Crucial Ballistix Tactical LP tRFC = 208T ??

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Just picked up an 8gb stick of Crucial Ballistix Tactical 8GB the other day from Micro Center. I'm running 1 stick, single channel. For some reason the Refresh Cycle Time tRFC is extremely high. This might be why they are able to run such low volts at such tight timings, I'm thinking. But that's not my point. My other kits vary from 59 to 79 tRFC. I started looking into the kit a little deeper when I noticed poor performance in a game where my old kits did fantastic. I'm not sure if it's the single channel or if it's this tRFC timing It's currently doing 1600MHz cl8.8.8.24 1T @ 1.35v. I did a few stability tests and they checked out

 

[Soulkeeper]

They likely have a safe default, or conservative value that's set (either bios or spd).
I'd try lower, chances are they'd handle it fine.

tRFC does have one of the biggest performance effects (although still small alone).

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

They likely have a safe default, or conservative value that's set (either bios or spd).
I'd try lower, chances are they'd handle it fine.

tRFC does have one of the biggest performance effects (although still small alone).

What kit are you running? Your timings and voltage look very similar to my memory specs.

Yeah I noticed the difference right away. To make sure I'm double checking all the system customizations and driver settings to make sure there isn't something that I missed, :hmm:

I'd hate to end up with corrupt data, I just reinstalled a day ago

 

[Soulkeeper]

I'm running the samsung ecogreen stuff which they don't sell anymore.

default speeds are something crazy like 1600 11-11-11-28 tRFC 160
I run 1866 9-9-9-23 tRFC 90
I'd imagine your ballistix could handle a similar tightening

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

I'm running the samsung ecogreen stuff which they don't sell anymore.

default speeds are something crazy like 1600 11-11-11-28 tRFC 160
I run 1866 9-9-9-23 tRFC 90
I'd imagine your ballistix could handle a similar tightening

Thing is there is no formula or model to go by for the tRFC.

edit: I have them at Cl9.9.9.24 1.65v 2000MHz but it defaults the tRFC timing to 232. I think my old kit's tRFC timing was 98 and could do 2000MHz at cl8.8.8.24 @ 1.65v. - I've just ran test after test on my old kit and it turns up fine but i think it's unstable. I've tested Memtest HCI, Windows Daignotics Extended (cache enabled, disabled will crash the app), IBT with all ram tested except a gig for the system memory; they all pass.

 

[Soulkeeper]

Yeah tRFC is pretty much a will or won't thing.
Your various other sub timings can be influencing this as well.

By the time you figure it out you'll wonder where all those hours of your life went

Edit: you might wanna browse http://i4memory.com/ forums, they have ram lists and testing for timings as their main thing

 

[john3850]

My Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB 1600MHz cl-9.9.9.24 1T @ 1.35v.has a tRFC timing of 240.
The old GSKill 2 GB Pi 1600MHz cl-7.8.7.24 1T @ 1.45v.has a tRFC timing of 110.
I believe the memory density has the most to do with tRFC refresh.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Yeah tRFC is pretty much a will or won't thing.
Your various other sub timings can be influencing this as well.

By the time you figure it out you'll wonder where all those hours of your life went

Edit: you might wanna browse http://i4memory.com/ forums, they have ram lists and testing for timings as their main thing

I checked that website and it's not too active.. i think the last post in DDR3 was in 2014.

I downloaded CPU Tweaker 2.0 to check the secondary timings with both my X58 machines. The kit I just bought says the lowest tRFC timing is 119 @ 457MHz.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

My Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB 1600MHz cl-9.9.9.24 1T @ 1.35v.has a tRFC timing of 240.
The old GSKill 2 GB Pi 1600MHz cl-7.8.7.24 1T @ 1.45v.has a tRFC timing of 110.
I believe the memory density has the most to do with tRFC refresh.

I think you may be right on this one. Can anyone else chime in on their tRFC timings and their memory density? The stick i'm questioning is a single 8GB stick with tRFC timings of 208 @ 1600MHz

 

[Soulkeeper]

Does your board just not allow you to set a lower tRFC ?
you might try a bios update.

You're going to be looking for someone with the same memory and the same board doing the same thing.
Who just happens to be reading this ....

for reference the default timings for your memory linked from i4memory (46 results for "tactical lp")

 

[Soulkeeper]

are you running 1t or 2t command rate ?

My gskill memory was much more sensitive to the secondaries particularly tRRD, tWTF, tRTP, and tWTR
i'd suggest something like 6-7-7-14 (respectively) plus a 2t command rate before pushing the tRFC lower.
also that gskill didn't like low tRFC either I think I used to run it at 160

sorry if i'm monopolizing your thread here.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

I'm able to adjust, I think all of the secondary timings as well as the primary. There are a bunch to adjust. I posted on the Crucial forums and a site manager said they don't recommend adjusting the timings.

I did a search and found 5 reviews, gonna check'em right now.

I'm currently doing 1914MHz cl9.9.9.24 1T, tRFC 232 @ 1.65v

I have another single 8Gb stick, same memory, on the way. I was planning on putting it in this system I am on now but I might dump it in the gaming rig and see if dual channel alleviates the issue but I'm thinking the issue is not bandwidth

 

[Soulkeeper]

it's worth noting that tRAS and tRC have formulas that are frequency dependant.
I can look those up if you like.

I'd suggest you not push the voltage so high, chances are you won't increase stability going above 1.5v only heat.

edit:
(4*2000)/ddr3frequency = tburst
CL + tRCD + tburst = tRAS (round up)

tRAS + tRP = tRC
burstlength = 8
tWTP = tCL - 1 + (burstlength / 2) + tWTR

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

it's worth noting that tRAS and tRC have formulas that are frequency dependant.
I can look those up if you like.

I'd suggest you not push the voltage so high, chances are you won't increase stability going above 1.5v only heat.

edit:
(4*2000)/ddr3frequency = tburst
CL + tRCD + tburst = tRAS (round up)

tRAS + tRP = tRC
burstlength = 8
tWTP = tCL - 1 + (burstlength / 2) + tWTR

Thanks! That will come in handy if I need to use it. For now I'm waiting for that second stick to come in to run dual channel. Plus I'm messing around with different speeds and the game definately feels different. Oddly @ 1000MHz 7.7.7.20 tRFC 139, the game feels very responsive VS 2000MHz cl9.9.9.24 tRFC 238


btw I can either run 1T or 2T - thought i mentioned that just making sure I do this time.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Still doing some thinking about this Dimm/kit. My X58 board is being fixed at EVGA and probably won't be back till the first Monday in July. Is this a good kit or should Return it for a better performing kit?

 

[Soulkeeper]

it's a good kit

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

it's a good kit

Alright. I'll have to keep telling myself that until i get my board back. All this time on my hands has got me thinking


Thanks!

 

[ClockHound]

Hope you get your board back soon. I was about to spring for 3 of these sticks for my X58, but your time-on-hands-thinking has me sitting-on-hands-waiting for a while longer.

And thanks for taking one for Team Xeon-X58. We need more 1.35V DDR3 X58 explorers in cheapskate Xeon-land. I was going to volunteer, but then thinking...

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Hope you get your board back soon. I was about to spring for 3 of these sticks for my X58, but your time-on-hands-thinking has me sitting-on-hands-waiting for a while longer.

And thanks for taking one for Team Xeon-X58. We need more 1.35V DDR3 X58 explorers in cheapskate Xeon-land. I was going to volunteer, but then thinking...

Np, can't wait to get my board back. I do want the Xeon fix but I'm more hoping turbo will work, if not i will look into a Xeon X5680 or another X5690

What's crazy is the kit I am on now (3x2Gb) has a tRFC of 59 [533MHz @ cl8.8.8.24 1.6v]. I could swear I'm feeling a difference with the tRFC at 208 in Unreal Tournament 4. I'm getting killed by the rocket launcher from projectiles that I'm not even seeing.