• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Hardware Secrets

Hardware Secrets

Uncomplicating the complicated

  • Case
  • Cooling
  • Memory
  • Mobile
    • Laptops
    • Smartphones
    • Tablets
  • Motherboard
  • Networking
  • Other
    • Audio
    • Cameras
    • Consumer Electronics
    • Desktops
    • Museum
    • Software
    • Tradeshows & Events
  • Peripherals
    • Headset
    • Keyboard
    • Mouse
    • Printers
  • Power
  • Storage
Home » Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer Memory Module

Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer Memory Module

[nextpage title=”Introduction”]

Crucial has just released a 2 GB DDR3-1600 (PC3-12800) memory module. Let’s see what makes the Ballistix Smart Tracer memory module so special.

In most cases, reviewing standard memory modules make no sense anymore, as you won’t see any statistically significant performance difference between them and, even when you do, an increase in memory performance is not necessarily reflected on the overall system performance. This is the main reason we stopped reviewing memory modules. The exception is, of course, if you are an overclocker: in this case you will probably want memory modules that officially support higher clock rates in order to push your system to the limit.

From some time now, manufacturers have being creating “premium” memory modules with activity LEDs or even complete displays where you can write things on for users that can’t stand having plain memory modules in their systems. The Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer is one of these products.

It is a 2 GB DDR3-1600 (PC3-12800) memory module with 8-8-8-25 timings requiring 1.65 V, with 10 bicolor LEDs on its top edge and eight bicolor LEDs on its bottom edge. Each module is sold with two color options for the LEDs: blue and orange, or red and green. This way you can better match the color of the rest of the lightning system you have on your PC.

Like competing products, the LEDs can be used to monitor memory activity. What makes the Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer a different animal is that you can manually configure how and when the LEDs will turn on, through a program called MOD (Memory Overview Display).

In the pictures below, you see the memory modules and their LEDs.

Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer memoryFigure 1: Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer memory modules

Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer memoryFigure 2: Bottom LEDs (there are another four LEDs on the other side of the printed circuit board)

Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer memoryFigure 3: Top LEDs

[nextpage title=”The MOD”]

As mentioned, the LEDs are configured through a program called MOD (Memory Overview Display), which must be downloaded at https://www.crucial.com/bmod. In Figure 4, we show the main screen of this program, “SPD Data,” which shows all basic information about the memory modules installed.

Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer memoryFigure 4: Memory information

The second screen, “Temperature,” allows you to monitor the temperature of the memory modules (see Figure 5). The presence of thermal sensors is great, as not many memory modules have this feature. The program not only shows the numeric value of the temperature, but displays a color bar with colors from blue to red to indicate if your modules are cold or hot. It also draws a chart of temperature over time, which can be logged to a file as well.

Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer memoryFigure 5: Temperature information

The next screen, “Lights,” is the one most users will use. Here you can configure the LEDs of the memory modules. You can choose the color you want the LEDs to be (in Figure 6 we chose green – we reviewed a green/red kit), the blinking pattern (there are four patterns available, called Stereo, Lava, Inside out, and Streamer), and the brightness of the LEDs.

Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer memoryFigure 6: LEDs configuration

And finally we have the last screen, “Settings,” where you can change the temperature unit, the frequency the charts and log files will be updated, and what to do when the memory temperature reaches a certain level. This is a very interesting feature, as you can configure the memory modules to change their colors (e.g. blinking in red) when they are too hot. You can also configure the program to show the memory temperature on the desktop.

Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer memoryFigure 7: General settings

Let’s now see the memory modules in action.

[nextpage title=”The Memory Modules Working”]

To show how the Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer really works, we shot a video showing the several patterns that can be configured. As mentioned, we used a kit with green/red LEDs. One of the patterns available allows the modules to display the memory activity, and that is what happening when the LEDs seem to be “dead” in our video.

[nextpage title=”Main Specifications”]

The main specifications for the Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer memory module include:

  • Part Number: BL25664ST1608OB
  • Capacity: 2 GB per module, available as individual modules, 4 GB (2 x 2 GB) kits and 6 GB (3 x 2 GB) kits
  • Speed: DDR3-1600/PC3-12800
  • Timings: 8-8-8-24
  • Voltage: 1.65 V
  • 10 LEDs on the top edge and eight LEDs on the bottom edge
  • Available in two versions: red/green or orange/blue
  • Temperature sensor
  • More Information: https://www.crucial.com
  • Average Price in the US*: USD 40.00 each module

* Researched at Newegg.com on the day we published this First Look article.

[nextpage title=”Conclusions”]

The Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer memory modules are neat if you have a case with a transparent window and like a computer with a nightclub feeling. The ability to manually
configure the blinking patterns and the LED color makes these modules different from competing products. The feature we liked the most was the ability to configure the modules to automatically change the color of their LEDs when the memory temperature reaches a certain level.

The only negative side that we can see is the price: they are USD 10 (33%) more expensive than regular Crucial Ballistix DDR3-1600 2 GB modules. However, paying USD 20 extra to have two of these modules inside your case are well worth it – if you like a lot of blinking lights, of course.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

As a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, this site may earn from qualifying purchases. We may also earn commissions on purchases from other retail websites.

car service

Why Is Fleet Maintenance Important?

If you have a fleet of vehicles you use within your business, it’s crucial you keep up with their

Playing Fifa on Play station 4

Tips for Recycling Your Gaming Consoles and Devices

These days, it seems like almost everybody is gaming. As great as this is, it’s also creating a

Business planning

How to Develop Your Venture Capital Business

Venture Capital (VC) is a type of private equity investment in which investors provide funding to

Footer

For Performance

  • PCI Express 3.0 vs. 2.0: Is There a Gaming Performance Gain?
  • Does dual-channel memory make difference on integrated video performance?
  • Overclocking Pros and Cons
  • All Core i7 Models
  • Understanding RAM Timings

Everything you need to know

  • Everything You Need to Know About the Dual-, Triple-, and Quad-Channel Memory Architectures
  • What You Should Know About the SPDIF Connection (2022 Guide)
  • Everything You Need to Know About the Intel Virtualization Technology
  • Everything You Need to Know About the CPU Power Management

Copyright © 2023 · All rights reserved - Hardwaresecrets.com
About Us · Privacy Policy · Contact