Schenker XMG A705 (Clevo N170SD) Notebook Review
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 VN7-791G, Lenovo's Y70 and MSI's GE62 are some examples of the laptop's rivals.
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.
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.
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.
|
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
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.
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.
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).
Processor
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.
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS | |
Asus GL771JM | |
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW | |
MSI GS70-2QE16SR51 | |
Asus G751JY-T7009H |
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS | |
Asus GL771JM | |
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW | |
MSI GS70-2QE16SR51 | |
Asus G751JY-T7009H |
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS | |
Asus GL771JM | |
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW | |
MSI GS70-2QE16SR51 | |
Asus G751JY-T7009H |
Peacekeeper - --- (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW |
* ... smaller is better
System Performance
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 7 - Score (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro VN7-791G-50MV | |
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q) | |
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW | |
MSI GS70-2QE16SR51 | |
Asus G751JY-T7009H | |
SCHENKER XMG A505 |
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).
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 06 - 1280x1024 Standard Score AA:0x AF:0x (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro VN7-791G-50MV | |
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW | |
Acer Aspire V 15 Nitro VN7-591G-77A9 | |
Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS |
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 |
Anno 2070 | |
1366x768 High Preset AA:on AF:2x (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q) | |
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW | |
Asus G751JY-T7009H | |
1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:on AF:4x (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q) | |
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW | |
Asus G751JY-T7009H |
Alan Wake | |
1366x768 Medium Preset AA:4x AF:4x (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW | |
1920x1080 High Preset AA:4x AF:8x (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW |
Diablo III | |
1366x768 High AA:on (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW | |
1920x1080 High AA:on (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW |
Dead Space 3 | |
1366x768 High Preset (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
1920x1080 Very High Preset (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 |
Company of Heroes 2 | |
1366x768 Medium AA:Off (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q) | |
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW | |
Asus G751JY-T7009H | |
1366x768 High AA:Medium (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q) | |
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW | |
Asus G751JY-T7009H |
The Bureau: XCOM Declassified | |
1366x768 DX11, High (PhysX Off) AF:16x (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW | |
1920x1080 DX11, High (PhysX Off) AF:16x (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW |
Total War: Rome II | |
1366x768 High Preset (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW | |
1920x1080 Extreme Preset (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW |
Batman: Arkham Origins | |
1366x768 DX11 Enhanced / On (PhysX Off) AA:2x MS (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW | |
1920x1080 DX11 Enhanced / On (PhysX Normal) AA:4x MS (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW |
X-Plane 10.25 | |
1366x768 med (fps_test=2) test_flight_c4 (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW | |
1366x768 high (fps_test=3) test_flight_c4 (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW |
Risen 3: Titan Lords | |
1920x1080 High, On AF:8x (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q) | |
1920x1080 Ultra/High, On AF:16x (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro (VN7-791G-759Q) |
Evolve | |
1920x1080 High Graphics Quality AA:FX (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro VN7-791G-50MV | |
SCHENKER XMG A505 | |
1920x1080 Very High Graphics Quality AA:1TX SM (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro VN7-791G-50MV | |
SCHENKER XMG A505 |
Battlefield Hardline | |
1920x1080 High Graphics Quality (DX11) (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 | |
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics Quality (DX11) AA:4x MS (sort by value) | |
SCHENKER XMG A705 |
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) |
| ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min: , med: , max: Voltcraft sl-320 (15 cm distance) |
Temperature
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.
(-) 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.
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.
Off / Standby | 0.1 / 0.5 Watt |
Idle | 13.5 / 18.8 / 25.5 Watt |
Load |
95.8 / 140 Watt |
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.
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
Cons
Verdict
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
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03/31/2015 v4(old)
Sascha Mölck