INTRODUCTION

   As expected the recent introduction of the very good (yet mainstream) Z77 based solutions and CPUs by Intel really changed nothing in the market (in terms of performance) and so X79 based solutions are still at the top of the food chain (although far from perfect). Now as most of you know we upgraded our main test rig to the LGA2011 (X79) with a brand new 2nd generation Intel Core i7 3930k and so because of that we will be focused on Quad Channel memory kits in 2012 (perhaps in 2013 as well if nothing better comes along). Today with us we have one such kit and more specifically the latest Ballistix Elite 16GB DDR3 1600MHz (BLE4KIT4G3D1608DE1TX0) by Crucial.

   Crucial Technology is now Lexar Media, a division of Micron Europe Limited. Lexar Media boasts one of the most comprehensive offerings of memory product lines in the industry. We deliver high-quality, award-winning products in every memory category: USB flash drives, all popular form factors of memory cards and card readers, DRAM computer memory for PCs and Mac systems, and solid state drives (SSD). We back our products with outstanding customer support and industry-leading warranties, and we strive to expand our offerings to meet the ever-changing needs of our customers — customers just like you. Our Crucial brand reflects our status as the only consumer memory upgrade supplier that's part of a major DRAM manufacturer. We sell high-quality memory that has been qualified and approved by most major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The Crucial.com website features innovative online tools and an intuitive design that makes it easy to find compatible memory and recommended upgrades. And because we carry over 250,000 upgrades for more than 40,000 systems, we've got options for nearly every system out there. The Lexar brand has long been synonymous with reliable, high-performance products, which is reflected in the award-wining memory products and USB flash drives sold under the Lexar name. Lexar Media has more than 10 years’ experience in the memory industry. Our strong retail brands, along with our direct online and OEM presence, make Lexar Media a global player in every major customer channel, including value-added resellers, system builders, and e-commerce. And we've built a name synonymous with quality, innovation, and customer service. Lexar Media. when memory matters.

   Prior to starting this entire review i need to point out that when Crucial send us this package the BLE4KIT4G3D1608DE1TX0 16GB kit was not available yet so instead they send us two BLE4G3D1608DE1TX0 8GB kits which should work practically the same together (or almost). That aside the Ballistix Elite series kit we have here with us may not come with the best available speeds (1600MHz is quite mainstream nowadays) but it achieves them with a very low voltage of 1.5v and very good timings of 8-8-8-24 so when used with an X79 mainboard which has no problems going up to 1.65v you should be able to work miracles with it. However should is not enough and since seeing is believing let’s not stay more time in the introduction page.