Ballistix Tactical Tracer RGB
CRUCIAL $105
The best for fully customisable RGB
If you’re into
personalizing and
modding your PC,
Crucial’s Ballistix Tactical Tracer
RGB series is another worthy
option. Available in 16GB-64GB
configurations at 2666MT/s and
3000MT/s, the latest Ballistix
DDR4 memory is suitable for a
wide range of builds without
much of a premium. The main
selling point here is the kit’s 16
addressable RGB LEDs with eight
controllable zones and an easily
removable light bar that diffuses
and enhances the RGB effects.
Crucial provides free 3D files
that allow you to print different
light bars to produce a wide rangeof looks for any build. Power users
can modify existing files to print
their own gamer tag or custom
designs. Alternatively, you can
remove the light bar altogether.
The Ballistix Tactical Tracer
RGB provides the customisation
G.Skill’s Trident Z RGB series
lacks, and when you look at the
software and possibilities that
come with the Ballistix kit, it’s
easy to see how this is a top
choice for PC modders.3D printable replacement bars
Robust RGB software control
Removable light bar
RGB software doesn’t work on X99VERDICTSPECS SPEED: 2666MT/S / CAPACITY: 32GB / TIMING: 16-18-18-36 / DIMMS: 4X8GB6
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HARDWARE
Viper Elite
PATRIOT $35
A good choice if you’re on a budget
The Patriot Viper Elite
8GB may not be the
cheapest DDR4
memory bundle you can find, but
in our opinion it holds the best
value when you’re on a budget.
This dual-channel kit is priced
lower than competitors like the
HyperX Fury and Corsair
Vengeance LPX while also
offering similar levels of
performance. And unlike cheaper
kits, the Viper Elite features
decent heatsinks and
overclockability.
Reduced price and increased
compatibility are the best reasons
to buy DDR4-2400. For those
looking to take full advantage of
what the Viper Elite has to offer,
simple overclocking pushes its
performance to match that of
much more expensive options.
One of the awesome things about
DDR4 is that it generally operates
at 1.2V, and even the slightest
voltage increases can give you
quite a bit more clockspeed
while still remaining cooler than
DDR3. We hit 2800MT/s and
3000MT/s speeds with ease, and
3200MT/s is possible.Budget friendly upgrade
Easy overclocking
Decent heatsinks
Clearance issues with large coolersVERDICTSPECS SPEED: 2400MT/S / CAPACITY: 8GB / TIMING: 15-15-15-35 / DIMMS: 2X4GB
5
JARGON BUSTER
DIMMs
Dual In-line Memory Module, a small circuit
board with RAM chips on that slots into
your motherboard.Frequency
Measured in MT/s (often incorrectly written
as MHz), this is how many data transfers a
DIMM can process in a second. Modern
DDR4 transfers data twice per clock cycle,
so 3,000MT/s is running at 1,500MHz.CAS Latency
Column Access Strobe Latency, the delay
between the memory controller requesting
data from RAM and the data available; it’s
the first number in a kit’s timings string.Timings
The measure that an operation requested
by the memory controller will take for the
RAM to complete. The most important is
the first, CAS Latency. Lower is better.XMP
Extreme Memory Profile, instructions built
into DIMMs that tell your PC’s BIOS what
frequency, timings, and voltage to use. It is a
shortcut for overclocking without changing
each setting individually, and can be set
from your motherboard’s setup screen.456