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Schenker XMG A705 (Clevo N170SD) Notebook Review

Successful. Schenker's XMG A705 is primarily aimed at gamers and does not disappoint in this regard: It renders all up-to-date games smoothly. Positive: The noise and temperature development are relatively moderate.

For the original German review, see here.

Schenker's XMG A705 belongs to the 17.3-inch gaming laptops. A Core i7-4720HQ processor and GeForce GTX 960M graphics core render all up-to-date computer games smoothly. The laptop is based on the N170SD barebone from Clevo. The 15.6-inch sister model, the Schenker XMG A505 with the same CPU / GPU combination, is available for users who prefer a smaller device. Our report reveals whether the XMG A705 is compelling.

The basic configuration of the XMG A705 is sold for 1270 Euros (~$1348). The price can surge to over 2000 Euros (~$2122) depending on the additionally selected equipment. Acer's Aspire V17 Nitro VN7-791GLenovo's Y70 and MSI's GE62 are some examples of the laptop's rivals.

SCHENKER XMG A705
Processor
Intel Core i7-4720HQ 4 x 2.6 - 3.6 GHz (Intel Core i7)
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M - 2048 MB VRAM, Core: 1097 MHz, Memory: 2500 MHz, GDDR5, ForceWare 345.05 (9.18.13.4505), Optimus
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR3-1600, dual-channel, two memory banks (both filled)
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel, AU Optronics B173HW02 V1, TN LED, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM87 (Lynx Point)
Storage
Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL, 512 GB 
, + Western Digital WD10SPCX (1TB, 5400 rpm)
Soundcard
Realtek ALC269 @ Intel Lynx Point PCH - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
4 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: headphone-out, microphone-in, S/PDIF 3.5 mm (coaxial), Card Reader: MMC,RSMMC,SD,Mini SD,SDXC,SDHC, TPM 2.0
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 (a/b/g/h/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.0
Optical drive
Matshita DVD-RAM UJ8E2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 32 x 413 x 285 ( = 1.26 x 16.26 x 11.22 in)
Battery
62 Wh Lithium-Ion, 11.1 V, 6 cells
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 8.1 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD webcam (2.0 MP)
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 120 watt power supply, key chain, driver DVD, MS Office 365 trial, 24-48 Months Warranty
Weight
3.1 kg ( = 109.35 oz / 6.83 pounds), Power Supply: 465 g ( = 16.4 oz / 1.03 pounds)
Price
2018 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The casing of the XMG A705 is completely made of plastic. The surface is not textured anywhere. The base unit's upper side and the lid's back are rubber coated. The speaker bar is located above the keyboard and slanted toward the user. The prominent power button is found between the speaker bar and keyboard. Two, easy to open, maintenance covers that enable accessing all hardware components are on the device's underside.

The casing features a solid build. The device does not exhibit major shortcomings in terms of stability. The casing is quite easy to dent on the left edge above the optical drive - but we see this behavior in many computers. The base unit could be stiffer; it is a bit too easy to warp for our taste. The same is true for the lid, which then displays distorted images. They are also produced when pressure is applied to the lid's back. The hinges keep the lid firmly in position, but opening the lid with one hand is possible.

Connectivity

Interfaces

The interface variety does not exhibit any big surprises. Three video-outs are installed. The four implemented USB ports all support the USB 3.0 standard. The laptop's interfaces are distributed on the left and right sides and on the rear. Consequently, cables will not clutter the sides of the wrist rest.

Left: Kensington Lock slot, 2x USB 3.0, S/PDIF, microphone-in, headphone-out, DVD burner
Left: Kensington Lock slot, 2x USB 3.0, S/PDIF, microphone-in, headphone-out, DVD burner
Right: Memory card reader, USB 3.0, VGA-out, Gigabit-Ethernet
Right: Memory card reader, USB 3.0, VGA-out, Gigabit-Ethernet
Rear: USB 3.0, HDMI, mini-DisplayPort, power socket
Rear: USB 3.0, HDMI, mini-DisplayPort, power socket
Our review sample features a Wi-Fi module from Intel.
Our review sample features a Wi-Fi module from Intel.

Communication

Potential buyers can select among various Wi-Fi modules in Schenker's shop. Our review sample features a model from Intel (Wireless-AC 7265), which supports the 802.1 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi standards. We did not have problems with the Wi-Fi reception in either the router's immediate vicinity or two stories below it. The Wi-Fi module also adds Bluetooth 4.0 functionality to the laptop. A Gigabit Ethernet chip from Realtek's RTL8168/8111 family takes care of cabled network connections without problems. It is an established, well-known model that we find in virtually every second laptop. The installed webcam produces a muddy picture in resolution of up to 1920x1080.

Accessories

The device is shipped with a key chain and a driver DVD.

Operating System

The XMG A705 is available with either Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 (both 64-bit). It is also possible to waive an operating system. The review sample was running Windows 8.1.

Maintenance

The gaming machine is easy to maintain. Two large covers enable accessing the hardware quickly. The device features two working memory banks; both are filled. The user could replace both the M.2 SSD (full-size) and the 2.5-inch HDD quickly and easily, and it is possible to clean both fans. The processor cannot be replaced because it is soldered.

Warranty

The base warranty period is two years including a pick-up service. Schenker offers a warranty upgrade to three years for 105 Euros (~$111) or four years for 210 Euros (~$223) extra.

Input Devices

Keyboard

A chiclet keyboard with a two-level backlight is installed in the laptop. The main keys have a size of approximately 15 x 15 mm. The keys provide a normal drop and clear pressure point. We liked its crisp resistance. In total the keyboard surprises with good typing feel.

Touchpad

The multi-touch touchpad has a size of 10.6 x 6.1 cm (~4.2 x 2.4 inches), which provides plenty of room for gesture control. The pad's sleek surface allows the fingers to glide quite easily. The different gestures can be turned on and off individually in the pad's configuration menu. Two mouse buttons with a short drop and clear pressure point are below the pad.

The keyboard features a backlight
The keyboard features a backlight
The touchpad supports multi-touch gestures
The touchpad supports multi-touch gestures

Display

A matte, 17.3-inch screen is installed in the XMG A705. It has a native resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. The screen delivers a decent brightness of 299.2 cd/m². However, the Acer Aspire V17 Nitro rival (317.3 cd/m²) even outshines this rate slightly.

304
cd/m²
297
cd/m²
280
cd/m²
305
cd/m²
322
cd/m²
282
cd/m²
306
cd/m²
313
cd/m²
284
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics B173HW02 V1 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 322 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 299.2 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 87 %
Center on Battery: 322 cd/m²
Contrast: 565:1 (Black: 0.57 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 9.29 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 9.58 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
59% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
66.5% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
90.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
69.2% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.17
XMG A705 vs. sRGB
XMG A705 vs. sRGB
XMG A705 vs. AdobeRGB
XMG A705 vs. AdobeRGB

The screen's contrast of 565:1 and black level of 0.57 cd/m² is satisfactory, but could be a bit better. The screen in the Aspire V17 Nitro (559:1; 0.59 cd/m²) delivers similar rates. Schenker's screen cannot display either the sRGB or the AdobeRGB color spaces. The coverage rates are 80 percent (sRGB) and 59 percent (AdobeRGB).

The color reproduction is not convincing in state of delivery. The screen exhibits an average DeltaE 2000 shift of 9.29. A rate less than 3 would be desirable. Furthermore, the screen has a bluish cast. Calibrating the screen leads to a clear improvement: The color shift drops to 2.6, which is within the target range, and it also eliminates the bluish cast.

CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN - ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN - ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN - Grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN - Grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps (calibrated)
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps (calibrated)

A TN screen is installed in the XMG A705. This technology usually only provides limited viewing angles. However, the model here belongs to the better of its kind. It has visibly wider viewing angles than we are used to from other TN screens. It cannot compete with a viewing angle stable IPS screen though.

Viewing angles
Viewing angles
Outdoor use
Outdoor use
SCHENKER XMG A705
TN 1920x1080
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
IPS 1920x1080
Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS
IPS 1920x1080
Asus GL771JM
IPS 1920x1080
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
IPS 3840x2160
SCHENKER XMG A505
IPS 1920x1080
Display
-1%
-2%
-0%
-22%
-1%
Display P3 Coverage
69.2
70.3
2%
69.2
0%
71.8
4%
50.2
-27%
66.1
-4%
sRGB Coverage
90.9
89.4
-2%
87.8
-3%
88.7
-2%
75.6
-17%
92.1
1%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
66.5
65.3
-2%
64.4
-3%
64.8
-3%
51.9
-22%
67
1%
Screen
7%
27%
18%
7%
39%
Brightness middle
322
330
2%
329.5
2%
336
4%
230
-29%
284
-12%
Brightness
299
317
6%
325
9%
309
3%
202
-32%
275
-8%
Brightness Distribution
87
92
6%
91
5%
84
-3%
63
-28%
87
0%
Black Level *
0.57
0.59
-4%
0.381
33%
0.41
28%
0.34
40%
0.23
60%
Contrast
565
559
-1%
865
53%
820
45%
676
20%
1235
119%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
9.29
7.19
23%
4.45
52%
7.21
22%
4.59
51%
2.46
74%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
9.58
7.27
24%
3.45
64%
4.96
48%
4.62
52%
2.3
76%
Gamma
2.17 101%
2.54 87%
2.03 108%
2.98 74%
2.48 89%
2.32 95%
CCT
11114 58%
7962 82%
6623 98%
6572 99%
6389 102%
6393 102%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
59
59
0%
57.81
-2%
58
-2%
48
-19%
60
2%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
92
Total Average (Program / Settings)
3% / 5%
13% / 19%
9% / 13%
-8% / -1%
19% / 28%

* ... smaller is better

Performance

Schenker's XMG A705 is a 17.3-inch gaming laptop. The device has plenty of computing power and smoothly renders all up-to-date games. Our review sample costs approximately 2000 Euros (~$2122). The cheapest model has a price tag of 1279 Euros (~$1357).

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
HWInfo
LatencyMon
System information: Schenker XMG A705

Processor

The processor is soldered
The processor is soldered

The XMG A705 has plenty of computing power. A powerful quad-core CPU in the form of Intel's Core i7 4720HQ is under the hood. It is a standard mobile processor with a TDP of 47 watts. By comparison: Energy-efficient ULV processors have a TDP of 15 watts. The processor operates with a base speed of 2.6 GHz, which can be increased to 3.4 GHz (four cores), 3.5 GHz (two cores) and 3.6 GHz (one core) via Turbo. The CPU tests of the Cinebench benchmarks were processed with 3.2 to 3.4 GHz (multithread) and 3.4 to 3.5 GHz (single thread). However, that only applies to AC mode. The processor strongly throttles in battery mode: all tests were performed with 1.6 GHz here.

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
6754
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
19692
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
5212
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
65.1 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
7.03 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.58 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
105.3 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
645 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
132 Points
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
645 Points
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
660 Points +2%
Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache
508 Points -21%
Asus GL771JM
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SC100S37128GD
643 Points 0%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
664 Points +3%
MSI GS70-2QE16SR51
GeForce GTX 970M, 4720HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
639 Points -1%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
GeForce GTX 980M, 4710HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU256HCGL
661 Points +2%
SCHENKER XMG A505
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
538 Points -17%
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
132 Points
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
126 Points -5%
Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache
132 Points 0%
Asus GL771JM
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SC100S37128GD
134 Points +2%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
137 Points +4%
MSI GS70-2QE16SR51
GeForce GTX 970M, 4720HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
140 Points +6%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
GeForce GTX 980M, 4710HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU256HCGL
136 Points +3%
SCHENKER XMG A505
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
142 Points +8%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
7.03 Points
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
7.13 Points +1%
Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache
5.44 Points -23%
Asus GL771JM
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SC100S37128GD
6.98 Points -1%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
7.22 Points +3%
MSI GS70-2QE16SR51
GeForce GTX 970M, 4720HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
6.99 Points -1%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
GeForce GTX 980M, 4710HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU256HCGL
7.22 Points +3%
SCHENKER XMG A505
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
5.87 Points -17%
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
1.58 Points
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
1.29 Points -18%
Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache
1.45 Points -8%
Asus GL771JM
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SC100S37128GD
1.52 Points -4%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
1.57 Points -1%
MSI GS70-2QE16SR51
GeForce GTX 970M, 4720HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
1.57 Points -1%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
GeForce GTX 980M, 4710HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU256HCGL
1.52 Points -4%
SCHENKER XMG A505
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
1.57 Points -1%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
19692 Points
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
19485 Points -1%
Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache
14856 Points -25%
Asus GL771JM
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SC100S37128GD
19044 Points -3%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
20003 Points +2%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
GeForce GTX 980M, 4710HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU256HCGL
19469 Points -1%
Rendering Single 32Bit (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
5212 Points
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
4944 Points -5%
Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache
5040 Points -3%
Asus GL771JM
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SC100S37128GD
4890 Points -6%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
5192 Points 0%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
GeForce GTX 980M, 4710HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU256HCGL
5008 Points -4%
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
82.9 ms *
Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache
154.7 ms * -87%
Asus GL771JM
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SC100S37128GD
83.6 ms * -1%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
81.1 ms * +2%
MSI GS70-2QE16SR51
GeForce GTX 970M, 4720HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
119.2 ms * -44%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
GeForce GTX 980M, 4710HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU256HCGL
85.2 ms * -3%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
1929 ms *
Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache
1274 ms * +34%
Asus GL771JM
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SC100S37128GD
1987 ms * -3%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
1946 ms * -1%
MSI GS70-2QE16SR51
GeForce GTX 970M, 4720HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
2655 ms * -38%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
GeForce GTX 980M, 4710HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU256HCGL
2052 ms * -6%
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
17281 Points
Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache
29193 Points +69%
Asus GL771JM
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SC100S37128GD
16852 Points -2%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
17144 Points -1%
MSI GS70-2QE16SR51
GeForce GTX 970M, 4720HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
12288 Points -29%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
GeForce GTX 980M, 4710HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU256HCGL
14872 Points -14%
Peacekeeper - --- (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
3159 Points
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
3144 Points 0%

* ... smaller is better

System Performance

Two working memory banks are inside the laptop
Two working memory banks are inside the laptop

A high-performance processor and a lightning-fast solid-state drive ensure an absolutely smooth running system. Windows boots quickly. Thus, it is unsurprising that the laptop achieves very good scores in the PCMark benchmarks. It is not possible to boost the system performance greatly. For example, the DDR3 RAM could be upgraded to 16 GB. However, a very swift working memory should then be utilized, but this action would unlikely improve the overall performance very much.

PCMark 7 Score
6098 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3790 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
4540 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4910 points
Help
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
3790 Points
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro VN7-791G-50MV
GeForce 840M, 4210H, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
2858 Points -25%
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
3620 Points -4%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
3701 Points -2%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
3075 Points -19%
MSI GS70-2QE16SR51
GeForce GTX 970M, 4720HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
3969 Points +5%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
GeForce GTX 980M, 4710HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU256HCGL
4854 Points +28%
SCHENKER XMG A505
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
3746 Points -1%
PCMark 7 - Score (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
6098 Points
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro VN7-791G-50MV
GeForce 840M, 4210H, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
2800 Points -54%
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
5808 Points -5%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
5682 Points -7%
MSI GS70-2QE16SR51
GeForce GTX 970M, 4720HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
5968 Points -2%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
GeForce GTX 980M, 4710HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU256HCGL
6325 Points +4%
SCHENKER XMG A505
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
6042 Points -1%

Storage Devices

An SSD from Samsung is installed as the system drive in our review sample. It is a model in the M.2 format (full size). The SSD has a total capacity of 512 GB and can boast outstanding transfer rates, which is achieved via the PCI Express connection. That, however, has its price: 520 Euros (~$552) is charged for the SSD. In addition to the solid-state drive, a conventional 2.5-inch hard drive is inside the laptop (1 TB; 5400 rpm). That is not the upper limit though. The optical drive could be replaced with an additional storage device. The required drive caddy costs 24 Euros (~$26).

Both the solid-state drive...
Both the solid-state drive...
...and the 2.5-inch hard drive are easy to replace
...and the 2.5-inch hard drive are easy to replace
Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
Sequential Read: 1004 MB/s
Sequential Write: 921 MB/s
512K Read: 637 MB/s
512K Write: 821 MB/s
4K Read: 32.76 MB/s
4K Write: 86.9 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 289 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 228.4 MB/s
SCHENKER XMG A705
SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
Asus GL771JM
Kingston RBU-SC100S37128GD
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
SCHENKER XMG A505
Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF
AS SSD
-24%
-45%
-30%
-10%
Seq Read
1104
505
-54%
497.8
-55%
502
-55%
526
-52%
Seq Write
778
329.3
-58%
276.6
-64%
329.6
-58%
461.4
-41%
4K Read
28.46
37.25
31%
28.22
-1%
33.07
16%
30.96
9%
4K Write
77.4
81.5
5%
62.1
-20%
67.7
-13%
89.9
16%
4K-64 Read
456
195
-57%
159.8
-65%
195.3
-57%
367.9
-19%
4K-64 Write
280.1
185.1
-34%
149.6
-47%
258.8
-8%
279.9
0%
Access Time Read *
0.064
0.085
-33%
0.123
-92%
0.099
-55%
0.057
11%
Access Time Write *
0.048
0.042
12%
0.056
-17%
0.052
-8%
0.048
-0%

* ... smaller is better

Graphics Card

The XMG A705 makes use of the Optimus graphics switching technology, which uses both Intel's HD Graphics 4600 and Nvidia's GeForce GTX 960M. Both chips take care of different tasks. Intel's core is enabled in routine tasks and battery mode. The GeForce is used for performance-devouring applications like computer games. Switching is automatic, but the user can always intervene manually.

The GeForce GTX 960M is an entry-level model to the GPU upper range. It clocks with a base rate of 1097 MHz, which can be boosted to 1176 MHz via Turbo. The GPU makes use of 2048 MB of GDDR5 memory (128-bit interface). The only difference between the GTX 960M and the GeForce GTX 860M predecessor is a GPU clock just below 10 percent higher. Thus, the 3DMark scores are correspondingly better.

3DMark 06 Standard Score
25770 points
3DMark 11 Performance
5579 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
85861 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
15106 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
3978 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
5579 Points
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro VN7-791G-50MV
GeForce 840M, 4210H, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
2579 Points -54%
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
5178 Points -7%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
7101 Points +27%
MSI GS70-2QE16SR51
GeForce GTX 970M, 4720HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
9206 Points +65%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
GeForce GTX 980M, 4710HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU256HCGL
11192 Points +101%
SCHENKER XMG A505
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
5639 Points +1%
Asus GL771JM
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SC100S37128GD
5078 Points -9%
Acer Aspire V 15 Nitro VN7-591G-77A9
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
5124 Points -8%
Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache
5081 Points -9%
3DMark
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
85861 Points
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro VN7-791G-50MV
GeForce 840M, 4210H, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
69310 Points -19%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
78512 Points -9%
MSI GS70-2QE16SR51
GeForce GTX 970M, 4720HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
118713 Points +38%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
GeForce GTX 980M, 4710HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU256HCGL
130943 Points +53%
SCHENKER XMG A505
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
84779 Points -1%
Acer Aspire V 15 Nitro VN7-591G-77A9
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
108034 Points +26%
Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache
82166 Points -4%
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Score (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
15106 Points
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro VN7-791G-50MV
GeForce 840M, 4210H, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
6883 Points -54%
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
16299 Points +8%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
17879 Points +18%
MSI GS70-2QE16SR51
GeForce GTX 970M, 4720HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
20633 Points +37%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
GeForce GTX 980M, 4710HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU256HCGL
22064 Points +46%
SCHENKER XMG A505
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
15511 Points +3%
Asus GL771JM
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SC100S37128GD
15242 Points +1%
Acer Aspire V 15 Nitro VN7-591G-77A9
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
16111 Points +7%
Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache
13488 Points -11%
1280x720 Sky Diver Score (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
12451 Points
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro VN7-791G-50MV
GeForce 840M, 4210H, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
5735 Points -54%
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
11716 Points -6%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
14913 Points +20%
SCHENKER XMG A505
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
12472 Points 0%
Acer Aspire V 15 Nitro VN7-591G-77A9
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
11663 Points -6%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Score (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
3978 Points
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro VN7-791G-50MV
GeForce 840M, 4210H, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
1493 Points -62%
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
3633 Points -9%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
4806 Points +21%
MSI GS70-2QE16SR51
GeForce GTX 970M, 4720HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
6603 Points +66%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
GeForce GTX 980M, 4710HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU256HCGL
8338 Points +110%
SCHENKER XMG A505
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
4071 Points +2%
Asus GL771JM
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SC100S37128GD
3634 Points -9%
Acer Aspire V 15 Nitro VN7-591G-77A9
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
3630 Points -9%
Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache
3518 Points -12%
3DMark 06 - 1280x1024 Standard Score AA:0x AF:0x (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
25770 Points
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro VN7-791G-50MV
GeForce 840M, 4210H, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
13184 Points -49%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
26996 Points +5%
Acer Aspire V 15 Nitro VN7-591G-77A9
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
25010 Points -3%
Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache
21431 Points -17%

Gaming Performance

Most games can be enjoyed using the Full HD resolution and high quality settings. Maximum details can even be selected in some cases. Reducing the resolution and quality level is recommendable in very performance-devouring tracks, such as Assassin's Creed Unity, Watch Dogs, and Ryse: Son of Rome. Since the GeForce GTX 960M in Schenker's laptop operates with 10 percent higher clock rates than its predecessor, it also achieves approximately 10 percent more performance than comparable laptops based on the GeForce GTX 860M.

low med. high ultra
Anno 2070 (2011) 196.4 143.2 102.7 51.2
Alan Wake (2012) 121.9 77.5 38.1
Diablo III (2012) 292.8 224 201.9 121.3
Dead Space 3 (2013) 308.9 205.4 157.4 92.8
Tomb Raider (2013) 330.7 179.1 112.1 49.8
Company of Heroes 2 (2013) 58.5 57.8 39.7 16.2
The Bureau: XCOM Declassified (2013) 122 111.4 72.3 45
Total War: Rome II (2013) 206 163 131.4 26
Batman: Arkham Origins (2013) 228 186 98 48
X-Plane 10.25 (2013) 105.4 54.3 28.5 16.8
Risen 3: Titan Lords (2014) 35.4 35.3 44 36.1
Evolve (2015) 87.8 67.4 35.5 31.2
Battlefield Hardline (2015) 148.1 109.6 50.6 31.6
Tomb Raider
1366x768 High Preset AA:FX AF:8x (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
112.1 fps
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro VN7-791G-50MV
GeForce 840M, 4210H, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
37 fps -67%
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
97.5 fps -13%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
132.4 fps +18%
MSI GS70-2QE16SR51
GeForce GTX 970M, 4720HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
185 fps +65%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
GeForce GTX 980M, 4710HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU256HCGL
246.9 fps +120%
SCHENKER XMG A505
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
114.7 fps +2%
1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:FX AF:16x (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
49.8 fps
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro VN7-791G-50MV
GeForce 840M, 4210H, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
18.1 fps -64%
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
44.7 fps -10%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
57.9 fps +16%
MSI GS70-2QE16SR51
GeForce GTX 970M, 4720HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256GMCU
80 fps +61%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
GeForce GTX 980M, 4710HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU256HCGL
104.6 fps +110%
SCHENKER XMG A505
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
50.8 fps +2%
Anno 2070
1366x768 High Preset AA:on AF:2x (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
102.7 fps
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
88.4 fps -14%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
121.7 fps +19%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
GeForce GTX 980M, 4710HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU256HCGL
157.8 fps +54%
1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:on AF:4x (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
51.2 fps
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
43.7 fps -15%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
64.1 fps +25%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
GeForce GTX 980M, 4710HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU256HCGL
113.9 fps +122%
Alan Wake
1366x768 Medium Preset AA:4x AF:4x (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
77.5 fps
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
97.3 fps +26%
1920x1080 High Preset AA:4x AF:8x (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
38.1 fps
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
48.6 fps +28%
Diablo III
1366x768 High AA:on (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
201.9 fps
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
245.4 fps +22%
1920x1080 High AA:on (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
121.3 fps
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
154.2 fps +27%
Dead Space 3
1366x768 High Preset (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
157.4 fps
1920x1080 Very High Preset (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
92.8 fps
Company of Heroes 2
1366x768 Medium AA:Off (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
57.8 fps
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
55.5 fps -4%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
55.1 fps -5%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
GeForce GTX 980M, 4710HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU256HCGL
61.5 fps +6%
1366x768 High AA:Medium (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
39.7 fps
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
34.88 fps -12%
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
45.4 fps +14%
Asus G751JY-T7009H
GeForce GTX 980M, 4710HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU256HCGL
63.4 fps +60%
The Bureau: XCOM Declassified
1366x768 DX11, High (PhysX Off) AF:16x (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
72.3 fps
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
92.1 fps +27%
1920x1080 DX11, High (PhysX Off) AF:16x (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
45 fps
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
53.5 fps +19%
Total War: Rome II
1366x768 High Preset (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
131.4 fps
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
149.1 fps +13%
1920x1080 Extreme Preset (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
26 fps
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
34.2 fps +32%
Batman: Arkham Origins
1366x768 DX11 Enhanced / On (PhysX Off) AA:2x MS (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
98 fps
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
111 fps +13%
1920x1080 DX11 Enhanced / On (PhysX Normal) AA:4x MS (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
48 fps
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
54 fps +13%
X-Plane 10.25
1366x768 med (fps_test=2) test_flight_c4 (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
54.3 fps
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
55.6 fps +2%
1366x768 high (fps_test=3) test_flight_c4 (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
28.5 fps
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1
28.8 fps +1%
Risen 3: Titan Lords
1920x1080 High, On AF:8x (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
44 fps
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
42 fps -5%
1920x1080 Ultra/High, On AF:16x (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
36.1 fps
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3128GD
34 fps -6%
Evolve
1920x1080 High Graphics Quality AA:FX (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
35.5 fps
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro VN7-791G-50MV
GeForce 840M, 4210H, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
13.7 fps -61%
SCHENKER XMG A505
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
35.1 fps -1%
1920x1080 Very High Graphics Quality AA:1TX SM (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
31.2 fps
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro VN7-791G-50MV
GeForce 840M, 4210H, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
11.4 fps -63%
SCHENKER XMG A505
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
31.8 fps +2%
Battlefield Hardline
1920x1080 High Graphics Quality (DX11) (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
50.6 fps
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics Quality (DX11) AA:4x MS (sort by value)
SCHENKER XMG A705
GeForce GTX 960M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD XP941 MZHPU512HCGL
31.6 fps

Emissions

System Noise

The noise development is relatively moderate over the entire load range despite the high-performance hardware in the laptop. The XMG A705 is sometimes silent in idle mode, but the hard drive's noise and / or both fans are usually audible. The laptop reaches a noise level of up to 48 dB(A) during load, but not permanently. These peaks are only maintained for a short time. The fans reduce their speed quickly. The Acer Aspire V17 Nitro rival produces less noise in total.

Noise Level

Idle
29.4 / 30.6 / 38.2 dB(A)
HDD
31.8 dB(A)
DVD
37.2 / dB(A)
Load
44.4 / 48 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Voltcraft sl-320 (15 cm distance)

Temperature

Schenker XMG A705 in the stress test
Schenker XMG A705 in the stress test

We measured temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius (104 °F) during the stress test (AC mode) in multiple measuring points on the casing. Those are relatively moderate rates considering the hardware configuration. The processor performed the stress test with 1.0 to 2.2 GHz; the graphics core clocked with 1071 to 1137 MHz. It was more leisurely in battery mode. The CPU (800 MHz) and GPU (291 to 294 MHz) throttle strongly. Acer's Aspire V17 Nitro temperature increase is overall similar with that of the XMG A705, but has higher temperatures in single areas.

Max. Load
 42.1 °C
108 F
48.9 °C
120 F
48.7 °C
120 F
 
 33.3 °C
92 F
49.1 °C
120 F
46.2 °C
115 F
 
 24.6 °C
76 F
27 °C
81 F
26 °C
79 F
 
Maximum: 49.1 °C = 120 F
Average: 38.4 °C = 101 F
45.5 °C
114 F
48.4 °C
119 F
46 °C
115 F
37.7 °C
100 F
45.2 °C
113 F
40.5 °C
105 F
26.9 °C
80 F
29.4 °C
85 F
23.9 °C
75 F
Maximum: 48.4 °C = 119 F
Average: 38.2 °C = 101 F
Power Supply (max.)  64.1 °C = 147 F | Room Temperature 23 °C = 73 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 38.4 °C / 101 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 49.1 °C / 120 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 48.4 °C / 119 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.4 °C / 85 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 27 °C / 80.6 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (+1.9 °C / 3.4 F).

Speakers

The stereo speakers are located above the keyboard under a perforated cover. Their sound is satisfactory, and it is possible to listen to them even for a long time. However, there is virtually no bass. External speakers or headphones would have to be connected for a better sound experience.

The speaker bar of the XMG A705
The speaker bar of the XMG A705

Energy Management

Power Consumption

We measured up to 25.5 watts in idle mode. This rate is reasonable in view of the components. The power consumption climbed up to 140 watts in the stress test. This rate is also within a normal range. However, the included power supply only provides a nominal output of 120 watts. The result is still acceptable when the estimated efficiency is included. This "problem" should, however, never occur in the gaming environment where the power consumption settled to approximately 100 watts.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.1 / 0.5 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 13.5 / 18.8 / 25.5 Watt
Load midlight 95.8 / 140 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Voltcraft VC 940
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 A705
GTX 960M/4720HQ
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
GTX 860M/4710HQ
Asus GL771JM
GTX 860M/4710HQ
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GTX 965M/4720HQ
SCHENKER XMG A505
GTX 960M/4720HQ
Power Consumption
28%
22%
-3%
1%
Idle Minimum *
13.5
5.4
60%
7.2
47%
15
-11%
11.2
17%
Idle Average *
18.8
12.6
33%
14.2
24%
20.8
-11%
18.6
1%
Idle Maximum *
25.5
18.3
28%
23.5
8%
25.4
-0%
26
-2%
Load Average *
95.8
84.2
12%
85.6
11%
91.8
4%
100.2
-5%
Load Maximum *
140
127.6
9%
111.4
20%
136
3%
147.6
-5%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Runtime

The battery in the XMG A705 lasted for 5:24 hours in idle mode. The Aspire V17 Nitro (8:42 h) achieves a considerably better time. Idle mode is simulated via the Battery Eater Reader's test using the screen's minimum brightness, enabled energy-savings plan, and disabled wireless modules. The XMG A705 shut down after 1:49 hours of load. Acer's laptop is on par in this case (1:51 h). The load runtime is ascertained using Battery Eater's Classic test with maximum screen brightness and the "High Performance" profile.

Schenker's laptop stopped the Wi-Fi test after 4:18 hours. It can thus take a slight lead on the Aspire (3:40 h). Websites are opened automatically every 40 seconds using the "Balanced" profile and a screen brightness of approximately 150 cd/m² is used in this test. We check the video playback time by running the short movie Big Buck Bunny (H.265 encoding, 1920x1080 pixels) in a loop. The wireless modules are disabled and the screen's brightness is set to approximately 150 cd/m². The XMG A705 managed a runtime of 3:48 hours. This test was not performed on the Aspire.

We also tested the gaming runtime by running the in-game benchmark of the race game GRID: Autosport (1920x1080 pixels, Very High, 4x MSAA) in a loop. The 17-inch laptop achieved a runtime of 1:08 hours here.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
5h 24min
WiFi Websurfing (IE 11)
4h 18min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
3h 48min
Gaming
1h 08min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 49min
SCHENKER XMG A705
GTX 960M/4720HQ
Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS
GTX 860M/4710HQ
Asus GL771JM
GTX 860M/4710HQ
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q)
GTX 860M/4710HQ
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW
GTX 965M/4720HQ
SCHENKER XMG A505
GTX 970M/4720HQ
Battery Runtime
10%
8%
32%
-32%
-1%
Reader / Idle
324
438
35%
574
77%
522
61%
267
-18%
352
9%
H.264
228
160
-30%
208
-9%
WiFi v1.3
258
251
-3%
Gaming
68
45
-34%
Load
109
92
-16%
56
-49%
111
2%
59
-46%
105
-4%
WiFi
218
220
179
216

Pros

+ High computing performance
+ Gaming suitable
+ Lightning fast SSD
+ Plenty of storage
+ Good maintenance options

Cons

- CPU and GPU soldered
- Only 2 GB graphics memory
- Power supply could be stronger
- No IPS screen

Verdict

Schenker XMG A705
Schenker XMG A705

Schenker makes a 17.3-inch gaming laptop available with its XMG A705. A powerful Core i7 processor provides more than enough computing performance. The GeForce graphics core renders all up-to-date games smoothly. Despite the high-performance components, the noise and temperature development are relatively moderate. The lightning-fast SSD in our review sample ensures a very speedy system. Users who buy the device without a solid-state drive can always retrofit an SSD in the M.2 format. The large maintenance cover on the underside makes it easy to access the hardware. Upgrading and maintenance are thus no problem. The XMG A705 has been equipped with a matte, Full HD screen that can show off decent brightness and acceptable contrast. It is unfortunately not a viewing angle stable IPS screen, but rather a TN model. However, it is one of the better of its kind and has relatively wide viewing angles.

In a nutshell, Schenker delivers an all-around gaming laptop that does not exhibit any major shortcomings.

Users who find the device to bulky can take Acer's Aspire V17 Nitro. The 17-inch laptop is slimmer and classier. However, that is at the cost of maintenance options. The Nitro is also available with a GeForce GTX 960M. The corresponding review will soon be published on Notebookcheck.com.

SCHENKER XMG A705 - 03/31/2015 v4(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
76 / 98 → 78%
Keyboard
81%
Pointing Device
83%
Connectivity
79 / 81 → 98%
Weight
56 / 10-66 → 82%
Battery
83%
Display
81%
Games Performance
95%
Application Performance
94%
Temperature
80 / 95 → 84%
Noise
70 / 90 → 78%
Audio
64%
Camera
50 / 85 → 59%
Average
76%
84%
Gaming - Weighted Average

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Sascha Mölck, 2015-04- 3 (Update: 2018-05-15)