Ballistix Elite DDR4 4000 CL18 Memory Review

As with all of our reviews, we pit the default speed system against the overclocked one in a head-to-head byte match.  The only difference with memory reviews is that whenever possible the base system, CPU, Chipset etc..) are left at stock speeds and is something you can see in the Sandra CPU Tests.  At that point the only performance advantage is from increased memory performance. 

The effective overclock for these tests was pushing the modules up to 4400Mhz with no changes to voltages.  Memory timings did change for this overclock from CL18 to CL19 to accommodate the increase in memory speed. 

Memory overclocking is a pretty arduous task of trial and error.  As with most system overclocking the balance we are trying to maintain is a relationship between temperature, voltage and frequency.  Chip quality will sway the balance and is where we normally land in terms of overclocking stability. 

These overclocking tests are not conclusive nor the best the modules could do bur rather how fast I could get them to run with my processor.  In the case of the memory frequency record I mentioned at the beginning of this review it was set on an AMD Ryzen CPU using LN2 and hours of testing different timing and frequency combinations.  The 4400Mhz featured here was the result of 2 hours of testing and a couple drinks. 

Overall not a bad result.