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Schenker Technologies XMG Pro 17 (Clevo PA71HS-G) Laptop Review

The best of both worlds. While most people have to choose between a gaming notebook that supports either G-Sync (smooth image) or Optimus (longer battery life), the XMG Pro 17 supports both Nvidia technologies at the same time. You can find out in our review what else the 17-incher has to offer.

Over the years, the German notebook vendor, Schenker Technologies, has earned a reputation as a gaming expert. Besides the weighty desktop “replacements”, which are actually intended for stationary work, the manufacturer also offers compact devices fit for mobile use. When it comes to a 17-inch screen in the latter category, the XMG Pro 17 steps up with a design height of 2.5 cm (0.98 in), which makes it quite slim for a 17-inch high-end notebook. The weight of 3.1 kg (6.8 lbs), in the 17-inch category, is also below average. However, users who are fond of traveling will be much better served by a 14- or 15-inch device, such as the XMG P407 or the XMG Core 15.

SCHENKER XMG Pro 17 (XMG Pro 17 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-7700HQ 4 x 2.8 - 3.8 GHz, Kaby Lake
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile - 8 GB VRAM, Core: 1480 MHz, Memory: 8000 MHz, GDDR5, ForceWare 390.77, Optimus
Memory
32 GB 
, 2x 16 GB SO-DIMM DDR4-2400, Dual-Channel, 2 out of 2 slots occupied
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 3840 x 2160 pixel 255 PPI, AU Optronics B173ZAN01.0 (AUO109B), IPS, UHD, 60 Hz, G-Sync, AHVA, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM175
Storage
Samsung SSD 960 Evo 500GB m.2 NVMe, 500 GB 
, + Seagate BarraCuda ST1000LM048, 1 TB HDD, 5400 rpm. slots: 2x M.2 & 1x 2.5-inch
Soundcard
Realtek ALC892 @ Intel Sunrise Point PCH - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
4 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 3 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: Headphone jack, microphone jack, S/PDIF, Card Reader: 6-in-1, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1435 Wireless Network Adapter (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 25 x 419 x 287 ( = 0.98 x 16.5 x 11.3 in)
Battery
66 Wh Lithium-Ion, 4 cells
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: FHD
Additional features
Speakers: 2.1, Keyboard: chiclet-style, full RGB, Keyboard Light: yes, 230-watt AC adapter, sticker, recovery DVD, DVD with the drivers, USB drive with tools, warranty brochure, user guide, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
3.094 kg ( = 109.14 oz / 6.82 pounds), Power Supply: 730 g ( = 25.75 oz / 1.61 pounds)
Price
2679 EUR
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

In terms of technology, the XMG Pro 17 relies mostly on components from Intel and Nvidia. The laptop is equipped with the Core i7-7700HQ, which is a powerful Kaby Lake-based quad-core processor that can handle eight threads at the same time, thanks to its Hyper-threading capabilities. As for the GPU, here we have a choice between a GeForce GTX 1060 with 6 GB of GDDR5 video memory and a GeForce GTX 1070. The RAM and storage space options look equally impressive with up to 32 GB of DDR4 RAM and up to three storage devices (two M.2 drives and one 2.5-inch drive). In the in-house configurator, the customer is offered a very wide range of SSD and HDD options to choose from.

Choosing the display will not be easy, either. All of the displays feature support for G-Sync. Whether you choose to go with a 1080p, 1440p or a 4K display will depend not only on the kind of graphics card that you pick, but also on your personal needs. In our view, the GTX 1060 is suitable for 1440p gaming at the most, whereas the GTX 1070 can handle 4K resolutions in a number of games - at the medium to high settings, that is. 

The price for the 17-incher starts at 1449 Euros (~$1788). However, for this price you will only get a Full HD panel, 8 GB of RAM and a 500 GB HDD without an operating system. Our review device, which is designated as the Pro 17 - L17wzw, and which is available in various online stores, comes with a 4K display, two 16-GB sticks of RAM and a combination of a 500 GB SSD and a 1 TB HDD. The price point (including Windows 10): 2679 Euros (~$3306).

Because the underlying barebones laptop (Clevo PA71HS-G) is almost identical to the previously reviewed Defiance IV from PC Zentrum, we shall skip the sections in this article that deal with the case, connectivity and the input devices. You can find all the relevant information herehttps://www.notebookcheck.net/PC-Specialist-Defiance-IV-i7-7700HQ-GTX-1060-Full-HD-Laptop-Review.273096.0.html. When compared to the competing laptop from PC Zentrum that uses a similar design, there are not many changes to be found (the rear rubber feet are placed differently; there are now small openings on top of the keyboard). The most important change is the inclusion of a USB Type-C port, which, in the case of the XMG Pro 17, also supports Thunderbolt 3.

Size Comparison

423 mm / 16.7 inch 296 mm / 11.7 inch 27.62 mm / 1.087 inch 3.1 kg6.83 lbs424 mm / 16.7 inch 281 mm / 11.1 inch 22.5 mm / 0.886 inch 3.1 kg6.9 lbs419 mm / 16.5 inch 287 mm / 11.3 inch 25 mm / 0.984 inch 3.1 kg6.82 lbs419 mm / 16.5 inch 287 mm / 11.3 inch 25 mm / 0.984 inch 3 kg6.63 lbs411.8 mm / 16.2 inch 284.9 mm / 11.2 inch 19.6 mm / 0.772 inch 2.4 kg5.36 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
MSI GS73VR 7RG
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
182.9 MB/s +2%
SCHENKER XMG Pro 17
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
180 MB/s
PC Zentrum Defiance IV
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
179 MB/s -1%
Razer Blade Pro RZ09-0220
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
69.2 MB/s -62%
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793-738J
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
23 MB/s -87%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
MSI GS73VR 7RG
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
212.2 MB/s +1%
SCHENKER XMG Pro 17
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
210 MB/s
PC Zentrum Defiance IV
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
207 MB/s -1%
Razer Blade Pro RZ09-0220
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
83.2 MB/s -60%
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793-738J
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
23.3 MB/s -89%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793-738J
Qualcomm/Atheros QCA6174
626 MBit/s +13%
Razer Blade Pro RZ09-0220
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
589 MBit/s +6%
SCHENKER XMG Pro 17
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1435 Wireless Network Adapter
554 MBit/s
MSI GS73VR 7RG
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
486 MBit/s -12%
PC Zentrum Defiance IV
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
436 MBit/s -21%
iperf3 receive AX12
SCHENKER XMG Pro 17
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1435 Wireless Network Adapter
687 MBit/s
PC Zentrum Defiance IV
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
680 MBit/s -1%
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793-738J
Qualcomm/Atheros QCA6174
638 MBit/s -7%
MSI GS73VR 7RG
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
605 MBit/s -12%
Razer Blade Pro RZ09-0220
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
424 MBit/s -38%

Display

Those who prefer a high pixel density and are not put off by a hefty surcharge are going to be quite happy with the 4K display. Here, Schenker Technologies relies on the high-quality AU Optronics IPS panel with the designation B173ZAN01.0, which has already impressed us with its great color-space coverage in the XMG U727 and the Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE.

The same applies to the XMG Pro 17. 100% of sRGB and 87% of Adobe RGB are superb results, which most gaming notebooks do not come close to. 60% of Adobe RGB is standard fare here, which is what the Razer Blade Pro can offer. Even the color-accurate 120 Hz panel CMN N173HHE-G32, which is found in both the MSI GS73VR 7RG and the PC Zentrum Defiance IV, and which covers 77% of Adobe RGB, cannot keep up.

301
cd/m²
305
cd/m²
297
cd/m²
303
cd/m²
303
cd/m²
289
cd/m²
268
cd/m²
254
cd/m²
261
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics B173ZAN01.0 (AUO109B) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 305 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 286.8 cd/m² Minimum: 12 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 83 %
Center on Battery: 303 cd/m²
Contrast: 1212:1 (Black: 0.25 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.38 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 5.96 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
100% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
87% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
98.9% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
99.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
85.9% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.31
SCHENKER XMG Pro 17
AU Optronics B173ZAN01.0 (AUO109B), IPS, 3840x2160
MSI GS73VR 7RG
ID: CMN1747, Name: Chi Mei N173HHE-G32, TN LED, 1920x1080
PC Zentrum Defiance IV
CMN N173HHE-G32 (CMN1747), TN, 1920x1080
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793-738J
AU Optronics B173ZAN01.0, IPS, 3840x2160
Razer Blade Pro RZ09-0220
ID: AUO169D, Name: AU Optronics B173HAN01.6, IPS, 1920x1080
Display
-3%
-3%
-1%
-23%
Display P3 Coverage
85.9
89.6
4%
89.5
4%
85.4
-1%
64
-25%
sRGB Coverage
99.9
100
0%
100
0%
100
0%
89.7
-10%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
98.9
86.9
-12%
86.1
-13%
97.8
-1%
64.9
-34%
Response Times
56%
50%
13%
-17%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
44 ?(21.2, 22.8)
23.6 ?(13.6, 10)
46%
28.8 ?(16.4, 12.4)
35%
29 ?(14, 15)
34%
36.8 ?(19.6, 17.2)
16%
Response Time Black / White *
24.8 ?(11.6, 13.2)
8.4 ?(6, 2.4)
66%
9 ?(6.8, 2.2)
64%
27 ?(16, 11)
-9%
37.2 ?(21.6, 15.6)
-50%
PWM Frequency
26040 ?(10)
25770 ?(20)
Screen
-29%
-42%
0%
-1%
Brightness middle
303
350.9
16%
312
3%
380
25%
367.4
21%
Brightness
287
311
8%
289
1%
336
17%
363
26%
Brightness Distribution
83
79
-5%
86
4%
81
-2%
86
4%
Black Level *
0.25
0.33
-32%
0.29
-16%
0.32
-28%
0.32
-28%
Contrast
1212
1063
-12%
1076
-11%
1188
-2%
1148
-5%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.38
7.7
-76%
10.64
-143%
5.32
-21%
3.8
13%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
7.42
14.4
-94%
18.65
-151%
7.63
-3%
10.4
-40%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.96
11.1
-86%
11.66
-96%
4.9
18%
3.5
41%
Gamma
2.31 95%
2.11 104%
2.08 106%
2.61 84%
2.18 101%
CCT
6247 104%
11813 55%
14907 44%
6558 99%
6467 101%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
87
77.74
-11%
77
-11%
87.2
0%
58.1
-33%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
100
100
0%
100
0%
100
0%
89.3
-11%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
8% / -13%
2% / -22%
4% / 2%
-14% / -8%

* ... smaller is better

The IPS panel comes with one disadvantage, and that disadvantage is its modest response times. At 25 ms for black to white and 44 ms for gray to gray, this panel performs considerably worse than TN-based displays.

However, in other areas, the UHD display performs either well or very well. The brightness, with an average of 287 cd/m², could have been somewhat higher (compared to the XMG U727, our current review device has a much lower brightness). Nevertheless, our review device does manage to achieve a respectable contrast ratio of 1200:1, thanks to its low black value (0.25 cd/m²).

CalMAN: grayscale
CalMAN: grayscale
CalMAN: grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN: grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN: saturation
CalMAN: saturation
CalMAN: saturation (calibrated)
CalMAN: saturation (calibrated)
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN: ColorChecker (calibrated)
Schenker XMG Pro 17 vs. sRGB (100%)
Schenker XMG Pro 17 vs. sRGB (100%)
Schenker XMG Pro 17 vs. AdobeRGB (87%)
Schenker XMG Pro 17 vs. AdobeRGB (87%)

Even though the panel does not exhibit a color cast, it still makes sense for professional users to calibrate the screen. In doing so, we were able to reduce the DeltaE 2000 deviation for the grayscale from 5.96 to 0.58 and the DeltaE 2000 deviation for the colors from 4.38 to 0.89.

Pixel arrangement
Pixel arrangement
Clouding
Clouding
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

The brightness distribution is also not perfect. Like many other gaming notebooks, the XMG Pro 17 has to contend with glowing halos around the edges of the screen, which, however, are not always visible. Despite the above-mentioned criticisms, we are still quite fond of the UHD panel in the XMG Pro 17.

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
24.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 11.6 ms rise
↘ 13.2 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 52 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
44 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 21.2 ms rise
↘ 22.8 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 69 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Performance

Complete with a solid state drive and 16-32 GB of RAM, the XMG Pro 17 belongs to the high-end niche of the notebook market. The Core i7-7700HQ and the GeForce GTX 1070 deliver enough performance for demanding applications, which makes the whole package seem very potent and well-rounded.

 

Processor

As previously mentioned, a quad-core model from Intel’s Kaby Lake generation serves as the central processing unit. Even though hexa- and octa-core CPUs are bound to make a splash in the notebook market in 2018, a quad-core CPU is still more than sufficient for current and upcoming video games.

Singlecore-rendering
Singlecore-rendering
Multicore-rendering
Multicore-rendering
GPU utilization
GPU utilization

By means of Intel’s Turbo Boost Technology, the Core i7-7700HQ can increase its clock rate up to 3.8 GHz under load in single-core applications and up to 3.4 GHz in multi-core applications. As long as you do not subject the XMG Pro 17 to extreme loads (then the clock speed drops to 2.8 GHz), the clock rate of 3.4 GHz can be maintained over an extended period of time. In our 30-minute Cinebench loop (see the graph below), the results were relatively consistent.

0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260270280290300310320330340350360370380390400410420430440450460470480490500510520530540550560570580590600610620630640650660670680690700710720730740Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.79 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
8.12 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
159 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
732 Points
Help

The CPU benchmarks went as expected. The CPU performance of the XMG Pro 17 is on the normal level for a notebook with a Core i7-7700HQ.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793-738J
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
161 Points +1%
Razer Blade Pro RZ09-0220
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
160 Points +1%
PC Zentrum Defiance IV
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
160 Points +1%
SCHENKER XMG Pro 17
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
159 Points
MSI GS73VR 7RG
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
154 Points -3%
CPU Multi 64Bit
MSI GS73VR 7RG
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
739 Points +1%
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793-738J
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
734 Points 0%
Razer Blade Pro RZ09-0220
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
733 Points 0%
SCHENKER XMG Pro 17
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
732 Points
PC Zentrum Defiance IV
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
731 Points 0%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
MSI GS73VR 7RG
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.84 Points +3%
PC Zentrum Defiance IV
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.83 Points +2%
SCHENKER XMG Pro 17
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.79 Points
Razer Blade Pro RZ09-0220
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.66 Points -7%
CPU Multi 64Bit
MSI GS73VR 7RG
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
8.18 Points +1%
PC Zentrum Defiance IV
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
8.14 Points 0%
SCHENKER XMG Pro 17
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
8.12 Points
Razer Blade Pro RZ09-0220
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
7.14 Points -12%

System Performance

There were bigger fluctuations during the system benchmarks. Whilst the comparison gap in the PCMark 10 benchmarks was only 10%, it grew significantly wider in the PCMark 8 benchmarks, which, considering the hardware components, is very hard to explain. However, there is one thing that could definitely be improved, and that is the latency times. Because of latency issues, our review device often suffered from annoying but short delays when, for example, right-clicking on the desktop. This must be some kind of driver issue.

PCMark 10 - Score
MSI GS73VR 7RG
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN512HMJP
4891 Points +7%
Razer Blade Pro RZ09-0220
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SSD PM951 MZVLV256HCHP
4752 Points +4%
SCHENKER XMG Pro 17
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SSD 960 Evo 500GB m.2 NVMe
4571 Points
PC Zentrum Defiance IV
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4543 Points -1%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
MSI GS73VR 7RG
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN512HMJP
4394 Points +21%
Razer Blade Pro RZ09-0220
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SSD PM951 MZVLV256HCHP
4207 Points +16%
PC Zentrum Defiance IV
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4053 Points +11%
SCHENKER XMG Pro 17
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SSD 960 Evo 500GB m.2 NVMe
3635 Points
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793-738J
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
3444 Points -5%
Work Score Accelerated v2
MSI GS73VR 7RG
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN512HMJP
5215 Points +21%
PC Zentrum Defiance IV
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
5180 Points +20%
Razer Blade Pro RZ09-0220
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SSD PM951 MZVLV256HCHP
5159 Points +20%
SCHENKER XMG Pro 17
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SSD 960 Evo 500GB m.2 NVMe
4312 Points
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793-738J
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
4207 Points -2%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3635 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4312 points
PCMark 10 Score
4571 points
Help

Storage Devices

The storage devices leave no room for criticism. Here, Schenker utilizes a 500 GB SSD from Samsung (960 EVO), which outperforms conventional SATA-III SSDs by a wide margin, thanks to its NVMe technology. In terms of sequential rates, the XMG Pro 17 blows past the previously reviewed MSI GS73VR 7RG, with its total score in the AS SSD benchmark being almost four times better. Because of the lack of PCIe support, the SSDs of the Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE and the Razer Blade Pro also fall behind. However, in this case, no noticeable differences in performance during normal use should arise.

CrystalDiskMark (SSD)
CrystalDiskMark (SSD)
AS SSD Benchmark (SSD)
AS SSD Benchmark (SSD)
CrystalDiskMark (HDD)
CrystalDiskMark (HDD)
HD Tune (HDD)
HD Tune (HDD)

The M.2 SSD is complemented by a 1 TB 2.5-inch HDD. The Seagate BarraCuda ST1000LM048 operates at 5400 RPM and achieves normal results for this kind of HDD.

SCHENKER XMG Pro 17
Samsung SSD 960 Evo 500GB m.2 NVMe
MSI GS73VR 7RG
Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN512HMJP
PC Zentrum Defiance IV
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793-738J
Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
Razer Blade Pro RZ09-0220
Samsung SSD PM951 MZVLV256HCHP
AS SSD
-63%
-26%
-50%
-48%
Seq Read
2746
497.9
-82%
1485
-46%
1590
-42%
1464
-47%
Seq Write
1673
465.1
-72%
1122
-33%
566
-66%
291.8
-83%
4K Read
45.58
33.69
-26%
51.7
13%
29.75
-35%
38.31
-16%
4K Write
154.2
96.8
-37%
118.6
-23%
104.8
-32%
109.9
-29%
Score Read
1711
421
-75%
1429
-16%
692
-60%
1056
-38%
Score Write
1558
417
-73%
778
-50%
677
-57%
406
-74%
Score Total
4093
1064
-74%
2929
-28%
1678
-59%
1951
-52%
Samsung SSD 960 Evo 500GB m.2 NVMe
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 3319 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 1840 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 561 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 481 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1788 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 1656 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 45.55 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 179.4 MB/s

Graphics Card

Unlike the Zentrum Defiance IV, the XMG Pro 17 offers support not only for Optimus (this technology allows automatic switching between a discrete and an integrated graphics adapter) but also for G-Sync (this technology allows the refresh rate of the monitor and the GPU to be synced up, thus greatly improving the gameplay experience). You can select either of the two modes in the “Control Center” utility (a restart is required).

3DMark - 1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
SCHENKER XMG Pro 17
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
17216 Points
MSI GS73VR 7RG
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
14663 Points -15%
PC Zentrum Defiance IV
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
11984 Points -30%
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793-738J
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
11546 Points -33%
Razer Blade Pro RZ09-0220
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
11049 Points -36%
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
SCHENKER XMG Pro 17
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
22804 Points
MSI GS73VR 7RG
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
18642 Points -18%
PC Zentrum Defiance IV
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
15092 Points -34%
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793-738J
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
14556 Points -36%
Razer Blade Pro RZ09-0220
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
13668 Points -40%

Out of performance considerations, we would definitely recommend the GeForce GTX 1070 for the 4K display. After the GeForce GTX 1080 and the GTX 1080 Max-Q, the GTX 1070 is Nvidia’s third most powerful Pascal-based laptop GPU. The performance gap between the GTX 1070 and 1060 is very wide. In the Fire Strike benchmark, the laptops with a GTX 1060 perform almost 50% worse than the GTX 1070-based notebooks. The Max-Q variant of the GTX 1070 falls about 15% behind.

3DMark 11 Performance
16647 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
25715 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
13552 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
5268 points
Help

Having observed the CPU behavior under load, we moved on to examining the GPU behavior. To be more exact, we spent some time looking at how the clock speeds behaved over a prolonged period under load. For this, we ran The Witcher 3 for one hour on the highest settings. There is no reason to worry that the frame rates will fall significantly over time, because in our The Witcher 3 test the only thing that happened was a small drop in the GTX 1070’s boost frequency. The average core clock came in at 1700 MHz, which is significantly higher than the GTX 1070’s base core clock of 1480 MHz. Throttling only occurred under full load (a thing which is highly improbable in everyday use) and when the notebook was running on battery power.

0123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263Tooltip
The Witcher 3 ultra

Gaming Performance

If you wish to play games in 4K all the time, it will not be easy with the GeForce GTX 1070. Not many games will be able to deliver smooth frame rates at 2160p with the highest settings, meaning that you will have to be content with playing games on medium to high settings.

The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
SCHENKER XMG Pro 17
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
61.4 fps
MSI GS73VR 7RG
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
51.3 fps -16%
PC Zentrum Defiance IV
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
40.2 fps -35%
Razer Blade Pro RZ09-0220
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
38.3 fps -38%

When playing extremely graphics-intensive video games, it is advisable to reduce the resolution down to 1920x1080 - a resolution at which images still look astonishingly sharp. The ideal compromise between image quality and performance would be a WQHD display with a resolution of 2560x1440. The GTX 1070 would have no problem with running games smoothly at that resolution most of the time.

low med. high ultra4K
The Witcher 3 (2015) 111 61.4 39.8
F1 2017 (2017) 123 94 44
FIFA 18 (2017) 234 231 131
Middle-earth: Shadow of War (2017) 93 76 30
The Evil Within 2 (2017) 55.6 54.2 23.3
ELEX (2017) 106 81 26.7
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (2017) 116 106 40.7
Assassin´s Creed Origins (2017) 77 67 32
Call of Duty WWII (2017) 137 107 47.4
Need for Speed Payback (2017) 106 104 38.2
Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2017) 109 90.7 31.3
Fortnite (2018) 142 108 34.7
Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) 52.1 24.1

Emissions

System Noise

The system noise leaves a conflicting impression. As long as the system is not taxed, the 17-incher, with a noise level of 32-33 dB(A), is really quiet. In this case, you can only hear a subtle humming noise coming from the HDD and the CPU fan (while both GPU fans are off at this time). However, the XMG Pro 17 does inherit a typical “ailment” associated with barebones laptops from Clevo, that is, the intermittent spinning-up of the fans under low load. Windows updates and non-demanding applications like Office, video-streaming and web-surfing can lead to the noise levels rising to 40 dB(A), which may prove annoying for some users (although the ability to control the fan speed manually might prove helpful here).

Noise level at idle
Noise level at idle
Noise level under load
Noise level under load
Noise level - speakers
Noise level - speakers

The XMG Pro 17 is not a good choice for noise-susceptible gamers, because the fan noise reaches 50 to 56 dB(A) when gaming (52 dB(A) for the The Witcher 3) - a considerably audible to annoying sound level, which generally necessitates the use of a headset. Here, the competing devices are a bit quieter. But, they come with weaker graphics cards, though.

Noise Level

Idle
32 / 33 / 35 dB(A)
Load
50 / 56 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 29 dB(A)
SCHENKER XMG Pro 17
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
MSI GS73VR 7RG
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
PC Zentrum Defiance IV
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793-738J
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
Razer Blade Pro RZ09-0220
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
Noise
10%
5%
9%
13%
off / environment *
29
28
3%
30
-3%
30.8
-6%
28.1
3%
Idle Minimum *
32
29.4
8%
31
3%
31.4
2%
29.5
8%
Idle Average *
33
30.7
7%
32
3%
31.4
5%
29.6
10%
Idle Maximum *
35
34
3%
33
6%
31.4
10%
29.6
15%
Load Average *
50
42
16%
48
4%
38.6
23%
31.6
37%
Witcher 3 ultra *
52
45.8
12%
46
12%
46
12%
Load Maximum *
56
45.8
18%
50
11%
44.3
21%
51.8
7%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

In terms of the temperatures, the XMG Pro 17 takes the middle position. While the case is comfortably cool when idle, under load the surface temperatures can reach up to 55 °C (131 °F) at the top and 56 °C (132.8 °F) at the bottom. Accordingly, during gaming you should not put the device on your lap under any circumstances. Fortunately, the wrist rest area, which is more important in practice, does not get particularly hot (37 °C (98.6 °F) max.).

Stress test
Stress test
Full load - top (Optris PI 640)
Full load - top (Optris PI 640)
Full load - bottom (Optris PI 640)
Full load - bottom (Optris PI 640)

Under the hood, it is the CPU that gets the hottest. However, about 90 °C (194 °F) after one hour under full load (running FurMark and Prime95 at the same time) is not unusual for the Core i7-7700HQ. However, the GPU does stay relatively cool at 76 °C (168.8 °F).

Max. Load
 50 °C
122 F
51 °C
124 F
55 °C
131 F
 
 51 °C
124 F
49 °C
120 F
34 °C
93 F
 
 37 °C
99 F
36 °C
97 F
27 °C
81 F
 
Maximum: 55 °C = 131 F
Average: 43.3 °C = 110 F
42 °C
108 F
54 °C
129 F
53 °C
127 F
37 °C
99 F
56 °C
133 F
55 °C
131 F
30 °C
86 F
41 °C
106 F
41 °C
106 F
Maximum: 56 °C = 133 F
Average: 45.4 °C = 114 F
Power Supply (max.)  50 °C = 122 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 43.3 °C / 110 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F for the devices in the class Gaming.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 55 °C / 131 F, compared to the average of 40.4 °C / 105 F, ranging from 21.2 to 68.8 °C for the class Gaming.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 56 °C / 133 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.6 °C / 74 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(-) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 43.6 °C / 110 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(±) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 38 °C / 100.4 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-9.1 °C / -16.4 F).
SCHENKER XMG Pro 17
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
MSI GS73VR 7RG
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
PC Zentrum Defiance IV
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793-738J
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
Razer Blade Pro RZ09-0220
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
Heat
-6%
3%
-8%
9%
Maximum Upper Side *
55
52.2
5%
52
5%
56
-2%
48.2
12%
Maximum Bottom *
56
46.6
17%
52
7%
48.7
13%
43.2
23%
Idle Upper Side *
25
30.8
-23%
26
-4%
30.9
-24%
25.4
-2%
Idle Bottom *
26
32
-23%
25
4%
30.6
-18%
25.8
1%

* ... smaller is better

Speakers

Despite its kinship to the Defiance IV, the XMG Pro 17 offers a significantly better sound quality. This can be attributed to Creative Labs’ software, which was not preinstalled in the notebook from PC Zentrum. Thanks to the Sound Blaster technology, audio content sounds either passable or good, although the built-in subwoofer can only be felt to a limited extent. That said, other gaming notebooks, like the MSI GS73VR 7RG, sound much worse.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2038.940.22537.338.8313032.64035.940.65027.532.56326.128.28026.83210030.440.112523.442.216021.450.420020.75525020.658.531519.563.340018.663.450017.464.26301765.480016.467.3100016.668.4125016.769.716001770.6200017.167.4250017.171.8315017.170.2400017.266.6500017.361.7630017.264.1800017.364.41000017.360.51250017.358.71600017.252.4SPL29.480N1.247.2median 17.3median 64.1Delta15.438.238.136.835.636.335.232.735.232.433.332.93531.83230.431.428.831.428.635.127.939.626.537.925.838.425.943.224.749.424.1562459.123.868.323.571.623.5712670.823.863.52357.522.261.521.75621.758.921.557.621.650.921.648.921.757.535.778.12.533.8median 23.8median 562.310.5hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseSCHENKER XMG Pro 17MSI GS73VR 7RG
SCHENKER XMG Pro 17 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (80 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 12.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.1% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (2.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (14.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 26% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 67% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 15% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 81% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

MSI GS73VR 7RG audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (71.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 20.4% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (5.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 10% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (13.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.4% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (14.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (34.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 98% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 1% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 92% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 7% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency diagram in comparison (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked!)

Energy Management

Energy Consumption

When it comes to the energy consumption, the 4K display does not make itself known directly. 13-26 watts can easily come from a Full HD notebook. Under load, the 17-incher draws between 95 watts (3DMark06) and 220 watts (stress test). While gaming, the power draw comes in at about 179 watts, which is on the normal level for a GTX 1070-based laptop. This means that the 230-watt AC adapter will have no trouble supplying the laptop with enough energy.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.6 / 1.9 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 13 / 19 / 26 Watt
Load midlight 95 / 220 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
SCHENKER XMG Pro 17
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
MSI GS73VR 7RG
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
PC Zentrum Defiance IV
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793-738J
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
Razer Blade Pro RZ09-0220
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
Power Consumption
18%
22%
12%
26%
Idle Minimum *
13
10.1
22%
9
31%
10.5
19%
10.6
18%
Idle Average *
19
18.3
4%
16
16%
20.5
-8%
16
16%
Idle Maximum *
26
19.6
25%
21
19%
22
15%
16.4
37%
Load Average *
95
87.6
8%
88
7%
91
4%
75.9
20%
Witcher 3 ultra *
179
136.3
24%
124
31%
111.2
38%
Load Maximum *
220
160.7
27%
160
27%
155
30%
163.8
26%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Thanks to Nvidia’s Optimus Technology (which enables automatic switching between a dedicated and an integrated graphics adapter) the battery life of the XMG Pro 17 can give the competition a run for its money. 3 hours and 38 minutes while surfing the web and 3 hours and 42 minutes in video playback is acceptable for a gaming notebook, although it is nothing to get excited about. With almost 7 hours in the Wi-Fi test, the Razer Blade Pro holds out for much longer, even though its battery is only marginally larger (70 vs. 66 Wh).

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
6h 37min
WiFi Websurfing
3h 38min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
3h 42min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 31min
SCHENKER XMG Pro 17
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, 66 Wh
MSI GS73VR 7RG
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, 51 Wh
PC Zentrum Defiance IV
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, 66 Wh
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793-738J
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, 69 Wh
Razer Blade Pro RZ09-0220
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, 70 Wh
Battery Runtime
-20%
27%
27%
51%
Reader / Idle
397
349
-12%
457
15%
721
82%
H.264
222
296
33%
WiFi v1.3
218
191
-12%
297
36%
277
27%
419
92%
Load
91
57
-37%
114
25%
72
-21%

Verdict

Pros

+ free selection between Optimus and G-Sync
+ individual configuration is possible
+ 4K display with a great color-space coverage
+ thin metal case
+ RGB backlight
+ Thunderbolt 3

Cons

- loud when gaming
- poor positioning of ports
- visible clouding
The XMG Pro 17, provided courtesy of: Schenker Technologies
The XMG Pro 17, provided courtesy of: Schenker Technologies

What we have with the XMG 17 - L17wzw from Schenker Technologies is a well-endowed 17-inch gaming machine, which succeeds in balancing power and mobility far better than many other high-end laptops.

When gaming, you should put the laptop into G-Sync mode. However, when you are not gaming, then it is a good idea to use the Optimus Technology option, so that an appropriate graphics adapter can be utilized in every situation.  

The internal components are located within a seemingly high-value and surprisingly thin metal case, which comes with great input devices, a lot of ports and an “okay” sound system. Thanks to its great color-space coverage, the 4K display represents another reason to buy.

What we find not so great is the fan noise under load. When gaming, the 17-incher gets very loud, to the point where you are strongly advised to use a headset when you are trying to play video games.

SCHENKER XMG Pro 17 - 02/08/2018 v6(old)
Florian Glaser

Chassis
79 / 98 → 81%
Keyboard
82%
Pointing Device
83%
Connectivity
68 / 81 → 84%
Weight
56 / 10-66 → 82%
Battery
72%
Display
87%
Games Performance
96%
Application Performance
89%
Temperature
78 / 95 → 82%
Noise
64 / 90 → 71%
Audio
78%
Average
78%
85%
Gaming - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Schenker Technologies XMG Pro 17 (Clevo PA71HS-G) Laptop Review
Florian Glaser, 2018-02-20 (Update: 2018-02-21)