T-Force VULCAN α DDR5 6000MHz 32GB (16GBx2) Review

TeamGroup is one of the best-known memory manufacturers out there, so we're always excited to see their latest memory kits in the office! This one stands out too, as it's designed specifically for AMD systems, so we'll be testing it on an AMD-only test bench this time around. The new TeamGroup T-Force Vulcan α is certainly promising some decent specifications too. The kit is available in 5200, 5600 and 6000 MHz variants and I'm very happy to see that we have the top-end 6000 MHz kit at our disposal, so the performance figures should be pretty respectable. T-Force VULCAN α The T-Force VULCAN α 6000 MHz kit comes in either a single 16GB DIMMS or a dual-pack (16GBx2) 32GB kit. It operates a very respectable set of timings of CL38-38-38-78 and a bandwidth of 48,000 MB/s (PC5 48000). The VULCANα DDR5 doesn't go for a flashy RGB design either, instead favouring an aluminium alloy heat spreader, but honestly, I prefer that, it's often a lot more affordable than RGB RAM, and still gives you great performance. All are certified for AMD 600 series chipsets and above. Features Exclusive DDR5 memory for AMDAMD EXPO support for one-click overclockingExquisite craftsmanship and effective heat dissipationEquipped with PMIC to deliver stable power supplyOn-die ECC for reliable data transmissionEquipped with high-quality ICs to deliver the ultimate experience What TeamGroup Had to Say "Built for the AMD Ryzen series of processors and motherboards, the VULCANα DDR5 Memory has passed compatibility and reliability testing from major motherboard manufacturers including ASRock, ASUS, BIOSTAR, GIGABYTE, and MSI. Supported by the latest AMD EXPO(EXtended Profiles for Overclocking) technology; users can now experience enhanced performances with the VULCANα DDR5 Memory's optimized compatibility and ultra-high overclocking speed within one click time." A Closer Look The latest T-Force memory is a very simple and toned-down design and frankly, I'm happy about that. I think we can mostly agree that larger memory with funky RGB lighting is great, but there's a lot of it out there, and it's nice to see something more... basic. It's just a stamped aluminium heatsink clamshell design, With it just being a matte black, it'll blend into most systems easily enough, but it's also available in a nice red if you did want something with a little more flair, but even then, it should still be pretty understated. The heatsinks are also suitably low-profile, so if you do have a larger CPU cooler or any other hardware in that space, it shouldn't cause any major conflicts. The heatsink is more than enough too, people think they need huge heatsinks, but honestly, these modern DDR5 chipsets run at 1.25v are surprisingly efficient, and should never get particularly hot anyway. I do like the design they've stamped into it though, subtle but it's just enough to jazz it up without drawing too much attention. They're nice and slim, and the black metal on the black PCB looks neat and tidy. Overall, slim, low profile, and no RGB may not sound particularly exciting, but honestly, it ticks all the right boxes for what I want in my RAM kits. It's not like T-Force doesn't make plenty of flashy kits if that's what you desire though. 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 i9 12900kMotherboardMSI Z690 TOMAHAWK WiFiMemoryChanges Per ReviewGraphicsGigabyte RTX 3080 Gaming OC 10GBStorageSeagate Firecuda 520 1TBPower SupplyCorsair RM850xSoftwareWindows 10 Professional 1909DriversNVDIA GeForce 497.29 DCH 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 Keep in mind we've only tested three kits on the new AMD platform testbench so far, this being one of them. The Corsair and G.Skill kits are both a little more high-end, with larger heatsinks, and higher prices too. So while the Vulcan is lagging behind here, it's still right on the money for what we were expecting to see in regard to its performance. Scoring 72718 MB/s Read is certainly good though, and really shows the speeds you can reach with DDR5! The latency was a bit on the high side, at 78.2, but from my own experience and looking at results from our older testing, this isn't unheard of on AMD platform compared to Intel, which often has had lower latency. Calculation Performance Despite the latency and lower read speeds, the Vulcan actually put in a seriously competitive time in Super Pi, scoring a speedy 5.31 seconds. Even in the more extensive and demanding WPrime 1024M, it held up a similar result vs the Vengeance and Trident Z5 Neo. Rendering Performance The lower read and write speeds, and likely the latency, did have an impact in Cinebench though, scoring 28107, a few hundred points behind its rivals. Render time was a little longer in Corona too with lower overall throughput from the memory. And finally, the same in Blender, with fewer samples per minute, so while it'll more than get the job done, those building a workstation or rendering rig, will likely want memory that's more configured for that purpose. FutureMark Performance Rendering and calculation is memory dependent, but when we shift to GPU-focused tasks, things shift a little, and the Vulcan put in a competitive score, but also the highest physics score in FireStrike Ultra. The DX12-focused Time Spy Extreme was lower, but since this more heavily relies on the read and write speeds, this result reflects what we saw in the AIDA benchmark; please remember, this isn't a bad result, it's really not that far behind here, and as we expand our testing, this would still be regarded on the high-end of performance, now the lower end. Assassin's Creed Valhalla I suspect the benchmarks are one thing for this memory, but see no reason why it shouldn't be more competitive in gaming. Clearly, with Valhalla, it holds up much better vs the other two high-end kits. Become Eivor, a Viking raider raised to be a fearless warrior, and lead your clan from icy desolation in Norway to a new home amid the lush farmlands of ninth-century England. Find your settlement and conquer this hostile land by any means to earn a place in Valhalla. Available now on Steam. Cyberpunk 2077 Strong 1% lows and good average FPS in Cyberpunk 2077 is always promising, as this game will typically throw inferior hardware off a cliff. Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world, action-adventure RPG set in the megalopolis of Night City, where you play as a cyberpunk mercenary wrapped up in a do-or-die fight for survival. Improved and featuring all-new free additional content, customize your character and playstyle as you take on jobs, build a reputation, and unlock upgrades. The relationships you forge and the choices you make will shape the story and the world around you. Legends are made here. What will yours be? Available now on Steam. F1 2022 The 1% lows on this were really low, retesting resulted in largely the same, but the average FPS held up just fine, so I'm going to put this one down to the latency causing frame time issues. Make your mark on Formula 1 in the officially licensed F1 Manager 2022. Be the boss of your chosen constructor and pick from a roster of 2022 drivers and staff. Featuring full F1 licensing and true-to-life presentation, you won’t just play F1 Manager 2022 – you’ll live it. Available now on Steam. FarCry 6 A few frames behind again, but again this reflects what we've seen in the read/write speed testing. Welcome to Yara, a tropical paradise frozen in time. As the dictator of Yara, Antón Castillo is intent on restoring his nation to its former glory by any means necessary, with his son, Diego, following in his bloody footsteps. Their oppressive rule has ignited a revolution. Available now on Epic. Forza Horizon 5 Forza Horizon spitting out results like its on shuffle here, but regardless, the Vulcan did really well, with impressive 1% lows. Your Ultimate Horizon Adventure awaits! Explore the vibrant and ever-evolving open world landscapes of Mexico with limitless, fun driving action in hundreds of the world’s greatest cars. Available now on Xbox.com. Horizon Zero Dawn Good results here too, with 149 and 210 FPS in Zero Dawn. Experience Aloy’s legendary quest to unravel the mysteries of a future Earth ruled by Machines. Use devastating tactical attacks against your prey and explore a majestic open world in this award-winning action RPG! Available now on Steam. Microsoft Flight Simulator Flight Simulator demands good data rates and latency, so I was expecting slightly lower performance than this, but it's actually very consistent and broadly similar to that of the Triden Z5 Neo. From light planes to wide-body jets, fly highly detailed and accurate aircraft in the next generation of Microsoft Flight Simulator. Test your piloting skills against the challenges of night flying, real-time atmospheric simulation and live weather in a dynamic and living world. Create your flight plan to anywhere on the planet. The world is at your fingertips. Available now on Xbox.com. Shadow of the Tomb Raider The Vulcan even managed a higher score in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, but also the lowest 1% lows, so win some lose some here. Experience Lara Croft’s defining moment as she becomes the Tomb Raider. In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Lara must master a deadly jungle, overcome terrifying tombs, and persevere through her darkest hour. As she races to save the world from a Maya apocalypse, Lara will ultimately be forged into the Tomb Raider she is destined to be. Available now on Steam. Watch Dogs: Legion Falling behind again, by a small margin, but damn this memory is all over the place! Build a resistance from virtually anyone you see as you hack, infiltrate, and fight to take back a near-future London that is facing its downfall. Welcome to the Resistance. Recruit and play as anyone in the city. Everyone you see has a unique backstory, personality, and skill set. Available now on UPlay. Red Dead Redemption 2 In our final, I should have expected another seemingly random position with it actually being ahead in both average and 1% lows. Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are outlaws on the run. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America in order to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him. Available now on Steam. Overall Average FPS A few wins, a few losses and a few in the middle show that the overall gaming performance largely averages out fairly well here, and it's actually very similar to its rivals. If you had to pick them apart in a blind study, I think you would be stumped. Temperatures Despite having a smaller heatsink, the Vulcan actually has very good heat efficiency. However, it does run a little behind in terms of data throughput, which likely means it's not working quite as hard as the others, but it seems to balance out OK and thermal throttling clearly won't be an issue. Overclocking The default 6000 MHz is already regarded as pretty damn fast even for DDR5, and this isn't a particularly high-end example, so there wasn't much meat on the bone so to speak. However, pushing it to 6200MHz netted some very interesting results. It scored read speeds of 74092, an increase that is enough to put it alongside the (Stock) read speeds of the Vengeance (74823) and the Trident (74268). There's a similar uptick in write and copy speeds, so pushing that little bit gets it along side the more expensive models nicely enough! Often pushing the MHz up increases the latency, and as small as it is, it did actually drop to 82ns, but this is even small enough to be within a margin of error, still, at least it didn't get higher! How Much Does It Cost? Well, this is where it all falls apart, as frankly, the price on Amazon is just too high right now. At £166.40, it's one of the more expensive kits I've seen recently, and the much faster and fancy RGB Corsair kit is actually about £40 cheaper. I don't know about you, but I can do a LOT with £40, so TeamGroup need to get their price in line with the recent price drops from their rivals. I would expect this kit to be pretty much right around £95-105 and not a penny more. I also found it on OCUK, but again the price is still higher than I'd like to see right now. Overview While the price is a biting point here, I'll not push on that too hard, as these things often change daily for all brands, and I could check tomorrow and it all be great... in fact, I will check tomorrow! Do shop around though, and if you can get it cheaper, as it should be, it's a decent memory kit for those... well, I was going to say those who don't want to spend too much money, doh! The design is nice enough though, albeit, it's basically the same heat spreader we've seen on a fair few of the Vulcan Alpha series memory kits. The aluminium heat spreader has a nice low-profile design, so slim form factory builds, or even those that have larger heatsinks on the CPU that limit memory height, will all benefit from this design. While there are larger and more fanciful designs on the market, they're certainly not to everyone's taste. Sometimes simplicity is king, and the plug-and-play nature, combined with the no-fuss RGB-free design is sure to appeal to plenty of people too. When it comes to performance, I can't see why this wouldn't be decent memory for a gaming-focused build, it's got performance that largely averages out to what I expected to see. However, there's certainly room for some improvements in regard to latency, which was on the high side, but not outside of what I have seen from AMD hardware in the past. Should I Buy One? If you're building a gaming PC and want memory that isn't going to cause height conflicts and doesn't have the RGB curse that has frankly taken over most gaming memory kits, then the T-Force Vulcan Alpha is more than up to the task. However, for more complex rendering tasks, the latency needs to be improved, and the price needs to come down a little bit to make it competitive in a market where memory prices are largely at the best they've been for a long time, otherwise, it's hard to truly recommend it, but at the same time, there's nothing really wrong with it either. If you do get it though, I suggest you try give it a little overclock, as the results made it much more competitive.