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Schenker XMG Neo 15 (i7-8750H, GTX 1060, Full HD, Tongfang GK5CN6Z) Laptop Review

15-inch display in a 14-inch chassis. Schenker Technologies expands its portfolio with an interesting gaming notebook. Not only does the XMG Neo 15 feature a mechanical keyboard, but it also has slim bezels. Is it a serious rival for the Gigabyte Aero 15X, MSI GS65 and the Razer Blade 15?
Schenker XMG Neo 15

Light and very slim high-end laptops are extremely popular right now. The German notebook retailer Schenker Technologies recognized this as well and now offers multiple slim gaming laptops.

While the recently reviewed Key 15 uses a conventional bezel width, the Neo 15 wants to impress with its Edge-to-Edge design. The 15.6-inch thin bezel screen runs at either 60 or 144 Hz (depending on the configuration on mysn.de). The mechanical RGB-keyboard is another highlight, but it is currently still limited to the German layout (other languages are supposed to follow).

You can customize both the RAM and the storage devices. The Neo 15 offers two DDR4-RAM slots (up to 32 GB), two M.2-2280 slots and one good old 2.5-inch slot, which unfortunately affects the size of the battery (only 46.7 Wh). Both the graphics card and the processor are soldered onto the motherboard, but Schenker still implements a conventional GTX 1060 and no Max-Q version despite the compact dimensions. A Core i7-8750H instead of the Core i5-8300H also appears to be a bit of a challenge for the cooling unit at first glance.

The Neo 15 starts at 1,399 Euros (~$1631), but you can easily increase the price with some upgrades. Our test model with 16 GB of RAM, 1 TB SSD, and Windows 10 Home, for example, costs more than 2,000 Euros (~$2332). Pre-configured models, which are available in some online shops (see price comparison at the end of the review), are much more affordable.

The list of competitors for the Neo 15 includes other 15-inch gamers with slim cases. As well as Schenker's own Key 15, we also compare the test device with the Asus GU501GMRazer Blade 15MSI GS65, and the Gigabyte Aero 15X. Can the Neo 15 secure a spot in our Top 10 ranking?

SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 (Tongfang GK5CN6Z) (XMG Neo 15 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-8750H 6 x 2.2 - 4.1 GHz, Coffee Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile - 6 GB VRAM, Core: 1405 MHz, Memory: 8000 MHz, GDDR5, ForceWare 398.11, Optimus
Memory
16 GB 
, 2x 8 GB SO-DIMM DDR4-2666, Dual-Channel, all slots in use, up to 32 GB
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, LGD05C0, IPS, Full-HD, 144 Hz, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM370
Storage
Samsung SSD 970 Pro 1TB, 1024 GB 
, Slots: 2x M.2 Type 2280 & 1x 2.5"
Soundcard
Realtek ALC269 @ Intel Cannon Lake PCH
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 0 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 HDMI, 2 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 1x Headphones, 1x Microphone, Card Reader: SD,SDHC,SDXC
Networking
Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Killer Wireless-AC 1550 Wireless Network Adapter (a/b/g/h/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 22 x 359 x 243 ( = 0.87 x 14.13 x 9.57 in)
Battery
46.7 Wh, 4100 mAh Lithium-Ion, 3 cells
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Additional features
Speakers: 2.0 (Sound Blaster Cinema 5), Keyboard: mechanical, RGB, Keyboard Light: yes, 180-Watt power adapter, cleaning cloth, USB drive with software, key chain, 2.5" bracket, sticker, recovery DVD, Control Center, Killer Performance Suite, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.96 kg ( = 69.14 oz / 4.32 pounds), Power Supply: 620 g ( = 21.87 oz / 1.37 pounds)
Price
2133 EUR
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case – Slim but still sturdy

While most Schenker laptops are based on Clevo designs, the Neo 15 uses a barebone chassis from the manufacturer Tongfang, more precisely the model GK5CN6Z. The latter does not have to hide behind its rivals, quite the contrary. This starts with the stability, which is on a very high level. It does not matter if you test the base unit or the lid, because the chassis does not warp even under a lot of pressure. The choice of materials deserves praise as well, only the bottom panel is primarily made of plastic, the rest is made of aluminum. The only drawback of the dark metal finish is the susceptibility to fingerprints.

Except for the edgy design and the giant fan exhausts at the bottom, the visual appearance is pretty simple. It is obviously a matter of taste, but we like it. You can see the gaming origins as soon as you boot the laptop. The RGB illumination for the keyboard is almost a matter of course, but you also get an LED strip on the front lighting up in different colors. There is not much to criticize about the build quality; most material transitions are very clean.

Schenker XMG Neo 15
Schenker XMG Neo 15
Schenker XMG Neo 15
Schenker XMG Neo 15
Schenker XMG Neo 15
Schenker XMG Neo 15
Schenker XMG Neo 15
Schenker XMG Neo 15
Schenker XMG Neo 15
Schenker XMG Neo 15
Schenker XMG Neo 15
Schenker XMG Neo 15
Schenker XMG Neo 15
Schenker XMG Neo 15
Schenker XMG Neo 15
Schenker XMG Neo 15

The Neo 15 leaves a good impression in our size comparison. With a footprint of 35.9 x 24.3 cm (~14.1 x 9.6 in), it is much more compact than the Key 15 (38.0 x 25.5 cm/~15 x 10 in). The Asus GU501GM is even bulkier at 38.4 x 26.2 cm (~15.1 x 10.3 in), while both the MSI GS65 and Gigabyte Aero 15X are a bit deeper yet slightly shorter in return. Only Razer's Blade 15 is smaller in every direction. The Neo 15 also holds up well when we compare the weight: About 2 kg (~4.4 lb) is easy to transport and only one rival here is lighter. It is a bit tricky to compare the height of the systems since the official specification does not include the rubber feet. With them, the Neo 15 is ~2.7 cm (~1.1 in) high instead of 2.2 cm (~0.87 in).

Size Comparison

384 mm / 15.1 inch 262 mm / 10.3 inch 17.8 mm / 0.701 inch 2.5 kg5.51 lbs380 mm / 15 inch 255 mm / 10 inch 19 mm / 0.748 inch 2.2 kg4.95 lbs359 mm / 14.1 inch 243 mm / 9.57 inch 22 mm / 0.866 inch 2 kg4.32 lbs358 mm / 14.1 inch 248 mm / 9.76 inch 18 mm / 0.709 inch 1.8 kg4.07 lbs356 mm / 14 inch 250 mm / 9.84 inch 18 mm / 0.709 inch 2.1 kg4.58 lbs355 mm / 14 inch 235 mm / 9.25 inch 17.3 mm / 0.681 inch 2.1 kg4.53 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity – Where are the modern ports?

Ports

The port situation is a bit of a mixed bag. Three display outputs (1x HDMI + 2x DisplayPort) and four USB ports (3x Type-A + 1x Type-C) is a respectable selection for a gaming laptop, but potential buyers do not get Thunderbolt 3. USB 3.1 Gen 2 is not available either, which is pretty disappointing for a 2018 system. Two stereo jacks, the Kensington lock slot, and the foldable RJ45 port cannot fully compensate for this drawback. We think the port layout is decent, but the ports at the sides are pretty far to the front due to the position of the fan exhausts. This is not perfect when you want to use an external mouse (limited room when there are cables attached).

Left side: Kensington lock, RJ45-LAN, USB-A 2.0, microphone, headphones
Left side: Kensington lock, RJ45-LAN, USB-A 2.0, microphone, headphones
Right side: 2x USB-A 3.0, card reader
Right side: 2x USB-A 3.0, card reader
Rear: 2x Mini-DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0, USB-C 3.1 Gen1, DC-in
Rear: 2x Mini-DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0, USB-C 3.1 Gen1, DC-in

SD Card Reader

The performance of the card reader does not meet our expectations, and the Neo 15 is far from the PCIe speeds we know from the Key 15 or Aero 15X. Rates of 25-32 MB/s are USB 2.0 level, even though our reference card is capable of transfer speeds of up to 260 MB/s.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
191 MB/s +664%
SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
166 MB/s +564%
Average of class Gaming
  (19 - 202, n=104, last 2 years)
98.2 MB/s +293%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
25 MB/s
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
242 MB/s +656%
SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
208 MB/s +550%
Average of class Gaming
  (26 - 269, n=95, last 2 years)
122.3 MB/s +282%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
32 MB/s

Communication

The Wi-Fi speed on the other hand is excellent: 665 Mbps on average (send) and 694 Mbps (receive) at a distance of 1 meter (~3 ft) to the router is excellent and the test model easily beats last-gen gaming systems. This is not surprising though when you consider the (optional) brand-new Killer Wireless-AC 1550, which supports all WLAN standards as well as Bluetooth 5.0.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (865 - 1412, n=12, last 2 years)
1078 MBit/s +62%
SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake
Killer Wireless-AC 1550 Wireless Network Adapter
677 MBit/s +2%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15
Killer Wireless-AC 1550 Wireless Network Adapter
665 MBit/s
MSI GS65 8RF-019DE Stealth Thin
Killer Wireless-AC 1550 Wireless Network Adapter
662 MBit/s 0%
Razer Blade 15 2018
Intel Wireless-AC 9260
643 MBit/s -3%
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S CNVi: WiFi
593 MBit/s -11%
Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
379 MBit/s -43%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (708 - 1700, n=12, last 2 years)
1310 MBit/s +89%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15
Killer Wireless-AC 1550 Wireless Network Adapter
694 MBit/s
SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake
Killer Wireless-AC 1550 Wireless Network Adapter
685 MBit/s -1%
Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
682 MBit/s -2%
Razer Blade 15 2018
Intel Wireless-AC 9260
681 MBit/s -2%
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S CNVi: WiFi
666 MBit/s -4%
MSI GS65 8RF-019DE Stealth Thin
Killer Wireless-AC 1550 Wireless Network Adapter
660 MBit/s -5%

Software

Modern gaming laptops are usually equipped with powerful tuning tools, and the Neo 15 is no exception. The so called Control Center has a very simple UI with lots of features divided into four different tabs. You can, for instance, adjust the keyboard illumination or the fan mode. The integrated system monitoring is handy as well. We performed all our benchmarks and measurements with the default setting, which uses the Gaming Mode for the fan control.

Control Center
Control Center
Control Center
Control Center
Control Center
Control Center

Accessories

Laptops from Schenker are usually shipped with numerous accessories, and buyers of the Neo 15 get a cleaning cloth, key chain, several stickers, a 2.5-inch frame, recovery DVD, and a USB thumb drive with drivers as well as the user manual. The power adapter (16.5 x 8 x 2.5 cm/~6.5 x 3.1 x 1 in) is rated at 180 W and tips the scale at 620 grams (~1.4 lb).

Maintenance

You need some patience if you want to maintain the Neo 15. The bottom panel is secured by 18 Philips screws, but there are no additional clips. Besides the RAM and storage slots that we have already mentioned, you can also access the battery, wireless module, and the cooling system consisting of two fans and multiple heat pipes.

Schenker XMG Neo 15
Schenker XMG Neo 15
Schenker XMG Neo 15
Schenker XMG Neo 15
Schenker XMG Neo 15
Schenker XMG Neo 15
Schenker XMG Neo 15

Warranty

The base warranty includes a 24-month pickup & return service (with six-month quick repair), but you can upgrade the warranty period to 36 months. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices – Mechanical keyboard rocks!

Keyboard

One of the biggest highlights of the Schenker Neo 15 is the mechanical keyboard. This means that the typing noise is much louder compared to conventional keyboards, but the feedback is much more precise thanks to the firm pressure point or stroke, respectively. You also have to get used to the shape of the keys, because barebones manufacturer Tongfang decided to use a convex design, which reduces the key distances towards the center.

We like the layout, and the manufacturer has implemented a full-sized numeric keypad despite the limited space. Whether you appreciate the position of the arrow keys (between the main keyboard area and the number pad) is obviously a matter of taste. They are pretty big, so they are great for gaming. The high score for the keyboard is not just the result of the mechanics but is also for the powerful and multi-level illumination, which can be adjusted for each key individually. Several pre-defined modes are included as well.

Mechanical keyboard…
Mechanical keyboard…
…with RGB illumination
…with RGB illumination

Touchpad

The mouse replacement of the Neo 15 is a ClickPad without dedicated buttons. Its size is decent for a 15-inch system at around 10.5 x 7.5 cm. The gliding capabilities are decent thanks to the smooth finish, but there are touchpads with better gliding capabilities.

The Neo 15 supports multi-touch gestures, which is not surprising. Two-finger gestures such as scrolling or zooming work well. The precision of the touchpad is average. Both right and left clicks produce – similar to the keyboard – a pretty loud trigger sound. The mouse replacement is not directly underneath the space bar but is slightly shifted towards the right, so you do not need to deactivate it during gaming to avoid accidental inputs.

Display – The best combination

The optional 144 Hz panel is the right choice if you prefer a high refresh rate, and it is based on IPS technology, just like the regular 60 Hz screen. We think the 144 Hz screen pays off, even though some gamers might miss G-Sync support. Tongfang has decided to implement Nvidia's Optimus GPU-switching technology for improved battery runtimes instead, which makes sense considering the slim and light chassis.

299
cd/m²
299
cd/m²
300
cd/m²
310
cd/m²
325
cd/m²
305
cd/m²
293
cd/m²
300
cd/m²
292
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LGD05C0 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 325 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 302.6 cd/m² Minimum: 6 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 90 %
Center on Battery: 325 cd/m²
Contrast: 985:1 (Black: 0.33 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.69 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 1.27
ΔE Greyscale 2.34 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
94% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
60% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
65.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
94.1% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
64.3% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.38
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15
LGD05C0, IPS, 1920x1080
SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake
LGD05C0, IPS, 1920x1080
MSI GS65 8RF-019DE Stealth Thin
AU Optronics B156HAN08.0 (AUO80ED), IPS, 1920x1080
Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
LGD05C0, IPS, 1920x1080
Razer Blade 15 2018
LGD05C0, IPS, 1920x1080
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
AU Optronics AUO45ED, IPS, 1920x1080
Display
-1%
1%
-1%
0%
-4%
Display P3 Coverage
64.3
63.4
-1%
66.2
3%
63.6
-1%
64.3
0%
63.4
-1%
sRGB Coverage
94.1
93.3
-1%
92.1
-2%
93.8
0%
93.7
0%
87.7
-7%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
65.3
64.5
-1%
67.2
3%
64.9
-1%
65.5
0%
Response Times
-6%
-22%
-11%
-17%
-141%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
16 ?(8.4, 7.6)
15.2 ?(7.6, 7.6)
5%
17.6 ?(9.2, 8.4)
-10%
16.8 ?(8.4, 8.4)
-5%
17.2 ?(8.8, 8.4)
-8%
30.8 ?(13.6, 17.2)
-93%
Response Time Black / White *
9.6 ?(5.2, 4.4)
11.2 ?(6, 5.2)
-17%
12.8 ?(7.6, 5.2)
-33%
11.2 ?(6, 5.2)
-17%
12 ?(6.8, 5.2)
-25%
27.6 ?(16, 11.6)
-188%
PWM Frequency
Screen
-5%
1%
16%
-6%
-18%
Brightness middle
325
309
-5%
254
-22%
313
-4%
290
-11%
286.7
-12%
Brightness
303
291
-4%
262
-14%
300
-1%
281
-7%
281
-7%
Brightness Distribution
90
91
1%
89
-1%
78
-13%
82
-9%
92
2%
Black Level *
0.33
0.31
6%
0.22
33%
0.33
-0%
0.3
9%
0.39
-18%
Contrast
985
997
1%
1155
17%
948
-4%
967
-2%
735
-25%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
2.69
2.96
-10%
2.37
12%
1.29
52%
2.85
-6%
4.17
-55%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
4.91
5.14
-5%
4.71
4%
2.04
58%
6.27
-28%
7.22
-47%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
1.27
1.41
-11%
1.84
-45%
1.39
-9%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
2.34
2.88
-23%
1.58
32%
0.69
71%
2.4
-3%
2.5
-7%
Gamma
2.38 92%
2.33 94%
2.48 89%
2.43 91%
2.34 94%
2.274 97%
CCT
6872 95%
6725 97%
6785 96%
6550 99%
6718 97%
6885 94%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
60
60
0%
60
0%
60
0%
60
0%
57
-5%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
94
93
-1%
92
-2%
94
0%
94
0%
87
-7%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-4% / -4%
-7% / -2%
1% / 9%
-8% / -6%
-54% / -34%

* ... smaller is better

The display measurements are on the expected level and the LGD05C0 is a very popular 144 Hz model also used by laptops such as the Schenker Key 15, Gigabyte Aero 15X, and Razer Blade 15. This 15.6-inch screen does not have any major drawbacks. It is an IPS panel with wide viewing angles that easily beat TN screens. Most buyers will also be happy with the color gamut: 94% sRGB and 60% AdobeRGB are completely sufficient for gaming and multimedia purposes.

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

The combination of usable brightness (~300 nits) and a decent black value (0.33) ensures a high contrast ratio of about 1,000:1. Our measurements also reveal good color accuracy with a pretty natural picture out of the box. A color cast is not visible.

Schenker XMG Neo 15 vs. sRGB (94%)
Schenker XMG Neo 15 vs. sRGB (94%)
Backlight bleeding
Backlight bleeding
Schenker XMG Neo 15 vs. AdobeRGB (60%)
Schenker XMG Neo 15 vs. AdobeRGB (60%)

One minor drawback is the brightness distribution. Our test model suffered from some backlight bleeding at the lower edge, but they were hardly distracting in everyday use and we only noticed it in certain situations.

Outdoor use
Outdoor use
Subpixel array
Subpixel array
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

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
9.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 5.2 ms rise
↘ 4.4 ms fall
The screen shows fast response rates in our tests and should be suited for gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 20 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
16 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 8.4 ms rise
↘ 7.6 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 24 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better 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 – Serious gamer

Even though the Neo 15 only has the third most powerful GPU from Nvidia's Pascal series (without Max-Q design), you can classify the 15-inch laptop as a high-end gaming laptop. Our test model with the Core i7-8750H, 16 GB of DDR4-RAM and NVMe-SSD also handles any daily applications with ease.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
HWiNFO
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
AS SSD Benchmark
CrystalDiskMark
Software
Latency

Processor

Tongfang does not make any compromises in terms of processor. Intel's Core i7-8750H is an extremely fast hexa-core model with 9 MB L3 cache. It also supports Hyper-Threading and can execute up to 12 threads simultaneously.

Single-core rendering
Single-core rendering
Multi-core rendering
Multi-core rendering
GPU load
GPU load

The frequency of the 14 nm chip heavily depends on the utilization of the cores. Single-core applications are executed at up to 4.1 GHz, while the clock is limited to 3.9 GHz when you use all cores. The automatic Turbo Boost is very well utilized by the Neo 15, and it manages to secure the top spot in the Cinebench R15 Multi test. Other 8750H laptops are more than 5% slower.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (79.2 - 318, n=245, last 2 years)
265 Points +54%
Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
Intel Core i7-8750H
175 Points +2%
MSI GS65 8RF-019DE Stealth Thin
Intel Core i7-8750H
175 Points +2%
SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake
Intel Core i7-8750H
175 Points +2%
Razer Blade 15 2018
Intel Core i7-8750H
172 Points 0%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15
Intel Core i7-8750H
172 Points
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
Intel Core i7-8750H
168 Points -2%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (400 - 5663, n=247, last 2 years)
2988 Points +159%
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
Intel Core i7-8750H
1174 Points +2%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15
Intel Core i7-8750H
1154 Points
Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
Intel Core i7-8750H
1133 Points -2%
SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake
Intel Core i7-8750H
1103 Points -4%
MSI GS65 8RF-019DE Stealth Thin
Intel Core i7-8750H
1053 Points -9%
Razer Blade 15 2018
Intel Core i7-8750H
983 Points -15%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (2.62 - 3.73, n=23, last 2 years)
3.21 Points +64%
MSI GS65 8RF-019DE Stealth Thin
Intel Core i7-8750H
2 Points +2%
SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake
Intel Core i7-8750H
1.99 Points +2%
Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
Intel Core i7-8750H
1.98 Points +1%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15
Intel Core i7-8750H
1.96 Points
Razer Blade 15 2018
Intel Core i7-8750H
1.95 Points -1%
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
Intel Core i7-8750H
1.92 Points -2%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (19.7 - 64.3, n=24, last 2 years)
35.7 Points +177%
Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
Intel Core i7-8750H
12.93 Points 0%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15
Intel Core i7-8750H
12.89 Points
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
Intel Core i7-8750H
12.55 Points -3%
SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake
Intel Core i7-8750H
12.55 Points -3%
MSI GS65 8RF-019DE Stealth Thin
Intel Core i7-8750H
11.82 Points -8%
Razer Blade 15 2018
Intel Core i7-8750H
10.51 Points -18%

The Neo 15 also performs well in our Cinebench loop. Instead of a massive drop after the first run, which was often the case for many Coffee Lake-H notebooks, the performance drop is small, which is an indicator for a good cooling unit.

0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260270280290300310320330340350360370380390400410420430440450460470480490500510520530540550560570580590600610620630640650660670680690700710720730740750760770780790800810820830840850860870880890900910920930940950960970980990100010101020103010401050106010701080109011001110112011301140Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.96 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
12.89 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
172 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
1154 Points
Help

System Performance

The overall system performance of the 15-inch laptop is also at the top of the comparison group. The Neo 15 can beat most of the direct rivals in PCMark 10; only the test model of the Schenker Key 15 gets a few points more. Windows 10 boots up very quickly thanks to the solid state drive, and application launches, installations or data transfers are much faster compared to conventional hard drives.

PCMark 10 - Score
Average of class Gaming
  (4477 - 9852, n=206, last 2 years)
7542 Points +45%
SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD 970 EVO 500GB
5213 Points 0%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD 970 Pro 1TB
5191 Points
MSI GS65 8RF-019DE Stealth Thin
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5095 Points -2%
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
5092 Points -2%
Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
5059 Points -3%
Razer Blade 15 2018
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
5046 Points -3%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Gaming
  (3570 - 6657, n=37, last 2 years)
5218 Points +14%
MSI GS65 8RF-019DE Stealth Thin
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4665 Points +2%
Razer Blade 15 2018
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
4658 Points +2%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD 970 Pro 1TB
4585 Points
SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD 970 EVO 500GB
4510 Points -2%
Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
4504 Points -2%
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
4119 Points -10%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Gaming
  (4622 - 7085, n=36, last 2 years)
6071 Points +7%
SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD 970 EVO 500GB
5687 Points 0%
Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
5676 Points 0%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD 970 Pro 1TB
5669 Points
Razer Blade 15 2018
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
5637 Points -1%
MSI GS65 8RF-019DE Stealth Thin
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5621 Points -1%
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
5111 Points -10%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4585 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5669 points
PCMark 10 Score
5191 points
Help

Storage Devices

Schenker has equipped our test model with a giant 1 TB SSD from Samsung, which obviously increases the price significantly. The brand-new M.2 drive 970 Pro scores 5224 points in AS SSD, which is the best result we have ever seen during our reviews. CrystalDiskMark determines great results as well, but the less expensive Samsung 970 EVO performs on a very similar level (compare with the Schenker Key 15). The PCIe-SSDs of the competitors are only a bit slower; the only exception is the Asus ROG GU501GM.

SCHENKER XMG Neo 15
Samsung SSD 970 Pro 1TB
SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake
Samsung SSD 970 EVO 500GB
MSI GS65 8RF-019DE Stealth Thin
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
Razer Blade 15 2018
Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
0%
-5%
-14%
-8%
-40%
Read Seq Q32T1
3389
3549
5%
2466
-27%
2627
-22%
3280
-3%
1498
-56%
Write Seq Q32T1
2742
2498
-9%
1919
-30%
1375
-50%
1527
-44%
471.5
-83%
Read 4K Q32T1
348.7
376.8
8%
353.7
1%
332.8
-5%
342.5
-2%
342.2
-2%
Write 4K Q32T1
298.1
295.4
-1%
309.9
4%
268.6
-10%
296.2
-1%
264.8
-11%
Read Seq
1278
1200
-6%
1322
3%
1404
10%
1371
7%
707
-45%
Write Seq
1456
1466
1%
1883
29%
1335
-8%
1483
2%
469.5
-68%
Read 4K
48.64
43.49
-11%
40.13
-17%
37.65
-23%
39.23
-19%
32.8
-33%
Write 4K
100.5
113.5
13%
95.3
-5%
94.4
-6%
94.2
-6%
75.6
-25%
Samsung SSD 970 Pro 1TB
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 3389 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 2742 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 348.7 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 298.1 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1278 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 1456 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 48.64 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 100.5 MB/s

GPU Performance

It is a bit of a mixed bag that Tongfang does not use the Max-Q version of the GTX 1060. This means that there are no compromises in terms of performance, but other areas such as the emissions, including the temperature and noise development, as well as the power consumption and battery runtime would have benefited.

3DMark - 1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (781 - 53059, n=248, last 2 years)
29013 Points +151%
Razer Blade 15 2018
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
15748 Points +36%
Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
15156 Points +31%
MSI GS65 8RF-019DE Stealth Thin
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
14780 Points +28%
SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
14146 Points +22%
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
11733 Points +2%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
11558 Points
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Gaming
  (1029 - 72070, n=244, last 2 years)
39642 Points +176%
Razer Blade 15 2018
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
19969 Points +39%
Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
19162 Points +33%
MSI GS65 8RF-019DE Stealth Thin
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
18687 Points +30%
SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
17680 Points +23%
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
14975 Points +4%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
14367 Points

Thanks to 6 GB of GDDR5-VRAM and 1280 shader units, the GeForce GTX 1060 can also handle demanding games. Slim gaming laptops can be even faster though, which is proven by the Schenker Key 15, MSI GS65, Razer Blade 15, and the Gigabyte Aero 15X. They are equipped with the GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, which manages between 22-36% more points in the 3DMark Fire Strike test.

3DMark 11 Performance
13509 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
32771 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
10263 points
Help

We checked the Turbo utilization of the GeForce GTX 1060 with the RPG game The Witcher 3 for one hour. Result: The base frequency is surpassed for the whole test and an average frequency of 1607 MHz is a very good result. The maximum clock of the DirectX 12 chip is up to 1900 MHz (GPU-Z render test).

012345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243Tooltip
The Witcher 3 ultra

Gaming Performance

The Neo 15 can handle games at the maximum details as long as you stick with the native 1080p resolution, but the 144 Hz is only fully utilized in less demanding titles such as Fortnite. More results above 100 FPS would require a GTX 1070 Max-Q, which would also offer more headroom for future games.

The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Average of class Gaming
  (8.61 - 216, n=243, last 2 years)
114.3 fps +196%
Razer Blade 15 2018
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
53.5 fps +39%
MSI GS65 8RF-019DE Stealth Thin
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
52.7 fps +37%
Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
52.4 fps +36%
SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
50.2 fps +30%
SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
49.8 fps +29%
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
39 fps +1%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
38.6 fps

Core gamers will still be happy with the GTX 1060. The Witcher 3 performance is on par with the Asus GU501GM, which is also equipped with the GTX 1060, while the GTX 1070 Max-Q competition is 29-39% faster.

low med. high ultra
The Witcher 3 (2015) 71.7 38.6
Fortnite (2018) 110 84.4
Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) 42
Kingdom Come: Deliverance (2018) 57.1 43
Far Cry 5 (2018) 68 64
The Crew 2 (2018) 60 59.9

Emissions – Preferably with headset

System Noise

The fan control is one of the biggest issues on most gaming laptops. The Neo 15 does not perform very well in this section either – it does not matter if you look at idle or load operation. There are basically two scenarios for idle operation: The fans are either completely turned off, so the 15-inch system is silent, or they murmur noticeably at 35-40 dB(A). It seems that there is no steady and more subtle level below that. The Clevo barebone chassis of the Schenker Key 15 suffers from the same problem.

The cooling gets annoyingly loud when you run 3D applications, and the Neo 15 basically forces you to use headphones at 50-58 dB(A) (53 dB(A) @The Witcher 3). Even loud devices such as the Asus GU501GM and the Gigabyte Aero 15X are in the range of up to 51 or 54 dB(A), respectively. The MSI GS65, Schenker Key 15, and Razer Blade 15 do not exceed the 50 dB(A) mark.

System noise idle
System noise idle
System noise load
System noise load
Speaker measurements
Speaker measurements

Maybe you can reduce the noise level with an adjustment of the fan mode in the Control Center (Office instead of Gaming), but this might have an effect on the performance as well. Tuning fans will also find a kind of manual mode in the software.

Note: Schenker has already sent us an update from Tongfang, which is supposed to improve the fan curve and reduce the noise development under load. We will update this review if the situation really improves.

Update: Unfortunately, the new BIOS/EC did not improve the situation; the determined noise levels were identical to our initial measurements.

Noise Level

Idle
29 / 35 / 40 dB(A)
Load
50 / 58 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 29 dB(A)
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
MSI GS65 8RF-019DE Stealth Thin
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
Razer Blade 15 2018
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
Average of class Gaming
 
Noise
3%
11%
5%
8%
7%
16%
off / environment *
29
30
-3%
30
-3%
29
-0%
29
-0%
28.6
1%
24.1 ?(19.5 - 29.9, n=192, last 2 years)
17%
Idle Minimum *
29
31
-7%
30
-3%
30
-3%
29
-0%
31.4
-8%
25.6 ?(21.9 - 41.6, n=193, last 2 years)
12%
Idle Average *
35
37
-6%
31
11%
31
11%
30
14%
31.4
10%
27.4 ?(21.9 - 42.1, n=193, last 2 years)
22%
Idle Maximum *
40
43
-8%
34
15%
35
12%
38
5%
34.2
14%
30.8 ?(21.9 - 47, n=193, last 2 years)
23%
Load Average *
50
45
10%
43
14%
49
2%
46
8%
42.8
14%
43.2 ?(25.2 - 62.9, n=193, last 2 years)
14%
Witcher 3 ultra *
53
46
13%
42
21%
51
4%
49
8%
50.9
4%
Load Maximum *
58
46
21%
44
24%
54
7%
46
21%
50.9
12%
53.3 ?(42.1 - 68.2, n=193, last 2 years)
8%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

The chassis warms up a lot under load, despite the high fan activity. Up to 56 °C (~133 °F) in the rear third of the top and up to 68 °C (~154 °F) at the metal cooling grilles at the bottom is quite a lot, even though other slim gaming laptops such as the Schenker key 15, MSI GS65, and the Gigabyte Aero 15X also exceed 60 °C (~1 40 °F) at some spots during our stress test with the tools FurMark and Prime95. We cannot recommend any of the mentioned devices for gaming sessions on your lap. Most spots of the Neo 15 stay comfortably cool while idling or under light workloads including office, video, and web tasks.

The Witcher 3
The Witcher 3
Stress test
Stress test
Maximum load top (Optris PI 640)
Maximum load top (Optris PI 640)
Maximum load bottom (Optris PI 640)
Maximum load bottom (Optris PI 640)

The components are not quite as cool. The CPU levels off at around 60-70 °C  (~140-158 °F) after 60 minutes of The Witcher 3, but almost 90 °C (~194 °F) under maximum load is not a good result. Still, at least the i7-8750H does not throttle its performance even under extreme load. The situation is a bit different for the graphics chip. While the GeForce GTX 1060 warms up to about 70 °C (~158 °F) with active Turbo in The Witcher 3, the DirectX 12 chip throttles its performance to around 1190 MHz in the stress test. This is not necessary when you consider the average temperature of 77 °C (~171 °F).

Max. Load
 54 °C
129 F
56 °C
133 F
47 °C
117 F
 
 40 °C
104 F
47 °C
117 F
39 °C
102 F
 
 39 °C
102 F
41 °C
106 F
35 °C
95 F
 
Maximum: 56 °C = 133 F
Average: 44.2 °C = 112 F
64 °C
147 F
65 °C
149 F
51 °C
124 F
68 °C
154 F
66 °C
151 F
43 °C
109 F
32 °C
90 F
38 °C
100 F
27 °C
81 F
Maximum: 68 °C = 154 F
Average: 50.4 °C = 123 F
Power Supply (max.)  42 °C = 108 F | Room Temperature 22 °C = 72 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 44.2 °C / 112 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 56 °C / 133 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 68 °C / 154 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.2 °C / 81 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(-) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 41.6 °C / 107 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(-) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 41 °C / 105.8 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-12.1 °C / -21.8 F).
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
MSI GS65 8RF-019DE Stealth Thin
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
Razer Blade 15 2018
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
Average of class Gaming
 
Heat
-8%
12%
3%
-6%
8%
5%
Maximum Upper Side *
56
57
-2%
49
12%
53
5%
56
-0%
43
23%
46.2 ?(28.2 - 61, n=193, last 2 years)
17%
Maximum Bottom *
68
65
4%
63
7%
65
4%
59
13%
46.6
31%
49.6 ?(30 - 66.3, n=193, last 2 years)
27%
Idle Upper Side *
28
33
-18%
24
14%
26
7%
33
-18%
29.2
-4%
31.6 ?(21.2 - 43, n=193, last 2 years)
-13%
Idle Bottom *
29
33
-14%
25
14%
30
-3%
34
-17%
34
-17%
32.7 ?(22.6 - 45, n=193, last 2 years)
-13%

* ... smaller is better

Speakers

Potential buyers should not expect too much from the speakers. As with almost all slim gaming laptops, the Neo 15 hardly offers any bass. Our speaker analysis also shows that the mids could be better. Subjectively, the sound is pretty tinny, muddy and undifferentiated. The maximum volume is not very high either.

Sound Blaster Connect
Sound Blaster Connect
Sound Blaster Connect

You can at least customize the sound a bit thanks to the preloaded Sound Blaster Connect software, which includes several profiles and sound improvements.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2040.941.1253435.93129.228.24029.235.45026.328.26324.929.88025.828.210025.829.61252426.81602227.12002235.125020.85031519.559.140018.462.350017.962.163017.868.980017.376.610001771.8125016.868.2160017.167.220001766.725001762.9315017.169.6400017.466.4500017.267630017.268.9800017.265.61000017.264.11250017.259.41600017.759.6SPL29.580.9N1.349.2median 17.3median 64.1Delta0.99.143.349.239.641.246.232.134.245.427.334.226.730.824.433.628.536.924.829.124.22725.431.327.136.120.641.519.95018.95617.762.819.564.919.567.317.666.517.463.916.867.817.264.117.662.217.262.417.360.417.160.21761.21758.71760.516.854.730.375.81.435median 17.6median 60.41.910.1hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseSCHENKER XMG Neo 15SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 26.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.8% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.6% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (21.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 75% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 19% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 57% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 36% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (76 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 26.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.7% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (24.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 87% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 9% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 71% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 23% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management – Small battery

Power Consumption

Nvidia's Optimus technology, which reserves the GeForce GTX 1060 for demanding scenarios, ensures moderate consumption figures while idling and during light workloads thanks to the integrated graphics adapter of the processor (UHD Graphics 630). 10-18 W is efficient for a gaming laptop when you exclude the occasional peaks. Our load measurements determine between 95 and 179 W for the Neo 15, which could also be the result of a GTX 1070 Max-Q laptop.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.5 / 1.3 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 10 / 13 / 18 Watt
Load midlight 95 / 179 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 Neo 15
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
MSI GS65 8RF-019DE Stealth Thin
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
Razer Blade 15 2018
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
Average of class Gaming
 
Power Consumption
-17%
2%
-20%
-19%
-19%
-38%
Idle Minimum *
10
14
-40%
7
30%
14
-40%
14
-40%
12.35
-24%
13.8 ?(2 - 64, n=189, last 2 years)
-38%
Idle Average *
13
17
-31%
11
15%
18
-38%
17
-31%
19.98
-54%
19 ?(6.5 - 67, n=189, last 2 years)
-46%
Idle Maximum *
18
22
-22%
20
-11%
22
-22%
21
-17%
25.44
-41%
26.6 ?(9 - 101.1, n=189, last 2 years)
-48%
Load Average *
95
102
-7%
98
-3%
91
4%
95
-0%
94.28
1%
112 ?(32.1 - 202, n=189, last 2 years)
-18%
Witcher 3 ultra *
114
130
-14%
132
-16%
142
-25%
141
-24%
132.9
-17%
Load Maximum *
179
157
12%
182
-2%
173
3%
179
-0%
140.63
21%
250 ?(64.5 - 418, n=188, last 2 years)
-40%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Runtime

The battery runtime is neither particularly good nor bad. Our Wi-Fi test determines 4:22 hours, so the 15-inch system is ahead of the Schenker Key 15 and the Asus GU501GM, but it cannot keep up with the Razer Blade 15 (5:22 hours), MSI GS65 (6:02 hours), and Gigabyte Aero 15X (8:33 hours). The situation is similar in the video test at an adjusted luminance. The maximum runtime under perfect conditions (idle, minimum luminance) is 6:40 hours, while the minimum runtime under stress (maximum luminance) is 1:51 hours. We hope the successor gets a bigger battery; 46.7 Wh is not much compared to some rivals.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
6h 40min
WiFi Websurfing
4h 22min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
4h 48min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 51min
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, 46.7 Wh
SCHENKER Key 15 Coffee Lake
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, 55 Wh
MSI GS65 8RF-019DE Stealth Thin
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, 82 Wh
Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, 94.24 Wh
Razer Blade 15 2018
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, 80 Wh
Asus ROG GU501GM-BI7N8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, 55 Wh
Average of class Gaming
 
Battery Runtime
-20%
16%
76%
-1%
-33%
22%
Reader / Idle
400
301
-25%
507
27%
762
91%
382
-4%
271
-32%
548 ?(57 - 1290, n=90, last 2 years)
37%
H.264
288
356
24%
504
75%
324
13%
392 ?(56 - 747, n=97, last 2 years)
36%
WiFi v1.3
262
220
-16%
362
38%
513
96%
322
23%
240
-8%
364 ?(57 - 745, n=191, last 2 years)
39%
Load
111
89
-20%
81
-27%
156
41%
72
-35%
45
-59%
85.5 ?(36 - 173, n=153, last 2 years)
-23%

Verdict – Fight for the top spot

Pros

+ mechanical keyboard with RGB illumination
+ light, slim, and sturdy chassis
+ good Turbo utilization of the CPU
+ slim bezels
+ individual configurations
+ optional 144 Hz panel
+ optional NVMe-SSD

Cons

- high temperature & noise development
- no Thunderbolt 3, no USB 3.1 Gen2
- sound could be better
- slow card reader
- small battery
In review: XMG Neo 15. Test model courtesy of Schenker Technologies.
In review: XMG Neo 15. Test model courtesy of Schenker Technologies.

The XMG Neo 15 can compete at the top of the highly competitive market of slim gaming laptops but cannot quite beat the current leaders Gigabyte Aero 15X (88%) and Razer Blade 15 (87%). 

The overall impression is more on par with the MSI GS65 (86%) or Asus ROG GU501GM (85%), respectively.

Positive aspects include the very compact and surprisingly sturdy metal chassis, which – except for Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.1 Gen.2 – offers plenty of ports as well as a mechanical keyboard (with RGB illumination). The latter is a real purchase argument and lifts the Neo 15 above the competition.

We also like the display: The combination of IPS technology, 144 Hz and thin bezel design is almost everything you expect from an expensive laptop in 2018.

There are also some drawbacks, like the speaker quality and the emissions (temperature, noise development). The Neo 15 not only gets pretty warm under load but is also very loud. Barebone manufacturer Tongfang should also work on the fan control while idling and the battery capacity, which should at least be around 70 Wh for better mobility.

SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 - 05/14/2020 v7
Florian Glaser

Chassis
83 / 98 → 84%
Keyboard
89%
Pointing Device
81%
Connectivity
60 / 80 → 75%
Weight
64 / 10-66 → 96%
Battery
59 / 95 → 63%
Display
88%
Games Performance
88%
Application Performance
90%
Temperature
74 / 95 → 78%
Noise
57 / 90 → 64%
Audio
60%
Camera
43 / 85 → 50%
Average
72%
82%
Gaming - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Schenker XMG Neo 15 (i7-8750H, GTX 1060, Full HD, Tongfang GK5CN6Z) Laptop Review
Florian Glaser, 2018-07-12 (Update: 2019-03- 9)