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Schenker XMG Ultra 17 (Clevo X170SM-G) laptop review: Power without end

Premium performance at a luxury price. For those who don't want to make any technical compromises, the Schenker XMG Ultra 17 is the right laptop or, more precisely, desktop replacement. The gigantic 17-incher is powered by a desktop CPU and Nvidia's fastest laptop chips. You can find out whether the high cost is worth it in our review.

As is usual for Schenker Technologies, the XMG Ultra 17 can be extensively configured and adapted on the company's own website, bestware.com. While a Full HD panel at 240 Hz or a UHD panel at 60 Hz (G-Sync included in each case) is used as the display, a high-end chip from Nvidia's Turing generation takes care of incoming graphics calculations. Besides the GeForce RTX 2070 (Super), Schenker also offers the RTX 2080 Super top model. For the processor, you have to choose between a hexa-core (Core i5), octa-core (Core i7) or ten-core (Core i9) CPU. But no matter which model you choose, all CPUs are based on Intel's Comet Lake architecture, which is quite old compared to AMD's Ryzen CPUs because of its 14 nm size.

Four SO-DIMM slots are available for memory, supporting a maximum of 128 GB. Mass storage is no less generous. In this way, the XMG Ultra 17 accommodates up to four M.2 SSDs (the manufacturer has forgone a 2.5-inch slot in favor of battery capacity). You can also have an influence on the WLAN module, the keyboard variant, the operating system, and the warranty period. In terms of price, the 17-incher starts at just under 2,700 Euros (~$3,170). Meanwhile, our optimally equipped test configuration that comes with a Core i9-10900K, a GeForce RTX 2080 Super, 128 GB of RAM (4x 32 GB DDR4 3200), a 2 TB SSD, and Windows 10 Pro 64-bit costs almost 5,000 Euros (~$5,870).

SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
Processor
Intel Core i9-10900K 10 x 3.7 - 5.3 GHz, 130 W PL2 / Short Burst, 250 W PL1 / Sustained, Comet Lake
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile - 8 GB VRAM, Core: 1740 MHz, Memory: 1750 MHz, GDDR6, ForceWare 456.55
Memory
128 GB 
, 4x 32 GB SO-DIMM DDR4 3200, dual-channel
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 3840 x 2160 pixel 255 PPI, AUO B173ZAN03.0 (AUO309B), IPS, 4K/UHD, G-Sync, glossy: no, 60 Hz
Mainboard
Intel Z490 (Comet Lake PCH-H)
Storage
Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 2TB, 2048 GB 
, slots: 4x M.2 2280
Soundcard
Realtek ALC1220 @ Intel Comet Point PCH - cAVS
Connections
5 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 20Gbps, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 3 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 1 headphone, 1 microphone, Card Reader: SD, SDHC, SDXC
Networking
Killer E3100G 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet Controller (10/100/1000/2500MBit/s), Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW) (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/), Bluetooth 5
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 43.5 x 399 x 319 ( = 1.71 x 15.71 x 12.56 in)
Battery
97 Wh, 6700 mAh Lithium-Ion, removeable
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Additional features
Speakers: 2.1, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 2x 280-watt power adapter, power adapter case, M.2 accessories, driver DVD, USB drive with software, guide, warranty card, Control Center, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
4.7 kg ( = 165.79 oz / 10.36 pounds), Power Supply: 1.756 kg ( = 61.94 oz / 3.87 pounds)
Price
4 EUR
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

The XMG Ultra 17's competitors include other desktop replacements in the 17-inch range that are also available with an RTX 2080 Super such as the MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS, the Alienware m17 R3, and the Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS.

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
85 %
10/2020
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
i9-10900K, GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
4.7 kg43.5 mm17.30"3840x2160
87.4 %
10/2020
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
i9-10900K, GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
4.2 kg42 mm17.30"3840x2160
85.3 %
09/2020
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
i9-10980HK, GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
3 kg20.7 mm17.30"1920x1080
82.7 %
07/2020
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
i9-10980HK, GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
2.9 kg26.5 mm17.30"1920x1080

Case

The case is extremely massive for a device from 2020. The 39.9 x 31.9 cm footprint is just as huge as the overall height of 4.35 cm. In combination with the extremely high weight (4.7 kg) and the two power adapters (more on this later), the 17-incher is difficult to transport. The competition is between 500 g (MSI GT76) and 1,800 g (Asus Strix Scar 17) lighter.

Schenker XMG Ultra 17
Schenker XMG Ultra 17
Schenker XMG Ultra 17
Schenker XMG Ultra 17
Schenker XMG Ultra 17
Schenker XMG Ultra 17
Schenker XMG Ultra 17
Schenker XMG Ultra 17
Schenker XMG Ultra 17
Schenker XMG Ultra 17
Schenker XMG Ultra 17
Schenker XMG Ultra 17
Schenker XMG Ultra 17

Qualitatively, there is hardly anything to criticize about the case. The underlying X170SM-G Clevo barebone impresses with its clean workmanship and good materials. While the display frame and the bottom cover are made of plastic, the lid and the keyboard area are made of metal (brushed aluminum), which gives the Ultra 17 a certain perceived quality.

Stability is also pretty good. If you factor out the middle of the keyboard, the case doesn't yield even under strong pressure. The two hinges do their job inconspicuously. The word "inconspicuous" also fits the design. As is typical for Clevo, the case is very discreet if you exclude the LED strip at the back. Since the fan area is not quite as protruding as on the MSI GT76, the case also looks less clunky compared to its main competitor - despite it having little more height.

Size comparison

399 mm / 15.7 inch 319 mm / 12.6 inch 43.5 mm / 1.713 inch 4.7 kg10.4 lbs397 mm / 15.6 inch 330 mm / 13 inch 42 mm / 1.654 inch 4.2 kg9.23 lbs399 mm / 15.7 inch 293 mm / 11.5 inch 26.5 mm / 1.043 inch 2.9 kg6.37 lbs399.8 mm / 15.7 inch 294.3 mm / 11.6 inch 20.7 mm / 0.815 inch 3 kg6.59 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Ports

When it comes to connections, the manufacturer goes full throttle. In this way, not only can buyers look forward to six modern USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (including 1x Thunderbolt) but also to three digital video outputs (HDMI 2.0 + 2x Mini DisplayPort 1.4). One of the USB Type-C ports supports DisplayPort as well, which allows you to connect any number of displays if necessary. The interface range is rounded off by a card reader, two audio connections, an RJ45 port, and a slot for Kensington locks. Since many ports are located on the back, the freedom of movement when using an external mouse is usually not restricted.

Left side: Card reader, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, microphone, headphone
Left side: Card reader, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, microphone, headphone
Right side: USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 x2, USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, Kensington lock
Right side: USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 x2, USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, Kensington lock
Back: Thunderbolt 3, 2x Mini DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0, RJ45 LAN, 2x power supply
Back: Thunderbolt 3, 2x Mini DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0, RJ45 LAN, 2x power supply

SD card reader

The SD card reader delivers very high speeds. Just under 220 MB/s almost completely maxes out the potential of our Toshiba reference card (maximum 260 MB/s), whereby the Alienware m17 R3 and the MSI GT76 10SGS score similarly well here.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
218 MB/s
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 UHS-II)
212 MB/s -3%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 UHS-II)
186.9 MB/s -14%
Average of class Gaming
  (19 - 202, n=104, last 2 years)
98.2 MB/s -55%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 UHS-II)
236.8 MB/s +8%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
220 MB/s
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 UHS-II)
197.8 MB/s -10%
Average of class Gaming
  (26 - 269, n=95, last 2 years)
122.3 MB/s -44%

Communication

There's nothing to criticize about the WLAN performance either. 1,350 Mb/s for sending and 1,560 Mb/s for receiving data are the top values in each case. Our test device had the AX1650x Wi-Fi 6 Killer chip on board, which costs only a few Euros more than the AX200 Intel module.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
1350 MBit/s
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
1279 (982min - 1390max) MBit/s -5%
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650w
1182 (613min - 1213max) MBit/s -12%
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1150 MBit/s -15%
Average Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
  (554 - 1659, n=25)
1020 MBit/s -24%
Average of class Gaming
  (450 - 1412, n=14, last 2 years)
1006 MBit/s -25%
iperf3 receive AX12
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
1560 MBit/s
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650w
1384 (1313min - 1423max) MBit/s -11%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
1337 (684min - 1391max) MBit/s -14%
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1270 MBit/s -19%
Average of class Gaming
  (423 - 1700, n=14, last 2 years)
1203 MBit/s -23%
Average Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
  (630 - 1885, n=25)
1037 MBit/s -34%

Webcam

The image quality of the webcam doesn't do justice to the laptop's price. Although the image sharpness is acceptable, the color accuracy leaves a lot to be desired.

ColorChecker
26 ∆E
25.4 ∆E
23.1 ∆E
21 ∆E
18.5 ∆E
18.6 ∆E
22.9 ∆E
26.8 ∆E
18.8 ∆E
10.6 ∆E
18.3 ∆E
19.6 ∆E
20.5 ∆E
24 ∆E
22.3 ∆E
13.2 ∆E
18.8 ∆E
24 ∆E
2.3 ∆E
11.8 ∆E
22.7 ∆E
19.6 ∆E
14.1 ∆E
3.3 ∆E
ColorChecker SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake: 18.59 ∆E min: 2.33 - max: 26.81 ∆E

Security

The XMG Ultra 17 contains a fingerprint scanner that is located in the upper left corner of the touchpad.

Accessories

Due to the enormous power consumption, the 17-incher needs two power adapters at the same time. The 280-watt models weigh just under 900 g each and measure 18 x 8.5 x 3 cm. At least the laptop comes with a small case in which the two power adapters can be stacked and don't take up quite as much space as a result. Other accessories include a driver DVD, a USB stick with software, a manual, a warranty card, and screws as well as covers for the M.2 slots.

Maintenance

Maintenance of the X170SM chassis is quite convenient. There's no maintenance hatch, but the bottom cover, which is retained with eight screws, can be removed relatively quickly. Afterwards, almost all components are accessible inside the case. You only need to detach the keyboard as an additional step (retained with two screws on the bottom side) when it comes to the wireless adapter and two of the four RAM slots, but this is not a big deal if you pay attention to the cables. The fact that the battery is directly accessible from the outside deserves general praise.

Schenker XMG Ultra 17
Schenker XMG Ultra 17

Warranty

There's a standard two-year warranty. Up to three years is possible for an additional charge. Furthermore, you can also select the length of the quick-repair availability period.

Input devices

Keyboard

The keyboard left us with mixed feelings. While the successful layout and the individually adjustable RGB lighting should be mentioned as pros, we would mainly highlight the poor key size as a negative aspect. Alongside the F-row, the number pad is also quite narrow. This circumstance is somewhat surprising, since there would actually be more than enough space for larger keys. Clevo probably just adopted the keyboard from another barebone (to save costs and development effort). We would describe the typing noise and typing experience (pressure point, stroke, ...)  as ranging from decent to good.

Schenker XMG Ultra 17
Schenker XMG Ultra 17
Schenker XMG Ultra 17

Touchpad

Unlike the keyboard, the touchpad offers generous dimensions. A size of approximately 13 x 7 cm is comfortable to use and leaves enough space for longer mouse movements on the display. Thanks to the smooth surface, it ensures excellent gliding properties too. We also see the presence of dedicated mouse buttons as a plus or advantage. The multi-touch support works perfectly. As usual, the touchpad supports zooming and scrolling with two-finger gestures.

Display

Our test device was equipped with the optional UHD display. 3840x2160 pixels provide a crisp and sharp image. As mentioned at the beginning, the 4K panel only supports 60 Hz instead of 240 Hz, which isn't really up to date anymore, especially since there are definitely more modern options in the UHD range (120 Hz on the MSI GT76 Titan DT).

432
cd/m²
438
cd/m²
409
cd/m²
422
cd/m²
442
cd/m²
408
cd/m²
425
cd/m²
424
cd/m²
411
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AUO B173ZAN03.0 (AUO309B) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 442 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 423.4 cd/m² Minimum: 13 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 92 %
Center on Battery: 442 cd/m²
Contrast: 1228:1 (Black: 0.36 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.38 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 0.66
ΔE Greyscale 7.3 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
98% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
98% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
97.9% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
99.1% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
83% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.17
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
AUO B173ZAN03.0 (AUO309B), IPS, 3840x2160, 17.30
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
AU Optronics B173ZAN03.3, IPS, 3840x2160, 17.30
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
AU Optronics B173HAN, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
LQ173M1JW03 (SHP14DC), IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Display
-1%
-15%
-14%
Display P3 Coverage
83
82.5
-1%
69.2
-17%
71
-14%
sRGB Coverage
99.1
98
-1%
97.9
-1%
99
0%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
97.9
96.6
-1%
71.4
-27%
71.6
-27%
Response Times
50%
51%
75%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
50.4 ?(23.6, 26.8)
23.2 ?(12.4, 10.8)
54%
16.8 ?(11.6, 5.2)
67%
5.8 ?(2.4, 3.4)
88%
Response Time Black / White *
21.6 ?(7.6, 14)
11.6 ?(6.4, 5.2)
46%
14 ?(7.6, 6.4)
35%
8.4 ?(4.4, 4)
61%
PWM Frequency
Screen
-29%
4%
-10%
Brightness middle
442
419.5
-5%
338.3
-23%
310
-30%
Brightness
423
413
-2%
325
-23%
311
-26%
Brightness Distribution
92
93
1%
91
-1%
82
-11%
Black Level *
0.36
0.4
-11%
0.27
25%
0.41
-14%
Contrast
1228
1049
-15%
1253
2%
756
-38%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.38
3.4
22%
1.88
57%
2.41
45%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
10.85
7.4
32%
3.23
70%
8.59
21%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
0.66
3.28
-397%
1.32
-100%
1.13
-71%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
7.3
2
73%
2.4
67%
4.3
41%
Gamma
2.17 101%
2.14 103%
2.39 92%
2.149 102%
CCT
6906 94%
6858 95%
6572 99%
7059 92%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
98
84.6
-14%
64.7
-34%
72
-27%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
98
97.9
0%
97.8
0%
94
-4%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
7% / -14%
13% / 6%
17% / -0%

* ... smaller is better

The same applies to the response time: Just under 50 ms (gray-to-gray) is clearly undercut by competing laptops. Despite having an identical resolution, the MSI laptop mentioned earlier only takes about half as long. So as not to discourage gamers, Clevo should make improvements here.

CalMAN: Grayscales
CalMAN: Grayscales
CalMAN: Color saturation
CalMAN: Color saturation
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: Grayscales (calibrated)
CalMAN: Grayscales (calibrated)
CalMAN: Color saturation (calibrated)
CalMAN: Color saturation (calibrated)
CalMAN: ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN: ColorChecker (calibrated)

The remaining display values are convincing - with the exception of the grayscales. More than 400 cd/m² of brightness and a contrast ratio of over 1,200:1 will satisfy most buyers. The black level (0.36 cd/m²) doesn't need to hide behind the values of the competition either. In addition - thanks to IPS technology - there's good viewing-angle stability.

Schenker XMG Ultra 17 vs. sRGB (98%)
Schenker XMG Ultra 17 vs. sRGB (98%)
Subpixel grid
Subpixel grid
Schenker XMG Ultra 17 vs. AdobeRGB (98%)
Schenker XMG Ultra 17 vs. AdobeRGB (98%)

But the biggest highlight of the 4K display is the gigantic color space. We usually see a 98% coverage of the AdobeRGB color space rather in workstations and creator-oriented laptops.

Reflections
Reflections
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
21.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 7.6 ms rise
↘ 14 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 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 41 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
50.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 23.6 ms rise
↘ 26.8 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. » 85 % 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 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Test conditions

Among other things, you can choose between various power modes within the preinstalled Control Center. Our tests were performed under the "Performance" profile that was active out of the box. The automatic system was always used as the fan speed setting.

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

Performance

The XMG Ultra 17 is very clearly a representative of the upper class. In particular, our test configuration with a ten-core CPU, top GPU, and 128 GB of RAM should provide enough power for the coming years, provided that the resolution is reduced for demanding 3D applications (keyword "games") if needed.

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

Processor

The Core i9-10900K is currently the strongest Comet Lake CPU from Intel. The desktop model can process up to 20 threads in parallel thanks to Hyper-Threading. Laptop chips are currently limited to 8 cores and 16 threads. The clock rate of the 10900K is also top at a maximum of 5.3 GHz, although some of this is lost in practice. In this way, we were "only" able to get 4.9 to 5.2 GHz out of the ten-core CPU for single-core applications and 4.5 to 4.6 GHz for multi-core applications.

Single-core rendering
Single-core rendering
Multi-core rendering
Multi-core rendering
GPU load
GPU load
0130260390520650780910104011701300143015601690182019502080221023402470Tooltip
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake Intel Core i9-10900K, Intel Core i9-10900K: Ø2359 (2290.43-2532.77)
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS Intel Core i9-10900K, Intel Core i9-10900K: Ø2464 (2424.1-2512.72)

In addition, prolonged CPU load causes the clock speed to drop disproportionately. In our Cinebench R15 loop, the overall score dropped from just under 2,500 points to around 2,300 points after a few runs, which corresponds to a decrease of about 10%. The competing MSI GT76 offers a much more constant performance and Turbo development, although the values are minimally lower after a cold boot. Despite the limited Turbo, the desktop CPU in the XMG Ultra 17 noticeably surpasses the laptop models in the Alienware m17 R3 and the Asus Strix Scar 17. The Core i9-10980HK drops by around 30% in the Cinebench R15's multi-core test.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (79.2 - 318, n=247, last 2 years)
265 Points +22%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
Intel Core i9-10900K
217 Points
Average Intel Core i9-10900K
  (206 - 224, n=3)
216 Points 0%
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
Intel Core i9-10980HK
208 Points -4%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
Intel Core i9-10900K
206 Points -5%
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
Intel Core i9-10980HK
203 Points -6%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (400 - 5663, n=248, last 2 years)
2986 Points +18%
Average Intel Core i9-10900K
  (2513 - 2620, n=3)
2555 Points +1%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
Intel Core i9-10900K
2533 (2290.43min - 2532.77max) Points
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
Intel Core i9-10900K
2513 (2424.1min - 2512.72max) Points -1%
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
Intel Core i9-10980HK
1836 (1770.85min - 1836.46max) Points -28%
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
Intel Core i9-10980HK
1737 (1552.73min - 1737.47max) Points -31%
Blender - v2.79 BMW27 CPU
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
Intel Core i9-10980HK
286 Seconds * -51%
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
Intel Core i9-10980HK
239 Seconds * -26%
Average of class Gaming
  (87 - 1259, n=241, last 2 years)
208 Seconds * -9%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
Intel Core i9-10900K
190 Seconds *
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
Intel Core i9-10900K
179 Seconds * +6%
Average Intel Core i9-10900K
  (167.3 - 190, n=3)
178.8 Seconds * +6%
7-Zip 18.03
7z b 4 -mmt1
Average of class Gaming
  (2685 - 7581, n=242, last 2 years)
6034 MIPS +4%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
Intel Core i9-10900K
5811 MIPS
Average Intel Core i9-10900K
  (5349 - 5954, n=3)
5705 MIPS -2%
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
Intel Core i9-10980HK
5493 MIPS -5%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
Intel Core i9-10900K
5349 MIPS -8%
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
Intel Core i9-10980HK
5336 MIPS -8%
7z b 4
Average of class Gaming
  (11386 - 140932, n=241, last 2 years)
74398 MIPS +6%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
Intel Core i9-10900K
69987 MIPS
Average Intel Core i9-10900K
  (67252 - 70968, n=3)
69402 MIPS -1%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
Intel Core i9-10900K
67252 MIPS -4%
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
Intel Core i9-10980HK
46659 MIPS -33%
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
Intel Core i9-10980HK
45938 MIPS -34%
Cinebench R20
CPU (Single Core)
Average of class Gaming
  (169 - 855, n=243, last 2 years)
690 Points +32%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
Intel Core i9-10900K
524 Points
Average Intel Core i9-10900K
  (493 - 532, n=3)
516 Points -2%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
Intel Core i9-10900K
493 Points -6%
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
Intel Core i9-10980HK
489 Points -7%
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
Intel Core i9-10980HK
465 Points -11%
CPU (Multi Core)
Average of class Gaming
  (930 - 13769, n=243, last 2 years)
7152 Points +23%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
Intel Core i9-10900K
6181 Points +6%
Average Intel Core i9-10900K
  (5825 - 6381, n=3)
6129 Points +5%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
Intel Core i9-10900K
5825 Points
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
Intel Core i9-10980HK
4487 Points -23%
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
Intel Core i9-10980HK
3883 Points -33%
Geekbench 5.5
Single-Core
Average of class Gaming
  (158 - 2193, n=246, last 2 years)
1786 Points +25%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
Intel Core i9-10900K
1428 Points
Average Intel Core i9-10900K
  (1336 - 1449, n=3)
1404 Points -2%
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
Intel Core i9-10980HK
1351 Points -5%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
Intel Core i9-10900K
1336 Points -6%
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
Intel Core i9-10980HK
1302 Points -9%
Multi-Core
Average of class Gaming
  (1946 - 22200, n=246, last 2 years)
13156 Points +15%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
Intel Core i9-10900K
11393 Points
Average Intel Core i9-10900K
  (10725 - 11414, n=3)
11177 Points -2%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
Intel Core i9-10900K
10725 Points -6%
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
Intel Core i9-10980HK
8666 Points -24%
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
Intel Core i9-10980HK
7991 Points -30%
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 - 4k Preset
Average of class Gaming
  (3 - 37.6, n=245, last 2 years)
20.5 fps +13%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
Intel Core i9-10900K
19.8 fps +9%
Average Intel Core i9-10900K
  (18.2 - 21, n=3)
19.7 fps +8%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
Intel Core i9-10900K
18.2 fps
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
Intel Core i9-10980HK
14.6 fps -20%
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
Intel Core i9-10980HK
12.5 fps -31%
LibreOffice - 20 Documents To PDF
Average Intel Core i9-10900K
  (46.2 - 76, n=3)
56.8 s * -18%
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
Intel Core i9-10980HK
51.9 s * -8%
Average of class Gaming
  (32.8 - 332, n=239, last 2 years)
49.6 s * -3%
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
Intel Core i9-10980HK
49.5 s * -3%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
Intel Core i9-10900K
48.1 s *
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
Intel Core i9-10900K
46.2 s * +4%
R Benchmark 2.5 - Overall mean
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
Intel Core i9-10980HK
0.581 sec * -9%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
Intel Core i9-10900K
0.567 sec * -7%
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
Intel Core i9-10980HK
0.564 sec * -6%
Average Intel Core i9-10900K
  (0.528 - 0.567, n=3)
0.542 sec * -2%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
Intel Core i9-10900K
0.531 sec *
Average of class Gaming
  (0.3609 - 4.47, n=242, last 2 years)
0.4753 sec * +10%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
2533 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
226 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
217 Points
Help

System performance

The Schenker device also snatches the top position in the test field in terms of system performance. 7,461 points in the PCMark 10 benchmark is 40% better than the average score for the gaming laptop class. Subjectively, the operating system runs lightning fast. Loading times are also pleasingly short, provided that applications are well programmed and optimized. The fact that the boot time is comparatively high (just under 30 seconds) is, unfortunately, common for a laptop with a desktop CPU.

PCMark 10 - Score
Average of class Gaming
  (4477 - 9852, n=208, last 2 years)
7531 Points +1%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile, i9-10900K, Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 2TB
7461 Points
Average Intel Core i9-10900K, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
  (7358 - 7461, n=2)
7410 Points -1%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile, i9-10900K, 2x WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00 (RAID 0)
7358 Points -1%
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile, i9-10980HK, 2x Micron 2200S 512 GB (RAID 0)
6594 Points -12%
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile, i9-10980HK, 2x Intel SSD 660p 1TB SSDPEKNW010T8 (RAID 0)
5556 Points -26%
PCMark 10 Score
7461 points
Help

DPC latencies

There were no abnormalities in the latency test. The Ultra 17 seems to be suitable for real-time video and audio-editing.

Latencies
Latencies
Latencies
DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile, i9-10900K, 2x WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00 (RAID 0)
10616 μs * -7397%
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile, i9-10980HK, 2x Intel SSD 660p 1TB SSDPEKNW010T8 (RAID 0)
5066 μs * -3478%
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile, i9-10980HK, 2x Micron 2200S 512 GB (RAID 0)
637 μs * -350%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile, i9-10900K, Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 2TB
141.6 μs *

* ... smaller is better

Storage

Schenker installed a 2 TB M.2 SSD from Samsung in our test device. The 970 EVO Plus NVMe model offers excellent speeds for both reading and writing data (sequentially about 3,000 MB/s). In the CrystalDiskMark and the AS SSD benchmarks, the competition has to admit defeat despite having SSD RAIDs.

SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 2TB
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
2x WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00 (RAID 0)
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
2x Micron 2200S 512 GB (RAID 0)
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
2x Intel SSD 660p 1TB SSDPEKNW010T8 (RAID 0)
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-9%
-19%
-18%
Write 4K
172
116.4
-32%
68
-60%
125.8
-27%
Read 4K
47.3
43.85
-7%
42.04
-11%
52.9
12%
Write Seq
2980
2927
-2%
2221
-25%
1795
-40%
Read Seq
2790
1997
-28%
2202
-21%
2315
-17%
Write 4K Q32T1
481.8
467.6
-3%
494.5
3%
407.1
-16%
Read 4K Q32T1
565
538
-5%
540
-4%
411.9
-27%
Write Seq Q32T1
3295
3362
2%
2623
-20%
2844
-14%
Read Seq Q32T1
3550
3558
0%
3159
-11%
3130
-12%
AS SSD
-50%
-187%
-59%
Seq Read
2980
2406
-19%
2060
-31%
2450
-18%
Seq Write
2585
2867
11%
2297
-11%
1436
-44%
4K Read
52.7
41.51
-21%
35.39
-33%
49.48
-6%
4K Write
163.1
108.8
-33%
63.1
-61%
119.4
-27%
4K-64 Read
1954
1525
-22%
1337
-32%
1032
-47%
4K-64 Write
2347
1424
-39%
1307
-44%
1229
-48%
Access Time Read *
0.039
0.041
-5%
0.057
-46%
0.145
-272%
Access Time Write *
0.023
0.102
-343%
0.411
-1687%
0.036
-57%
Score Read
2304
1807
-22%
1578
-32%
1327
-42%
Score Write
2768
1819
-34%
1600
-42%
1492
-46%
Score Total
6232
4573
-27%
3997
-36%
3456
-45%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-30% / -33%
-103% / -116%
-39% / -42%

* ... smaller is better

Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 2TB
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 3550 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 3295 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 565 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 481.8 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 2790 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 2980 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 47.3 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 172 MB/s

Continuous load read: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8

No graph data

Graphics card

Currently, nothing comes close to the GeForce RTX 2080 Super in the laptop segment. The Turing model is equipped with 3,072 shaders and an 8 GB GDDR6 video memory (256-bit interface). Thanks to the powerful cooling system, the DirectX 12 chip can develop its performance level well. The XMG Ultra 17 is usually a few percent ahead of competing laptops with identical GPUs in our benchmark course.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Gaming
  (1029 - 72070, n=246, last 2 years)
39499 Points +7%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
36838 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
  (34021 - 36838, n=4)
35153 Points -5%
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
35128 Points -5%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
34623 Points -6%
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
34021 Points -8%
3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (781 - 53059, n=250, last 2 years)
28955 Points +14%
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
25597 Points 0%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
25504 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
  (24211 - 25597, n=4)
24932 Points -2%
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
24416 Points -4%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
24211 Points -5%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (224 - 22547, n=248, last 2 years)
11781 Points +8%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
10938 Points
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
10718 Points -2%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
  (9638 - 10938, n=4)
10301 Points -6%
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
9908 Points -9%
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
9638 Points -12%
2560x1440 Port Royal Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (280 - 14457, n=163, last 2 years)
7581 Points +14%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
6633 Points
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
6621 Points 0%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
  (5903 - 6633, n=3)
6386 Points -4%
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
5903 Points -11%
3DMark 11 Performance
31493 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
22606 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
11211 points
Help

We tested how the graphics card behaves under prolonged 3D load for a good 60 minutes with the role-playing game The Witcher 3. In contrast to the CPU performance (Cinebench loop), the GPU performance remains quite constant. An average core speed of 1,815 MHz is a very good value for the RTX 2080 Super.

05101520253035404550556065707580859095100105110Tooltip
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile, i9-10900K, Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 2TB: Ø110.5 (105-115)

Gaming performance

With Nvidia's top model, all modern titles can be played smoothly at maximum details. Even 3840x2160 pixels are displayed at over 40 FPS - apart from very computationally intensive games like Borderlands 3 and Flight Simulator. You can see in the table below that the 100-FPS mark is often surpassed in the QHD and FHD ranges.

The Witcher 3
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Average of class Gaming
  (8.61 - 216, n=245, last 2 years)
114 fps +5%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile, i9-10900K
113.2 (106min - 129max) fps +4%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile, i9-10900K
109 (7.68min) fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
  (93.4 - 113.2, n=4)
103.3 fps -5%
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile, i9-10980HK
97.7 (93min - 103max) fps -10%
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile, i9-10980HK
93.4 (78min) fps -14%
3840x2160 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off)
Average of class Gaming
  (50.6 - 167.6, n=48, last 2 years)
105.3 fps +39%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile, i9-10900K
80.5 (74min - 95max) fps +6%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile, i9-10900K
75.6 (7.77min, 65.6P1 - 405max) fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
  (66.4 - 80.5, n=3)
74.2 fps -2%
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile, i9-10980HK
66.4 (54min) fps -12%
low med. high ultraQHD4K
GTA V (2015) 187 182 179 98.9
The Witcher 3 (2015) 209 109 75.6
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 190 172 167 156 145
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 145 127 103 88.2
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) 142 126 87.5 47.1
Battlefield V (2018) 168 152 126 76.2
Borderlands 3 (2019) 107 89.8 65.4 37.1
Hunt Showdown (2020) 133 92.4 85.6
Doom Eternal (2020) 222 219 176 96.5
Gears Tactics (2020) 154 125 82.1 43.2
F1 2020 (2020) 234 161 122 72.5
Death Stranding (2020) 149 147 108 60
Horizon Zero Dawn (2020) 127 104 80 45
Flight Simulator 2020 (2020) 64.6 47.1 37.8 23.8
Serious Sam 4 (2020) 113 95 84.2 54.4
Mafia Definitive Edition (2020) 122 83.4 45.2
Star Wars Squadrons (2020) 263 243 175 105
FIFA 21 (2020) 278 278 274 238

Emissions

Noise emissions

One of the biggest weaknesses of the XMG Ultra 17 is its extreme noise level. 55 to 62 dB under load more or less force you to use a headset. In any case, games are no fun without headphones. The MSI GT76 Titan DT gets even louder in most 3D scenarios, which puts the better Turbo performance of the CPU into perspective.

In idle usage, the Schenker laptop's noise development isn't optimal either. Although the two case fans completely stand still at times or only rotate at a discreet level of around 32 dB(A), the cooling reaches over 50 dB every now and then for no reason, which will annoy many users. The device reaches almost 60 dB for a short time even when being booted.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2042.540.539.139.643.42537.542.239.336.7393144.747.947.543.750.74032.134.436.131.337.55031.929.336.723.146634331.543.627.949.68033.926.146.821.952.110032.628.439.824.137.912536.831.138.724.940.416037.637.939.81841.32003926.640.123.241.925039.323.34120.243.531541.823.244.320.445.540040.422.143.214.446.450041.828.742.812.248.263044.221.944.111.247.980044.920.345.810.549.8100047.220.647.810.552.8125049.821.750.210.755.3160048.215.848.711.553.4200046.713.847.711.353.1250044.113.444.311.751.2315040.913.140.112.247.9400037.213.53712.644.8500035.917.736.812.843.7630031.713.133.313.339.6800029.213.328.413.137.31000025.913.124.912.834.71250022.213.721.212.432.21600016.812.317.111.827.3SPL56.532.15725.162.3N10.11.710.80.715.3median 39.3median 20.3median 40.1median 12.6median 44.8Delta6.26.65.32.75.8hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseSCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake

Noise Level

Idle
27 / 32 / 57 dB(A)
Load
56 / 62 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Earthworks M23R, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 25 dB(A)
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
i9-10900K, GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
i9-10900K, GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
i9-10980HK, GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
i9-10980HK, GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
Average of class Gaming
 
Noise
12%
10%
1%
18%
off / environment *
25
26.4
-6%
26.5
-6%
25
-0%
24.1 ?(19.5 - 29.9, n=194, last 2 years)
4%
Idle Minimum *
27
27.5
-2%
27.8
-3%
33
-22%
25.6 ?(21.9 - 41.6, n=195, last 2 years)
5%
Idle Average *
32
27.5
14%
27.8
13%
38
-19%
27.4 ?(21.9 - 42.1, n=195, last 2 years)
14%
Idle Maximum *
57
29.8
48%
27.8
51%
45
21%
30.7 ?(21.9 - 47, n=195, last 2 years)
46%
Load Average *
56
30.9
45%
52.1
7%
54
4%
43.2 ?(25.2 - 62.9, n=195, last 2 years)
23%
Witcher 3 ultra *
55
60.7
-10%
51.8
6%
50
9%
Load Maximum *
62
66.6
-7%
59.1
5%
55
11%
53.2 ?(42.1 - 68.2, n=195, last 2 years)
14%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

The higher the noise level, the lower the case temperatures. Even under full load, the bottom of the base unit only heats up to a maximum of 46 °C (~115 °F). The top side heats up to a maximum of 39 °C (~102 °F) - also a good value for a gaming laptop.

The components work up a sweat much more. After an hour of stress testing with the FurMark and Prime95 tools, the RTX 2080 Super made itself comfortable at almost 80 °C (~176 °F), whereas the Core i9-10900K reached almost 100 °C (~212 °F). Fortunately, the CPU doesn't get that hot in everyday gaming. With The Witcher 3, the temperature was a reasonably moderate 70 to 80 °C (~158 to ~176 °F).

The Witcher 3
The Witcher 3
Stress test
Stress test
Full load - Top
Full load - Top
Full load - Bottom
Full load - Bottom
Max. Load
 37 °C
99 F
32 °C
90 F
39 °C
102 F
 
 32 °C
90 F
31 °C
88 F
32 °C
90 F
 
 30 °C
86 F
30 °C
86 F
26 °C
79 F
 
Maximum: 39 °C = 102 F
Average: 32.1 °C = 90 F
45 °C
113 F
43 °C
109 F
46 °C
115 F
33 °C
91 F
36 °C
97 F
30 °C
86 F
31 °C
88 F
35 °C
95 F
29 °C
84 F
Maximum: 46 °C = 115 F
Average: 36.4 °C = 98 F
Power Supply (max.)  44 °C = 111 F | Room Temperature 21 °C = 70 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated), Voltcraft IR-900
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 32.1 °C / 90 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 39 °C / 102 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 46 °C / 115 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.3 °C / 85 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(±) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 33.2 °C / 92 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 31 °C / 87.8 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-2.1 °C / -3.8 F).
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
i9-10900K, GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
i9-10900K, GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
i9-10980HK, GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
i9-10980HK, GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
Average of class Gaming
 
Heat
8%
-26%
-10%
-5%
Maximum Upper Side *
39
36.4
7%
54
-38%
59
-51%
46.3 ?(28.2 - 61, n=194, last 2 years)
-19%
Maximum Bottom *
46
43
7%
58.4
-27%
52
-13%
49.7 ?(30 - 66.3, n=194, last 2 years)
-8%
Idle Upper Side *
32
28
12%
40
-25%
30
6%
31.5 ?(21.2 - 43, n=194, last 2 years)
2%
Idle Bottom *
35
33.4
5%
39.4
-13%
29
17%
32.7 ?(22.6 - 45, n=194, last 2 years)
7%

* ... smaller is better

Speakers

Barebone manufacturer Clevo uses the existing case volume for a good 2.1 system that is also suitable for sound reproduction in larger rooms at a maximum of 94 dB(A). The sound is relatively powerful and well-balanced for a laptop, so that you don't necessarily have to plug in external speakers when you're listening to media.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2038.841.22535.439.93145.747.64032.141.85039.8446333.251.78025.254.110024.362.812528.87216028.572.920024.766.825024.568.831517.869.140014.87350013.275.86301377.38001175.910001175.4125010.879.416001178.3200011.178.9250011.479315012.179.7400012.483.4500012.585.4630012.788.7800012.878.11000012.579.91250012.173.61600011.568.7SPL2693.7N0.8109.6median 12.5median 77.3Delta3.6533.735.633.733.133.733.128.626.828.626.725.626.729.125.129.13923.53937.624.237.647.322.247.358.723.458.760.822.260.859.121.559.165.52165.568.523.568.565.224.465.267.222.767.272.822.872.872.418.272.465.917.765.972.616.572.673.215.373.269.516.469.572.416.272.468.115.968.167.814.567.86514.86570.716.570.772.714.172.774.813.974.875147570.813.370.883.229.883.260.41.360.4median 68.5median 16.5median 68.54.43.94.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseSCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet LakeMSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (94 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 8.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 1.7% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.7% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (9.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 4% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 95% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 97% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 8.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.1% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (9.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 4% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 95% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy management

Energy consumption

Not only do the high-end components lead to a high level of noise but also to high energy consumption. Since the Ultra 17 doesn't offer graphics switching, power consumption is over 30 watts even in idle mode. Under load, the consumption climbs up to 512 watts - a new negative record. According to The Witcher 3, you can expect about 320 watts in games.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 1.9 / 2 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 34 / 40 / 47 Watt
Load midlight 130 / 512 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 Ultra 17 Comet Lake
i9-10900K, GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
i9-10900K, GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
i9-10980HK, GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
i9-10980HK, GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile
Average of class Gaming
 
Power Consumption
6%
4%
26%
44%
Idle Minimum *
34
25.9
24%
33.6
1%
16
53%
13.7 ?(2 - 64, n=191, last 2 years)
60%
Idle Average *
40
38
5%
43.9
-10%
25
37%
18.9 ?(6.5 - 67, n=191, last 2 years)
53%
Idle Maximum *
47
53.2
-13%
59
-26%
35
26%
26.5 ?(9 - 101.1, n=191, last 2 years)
44%
Load Average *
130
123.8
5%
134.9
-4%
177
-36%
111.7 ?(32.1 - 202, n=191, last 2 years)
14%
Witcher 3 ultra *
318
312.5
2%
242
24%
227
29%
Load Maximum *
512
459.8
10%
320
37%
280
45%
249 ?(64.5 - 418, n=190, last 2 years)
51%

* ... smaller is better

Battery life

Despite the huge 97-Wh battery, the runtimes are rather modest. Depending on the load and display brightness, the 17-incher lasts between 1 and 5 hours without the power adapters. While the Alienware m17 R3 performs worse, the Asus Strix Scar 17 manages higher runtimes.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
4h 51min
WiFi Websurfing
3h 48min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 13min
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake
i9-10900K, GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile, 97 Wh
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
i9-10900K, GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile, 90 Wh
Alienware m17 R3 P45E
i9-10980HK, GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile, 86 Wh
Asus Strix Scar 17 G732LXS
i9-10980HK, GeForce RTX 2080 Super Mobile, 66 Wh
Average of class Gaming
 
Battery Runtime
-36%
-27%
62%
56%
Reader / Idle
291
221
-24%
602
107%
548 ?(57 - 1290, n=90, last 2 years)
88%
WiFi v1.3
228
146
-36%
191
-16%
356
56%
366 ?(57 - 745, n=191, last 2 years)
61%
Load
73
43
-41%
89
22%
86 ?(36 - 173, n=155, last 2 years)
18%

Pros

+ bright and colorful UHD display
+ moderate case temperatures
+ modern port configuration
+ battery accessible from outside
+ outstanding performance
+ good sound system
+ exchangeable CPU

Cons

- massive and heavy case
- high noise emissions
- high power consumption
- two power adapters required
- poor battery life
- very expensive

Verdict

XMG Ultra 17 (Clevo X170SM-G): Test device provided by Schenker Technologies
XMG Ultra 17 (Clevo X170SM-G): Test device provided by Schenker Technologies

The XMG Ultra 17 is a desktop replacement in a class of its own.

High-end power in a large case with many connections: This is how Schenker wants to win over power-hungry users for whom money is a secondary consideration. The colorful (albeit with somewhat weaker response times) UHD display and the input devices are also pleasing.

However, you'll have to say goodbye to the idea of mobility. The large dimensions, the heavy weight, and the relatively short battery life chain users to their desks. In the end, the XMG Ultra 17 was designed for stationary use only; this raises the question of why one shouldn't directly resort to an actual desktop PC, which is cheaper and, above all, quieter.

SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Comet Lake - 10/13/2020 v7
Florian Glaser

Chassis
79 / 98 → 81%
Keyboard
83%
Pointing Device
89%
Connectivity
71 / 80 → 89%
Weight
41 / 10-66 → 56%
Battery
57 / 95 → 59%
Display
87%
Games Performance
98%
Application Performance
96%
Temperature
88 / 95 → 93%
Noise
39 / 90 → 44%
Audio
87%
Camera
43 / 85 → 51%
Average
74%
85%
Gaming - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Schenker XMG Ultra 17 (Clevo X170SM-G) laptop review: Power without end
Florian Glaser, 2020-10-15 (Update: 2020-10-15)