Successful first attempt? – Acer Predator Talos DDR4-3600 CL18 2x 8 GB Memory Kit | Test with Benchmarks and Teardown

1 - Overview Talos SKUs and Specs 2 - Packaging, Looks and Specs 3 - Teardown and Heatsink-Performance 4 - Test systems and overclocking 5 - AIDA64 Memory and Geekbench 3 6 - Gaming-Performance in Cyberpunk 2077 7 - Final thoughts and conclusion

But before we get deeper into the specs and memory ICs used, let’s take a look at the kit visually. The packaging is simple and functional. On the black box we find the most important information about the product series, like the limited lifetime warranty, specially selected memory chips for the operation and of course the XMP profile with its timings. In the outer box you will find the transparent anti-static plastic carrier with the two RAM modules.

talos_packaging_1

talos_packaging_2

talos_packaging_3

Acer primarily wants to focus on performance with the Talos series, both of the actual memory and the heatsink for the corresponding cooling of the modules. The black anodized heatspreader made of a zinc-aluminum alloy and with almost 80 g immediately stands out as a quality feature when holding the modules in your hands for the first time.

Furthermore, the heatspreaders overhangs the DIMM slot levers by 5 mm on both sides and turn out relatively large overall. In total, a Talos module then measures 141 x 46 mm. 

talos_looks_1

talos_looks_2

talos_looks_4

On top of the heatspreader are 4 plain white plastic bezels per module, let’s call them accents. On one side of the module you can find the obligatory sticker with specs and serial number and on the other side you can see the reflective shiny Predator logo. Aesthetics are a very subjective matter, but at least I personally find this design more appealing than some RGB color bombs. By the way, for all those who were critical of the white accents of the modules when I posted the news the other day, there is a possible remedy on the next page.

Now let’s take a look at the information from the SPD, which usually lets us make some predictions about performance and overclocking potential. The Thaiphoon Burner, which we – and meanwhile also other publications – like to use to read out the SPD in a tabular representation, doesn’t really know what to do with the new Talos modules. Maufacturer and Series of the modules is unknown or not specified, only the JEDEC ID of BIWIN is specified with “0A6Bh”. With the used ICs ones only the manufacturer Micron can be read out, but the concrete part number is also incomplete. 

The only really performance-relevant thing we can read out here is the structure of the modules with one rank each, i.e. single rank. While this was expected with 8GB modules in 2021, we now have definitive confirmation as well. In order to get even more information from the SPD, we can now use the extended report function.

Besides the mysterious alleged Micron ICs, the PCB is revealed here as another component, namely in SK Hynix’s A2 design with 8 layers. Furthermore, the secondary timings tRC 64, tFAW 44, tRRD_S 6, tRRD_L 9 and tRFC 631 are also stored in the XMP profile. 

BIWIN seems to use various components from different manufacturers, which fit best into the design of the SKU. Why reinvent the wheel when there is already a proven design here? As long as the components are matched to each other and the performance fits, such a hybrid approach can ultimately even save costs for manufacturers and end customers.