Hardware Crucial Ballistix MOD: Temperature-sensing DDR3

We take a look at Crucial's newest DDR3 modules, which include a built in temperature sensor.

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/memory/2010/06/22/crucial-ballistix-mod-temp-sensing-ddr3/1

 

Who really cares about RAM temperature. Today a gaming rig will have 1600mhz RAM, and even at that speed have you ever heard a story about RAM overheating?

Also what is with more companies putting gimmicky heatsinks on RAM that do nothing but interfere with CPU coolers.

 

Like Richard said,its useful for those who want to know more about their system while its running. It could be a useful tool for troubleshooting as well.

 

useful (to some), but I'd still prefer it on the small heatsink bearing modules.

@Teh C: People can push their RAM beyond stability, and this could help to show what's causing the instability.

 

Meh, who really needs to know?


wouldn't a infrared temp gun be cheaper and more useful?

 

This is a welcome add-on. With so many memory kits out there, it's nice to see something different. And Crucial's memories aren't bad at all. could have lower voltages but still good rams...

 

Who cares, it's not like they're charging a premium. I'd rather take this over a competing brand just for the sensor.

 

IMO you just aren't going to accidentally overheat the rams anyway, and don't think anyone NEEDS this. That said, it's a nice little trick to stand from the crowd.

 

If you're using a dedicated non air cooler on your cpu it's possible that there could be very reduced airflow over your RAM (and your pwm) so this is a nice addition to make sure that your ram isn't overheating. What is a safe temperature for RAM anyhow, I presume something at around the 70C mark...

To those that say it's useless... I remember when on die cpu temperature readings were either non existent, useless or not supported by the mobo. You were flying on a wing and a prayer if you wanted to OC, guessing what was causing the crashes. The same could be said for RAM. Once it's not a price premium and it will become available on all memory it can only be an added value thing.

 

You may need this to see whether you can actually squeeze any more mhz from your RAM. No one ever mentions that the RAM modules can overclock further because of lower temperatures. They just assume the modules just cant overclock further. This will give people who like overclocking memory just as much as their CPU an indication whether temperature is a limiting factor.

 

The only time ram cooling seemed important was back in the age of BH-5, CH-5 and TCCD, where those chips got flipping boiling, and you couldnt get through the BIOS unless you ghetto rigged an 80mm over the top of the chips.

 

a nice to have if not that useful - it would make me choose one set of chips over another if there isnt much price difference

 

Well, there's a lot of people out there that have failures they cannot explain, this way you could at least exclude the ram-temps

It's not needed, but nice to have and makes a lot more sense tham LED's on the rams...and people buy that.

 

At least there's a benchmark for boredom now. I'm using adobe creative suit, blender and playing music.


*quick test---sticks hand in case, RAM = cool to touch*

 

Agreed, and the more temperature monitoring you have, the more likely you'll get a possible heads-up if a case fan or something stops working.

 

I think if it was included in programs like SpeedFan and CoreTemp it would be quite useful to get a overall picture of where the heat is in your machine.

 

YAY!!! RAM TEMPS

Fap Fap Fap Fap

 

AWESOME... I want all RAM to follow this and have a temp sensor built in, anything and everything should have temp sensors ^_^ Great for those who love to OC.

 

This would be quite easy to DIY. All memory modules need to have a serial presence detection IC (the small 8-pin-thingy sitting in a lone corner of the ram most of the time) that is coupled to the board's management bus, so the board can see what memory it gets. People have already used the proper bus-pins on their rams to mount extra LM75 or similar temperature sensors in their case, so why not just glue 'em to the ram itself? I guess that's about what Crucial did ^_^

 

Want to know if your RAM is overheating? Touch it. Do you have Corsair (or whatever brand you have) burned into your finger tip backwards? Yes? It's overheating. No? Game on!