH?

seems that way.. 600mhz 4-4-4-x <2.45v vdimm ones aren't as common as before

[nullface]

New rev. number or anything that can make et easyer to spot a god pair?

[Buckster]

new ones seem OK to me - mine have now passed stress test (Orthos) and memtest at 1090 5-5-5-8 @ 2.0V - now I'm more than happy with that.

not many RAM modules can do high speeds at low-ish volts

[Gautam]

I'm telling ya guys, 8000's are the way to go, got a second one too and it also kicks ass. 600 4-4-4 with tight subs is a cake walk. Granted, I don't usually test below 2.6v.

I guess you can't be that faint of heart, but ultimately these are the best I've ever tested for 4-4-4, beating even the best 8500's out there.

[luihed]

I know alot of people are gonna disagree but I think ballistix from 5300 to 8000 are the same thing, so Ill just buy whatever is cheaper...... I have no clue how these ICs are binned, but 500fsb 5-5-5-15 at 2.2v is so easy for these D9GMH that 99&#37; of them will make the cut.... and the ones that dont will more than likely not run 333fsb 3-3-3-X...... I was using Bltx 5300 4x 512mb and had no problem running them all together at 630fsb.... they were all unmatched sticks too.... Id still be running them now but with the DFI 965 running 4 stix is alot harder than it was with my Commando.....The 8500s on the other hand looks to have something better.....

Its kinda like how binning E6320 to E6600, taking the multi out of the equation they will probably clock all the same.... Its probably imposible to find a conroe core that can do 1860mhz but not 2400mhz..... I dont think they even bother sorting them out.....

[zerazax]

Just got a set of 8500's batch CL1117N.HN... any one with experience on these?

[coop]

@ Gautam the 8000's are somewhat more. (get what you pay 4) than the 8500's. The 8500's were down w/rebate to $79.00 on thurs. They are no more though.

[irev210]

i just got a 3rd set of 8500's

when i get a chance, I will compare to my old 8500's (D9GMH and one set of D9GKX)

[Hutch]

Are the Ballistix 8 or 6 layer PCB?

[tinker77]

Are the Ballistix 8 or 6 layer PCB?

6 if I remenber correctly.