Schenker XMG Neo 15 laptop in review: Comet Lake upgrade

The case of the XMG Neo 15 receives a discreet upgrade. In addition to the even slimmer-looking frame around the screen, the light bar on the front now sets stronger accents with a dotted pattern. In addition, the webcam moves under the screen, which results in a somewhat unfavorable viewing angle. Also, the controls for switching on and off and the performance button are now square and separate. However, the changes in weight and dimensions are marginal.

Since the basically good impression of the case is preserved, we refer to the test report of an earlier version of the Schenker XMG Neo 15 for a detailed description.

In the current version, the GigabitLAN port of the Schenker XMG Neo 15 is no longer located on the side but is now on the back. The same applies to the Thunderbolt 3 port, which supports DisplayPort with up to two screens via daisy chain but does not offer PowerDelivery. The two single MiniDisplay ports of the previous model have been removed.

With our reference memory card Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II, the SD card reader of the Neo 15 achieves slightly better values than the previous model. In comparison with the listed competition, however, the result is only sufficient for one of the lower places in our test field.

Instead of Wi-Fi 5, users now have Wi-Fi 6 available in the Schenker XMG Neo 15. With our reference router Netgear Nighthawk AX12, the transmission speeds have increased and, at 1,650 Mb/s for data reception, are sufficient for first place in our test field. In contrast, the Neo 15 is only in the middle of the field when it comes to data transmission, as we measured 1,230 Mb/s.

The webcam of the Neo 15 offers the widely used low 0.9 MP and therefore delivers a correspondingly low quality. Even under good lighting conditions, subjects in the picture are not sharp and colors are displayed with very low contrast.

Schenker grants buyers of the XMG Neo 15 a warranty period of 24 months. For a surcharge of around 100 Euros (~$120), this period can be extended to 36 months.

The 15.6-inch screen of the Neo 15 offers a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels and a refresh rate of 240 Hz. With an average brightness of 284 cd/m², it is in the middle of our test field. The same applies to the illumination of 89%. Our measurements also show that the screen, however, flickers at a frequency of 23,580 Hz at a brightness value of less than 25%. Since this value is very high, even users with sensitive eyes should be able to use the Neo 15 without any problems.

With the XMG Neo 15, Schenker is targeting gamers who are looking for a compact notebook with plenty of power. The available hardware, which has been refreshed with our current test model, is also oriented towards this.

The Schenker XMG Neo 15 is now also available with an Intel Core i7-10875H. This processor belongs to Intel's Comet Lake generation and offers eight cores that can process up to 16 threads at clock rates between 2.3 and 5 GHz. How long the maximum performance can be maintained is significantly influenced by the cooling system.

Our continuous load test shows that the performance drops relatively quickly by about 4%. However, the Neo 15 is on par with the competition we chose, which also works with a Core i7-10875H. Compared to the XMG Neo 15 with Intel Core i7-9750H, a particularly strong increase in CPU performance is noticeable.

In the sub-disciplines of PCMark 10, the Neo 15 achieves values that are above the average of the installed hardware. Only the Productivity result is somewhat lower. Overall, the gaming laptop can secure second place in our test field. In everyday testing, the Schenker notebook ran smoothly at all times and showed no micro-jerking or similar.

Schenker has installed a 1 TB Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus in our test model of the XMG Neo 15. This delivers very good read and write rates and can therefore leave the assembled competition behind. However, when configuring their laptop, users have the choice between other models and manufacturers, which ultimately also affects the purchase price.

How other mass storage devices compare to the Samsung 970 EVO Plus is shown in our HDD/SSD benchmark list.

In our test configuration, Schenker uses an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super, whose performance in the 3DMark benchmarks is on par with other notebooks with this graphics card. However, buyers can also opt for an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Refresh, which lowers the purchase price of the laptop by about 200 Euros (~$239).

How other graphics cards performed in our test can be seen in our GPU benchmark list.

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super installed here can bring current games smoothly and with high detail levels to the screen. In the titles we tested, we achieved consistently high frame rates, which are maintained without major breakdowns.

What performance can be expected in further titles, we have listed in our GPU game list.

Our continuous load test with the Ultra settings in The Witcher 3 shows that players do not have to expect a drop in performance even after a long time.

During our endurance stress test, the temperatures inside rose up to 86 °C, while CPU clock rates were kept constant at a level of 2.6 GHz. Thus, the basic clock rate of 2.3 GHz is not undercut and users do not have to expect restrictions due to too high temperatures.