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Introduction:
DDR2 RAM is currently the mainstream memory of choice for most modern PC systems, it has been around for years and is very reasonably priced. However, with the introduction and fast adoption of DDR3, it is only a matter of time before DDR2 suffers the same fate as all previous memory technologies. While this changeover won't happen overnight, it is unlikely that DDR2 manufacturers will be releasing many more iterations of higher clocked DDR2 modules. With that being said, now is probably the best time to invest in some quality, high-speed, high-capacity DDR2 modules while mainstream production is keeping the prices competitive and quantities available.
In this review we will be examining Crucial Technology’s cream-of-the-crop, Ballistix Tracer PC2-8500 2x1GB kit (P/N: BL12864AL1065). This is Crucial’s high-end memory made for PC enthusiasts. Prior to being released from the manufacturing facility, each module is tested in multiple motherboards to verify that it will perform flawlessly at the levels advertised. Details on the testing procedure can be found here.
Ballistix Tracer 240-pin DIMMs are available in DDR2 PC2-5300 (DDR2 667), PC2-6400 (DDR2 800), and PC2-8500 (DDR2 1066).
About the Company:
The Crucial story starts with Micron Technology, Inc., one of the largest dynamic random access memory (DRAM) manufacturers in the world and the only one based in the U.S. Headquartered in Boise, Idaho, Micron manufactures DRAM chips and assembles them into high-quality memory modules for sale to original equipment manufacturers ("OEMs") worldwide.
For nearly three decades, Micron has learned that when you make some of the very best memory in the world, lots of companies want it, from computer makers to wireless device manufacturers to printer producers. (And we're really glad that they do!)
But then Micron asked, well, what about the end user? What about the everyday folks who want to upgrade their existing systems with OEM-quality memory — the home desktop user, the IT network guy, the student notebook user? Why don't we offer our memory to the public, at factory-direct pricing?
So in 1996, Micron responded to a growing demand for high-quality memory upgrades among end users who wanted the best possible performance from their systems. Micron launched Crucial Technology in September of that year, and for the first time, end users had the opportunity to buy directly from the manufacturer the same memory modules bought by the world's major OEMs for original installation in their systems.
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