OCZ 3700 EB or Crucial Ballistix for 939 A64?

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DanIdentity

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Joined

May 30, 2004

• Aug 20, 2004

• #1

I'm building a 939 A64 system and I plan to overclock. Which is the better choice, OCZ PC-3700 EB or Crucial Ballistix? 1GB is what I'll be getting, price is not an issue. What are the pros and cons of each one?

 

Valk

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Joined

Oct 31, 2002

• Aug 20, 2004

• #2

I think the eb and the ballistix are the exact same thing. both use the micron chips and both come on 6 layer pcb. in fact, i would be a little better drawn to micron and their great track record for support an reliability. the balistix is also a lot cheaper. and if you are looking for supreme overclock, they will go to like 515. the sammys are getting better results though. you might look into some smamys, but the microns are a great bet for a64.
Go Ballistix PC3200 or 4000.

 

Chowdy

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Jul 23, 2003

Location

Berkeley, CA

• Aug 20, 2004

• #3

Both are good choices but i understand that the Ballistix is very inconsistant with its performance? Meaning, from chip to chip, you can get very different results. EB is far more consistant, but much more expensive. I guess it all depends if you want to take a risk.

 

johan851

Insatiably Malcontent, Senior Member

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Jul 24, 2002

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Seattle, WA

• Aug 20, 2004

• #4

EB and Ballistix do NOT use the same ICs. The EB series is based on the mT -5BC, while the Crucial uses the mT -5BG. I'm really not sure about the consistencies, though the EB series has been around longer and has a very good track record.

 

wfarid

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Apr 22, 2004

Location

NJ

• Aug 20, 2004

• #5

i'd get the ballistix, ocz 3700 eb is expensive and hard to find... While crucial's ballistix memory isnt that much cheaper but it is just as good...

 

OP

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DanIdentity

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Joined

May 30, 2004

• Aug 20, 2004

• Thread Starter
• #6

Newegg has the 1GB matched pair of 3700 EB for $321, while 1GB of Ballistix PC-4000 is about $290. Only a $30 difference. Both are pretty easy to find and relatively close in price so that's why I was asking.

Anyone else have an opinion?

 

johan851

Insatiably Malcontent, Senior Member

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Jul 24, 2002

Location

Seattle, WA

• Aug 20, 2004

• #7

Ah...the Ballistix PC-4000 is probably going to use Hynix chips - D43's or D5's. If you want to go that route there are much cheaper ways to find them. Hynix D43 comes in Kingston's Value PC3200 packs for something like $150 a gig.

In my opinion, low latency always has an edge over high latency memories, especially in AMD systems. I'd go with the PC3700EB, I think you'll be happier with it. Sandra isn't the ONLY way to measure memory performance...

 

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flapperhead

Senior Member

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Joined

Apr 27, 2002

Location

wash dc area

• Aug 20, 2004

• #8

have u considered getting the ocz platinum rev2 pc3200.. i runs excelent timings 2.2.2.5 at the low end (pc3200/3500.)and runs to 283 (anandtech review) at the top end..

 

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NaNoBLaZe01

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Jul 23, 2004

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queens, NYC

• Aug 20, 2004

• #9

im confronted by the same situation for my NF7-S... and my future A64
as for the price... http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-146-985&depa=0
$321

http://www.crucial.com/ballistix/store/PartSpecs.asp?imodule=BL6464Z402&cat= $138.99 x 2
$277.98

or

http://www.crucial.com/ballistix/store/PartSpecs.asp?imodule=BL6464Z505&cat= $144.99 x 2
$289.98

around $43 difference... thats why im leaning towards ballistix
as for consistency... if they dont o/c well, couldn't you just rma for another pair?

 

OP

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DanIdentity

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Joined

May 30, 2004

• Aug 21, 2004

• Thread Starter
• #10

Do the 3200 and 4000 Balistix RAM use the same chips? In the Ballistix review thread I saw that some people who have the 4000's are able to run them at 2-2-2 @ 200.

 

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Chuckman

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Feb 12, 2004

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dorm room

• Aug 21, 2004

• #11

johan851 said:

Ah...the Ballistix PC-4000 is probably going to use Hynix chips - D43's or D5's. If you want to go that route there are much cheaper ways to find them. Hynix D43 comes in Kingston's Value PC3200 packs for something like $150 a gig.

Click to expand...

crucial always, repeat ALWAYS, uses micron chips. i mean, comeon, crucial is a division of micron the ballistix use mT-5bG chips as stated earlier. i dont know what the difference is between the 3200 and 4000 that doesnt let the 3200 run as fast as anandtech's review (they must screen the chips, or have a different pcb, anyone have pics w/o the heatspreaders?), but its the same chips. the 4000 isnt much more expensive than the 3200 anyway, id say go with that for a quarunteed 250fsb.

 

Catalan

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Aug 11, 2004

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Las Vegas, NV

• Aug 21, 2004

• #12

Are the hynix D43/D5 ALWAYS in the kingston value packs?

 

Jess1313

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Joined

Feb 15, 2004

• Aug 21, 2004

• #13

Catalan said:

Are the hynix D43/D5 ALWAYS in the kingston value packs?

Click to expand...

not *always*, but most of the time when your go to BB, or CC you can find some kinston w/ hynix.....

also....lol......i have some crucial w/ infideon chips on it......

now back to they question that was originally ask...

i would proboly get the ocz3700eb, just for its conistancy, the ballistix are more likely to get 2.5cas instead of 3cas, but the initial consistancy of ballistixs isnt seeming to good......