Predator Hermes RGB DDR5-6800 C32 2x16GB Review: Imposing Looks And Performance

The new Hermes memory from Predator Storage has a lot going for it.

Predator Hermes RGB DDR5-6800 C32
(Image: © Tom's Hardware)

Tom's Hardware Verdict

The Hermes RGB DDR5-6800 C32 impresses with its out-of-the-box performance, appealing design, and overclocking potential. Unfortunately, the memory kit is hard to come by in the U.S. market.

Pros

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    Good performance

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    Captivating aesthetics

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    Best timings for a DDR5-6800 memory kit

Cons

  • -

    Zero U.S. availability

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    Limited usefulness for the optional fan

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Predator Storage's latest Hermes series of DDR5 memory looks competitive, and the Hermes RGB DDR5-6800 C32 is ready to take on the best RAM on the market. Predator Storage, Acer's high-end gaming brand, whose products are built by Biwin, is far from a household brand in the memory market. Nonetheless, the company has strived to get its name out there. Like many memory vendors, Predator Storage has jumped to DDR5. Its current DDR5 portfolio comprises the Hermes, Vesta, and Pallas II series, with the first being the top-tier lineup with glaring frequencies spanning up to DDR5-8000 and capacities up to 64GB (2x32GB). On this occasion, we'll look at the Hermes RGB DDR5-6800 C32, a more demure memory kit out of the Hermes army.

The Hermes memory modules have an aluminum heat spreader that can come in white, silver, or black. It's 1.9mm-thick, which helps with heat dissipation. The heat spreader's design certainly stands out, combining a honeycomb pattern and diagonal highlights complemented with some serious RGB lighting. It's excellent that the brand kept the marketing to a minimum with a sole Predator logo on the heat spreader. A small "5" is situated in the corner to denote that the memory module is DDR5.

Predator Storage includes an optional auxiliary 40 x 40mm cooling fan with the corresponding bracket and screws to latch onto your motherboard to provide the modules with extra cooling. The Boosfan JD4010M is a brushless fan that delivers a maximum airflow of 4.72 CFM at a noise level of 29.9 dB. Unfortunately, the cooling fan is designed for motherboards with four memory slots, so it isn't compatible with overclocking-centric motherboards with dual memory slots.

The Hermes memory modules are 51.20mm (2.02 inches) tall, so you want to look into the clearance space for your CPU cooler, especially if you're using a big air cooler. As usual, liquid cooling users have nothing to worry about. The RGB light bar provides the Hermes with vivid illumination across eight independent lighting areas. Luckily, you can use your motherboard's software to customize the lighting. The Hermes memory modules are compatible with Asus Aura Sync, Gigabyte RGB Fusion 2.0, MSI Mystic Light Sync, and ASRock Polychrome Sync.

The memory modules utilize a 10-layer PCB dipped in black. It's a 32GB memory kit, so you receive two 16GB DDR5 memory modules with a single-rank design. The integrated circuits (ICs) are from SK hynix, specifically the H5CG48AGBDX018 (A-die) ones that are great for overclocking. The memory modules leverage the 2GB variant, housing eight A-die ICs. The markings on the power management IC (PMIC) were faint, but it shows the 5100 module, which is from Global Mixed-mode Technology (GMT).

Without user intervention, the Hermes memory modules default to DDR5-5600 with 46-45-45-90 timings. Since the memory kit caters to Intel chips, it comes with XMP 3.0 support. The DDR5-6800 profile will set the necessary timings and DRAM voltage to 32-45-45-108 and 1.4V, respectively. See our PC Memory 101 feature and How to Shop for RAM story for more timings and frequency considerations.

Comparison Hardware

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Memory KitPart NumberCapacityData RatePrimary TimingsVoltage (V)Warranty
Klevv Cras XR5 RGBKD5AGUA80-80R380S2 x 16GBDDR5-8000 (XMP)38-48-48-128 (2T)1.55Lifetime
TeamGroup T-Force Delta RGBFF3D532G7200HC34ADC012 x 16GBDDR5-7200 (XMP)34-42-42-84 (2T)1.40Lifetime
G.Skill Trident Z5 RGBF5-7200J3445G16GX2-TZ5RK2 x 16GBDDR5-7200 (XMP)34-45-45-115 (2T)1.40Lifetime
Adata XPG Lancer RGB Mera EditionAX5U7200C3416G-DCLARMLBK2 x 16GBDDR5-7200 (XMP)34-46-46-116 (2T)1.40Lifetime
Corsair Vengeance RGBCMH32GX5M2X7000C342 x 16GBDDR5-7000 (XMP)34-42-42-96 (2T)1.45Lifetime
Predator Hermes RGBBL.9BWWR.3992 x 16GBDDR5-6800 (XMP)32-45-45-108 (2T)1.40Lifetime
G.Skill Trident Z5 RGBF5-6800J3445G16GX2-TZ5RK2 x 16GBDDR5-6800 (XMP)34-45-45-108 (2T)1.40Lifetime
Corsair Dominator Platinum RGBCMT32GX5M2X6600C322 x 16GBDDR5-6600 (XMP)32-39-39-76 (2T)1.40Lifetime

The Intel test system runs the Core i9-13900K on the MSI MEG Z690 Unify-X with the 7D28vAA firmware. In contrast, our AMD system pairs the Ryzen 7 7700X with the MSI MPG X670E Carbon WiFi changed to the 7D70v18 firmware. The Corsair CUE H100i Elite LCD liquid cooler keeps our Raptor Lake and Zen 4 processor operating temperatures under check.

The MSI GeForce RTX 4080 16GB Gaming X Trio tackles the more graphics-intensive workloads, ensuring that there isn't a graphics bottleneck in our gaming RAM benchmarks. The Windows 11 installation, benchmarking software, and games reside on Crucial's MX500 SSDs. Meanwhile, the Corsair RM1000x Shift ATX 3.0 power supply provides our systems with clean and abundant power, directly feeding the GeForce RTX 4080 with a native 16-pin (12VHPWR) power cable. Lastly, the Streacom BC1 open-air test bench is vital to organizing our hardware.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
ComponentIntel SystemAMD System
ProcessorIntel Core i9-13900KAMD Ryzen 7 7700X
MotherboardMSI MEG Z690 Unify-XMSI MPG X670E Carbon WiFi
Graphics CardMSI GeForce RTX 4080 16GB Gaming X TrioMSI GeForce RTX 4080 16GB Gaming X Trio
StorageCrucial MX500 500GB, 2TBCrucial MX500 500GB, 2TB
CoolingCorsair iCUE H100i Elite LCDCorsair iCUE H100i Elite LCD
Power SupplyCorsair RM1000x ShiftCorsair RM1000x Shift
CaseStreacom BC1Streacom BC1

Intel Performance

The Hermes performed within expectations. It couldn't compete with the DDR5-7000 and above memory kits. However, it was the fastest of the two DDR5-6800 memory kits we tested, thanks to the tighter memory timings.

AMD Performance

Unexpectedly, the Hermes beat the Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-7200 C34 on the AMD platform. Although the latter is binned at a higher data rate, Predator Storage's memory timings were lower, which helped in this case but not on the Intel platform.

Overclocking and Latency Tuning

The Hermes memory kit didn't exhibit jaw-dropping overclocking potential despite using SK hynix A-die ICs. However, it did peak at DDR5-7200, which was higher than the DDR5-7000 that the Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-7200 C34 achieved. No compromises to the memory timings were made. We got the memory stable at 32-42-42-92 and 1.45V, slightly better than the XMP timings.

Lowest Stable Timings

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Memory KitDDR5-6800 (1.45V)DDR5-7000 (1.45V)DDR5-7200 (1.45V)
Predator Hermes RGB DDR5-6800 C3230-40-40-90 (2T)N/A32-42-42-92 (2T)
Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-6800 C3432-42-42-96 (2T)34-45-45-108 (2T)N/A

We obtained the best timings for a DDR5-6800 memory kit with the Hermes. Increasing the DRAM voltage from 1.4V to 1.45V allowed us to move the timings from 32-45-45-108 down to 30-40-40-90. It could have just been silicon lottery luck since A-die ICs aren't famous for running tight timings.

Bottom Line

You shouldn't have any complaints with the Hermes RGB DDR5-6800 C32 regarding performance or appearance. The memory possesses solid performance straight out of the box. It helps that the Hermes presently has the lowest memory timings for a DDR5-6800 memory kit on the market. Including a 40mm cooling fan is a good concept but doesn't serve a significant purpose. The design limits it to four DIMM motherboards, and unless you're aggressively overclocking the memory or there is little room for airflow inside your case, it doesn't need the extra cooling that the fan provides.

The Hermes RGB DDR5-6800 C32 is another example of a good product ruined by limited availability. At the time of this review, the memory is absent from U.S. retailers. It's amusing because the memory kit is available in other markets. Biwin assured us availability would improve soon but failed to provide a specific date. In the meantime, the Hermes RGB DDR5-6800 C32 retails for around $157 overseas, placing it in the middle of the bracket in terms of DDR5-6800 pricing. Therefore, it's purchasable, but you'll have to pay for international shipping and whatnot, so it may be better to wait until the memory kit hits U.S. stores.

Zhiye Liu
News Editor and Memory Reviewer

Zhiye Liu is a news editor and memory reviewer at Tom’s Hardware. Although he loves everything that’s hardware, he has a soft spot for CPUs, GPUs, and RAM.