Predator Talos DDR4 32GB 3200MHz Memory Review

Recently, I tested the rather fantastic Predator Apollo DDR4 memory, which delivered great performance and RGB thrills. However, the new ACER Predator Talos that I'll be testing today come with no RGB and a monochrome style that's sure to appeal to those who want a more slick and stylish aesthetic. However, it's not all just about style, as these kits are designed for high-performance thanks to their ultra-low timing configurations. Predator Talos The modules are available with presets up to 4800MHz while the voltage is always below 1.4 volts to ensure stable and reliable operation. The Talos memory modules are available from 8GB up to 32GB per single module and the frequency range is from 2666MHz up to 4800 MHz. However, with timings of CL14 / CL16 / CL17 / CL18 / CL19 / CL22, you're sure to find the performance that suits your needs. I have the CL18 kit in for review, but the fact they have a CL14 option is encouraging. Features & Specifications For in-depth features and specifications, please visit the official product page here. Predator and BIWIN Storage Technology Predator branded storage products are designed and manufactured by BIWIN Storage Technology company, a leading maker of quality flash memory, DRAM memory and solid-state drives (SSDs). Founded in 2010, BIWIN focuses on providing global customers with high-quality storage products and specializes in the research, development, manufacturing and sales of memory chip application products. "Delivering premium products for serious gamers and overclocking enthusiasts looking for the ultimate experience, our mission is to provide best-in-class memory modules and solid-state drives that enhance overall system performance and gameplay. Defined by faster speeds and gaming-inspired design, these Predator storage products are built to be the Number One choice for gamers worldwide." Packaging The box is very nicely designed, with a matte black background and a hi-gloss image of the RAM floating in the middle. It looks to be 1:1 scale too, so it gives you a good impression of the design. As you can see, it's the 32GB (2 x 16GB) 3200MHz kit, so certainly far from the fastest, but opting for a larger capacity instead. Around the back, a little bit of warranty blurb, as well as a quick rundown of the main features; AMD and Intel support, XMP 2.0, etc. On the interior, everything is nicely packaged in a durable protective case, and really, the box feels much more robust overall than what I usually see with RAM kits. Overall, these should get to you in perfect condition, no concerns here. A Closer Look First impressions are important, and wow, does this make a great first impression or what!? The design is simply stunning, and it makes me think of Storm Troopers, Transformers, and a whole bunch of other awesome stuff. The monochrome black on white is a smart choice, and honestly, the steady shift away from RGB on everything is a breath of fresh air. You don't need RGB on this RAM, it looks great as is. Of course, it's likely you will have RGB in your system, and if you do, the brilliant matte white finish here will capture the light from your case/fans very well. The logo in the centre is stunning, a very cool design and the subtle reflective finish gives off a nice premium quality vibe. Of course, the PCB is a nice matte black, but then again, I can't recall the last time I saw a brown, green or blue PCB on RAM. As ACER says "...reinforced 8-layer PCB board beats the industry standard with a stronger oxidation resistance which also reduces signal weakening. A more stable signal transmission lets the player concentrate on the game." and who am I to argue with that. The heat spreaders are a custom zinc-alloy, rather than just straight-up aluminium. They have a nice light texture to them, but there's where the "light" part ends. They're 80 grams each, which is a lot more material than we usually see on high-end RAM. All that extra material is going to help pull a lot of heat out of the modules though, and that general oversized design gives it more surface area to dissipate the heat too. Overall though, it's a really nice design, and they feel reassuringly overbuilt. Super robust, brutally tough almost, but they look as slick a supercar at the same time. 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 Motherboard – Gigabyte Aorus Pro Z390Processor – Intel Core i9-9900K @ StockCPU Cooler – Noctua NH-D15SPower Supply – Be Quiet Power Zone 1000WMain Storage Drive – Toshiba OCZ VX500 500GBOperating System – Windows 10 64-bit Software Used CineBench R15 (download)AIDA 64 Engineer (download)WPrime (download)3DMark Fire Strike Physics (download)PCMark 10 Productivity (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. CineBench R15 AIDA64 WPrime 3DMark Fire Strike PCMark 10 Productivity How Much Does It Cost? While I do prefer to use Amazon, I couldn't see any stock there, but you can check yourself in future using this link. Newegg appears to be their main retailer for the UK, with the Predator Talos 32GB kit I reviewed today priced at £166.79. However, 16GB kits are just £92 for the 3000 MHz, and £100 for 3600 MHz. Unfortunately, while the range includes a wider range of speeds and timings, those models don't appear to be available at the time of writing. Overview ACER is well-known for their high-end gaming PCs and to me at least, mostly for their high-end ACER Predator monitors. There's no doubt they make some of the most kick-ass gaming displays out there. However, I'm fairly new to their memory products, but it seems they're on the right track with these too. Admittedly, this kit isn't the fastest of the range, but I think the price reflects that quite fairly. It's not like they haven't got speed-focused models, though. Just a few weeks ago, I reviewed the Predator Apollo 4000 MHz kit, and it blew away the competition with ease. However, its price is roughly double that of the Talos, so you really get what you pay for. Design This is by far some of the best looking RAM this year, and actually, I've said that a lot recently. I think it's a return to the non-RGB stuff that makes it so slick and cool. It's just really clean and stylish, with a thick heat spreader that looks great right out of the box. No fussing with RGB or other gimmicks here. Plus, with it being monochrome, it'll blend into virtually any colour scheme and look great under any other RGB lights in your build if that's what you wanted. Performance The performance was right on the money, delivering consistent performance for a 32GB 3200MHz kit. Not the fastest I've ever tested, but for this price range, it's hardly going to slow you down. The CL18 timings aren't the fastest, and admittedly, I didn't have much lucky overclocking, with adjustments to the timings or clock speeds often netting detrimental results. However, it worked great at the XMP settings, so I can't fault it. I guess if it could do more than this, it would be priced higher or moved up the ranking in the factory binning/grading process. Honestly, the performance is goiod, but I'll be reaching out to ACER to try one of the faster kits with tighter timings and see if we can put some strain on those stunning heatsinks. Should I Buy Them? Honestly, this is about as well-made a memory kit as you're going to find. It uses quality components throughout, and those big heatspreaders may look great, but they're also very durable and provide solid thermal control too. While this wasn't the fastest kit I've ever tested, it's hardly a slouch either. However, the competitive price for this capacity and the clean looks makes it a great contender, and I'd certainly be happy to have these in my own system!