Performance: 36 out of 40.
Entering into the testing phase of this review we expected the Ballistix Sport AT to act just like the typical Ballistix Sport series. That is to say very good for more value orientated RAM but nothing spectacular. What we found was RAM that may require 1.35v to hit its factory ratings but has a surprising amount of headroom. Be it tighter latency or even higher speeds… this kit really acts more like Ballistix’s Tactical line. That is hitting above your weight class to say the least!
Ease of Use: 20 out of 20
While this is a 1.35v RAM kit, and while it is technically meant for ASUS TUF only motherboards this new series is rather easy to work with. Be it high-end X299 or even AMD systems this kit is plug and play simple to use. The system will POST first time, every time thanks to numerous 1.2v hard encoded SPD settings. At worst you will need to simply enabled XMP (INTEL) or change the settings manually (AMD) to get DDR4-3000 (or above).
Build Quality & Warranty: 19 out of 20
Obviously a lot of thought and effort went into this new series and it shows. While the color scheme will not be optimal for some color pallets the underlying heatsink and RAM ICs are very, very good for. Mix in a lifetime warranty from a top-tier manufacture and we doubt many will have any quibbles over this new series in this department.
Value: 15 out of 20
The value of this series is going to vary greatly. If you have a TUF motherboard it truly is worth its price and then some. For others the good, but not great, overclocking abilities will make up for some of the price premium. For others still, the color scheme will be just too different to work into a build and not worth the asking price. As such the value will either bet ‘20’, ‘15’, or ‘5’ for an average of 15 out of 20 (by throwing out the highest and lowest).
Final Score: 90 out 100
While certainly not an optimal choice for every scenario or every build the new Ballistix Sport AT series proves that you can create a new series of RAM that has been customized for specific motherboards and yet still be a good choice for a wide range of ‘boards and builds. Other manufacturers should look at what Ballistix has done and take notes – we are looking at your TeamGroup and your Vulcan TUF series!
