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Schenker XMG C506 (Gigabyte P35X v5) Notebook Review

Ultra-slim model. It should be a well-known fact that nowadays gaming laptops can be very slim. Schenker Technologies take it to extremes and sells a slim 21-millimeter (~0.83 in) premium-range model based on Gigabyte's P35X v5 in the form of the XMG C506. Can the cooling system manage the heat development?

For the original German review, see here.

Schenker Technologies has established itself as an expert for gaming laptop on the German market. Unlike other manufacturers, the products can be adapted extensively on the company's homepage, which helps individuality. Although the XMG C506 generally carries a Core i7-6700HQ and Full HD IPS panel, there are more choices for the other components. Either a GeForce GTX 970M with 6 GB of VRAM or a GeForce GTX 980M with 8 GB of VRAM can be installed (some manufacturers only use 3 or 4 GB). The DDR4 working memory ranges from 8 to a maximum of 32 GB.

There is no lack of hard drives for the XMG C506, either. A total of four storage devices can be used when fitting the hot-swap slot on the front with an SSD or HDD instead of an optical drive (2x M.2 Type 2280 & 2x 2.5-inch). As expected from a modern laptop, the 15-inch device supports PCIe and NVMe technology respectively for particularly fast M.2 drives.

But back to the configuration: In addition to the listed hardware, the buyer has influence on the wireless module, keyboard language, warranty period and software. The XMG C506 starts at 1749 Euros (~$1981) without an operating system. However, users will find themselves in considerably higher price sector when on a binge on the website. Our review sample is priced at just over 2000 Euros (~$2265).

SCHENKER XMG C506
Processor
Intel Core i7-6700HQ 4 x 2.6 - 3.5 GHz (Intel Core i7)
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M - 6 GB VRAM, Core: 924 MHz, Memory: 2500 MHz, GDDR5, ForceWare 354.35, Optimus
Memory
16 GB 
, 2x 8 GB DDR4-2133, 2 of 2 slots filled max. 32 GB
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, LG Philips LP156WF4 (LGD040E), IPS, Full HD, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Sunrise Point HM170
Storage
Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 250 GB, 250 GB 
, + Western Digital Blue WD10JPVX-00JC3T0, 1000 GB HDD @5400 RPM. slots: 2x M.2 Type 2280 (PCIe/NVMe support) & 1x 2.5 inch
Soundcard
Realtek ALC255 @ Intel Sunrise Point PCH - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: headphone, microphone, Card Reader: SD, Brightness Sensor, hot-swap slot
Networking
Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.1
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 21 x 385 x 270 ( = 0.83 x 15.16 x 10.63 in)
Battery
75.81 Wh Lithium-Polymer, 6 cells
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Additional features
Speakers: 2.0 (Dolby Home Theater), Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, power supply: 150 watts (180 watts @GTX 980M), accessories: recovery DVD, 16 GB USB flash drive, driver DVD, XMG sticker, optichal drive cover, Division Code , software: Smart Manager, Smart Update, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.38 kg ( = 83.95 oz / 5.25 pounds), Power Supply: 480 g ( = 16.93 oz / 1.06 pounds)
Price
2054 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Apart from its slightly different lid, the 15-inch device is identical to Gigabyte's original. As can be read in the review of the P35X v5, the chassis scores with high-quality materials, slim build and good stability. The design is relatively unobtrusive, which is also positive in the author's opinion. The build, as typical for Gigabyte, is on a mediocre level. Closer inspection reveals some slightly uneven transitions.

In return, the XMG C506 strikes with useful software. Above all, we would mention the "Smart Manager" with the "Fan Tweak" fan management (we used "Normal" for the tests), and system monitoring "Dashboard". The tool "Smart Update" also appealed to us. Owing to the relationship between Gigabyte's counterpart, the chapters concerning case, connectivity, input device and sound will be skipped in this test. More information can be found here in case of interest.

Smart Manager
Smart Manager
Smart Update
Smart Update
Smart Dashboard
Smart Dashboard

Display

While the review sample of the P35X v5 was equipped with a UHD screen (3840x2160 pixels), an FHD panel with 1920x1080 pixels is installed in the XMG C506. However, this is not a bad decision when looking at the computing requirement. Even the GTX 980M often finds its limits with 4K solutions.

302
cd/m²
296
cd/m²
301
cd/m²
283
cd/m²
289
cd/m²
275
cd/m²
306
cd/m²
313
cd/m²
303
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LG Philips LP156WF4 (LGD040E) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 313 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 296.4 cd/m² Minimum: 9 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 88 %
Center on Battery: 289 cd/m²
Contrast: 1112:1 (Black: 0.26 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.47 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 3.05 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
81% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
54% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
59.6% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
81.5% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
64.4% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.51
SCHENKER XMG C506
LG Philips LP156WF4 (LGD040E)
SCHENKER XMG A516
LG Philips LP156WF6 (LGD046F)
Gigabyte P55W v5
LG Philips LP156WF4-SPH1
Gigabyte P35X v5
SHP144E
SCHENKER XMG P506 PRO
LG Philips LP156WF6 (LGD046F)
Display
1%
-15%
10%
2%
Display P3 Coverage
64.4
64.7
0%
50.1
-22%
64.8
1%
65.1
1%
sRGB Coverage
81.5
83.2
2%
73.5
-10%
95.8
18%
83.7
3%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
59.6
60.8
2%
51.2
-14%
66.9
12%
61.2
3%
Response Times
13%
4%
-26%
15%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
48 ?(18, 30)
41 ?(15, 26)
15%
44 ?(18, 26)
8%
51.2 ?(21.2, 30)
-7%
37 ?(15, 22)
23%
Response Time Black / White *
27 ?(7, 20)
24 ?(5, 19)
11%
27 ?(7, 20)
-0%
39.2 ?(8.4, 30.8)
-45%
25 ?(5, 20)
7%
PWM Frequency
200 ?(20)
Screen
-6%
-7%
-25%
-2%
Brightness middle
289
312
8%
254
-12%
278.9
-3%
312
8%
Brightness
296
303
2%
267
-10%
272
-8%
293
-1%
Brightness Distribution
88
92
5%
89
1%
80
-9%
87
-1%
Black Level *
0.26
0.3
-15%
0.28
-8%
0.562
-116%
0.32
-23%
Contrast
1112
1040
-6%
907
-18%
496
-55%
975
-12%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.47
5.11
-14%
4.28
4%
4.47
-0%
4.45
-0%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
9.27
8.96
3%
10.6
-14%
8.64
7%
8.5
8%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.05
4.41
-45%
2.77
9%
6.13
-101%
3.05
-0%
Gamma
2.51 88%
2.5 88%
2.28 96%
2.2 100%
2.58 85%
CCT
6684 97%
6789 96%
6284 103%
7047 92%
6495 100%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
54
55
2%
47
-13%
60.87
13%
55
2%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
81
83
2%
73
-10%
95.43
18%
84
4%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
3% / -2%
-6% / -7%
-14% / -18%
5% / 1%

* ... smaller is better

We would call the image quality of the installed LG Philips screen good to very good. A black level of 0.26 cd/m² is just as superb for laptop conditions as a contrast of almost 1110:1. The brightness of 300 cd/m² is also very high, although it clearly decreases from more slanted viewing angles. Other IPS panels do a better job here.

CalMAN: Grayscale
CalMAN: Grayscale
CalMAN: Grayscale (post-calibration)
CalMAN: Grayscale (post-calibration)
CalMAN: Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN: Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN: Saturation Sweeps (post-calibration)
CalMAN: Saturation Sweeps (post-calibration)
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: ColorChecker (post-calibration)
CalMAN: ColorChecker (post-calibration)
Schenker XMG C506 vs. sRGB (81%)
Schenker XMG C506 vs. sRGB (81%)
Schenker XMG C506 vs. AdobeRGB (54%)
Schenker XMG C506 vs. AdobeRGB (54%)

Annoying backlight bleeding was not observed in our review sample, although the illumination of 88% is not a top rate. The same is true for color accuracy: A DeltaE 2000 deviation of 3.05 (grayscale) and 4.47 (ColorChecker) is midfield. Buyers who use the XMG C506 only for gaming, Internet and videos can confidently ignore the last sentence. It looks similar for the color space: 81% sRGB and 54% AdobeRGB are definitely enough for gamers.

Subpixel
Subpixel
Viewing angles
Viewing angles
Outdoors
Outdoors

It is rather too bad that the LP156WF4 panel has relatively high response times when switching from gray to gray. However, subjectively, we did not observe streaking. Note: Our measurements are all based on the Smart Manager "Native Color" mode.

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
27 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 7 ms rise
↘ 20 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 63 % 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
48 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 18 ms rise
↘ 30 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. » 80 % 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 18100 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Performance

We configured the 15-inch device with 16 GB of DDR4 RAM and a combination of SSD and HDD so that the XMG C506 has a fair chance against the high-end opponents. The GTX 980M costs 236 Euros (~$267) more than the GTX 970M. Buyers will have to decide whether this upgrade is justifiable. The latter GPU calculates approximately 30% faster.

Processor

The processor is no surprise: The Core i7-6700HQ is currently the most popular quad-core model among laptop makers. Depending on the application, the Skylake chip built in the 14 nm process achieves up to 3.1 GHz (single-core load), 3.3 GHz (dual-core load) and 3.5 GHz (quad-core load).

Single-core rendering
Single-core rendering
Multi-core rendering
Multi-core rendering
CPU & GPU load
CPU & GPU load

The XMG C506 maintains the Turbo as long as it is not loaded with extremely demanding tools. The clock rate decreased only marginally in our stress test made up of Prime95 and FurMark. However, 2.8 GHz are still decent. It throttled below the standard rate only for a short time.

Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.67 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
7.47 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
50.7 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
149 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
682 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
63.5 fps
Help

Thanks to the high clock rates, the performance plays in the major league. The outcomes in the Cinebench test correspond to the expected high-end level achieved by  other Core i7-6700HQ laptops, no matter whether Schenker's XMG A516 or Gigabyte's P55W v5. The more expensive Core i7-6820HK  delivers only marginally more performance than the XMG P506 displays.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
SCHENKER XMG P506 PRO
Intel Core i7-6820HK
150 Points +1%
SCHENKER XMG C506
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
149 Points
SCHENKER XMG A516
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
148 Points -1%
Gigabyte P35X v5
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
147 Points -1%
Gigabyte P55W v5
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
144 Points -3%
CPU Multi 64Bit
SCHENKER XMG P506 PRO
Intel Core i7-6820HK
707 Points +4%
SCHENKER XMG C506
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
682 Points
SCHENKER XMG A516
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
680 Points 0%
Gigabyte P35X v5
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
675 Points -1%
Gigabyte P55W v5
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
675 Points -1%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
SCHENKER XMG P506 PRO
Intel Core i7-6820HK
1.73 Points +4%
SCHENKER XMG A516
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
1.68 Points +1%
SCHENKER XMG C506
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
1.67 Points
Gigabyte P35X v5
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
1.66 Points -1%
Gigabyte P55W v5
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
1.65 Points -1%
CPU Multi 64Bit
SCHENKER XMG P506 PRO
Intel Core i7-6820HK
7.75 Points +4%
SCHENKER XMG C506
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
7.47 Points
SCHENKER XMG A516
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
7.44 Points 0%
Gigabyte P35X v5
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
7.41 Points -1%
Gigabyte P55W v5
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
7.33 Points -2%

System Performance

Regardless of whether GTX 965M, GTX 970M or GTX 980M: Virtually all gaming opponents surpass 6000 points in PCMark 7. The XMG C506 is no exception here. Fast booting times and a system that generally responds lag free underlines this good outcome. Great: As expected from Schenker, no bloatware is preloaded on the storage device.

PCMark 7 Score
6019 points
Help
PCMark 7 - Score
SCHENKER XMG P506 PRO
GeForce GTX 980M, 6820HK, Samsung SSD 950 Pro 512GB m.2 NVMe
6245 Points +4%
Gigabyte P35X v5
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV256HDGL m.2 PCI-e
6176 Points +3%
SCHENKER XMG A516
GeForce GTX 965M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 950 Pro 256GB m.2 NVMe
6085 Points +1%
SCHENKER XMG C506
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 250 GB
6019 Points
Gigabyte P55W v5
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV128 NVMe
5124 Points -15%

Storage Devices

Although PCIe drives achieve impressive rates on paper, a SATA III SSD suffices the needs of most users. The 250 GB version of Samsung's 850 EVO in the review sample does a good job even without PCIe support. However, 507 MB/s in sequential read and 460 MB/s in sequential write cannot compete with Samsung's SM951 (Gigabyte P55W v5, P35X v5) or 950 Pro (Schenker XMG A516, XMG P506).

But let us be honest: Higher score are rarely a decisive advantage. The performance with small files is primarily significant in Windows routine. And the SSD type barely has an impact here. The M.2 drive is accompanied by a 2.5-inch, 1000 GB hard drive that spins at 5400 revolutions per minute. The Western Digital Blue climbs to 110 MB/s in the CrystalDiskMark test, which is pretty good for an HDD.

Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 250 GB
Sequential Read: 505 MB/s
Sequential Write: 458.5 MB/s
512K Read: 432.6 MB/s
512K Write: 374.7 MB/s
4K Read: 38.29 MB/s
4K Write: 90.7 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 386.2 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 327.9 MB/s
SCHENKER XMG C506
Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 250 GB
SCHENKER XMG A516
Samsung SSD 950 Pro 256GB m.2 NVMe
Gigabyte P55W v5
Samsung SM951 MZVPV128 NVMe
Gigabyte P35X v5
Samsung SM951 MZVPV256HDGL m.2 PCI-e
SCHENKER XMG P506 PRO
Samsung SSD 950 Pro 512GB m.2 NVMe
AS SSD
131%
93%
101%
165%
Seq Read
508
2005
295%
1739
242%
1611
217%
2104
314%
Seq Write
460.4
916
99%
536
16%
1100
139%
1416
208%
4K Read
33.22
48.47
46%
45.15
36%
22.8
-31%
48.71
47%
4K Write
76.9
136.8
78%
112.7
47%
100.9
31%
138.3
80%
Score Total
988
2356
138%
2201
123%
2460
149%
2716
175%

Graphics Card

The lower-priced Maxwell chips are not ready for the junkyard, even after the launch of the GeForce GTX 980. While the GTX 980M can boast with 1536 Shaders and 4 to 8 GB of GDDR5 memory (256-bit interface), the GTX 970M has 1280 arithmetic units and 3 to 6 GB of VRAM (192 interface). Like Intel's processors, the Nvidia GPUs also feature automatic overclocking that speeds up the core by several percent during higher load. In the case of the GTX 970M, up to 1038 MHz is possible, rather than 924 MHz (1127 MHz @GTX 980M). Turbo is always active in standard 3D applications. We could only provoke throttling via the GPU-torturer FurMark.

3DMark 11 Performance
9417 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
88920 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
21376 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
6531 points
Help

A look at the Fire Strike test of 3DMark 13 reveals that the GeForce GTX 970M is fairly centered between the GTX 980M and GTX 965M from 2016. The latter marks the entry in the Core division. The GTX 960M price-performance tip is too slow for passionate gamers.

3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Score
SCHENKER XMG P506 PRO
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M
8371 Points +28%
Gigabyte P35X v5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M
8345 Points +28%
Gigabyte P55W v5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M
6565 Points +1%
SCHENKER XMG C506
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M
6531 Points
SCHENKER XMG A516
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M
5261 Points -19%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Gigabyte P35X v5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M
9677 Points +31%
SCHENKER XMG P506 PRO
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M
9671 Points +31%
Gigabyte P55W v5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M
7450 Points +1%
SCHENKER XMG C506
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M
7377 Points
SCHENKER XMG A516
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M
6001 Points -19%
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance
Gigabyte P35X v5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M
11433 Points +21%
SCHENKER XMG P506 PRO
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M
11406 Points +21%
SCHENKER XMG C506
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M
9417 Points
Gigabyte P55W v5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M
8932 Points -5%
SCHENKER XMG A516
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M
8006 Points -15%
1280x720 Performance GPU
Gigabyte P35X v5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M
12853 Points +31%
SCHENKER XMG P506 PRO
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M
12517 Points +27%
Gigabyte P55W v5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M
9910 Points +1%
SCHENKER XMG C506
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M
9845 Points
SCHENKER XMG A516
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M
8064 Points -18%

Gaming Performance

Our benchmarks confirm that the GeForce GTX 970M copes decently with current games. Users who deem 30 or 40 FPS as playable and do not have problems with occasional lags can also play the 2016 edition of "Need for Speed" and "Hitman" as well as "The Division" and "Far Cry Primal" in maximum details. Otherwise, high settings would be the right choice.

We only had problems with "Assassin's Creed Syndicate" that categorically refused to launch with the preloaded driver (ForceWare 354.35). An update to the latest 364.72 version via "GeForce Experience" fixed the bug. However, maximum settings are not possible due to the extreme requirements. More information about the performance of various graphics cards can be found in our games list and in the GPU section.

low med. high ultra
Assassin's Creed Syndicate (2015) 78.8 73.6 49.2 20.6
Far Cry Primal (2016) 97 58 51 36
The Division (2016) 134.6 87.7 42.3 32.4
Hitman 2016 (2016) 63.9 63.1 48.3 47.8
Need for Speed 2016 (2016) 96.9 87.2 57.7 42.4

Emissions

System Noise

The high-end components do not seem to be too much for the cooling system. Even thicker gaming laptops achieve and sometimes surpass an average of 32 to 33 dB(A) in idle mode (maximum 35 dB(A) when booting) and 38 to 48 dB(A) during load. The fan’s behavior and characteristic, do not give much cause for complaint. The speed is mostly stable in 3D operation. Both fans slow down again relatively quickly after a prolonged stress period. Overall, the noise level is on par with the comparison field with minor advantages for the XMG C506.

Idle noise level
Idle noise level
Load noise level
Load noise level
Pink & White Noise (speakers)
Pink & White Noise (speakers)

Noise Level

Idle
32 / 33 / 35 dB(A)
HDD
33 dB(A)
Load
38 / 48 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: 30 dB(A)
SCHENKER XMG C506
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ
SCHENKER XMG A516
GeForce GTX 965M, 6700HQ
Gigabyte P55W v5
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ
Gigabyte P35X v5
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700HQ
SCHENKER XMG P506 PRO
GeForce GTX 980M, 6820HK
Noise
-0%
-4%
-5%
-3%
off / environment *
30
30
-0%
Idle Minimum *
32
31
3%
33
-3%
32.2
-1%
32
-0%
Idle Average *
33
32
3%
34
-3%
32.3
2%
33
-0%
Idle Maximum *
35
38
-9%
35
-0%
32.6
7%
37
-6%
Load Average *
38
40
-5%
43
-13%
44.4
-17%
41
-8%
Load Maximum *
48
45
6%
49
-2%
54.6
-14%
49
-2%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

The satisfactory noise development is achieved partly at the expense of borderline temperatures. We could drive the Core i7-6700HQ to almost 100 °C (~212 °F) in the stress test with the tools FurMark and Prime95. A maximum of 88°C (~190 °F) on the GeForce GTX 970M is also high. However, experience shows that the components do not reach these high temperatures under normal conditions (including games) - especially the CPU.

The user is only faced with the high temperatures to some extent. Our thermometer displayed a maximum of 49 °C (~120 °F) on the casing's upper side and up to 61 °C (~142 °F) on the underside after one hour of full load. Although that is quite high, the wrist rest stays pleasantly cool with at most 29 °C (~84 °F) even in stress situations. This means that the hardware has been positioned ideally. The entire chassis feels very cool in idle mode. An average of 25 °C (~77 °F/upper side) and 24 °C (~75 °F/underside) are outstanding.

Stress test
Stress test
Full load temperature (upper side)
Full load temperature (upper side)
Full load temperature (underside)
Full load temperature (underside)
Max. Load
 48.6 °C
119 F
49.4 °C
121 F
48.6 °C
119 F
 
 45.2 °C
113 F
47.5 °C
118 F
44 °C
111 F
 
 26.1 °C
79 F
29 °C
84 F
28.8 °C
84 F
 
Maximum: 49.4 °C = 121 F
Average: 40.8 °C = 105 F
56.4 °C
134 F
60.7 °C
141 F
49.5 °C
121 F
46.6 °C
116 F
48.2 °C
119 F
40.9 °C
106 F
28.9 °C
84 F
29.9 °C
86 F
28.7 °C
84 F
Maximum: 60.7 °C = 141 F
Average: 43.3 °C = 110 F
Power Supply (max.)  56.6 °C = 134 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 40.8 °C / 105 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 49.4 °C / 121 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 60.7 °C / 141 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.6 °C / 76 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 29 °C / 84.2 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-0.1 °C / -0.2 F).
SCHENKER XMG C506
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ
SCHENKER XMG A516
GeForce GTX 965M, 6700HQ
Gigabyte P55W v5
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ
Gigabyte P35X v5
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700HQ
SCHENKER XMG P506 PRO
GeForce GTX 980M, 6820HK
Heat
-22%
2%
-1%
-13%
Maximum Upper Side *
49.4
52.4
-6%
50
-1%
52.4
-6%
53
-7%
Maximum Bottom *
60.7
53.1
13%
57.7
5%
58
4%
58
4%
Idle Upper Side *
28.1
39.3
-40%
25.7
9%
26.6
5%
33.7
-20%
Idle Bottom *
25.6
39.5
-54%
27.2
-6%
27.4
-7%
33.2
-30%

* ... smaller is better

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Despite the identical processor, other GTX 970M laptops consume less energy. The XMG C506 surpasses Gigabyte's P55W v5 by 19% with 14 - 22 watts in idle mode and 87 - 157 watts in 3D load. Meanwhile, laptops based on GTX 980M units need approximately 20% more power.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.8 / 1.6 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 14 / 18 / 22 Watt
Load midlight 87 / 157 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 C506
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ
SCHENKER XMG A516
GeForce GTX 965M, 6700HQ
Gigabyte P55W v5
GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ
Gigabyte P35X v5
GeForce GTX 980M, 6700HQ
SCHENKER XMG P506 PRO
GeForce GTX 980M, 6820HK
Power Consumption
10%
19%
-18%
Idle Minimum *
14
11
21%
9
36%
15
-7%
Idle Average *
18
15
17%
13
28%
20
-11%
Idle Maximum *
22
22
-0%
17
23%
27
-23%
Load Average *
87
75
14%
81
7%
98
-13%
Load Maximum *
157
160
-2%
152
3%
210
-34%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Runtime

Thanks to the strong 76 Wh battery, the runtime can compete with the opponents. The XMG C506 managed roughly five hours in our Wi-Fi marathon that we test using medium brightness and the "Balanced" energy profile - quite a decent outcome considering the hardware performance. Gigabyte's P55W v5 lasts longer thanks to it lower energy requirement - despite the weaker battery.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
4h 50min
SCHENKER XMG C506
75.81 Wh
SCHENKER XMG A516
62 Wh
Gigabyte P55W v5
61 Wh
Gigabyte P35X v5
76 Wh
SCHENKER XMG P506 PRO
60 Wh
Battery Runtime
WiFi v1.3
290
348
20%
261
-10%
267
-8%

Pros

+ up to four storage devices
+ thin, metal chassis
+ high-contrast IPS panel
+ individually configurable
+ decent battery life
+ decent WiFi range
+ moderate weight
+ hot-swap feature
+ no bloatware
+ high performance
+ USB 3.1 Gen2
+ useful tools

Cons

- build and maintenance could be better
- components get very hot during full load
- GPU throttles in extreme conditions
- spongy keyboard
- imperfect ClickPad
- middling sound

Verdict

In review: Schenker XMG C506. Review sample courtesy of Schenker Technologies.
In review: Schenker XMG C506. Review sample courtesy of Schenker Technologies.

Like Gigabyte's original, Schenker's XMG C506 also achieves a total rating of 82%. In particular, the weight of just 2.4 kg (~5.3 lb), the slim build and high-contrast Full HD panel are looked back on favorably. The speed is also first-rate when a few Euros more are invested during the configuration (solid-state drive!). Interface diversity, battery life and cooling system are also impressive - except for some minor details.

The manufacturer should improve the sound and input devices. While the keyboard has a spongy feel, the ClickPad is somewhat unreliable. Users who like to type on their laptops should prefer the XMG P506.

Fans of ultra-slim casings cannot go wrong with this model.

More slim gaming laptops can be found in our mobile Top 10.

SCHENKER XMG C506 - 04/24/2016 v5.1(old)
Florian Glaser

Chassis
80 / 98 → 82%
Keyboard
75%
Pointing Device
67%
Connectivity
65 / 81 → 80%
Weight
61 / 10-66 → 91%
Battery
80%
Display
86%
Games Performance
91%
Application Performance
91%
Temperature
80 / 95 → 84%
Noise
76 / 90 → 84%
Audio
65%
Average
76%
82%
Gaming - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Schenker XMG C506 (Gigabyte P35X v5) Notebook Review
Florian Glaser, 2016-04-27 (Update: 2018-05-15)