Predator Hermes RGB 8000 MHz DDR5 Memory Review

Predator memory has long proven to be some of the absolute best memory we've ever tested. Well, that's a half-truth, as we're very fortunate to receive flagship memory kits from all the major brands, and largely they're all pretty incredible in their own right. However, the Predator Hermes DDR5 series promises to be premium in every regard, from design, features, quality and of course, performance, so when it comes to testing it today, I wouldn't expect anything less than ticking all four boxes. Predator Hermes At 8000 MHz it's one of the fastest kits on the market right now, of course, there are a good few 8000 MHz kits already out there, and we've even tested a few too, so the Predator Hermes is going up against some strong competition today. Predator claims it'll his some massive read and write speeds, and the latency looks enticingly low too, so that may give it a performance edge in our benchmarks. Features High-efficiency aluminium heatsink Supports Intel XMP 3.0 Supports Intel & AMD motherboards Selected IC ensure durability and reliability On-die ECC detection technology RGB Sync supports Asus Aura Sync, MSI Mystic Light Sync, Gigabyte RGB Fusion, and ASRock's Polychrome Sync software for lighting effects 8000 MHz I'm not sure what Predators claim is "Regular DDR5 8000 MHz" but it's most likely just the specifications on one of their rival brands. However, it's their way of showing that their timings are tighter than what you might usually see for 8000 MHz memory, running at an impressive CL36-48-48-126 and running at just 1.45v.. Specifications There are quite a few variants of this memory kit available, with it coming in 32GB, 48GB, and 64GB kits, using 16GB, 24GB and 32GB DIMMS respectively. So there should be no issue getting to the kit size you need as they're sold in packs of two, you can buy four, six, or eight to populate your motherboard of choice. When it comes to speeds, there are 6400, 6600, 6800, 7200, 7600 and of course, 8000 MHz, so even the base-level kit is still pretty darn fast, but we have the flagship of the range in for review today. Plus, while they all have different timings, they're all still pretty tight timings for their respective speeds. They all run at 1.40v, with the exception of the 8000 which runs at 1.4v. Packaging & Accessories The box looks great, with a matte black exterior, and a stunning photo of all three colour variants of the memory right on the front. We can see the board support for all major motherboard RGB platforms, and there's a sticker in the corner showing us the capacity and speeds of our kit; 32GB (2x16) 8000MHz. Around the back, there's a quick rundown of the key features, but that's nothing we haven't covered already. The box cover slips off, reviewing a durable inner box, so the memory is well protected, and overall, it's a nice and premium looking and feeling packaging solution. A Closer Look As you can see, we've got the white variant of this memory, but as you can see on the box, there's a silver and black version also available. That's fine with me though, I think white memory is the best option when deploying ARGB lighting, as I think it looks more vibrant and interesting, but hey, at least you have a few options. A lot is going on with the design here, with a honeycomb graphic on the side that fades at the edges, there are these two straight lines each with a 45-degree angle that creates all these ridges and shapes along the top and the bottom right corner, and there's the ARGB light bar that runs down the spine, but it exposed between the aluminium in a few sections along the sides too. One noticeable thing is the size, they're quite tall memory kits, but that's a good thing for cooling, as it means there's significantly more surface area to provide additional cooling, allowing it to maintain those 8000 MHz speeds. However, with them being taller, they'll likely conflict with some larger air coolers, so be sure to measure up your clearances if you're going down that route. The RGB is stunning, with vibrant colours throughout. There are eight independent lighting areas in each DIMM, which can deliver the usual full range of 16.8 million colour values, and there are more than ten effects built in giving you transitions, fades, and colour loops as you might expect. How We Test Here at eTeknix, we endeavour to disclose vital information regarding the benchmarking process so that readers can quantify the results and attempt to replicate them using their hardware. When it comes to our benchmarks in our reviews, the benchmarks are pretty self-explanatory although there are a few exceptions. Remember that your choice of graphics card, CPU, the silicon lottery, and other factors can yield different numbers, and there's always a margin for error when using any software. Therefore, your experience may vary. Testing Your Own System Links are provided below, as well as the settings we use. We encourage you to not just look at how one product compares to any other, but how it compares to your own. If you're looking to build a new system, you should benchmark your current PC using our benchmarks and settings where possible. You should then look at the percentage improvement from your current hardware to the hardware we tested to give you a ballpark figure of how much an upgrade this will provide you with. Test System ProcessorIntel Core i9-13900KMotherboardGigabyte Z790 AORUS MasterMemoryChanges Per ReviewGraphicsXFX RX 6800 XT MERCStorageSeagate Firecuda 530 1TBPower SupplyNZXT C1000SoftwareWindows 11 Pro 22H2DriversAMD Adrenaline 23.7.1 Software Used CineBench R23 (download) AIDA 64 Engineer (download) WPrime (download) 3DMark (download) HWMonitor (download) CPU-Z (download) Methodology In our RAM reviews, we keep things relatively simple. We put the RAM kit that is being tested into our test system and benchmark it at its first XMP profile using a variety of benchmarks and tests. Once complete, we apply a reasonable overclock where possible and benchmark the same software with the overclocked values. The CPU clock speed is set to default for both runs. AIDA64 Based on the specifications, this was looking like it might be one of the fastest memory kits we've ever tested, and based on our first run of benchmarks, it most certainly is. The read, write, and copy speeds are easily the highest we've ever had, and that pretty much speaks for its self. But speed isn't always best, lower latency is what can improve application and gaming responsiveness, and well, what do you know, it's got the fastest read, write and copy speeds, paired with the absolute best latency we've ever seen too. Calculation Performance OK so it can't win them all, but it scores 289 seconds in SuperPi, which is surprising, I thought it would be a bit faster here, but it's by no means slow either and in the ballpark of the other high-performance kits we've tested. It's the same in WPrime, and I think this comes down to latency in some ways, as the latency is higher than some on here, but it's a low latency relative to the 8000 MHz speed, which is why it beat out the other 8000 MHz kit we tested from KLEVV, which has higher latency. Rendering Performance In Blender, again, it's a competitive time, but nothing really stands out from the competition. And the same in Cinebench, it's a perfectly fine score, but it's not changing the world or anything here either. The strongest one is Corona, at 38 render time, it's on par with the fastest kits tested, but again, the difference between the fastest and slowest here isn't that big anyway. FutureMark Performance So, while those benchmarks may not have set many records, there's a clue in the Predator Hermes design, and it's the RGB lighting. This is a gaming memory kit, and that much is blatantly obvious. In FireStrike it really shows its true colours too, scoring the best physics and overall score we've had to date. It posted a very competitive score in TimeSpy too, hitting 12594 points. Assassin's Creed Valhalla As we move onto actual gaming, it's off to a good start, with a competitive score in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, hitting 150 FPS on average and strong 1% lows. Baldur's Gate 3 It excelled in Baldur's Gate 3, scoring a new overall average record of 157 FPS, with strong 1% lows. Cyberpunk 2077 Again very good in Cyberpunk, 118 FPS is nothing to complain about and on the higher end of the chart. Dying Light 2 Not a new high score, but it matched the previous top score of 138 FPS, and the 1% lows are great at 121 FPS too. FarCry 6 Really fast here too, 218 FPS on average, but the 1% lows are 180 FPS and well ahead of the competition. Hogwarts Legacy Again right at the top of the charts, not a big difference between other kits, but it's still a solid score. Horizon Zero Dawn Overall, all memory kits performed about the same in Horizon, but it's good to see that it's on par with what we expected. Microsoft Flight Simulator And again, really fast here, with good 1% lows, and our second-highest overall average FPS of 97 FPS. Remnant II Most kits performed within 1 or 2 FPS of each other, and as you can see, the Hermes is no exception here, so it's right on the money. Starfield It looks like it performed badly in Starfield, but again, it's 90 FPS and the top is 92 FPS, and the 1% lows are right on the average too, so nothing to complain about here. Thermal Perforamance? The big heatsinks may compromise your ability to use larger air coolers, but it does come with some added benefits to keeping the RAM nice and cool. They came in at just 43.3c, which is pretty chilly for RAM, with the other 8000 MHz kit we tested coming in at 49c, that's quite a drop in temperature. How Much Does It Cost? Unfortunately, at the time of writing, I was unable to find these in stock anywhere. However, this is not uncommon for high-end memory kits, which never seem to have great stock levels outside of a few specific retailers, and for this kit, I couldn't see where it was for sale. Of course, you can check your favourite retailers and hopefully, you have more luck than I did. Feel free to drop a comment if you find them for sale, as I'd love to offer you all a link to where to grab some! Note: I checked with Predator and they say more of their products and stock are heading to the UK and US, and expect updates on this very soon. You can check the official product page for any further information. Overview The Predator Hermes RGB memory is obviously a high-end piece of kit, and while it was a bit of a mixed bag when it came to the workstation and rendering tasks, it was by no means slow in any of those benchmarks. It's keeping pace with all the other high-end kits we've tested, and do keep in mind, that all the kits on our charts are high-end kits, with high speeds and are quality products, so rubbing shoulders with them is most certainly something to be happy about. Massive Speed What did impress me is that we saw the highest read, write and copy speeds we've ever seen from a memory kit, and the lowest latency from any DDR5 memory kit so far. Normally that would simply translate to beating everything else in every benchmark, but memory is a strange beast, and the truth of the performance isn't always predictable. This memory was clearly configured to excel when it came to gaming more than anything, but I still would have expected it to dominate the rendering benchmarks too. Exceptional Gaming Performance When it came to gaming it delivered competitive and similar performance to other quality gaming kits, but overall, it delivered a few new records with higher FPS and higher 1% lows, and that's certainly impressive. If I were to invest in a set of high-end memory for my next gaming PC, right now, it would be the Predator Hermes RGB with no exception. But keep in mind, that even the best RAM is only going to offer relatively small gains in gaming performance from the next kit of similar specifications, so you have to balance your budget with your expectations. Build Quality The build quality is second to none, although in fairness, the quality of any brand top spec RAM is pretty fantastic these days, but the Predator Hermes can stand with the best of them. Of course, you don't get to 8000 MHz and with such low latency by using lower-quality components, and the ICs have been pre-binned and tested to ensure they're the best of the bunch. The heatsinks are beautifully crafted, and of course, that was reflected with low operating temperatures, especially for such a high-performance kit. Plus, they look great, and there are a lot of nice design elements here, as well as some feature-rich ARGB lighting. Should I Buy One? This is a fantastic set of gaming memory, and if you're looking to get the absolute best out of your flagship gaming PC build, then the Predator Hermes is the way to go. The only downside is that they seem next to impossible to find for sale, but hopefully, this changes soon, as I can see them being a popular choice for enthusiast gamers.