Crucial Ballistix DDR4-3600 32GB CL16 — Specs, Rank & Tuning
Crucial Ballistix · DDR4 · 2020 · Upper mainstream (tier 61/100)
Crucial Ballistix DDR4-3600 32GB CL16 — key specifications
| Brand / series | Crucial Ballistix |
|---|---|
| Architecture / class | DDR4 |
| Launch year | 2020 |
| Kit capacity | 32 GB (2 sticks) |
| Type | DDR4 |
| Speed | 3600 MT/s |
| CAS latency | CL16 |
| Voltage | 1.35 V |
| Profile | XMP 2.0 |
| Active power | ~5 W |
| Relative tier | 61/100 — Upper mainstream |
Specs: vendor datasheets / TechPowerUp database, retrieved 2026-08-29. Tier is a TweakGearPro relative performance index (estimate), not a benchmark guarantee.
Relative performance estimate
TweakGearPro anchors the ram category to its flagship (highest tier) and expresses Crucial Ballistix DDR4-3600 32GB CL16 as an estimated percentage of that flagship, derived from the relative-performance index (tier 0–100). Planning estimate, not a benchmark.
| RAM (nearby tier) | Tier /100 | Est. relative perf. |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung DDR5-5600 16GB (module) | 72 | 76% |
| Corsair Vengeance DDR5-5200 16GB | 70 | 74% |
| G.Skill Trident Z Neo DDR4-3600 32GB CL16 | 63 | 66% |
| G.Skill Ripjaws V DDR4-3600 32GB CL16 | 62 | 65% |
| Crucial Ballistix DDR4-3600 32GB CL16 (this part) | 61 | 64% |
| Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3200 32GB CL16 | 55 | 58% |
Method: relative performance % = (part tier ÷ flagship tier) × 100, using the TweakGearPro tier index built from public benchmark / spec-class data. Source: vendor datasheets / TechPowerUp database, retrieved 2026-08-29. Real-world performance varies by workload, drivers and cooling.
Build compatibility & pairing guidance
Practical build notes derived from this part's dataset fields and TweakGearPro reference constants. Planning guidance, not purchase advice.
| Platform | DDR4 — only fits a DDR4-compatible motherboard (DDR4 and DDR5 are not interchangeable). |
|---|---|
| Profile | Enable XMP 2.0 in BIOS to reach the rated 3600 MT/s; default JEDEC is slower. |
| Cooler clearance | Tall RGB heatsinks can block large air coolers — check RAM height vs cooler specs. |
| Tuning | See the Memory Optimizer for capacity / speed guidance by workload. |
Reference constants (PSU headroom 20%, safe CPU/GPU ceiling 90°C) from the TweakGearPro PC reference dataset, retrieved 2026-08-29. Adapter/case clearance and exact board power vary by model — verify with vendor datasheets.
Optimize your ram
Enable XMP/EXPO to reach the rated speed, keep two matched sticks for dual-channel, and verify clearance against a tall air cooler before buying.
Release & generational notes
Crucial Ballistix DDR4-3600 32GB CL16 launched in 2020 on the DDR4 architecture as part of the Ballistix family, sitting at tier 61/100 (Upper mainstream).
| Series | Ballistix |
|---|---|
| Architecture | DDR4 |
| Launch year | 2020 |
Generational context is summarized from official release year and architecture only; TweakGearPro does not invent patch or refresh dates. For the full generational ranking, see the RAM Kit Tier List.
Related hardware to compare
Same-tier peers plus a pairing from another category — open any profile.
Sources & methodology
- Specifications: vendor datasheets (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, Samsung, WD, Crucial, Corsair, Seagate, Noctua, ASUS, LG, Dell and others) and the TechPowerUp database, retrieved 2026-08-29.
- Relative-performance index: TweakGearPro estimate built from public benchmark / spec-class data; flagship-anchored percentages are planning estimates, not measured scores.
- Reference constants (PSU headroom, safe thermal ceiling) from the TweakGearPro PC reference dataset, retrieved 2026-08-29.
- Tuning, PSU and VRAM figures are planning estimates — verify with your own stress tests and the component vendor's documentation.
How this page's estimates are computed
The relative-performance percentage anchors the category flagship (highest tier) at 100 and scales each part by its tier ratio. The estimated system PSU adds a base system overhead to the part's TDP and applies a 20% headroom from the reference dataset, rounded to a common PSU rating. The tuning sheet estimates load temperature from TDP, cooling class and case airflow, then suggests a voltage offset and expected clock delta — always confirm with a stress test. The LLM planner converts model parameters and quantization to an approximate VRAM footprint (weights + KV-cache) and divides by the card's usable VRAM to suggest a card count. None of these outputs are benchmark guarantees. For non-CPU/GPU parts the tier reflects the part's spec class relative to the best current model in that category.