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Schenker XMG Ultra 17 (i9-9900K, GTX 1080, UHD) Clevo P775TM1-G Laptop Review

Too much of a good thing? Anybody looking for a powerful desktop replacement is at the right address with the XMG Ultra 17 from Schenker Technologies. We evaluate whether the cooling system offers sufficient reserves for its top equipment with the Core i9-9900K and GeForce GTX 1080. Update: The reason for the GPU throttling was found, and there is a higher score due to new software.
Schenker XMG Ultra 17

Similar to other Barebone suppliers, Schenker Technologies scores with ample configuration options. In the mysn.de online shop (which is currently transferred to bestware.com) the XMG Ultra 17 starts from 1749 Euros (~$1990) but can become considerably more expensive with the corresponding components.

SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh (XMG Ultra Series)
Processor
Intel Core i9-9900K 8 x 3.6 - 5 GHz, Coffee Lake-R, (not soldered in)
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile - 8 GB VRAM, Core: 1657 MHz, Memory: 2500 MHz, GDDR5X (not soldered in), ForceWare 411.70
Memory
32 GB 
, 2x 16 GB SO-DIMM DDR4-2666, dual channel, 2 of 4 slots occupied, max. 64 GB
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 3840 x 2160 pixel 255 PPI, AU Optronics B173ZAN (AUO109B), IPS, UHD, G-Sync, 60 Hz, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Z370 (Kaby Lake)
Storage
Samsung SSD 970 Pro 1TB, 1024 GB 
, NVMe; slots: 2x M2 Type 2280 + 2x 2.5 in
Soundcard
Realtek ALC898 @ Intel Kaby Point PCH - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
4 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 2 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 3 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 1x headphones, 1x microphone, 1x line in, 1x line out, Card Reader: 6-in-1, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Killer E2500 Gigabit Ethernet 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): 41 x 418 x 295 ( = 1.61 x 16.46 x 11.61 in)
Battery
82 Wh, 5400 mAh Lithium-Ion, removeable, 8 cells
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: FHD
Additional features
Speakers: 2.1, Keyboard: 3 zones, RGB, Keyboard Light: yes, 330-watt power supply, key fob, sticker, recovery DVD, driver DVD, accessory for 2.5-in slot, USB stick, manual, Control Center, Killer Performance Suite, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
4.284 kg ( = 151.11 oz / 9.44 pounds), Power Supply: 1.28 kg ( = 45.15 oz / 2.82 pounds)
Price
4100 EUR
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

The best example for this is our test unit, which is equipped with 32 GB of DDR4-RAM (2x 16 GB @2666 MHz), a 1000 GB NVMe-SSD, and Nvidia's currently fastest laptop GPU, the GeForce GTX 1080. In combination with the Pascal chip, you can get an Intel processor from the i5, i7, or i9 series.

The kicker is that since Schenker uses desktop models, the processor is not – as we know it from most notebooks – soldered in, but can be replaced if needed. The same goes for the graphics card. However, there are some limits in the upgrade options (software support, availability of the hardware, power supply, cooling, etc.). Of course, all this technology has its price: With the Core i9-9900K, 4K display, and Windows 10 Home 64 Bit, our test unit costs almost 4000 Euros (~$4553).

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

Schenker has not made any changes to the case. The label of the Clevo Barebone used is the same as that of our previous test unit (P775TM1-G), which showed strong similarities to the Guru Mars K (P775DM3-G) we evaluated in 2017. You can find all the information on the case, the connections, and input devices in the previous review.

The primary competitors of the XMG Ultra 17 include other 17-inch gaming notebooks from our Top 10 List with the GeForce GTX 1080 and a Coffee-Lake CPU such as the Asus ROG Chimera G703GI and the Aorus X7 DT v8, which we use as comparison devices in our test here.

Size Comparison

425 mm / 16.7 inch 319 mm / 12.6 inch 51 mm / 2.01 inch 4.7 kg10.4 lbs418 mm / 16.5 inch 295 mm / 11.6 inch 41 mm / 1.614 inch 4.3 kg9.44 lbs418 mm / 16.5 inch 295 mm / 11.6 inch 41 mm / 1.614 inch 4.4 kg9.63 lbs428 mm / 16.9 inch 305 mm / 12 inch 25 mm / 0.984 inch 3.4 kg7.44 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Asus Chimera G703GI
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
198 MB/s +4%
Aorus X7 DT v8
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
196 MB/s +3%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
190 MB/s
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
187 MB/s -2%
Average of class Gaming
  (19 - 202, n=104, last 2 years)
98.2 MB/s -48%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Asus Chimera G703GI
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
246 MB/s +21%
Aorus X7 DT v8
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
244 MB/s +20%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
208 MB/s +2%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
204 MB/s
Average of class Gaming
  (26 - 269, n=95, last 2 years)
122.3 MB/s -40%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (865 - 1412, n=12, last 2 years)
1078 MBit/s +66%
Asus Chimera G703GI
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
690 MBit/s +6%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh
Killer Wireless-AC 1550 Wireless Network Adapter
648 MBit/s
Aorus X7 DT v8
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
599 MBit/s -8%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
596 MBit/s -8%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (708 - 1700, n=12, last 2 years)
1310 MBit/s +90%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
689 MBit/s 0%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh
Killer Wireless-AC 1550 Wireless Network Adapter
688 MBit/s
Asus Chimera G703GI
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
681 MBit/s -1%
Aorus X7 DT v8
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
655 MBit/s -5%

Display

Like the Barebone case, the display is also the same as in our old test unit. The UHD panel from AU Optronics (B173ZAN) that you can get for an additional premium captivates primarily with its large color space. Only a few laptops can reach a 100% sRGB and 87% AdobeRGB color space coverage.

345
cd/m²
337
cd/m²
335
cd/m²
351
cd/m²
349
cd/m²
358
cd/m²
331
cd/m²
312
cd/m²
332
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics B173ZAN (AUO109B) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 358 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 338.9 cd/m² Minimum: 17 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 87 %
Center on Battery: 349 cd/m²
Contrast: 851:1 (Black: 0.41 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.04 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 0.93
ΔE Greyscale 4.19 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
100% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
87% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
98.9% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
99.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
85.8% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.44
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh
AU Optronics B173ZAN (AUO109B), IPS, 3840x2160
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17
AU Optronics B173ZAN01.0 (AUO109B), IPS, 3840x2160
Asus Chimera G703GI
B173HAN03.2 (AUO329D), IPS, 1920x1080
Aorus X7 DT v8
AU Optronics B173HAN03.0 (AUO309D), IPS, 1920x1080
Display
0%
-21%
-22%
Display P3 Coverage
85.8
86.4
1%
65.8
-23%
65.3
-24%
sRGB Coverage
99.9
100
0%
92.6
-7%
91.2
-9%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
98.9
99.1
0%
67
-32%
66.3
-33%
Response Times
-9%
68%
51%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
41.2 ?(20.8, 20.4)
44 ?(22.8, 21.2)
-7%
6.4 ?(3.4, 3)
84%
18 ?(8.8, 9.2)
56%
Response Time Black / White *
22.4 ?(10, 12.4)
24.8 ?(11.6, 13.2)
-11%
10.8 ?(6, 4.8)
52%
12 ?(6.8, 5.2)
46%
PWM Frequency
Screen
6%
-2%
16%
Brightness middle
349
332
-5%
285
-18%
297
-15%
Brightness
339
313
-8%
275
-19%
281
-17%
Brightness Distribution
87
88
1%
82
-6%
84
-3%
Black Level *
0.41
0.28
32%
0.22
46%
0.23
44%
Contrast
851
1186
39%
1295
52%
1291
52%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.04
3.86
4%
3.18
21%
2.19
46%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
6.01
5.88
2%
5.99
-0%
4.81
20%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
0.93
1.73
-86%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
4.19
4.33
-3%
2.93
30%
1.31
69%
Gamma
2.44 90%
2.41 91%
2.45 90%
2.42 91%
CCT
6411 101%
6595 99%
7165 91%
6464 101%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
87
88
1%
60
-31%
59
-32%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
100
100
0%
93
-7%
91
-9%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-1% / 3%
15% / 4%
15% / 13%

* ... smaller is better

The 4K screen also fares well in the remaining disciplines, even though it is not always sufficient for the top position. The fact that the contrast and black value are different than in the previous test despite being identical panels should have to do with the normal manufacturing variations across the panel series.

By the way, we recommend a calibration for perfect image quality. Although the colors and grayscale do not deviate too much from the ideal range at the time of delivery, professional users can still get more from the display with the corresponding methods (our ICC file is linked above).

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

Since it is an IPS panel, the UHD screen offers a high viewing angle stability. In return, buyers have to live with a mediocre response time. 22 ms when changing from black to white and 41 ms changing gray to gray can lead to some smudging in extremely fast games (such as FIFA 19).

XMG Ultra 17 vs. sRGB (100%)
XMG Ultra 17 vs. sRGB (100%)
Subpixel grid
Subpixel grid
XMG Ultra 17 vs. AdobeRGB (87%)
XMG Ultra 17 vs. AdobeRGB (87%)

In the times associated with 120 Hz and 144 Hz panels (also available alternatively), 60 Hz for the image refresh rate are also meager. On the other hand, the UHD model at least can master G-Sync.

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
22.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 10 ms rise
↘ 12.4 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. » 44 % 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
41.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 20.8 ms rise
↘ 20.4 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. » 61 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18100 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Software

We did not modify the software installed on our test unit. Not only can you modify the fan control via the Control Center if you like, but you can also overclock the processor, the graphics card, and the working memory. In addition, you can also tune the RGB illumination, which is arranged into three separate zones.

Control Center
Control Center
Control Center
CPU Memory Overclocking
Flexikey
GPU Overclock

Performance

Due to its desktop features (replaceable CPU and GPU), the XMG Ultra 17 promises a high degree of being future proof. Upgrade enthusiasts should also be pleased with four RAM slots, two M.2 slots, and two 2.5-inch slots.

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

Processor

One of the biggest highlights of our test unit is Intel's brand-new Core i9-9900K octa-core chip that was developed as a response to AMD's Ryzen architecture and literally wipes the floor with most processors of recent years. No wonder, since the octa-core has 16 MB of L3 cache and a clock speed of 3.6 to 5.0 GHz. For comparison, the current Core i7-8750H notebook darling that has six cores must be content with 9 MB of L3 cache and a clock speed of 2.2 to 4.1 GHz. On the other hand, its TDP is also significantly lower (45 vs. 95 watts), which should have a strong effect on the cooling requirements.

Single-core rendering (4.7 - 5.0 GHz)
Single-core rendering (4.7 - 5.0 GHz)
Multi-core rendering (4.0 - 4.7 GHz)
Multi-core rendering (4.0 - 4.7 GHz)
GPU load (4.7 GHz avg.)
GPU load (4.7 GHz avg.)

In return, buyers of the XMG Ultra 17 receive an unmatched performance that has not been available before now, at least for a laptop. With 1865 points, the Core i9-9900K sprints ahead of the mobile Core i9-8950H (Asus ROG G703GI) and Core i7-8850H (Aorus X7 DT v8) Coffee-Lake top-guns by more than 40% in the multi-core test of CineBench R15. Against the Core i7-8700 of the old XMG Ultra 17, it is even +60%.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (79.2 - 318, n=245, last 2 years)
265 Points +27%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh
Intel Core i9-9900K
209 Points
Asus Chimera G703GI
Intel Core i9-8950HK
206 Points -1%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17
Intel Core i7-8700
190 Points -9%
Aorus X7 DT v8
Intel Core i7-8850H
182 Points -13%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (400 - 5663, n=247, last 2 years)
2988 Points +60%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh
Intel Core i9-9900K
1865 Points
Asus Chimera G703GI
Intel Core i9-8950HK
1312 Points -30%
Aorus X7 DT v8
Intel Core i7-8850H
1276 Points -32%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17
Intel Core i7-8700
1167 Points -37%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (2.62 - 3.73, n=23, last 2 years)
3.21 Points +35%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh
Intel Core i9-9900K
2.38 Points
Asus Chimera G703GI
Intel Core i9-8950HK
2.34 Points -2%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17
Intel Core i7-8700
2.18 Points -8%
Aorus X7 DT v8
Intel Core i7-8850H
2.07 Points -13%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (19.7 - 64.3, n=24, last 2 years)
35.7 Points +68%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh
Intel Core i9-9900K
21.2 Points
Asus Chimera G703GI
Intel Core i9-8950HK
15.14 Points -29%
Aorus X7 DT v8
Intel Core i7-8850H
14.02 Points -34%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17
Intel Core i7-8700
12.9 Points -39%

Unfortunately, the Core i9-9900K inherits a typical shortcoming of the Coffee-Lake generation, which is the limited clock speed behavior. In contrast to the Kaby-Lake chips, which have up to four cores, the current six and eight-core chips can only maintain their full Turbo over a limited time period. You can see this behavior playing out in our CineBench loop, in the course of which the performance of the XMG Ultra 17 drops by almost 5 to 10%. 

095190285380475570665760855950104511401235133014251520161517101805Tooltip

Due to its huge number of cores (handling 16 threads via Hyper-threading), regardless of whether in a desktop or notebook, the Core i9-9900K is still a good investment for anyone who uses applications that rely on parallel processing a lot in their home or office. We will evaluate next, whether the purchase is worthwhile for gamers as well. 

Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
8034
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
48808
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
2.38 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
21.2 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
209 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
1865 Points
Help

System Performance

The combination of a high-end GPU, octa-core CPU, and NVMe SSD has a particularly noticeable effect on the system performance. 6959 points in PCMark 10 are first-rate are some of the best results we have ever measured. Subjectively, the performance also knows how to please, be it during boot ups, program starts, or data transfer.

PCMark 10 - Score
Average of class Gaming
  (4477 - 9852, n=206, last 2 years)
7542 Points +8%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-9900K, Samsung SSD 970 Pro 1TB
6959 Points
Asus Chimera G703GI
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-8950HK, 2x Intel 760p 512 GB + 1x Samsung SM961 512 GB (RAID)
6607 Points -5%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8700, Samsung SSD 960 Evo 500GB m.2 NVMe
5976 Points -14%
Aorus X7 DT v8
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8850H, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
4524 Points -35%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Asus Chimera G703GI
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-8950HK, 2x Intel 760p 512 GB + 1x Samsung SM961 512 GB (RAID)
6093 Points +16%
Aorus X7 DT v8
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8850H, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
5779 Points +10%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-9900K, Samsung SSD 970 Pro 1TB
5243 Points
Average of class Gaming
  (3570 - 6657, n=37, last 2 years)
5218 Points 0%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8700, Samsung SSD 960 Evo 500GB m.2 NVMe
4865 Points -7%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Asus Chimera G703GI
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-8950HK, 2x Intel 760p 512 GB + 1x Samsung SM961 512 GB (RAID)
6281 Points +23%
Average of class Gaming
  (4622 - 7085, n=36, last 2 years)
6071 Points +19%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-9900K, Samsung SSD 970 Pro 1TB
5123 Points
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8700, Samsung SSD 960 Evo 500GB m.2 NVMe
4849 Points -5%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
5243 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5123 points
PCMark 10 Score
6959 points
Help

Storage Solution

In order to really score in the storage category, Schenker Technologies has used an NVMe-SSD from Samsung with a 1 TB capacity in our test configuration. While the 970 PRO is quite expensive for an SSD, in return it achieves a position at the top. According to the AS SSD benchmark, the 500-GB drive of the Aorus X7 DT v8, which is also based on the PCIe technology (Toshiba THNSN5512GPU7), falls behind by about 50%. Even the RAID system of the Asus G703GI is unable to move ahead in the overall score, despite its higher values in the sequential area.

SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh
Samsung SSD 970 Pro 1TB
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17
Samsung SSD 960 Evo 500GB m.2 NVMe
Asus Chimera G703GI
2x Intel 760p 512 GB + 1x Samsung SM961 512 GB (RAID)
Aorus X7 DT v8
Toshiba NVMe THNSN5512GPU7
AS SSD
-26%
8%
-50%
Seq Read
2823
2533
-10%
4886
73%
2182
-23%
Seq Write
2492
1771
-29%
4110
65%
1342
-46%
4K Read
58.4
43.65
-25%
57.4
-2%
23.28
-60%
4K Write
182.5
139.5
-24%
141.3
-23%
89.9
-51%
Score Read
2125
1716
-19%
1999
-6%
1058
-50%
Score Write
2816
1615
-43%
1855
-34%
981
-65%
Score Total
6017
4173
-31%
4843
-20%
2539
-58%
Samsung SSD 970 Pro 1TB
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 3495 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 2739 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 397 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 310 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1670 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 1863 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 53.3 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 129.6 MB/s

Graphics Card

As long as your budget does not play any role, the GeForce GTX 1080 is currently the best choice for gamers, since you hardly need to make any compromises in terms of image quality even at higher resolutions. The DirectX-12 model from Nvidia's Pascal series is equipped with 2560 shader units and 8 GB of GDDR5X storage (256-bit interface). Nvidia specifies a clock speed of 1657 MHz, with the GPU boost ideally being able to accelerate the core up to 1886 MHz.

3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (781 - 53059, n=248, last 2 years)
29013 Points +39%
Asus Chimera G703GI
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
21849 Points +5%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
21104 Points +1%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
20901 Points
Aorus X7 DT v8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
20813 Points 0%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (224 - 22547, n=246, last 2 years)
11809 Points +71%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
6977 Points +1%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
6907 Points
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Gaming
  (1029 - 72070, n=244, last 2 years)
39642 Points +39%
Asus Chimera G703GI
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
29696 Points +4%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
28621 Points 0%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
28606 Points
Aorus X7 DT v8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
26201 Points -8%

During benchmark testing, there were no abnormalities in terms of its performance capabilities. In 3DMark 11 as well as the Fire-Strike test of 3DMark 13, the XMG Ultra 17 scores at the level of the Aorus X7 DT v8 and the old test equipment, while the Asus G703GI can work out a slight advantage due to its factory overclocking.

3DMark 06 Standard Score
35252 points
3DMark 11 Performance
24503 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
175460 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
51972 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
19041 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
7260 points
Help

However, a more detailed analysis of the GPU performance reveals a huge problem. While the GeForce GTX 1080 still clocked at its standard 1657 MHz in the Unigine Heaven 4.0 benchmark, the endurance test of "The Witcher 3" (FHD/Ultra) produced a throttling down to around 1404 MHz, which corresponds to a decrease of 15%. Such throttling should not occur during gaming operation and is quite incomprehensible considering the harmless temperatures (GPU: ~70 °C/158 °F; CPU: ~50 °C/122 °F).

051015202530354045505560657075Tooltip
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-9900K, Samsung SSD 970 Pro 1TB: Ø62.5 (57-68)
Asus Chimera G703GI GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-8950HK, 2x Intel 760p 512 GB + 1x Samsung SM961 512 GB (RAID): Ø71.8 (67-77)

We guess that this might be a bug of the Control Center that has been known for months that only effects particular applications and can be fixed with a software update. Besides the Key 15, in the past the XMG A517 and XMG A707, for example, were also affected. We will perform the corresponding tests of the XMG Ultra 17 later and update this article accordingly. In its current state, we unfortunately feel compelled to reduce the gaming performance evaluation by several percentage points.

After an update of the Control Center ...
After an update of the Control Center ...
... the earlier GPU throttling ...
... the earlier GPU throttling ...
... has become a thing of the past.
... has become a thing of the past.
 

Update 10/30/18: As we had guessed, the Control Center is the reason for the GPU throttling. An update from version 5.0001.1.72 to the graphically redesigned Control Center 2.0 (v1.0.34) makes the problem disappear. Thanks to the better performance, the XMG Ultra 17 now attains 88% instead of 86%, resulting in an overall score of "Very Good."

Update 11/02/18: The Control Center 2.0 is not really meant (yet) for the XMG Ultra 17. However, Schenker has published a new EC and an update for the Control Center 1.0 which should also eliminate the throttling bug.

Gaming Performance

Just from a gaming point of view, the Core i9-9900K makes only a limited amount of sense. While extremely CPU-hungry games such as "Assassin's Creed Odyssey" can really benefit from the additional cores, at the end of the day a notebook with a quad or hexa-core will also be completely sufficient, since most games are GPU limited, at least at higher resolutions and settings.

The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Average of class Gaming
  (8.61 - 216, n=243, last 2 years)
114.3 fps +85%
Asus Chimera G703GI
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-8950HK
76.7 fps +24%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8700
75.6 fps +23%
Aorus X7 DT v8
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8850H
71.4 fps +16%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-9900K
61.7 fps

If you also consider the power consumption, excess heat, and purchase price, we would tend to advise gamers against purchasing the Core i9-9900K. The more affordable Core-i5 and Core-i7 models should also offer sufficient performance for the coming years.

low med. high ultra4K
The Witcher 3 (2015) 61.7 44.4
The Crew 2 (2018) 59.9 40.8
Monster Hunter World (2018) 83.6 25.8
F1 2018 (2018) 108 53
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) 87 29
FIFA 19 (2018) 276 167
Forza Horizon 4 (2018) 105 60
Assassin´s Creed Odyssey (2018) 60 31
Call of Duty Black Ops 4 (2018) 121 39.1

Emissions

Noise Emissions

Regardless of their thickness, notebooks with the GTX 1080 become fairly loud in 3D operation. The same also goes for the XMG Ultra 17, which in spite of the cooling system that appears to be massive still reaches 43 dB (3DMark 06) and 59 dB (stress test) under load. Around 53 dB after an hour of playing "The Witcher 3" are also hefty. However, the Asus G703GI and the Aorus X7 DT v8 settle on a similar level.

Noise level - idle
Noise level - idle
Noise level - load
Noise level - load
Sound level - speaker
Sound level - speaker

In idle mode and during low loads, the 17-incher has to struggle with a typical problem of the Clevo Barebones: the fan control is sub-optimal, to express it mildly. During rather smaller tasks such as installations or Windows Updates, the fans like to rev up above 40 dB, which can be very annoying in practice. Sometimes they even rev up without any reason when the system does not really have anything to do. Tip: Tuning experts can try their hands in controlling the fan manually via the Control Center.

Noise Level

Idle
33 / 35 / 43 dB(A)
Load
43 / 59 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 30 dB(A)
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh
i9-9900K, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17
i7-8700, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
Asus Chimera G703GI
i9-8950HK, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
Aorus X7 DT v8
i7-8850H, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
Average of class Gaming
 
Noise
-0%
1%
1%
17%
off / environment *
30
30
-0%
29
3%
29
3%
24.1 ?(19.5 - 29.9, n=192, last 2 years)
20%
Idle Minimum *
33
34
-3%
30
9%
35
-6%
25.6 ?(21.9 - 41.6, n=193, last 2 years)
22%
Idle Average *
35
35
-0%
34
3%
36
-3%
27.4 ?(21.9 - 42.1, n=193, last 2 years)
22%
Idle Maximum *
43
40
7%
42
2%
41
5%
30.8 ?(21.9 - 47, n=193, last 2 years)
28%
Load Average *
43
45
-5%
53
-23%
43
-0%
43.2 ?(25.2 - 62.9, n=193, last 2 years)
-0%
Witcher 3 ultra *
53
52
2%
51
4%
53
-0%
Load Maximum *
59
60
-2%
53
10%
54
8%
53.3 ?(42.1 - 68.2, n=193, last 2 years)
10%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

The low temperature development of the case deserves some praise. Even under full load with the FurMark and Prime95 tools, the base unit only heats up to a maximum of 44 °C (112 °F, top) and 45 °C (113 °F, bottom). However, in extreme situations the hardware is also getting throttled. For example, the Core i9-9900K only ran at its standard core speed of 3.6 GHz in the stress test (similar to "The Witcher 3"), whereas the GeForce GTX 1080 was throttled again to 1400 MHz. The fact that the GPU still heated up to 90 °C (194 °F) does not speak for the quality of the cooling system.

The Witcher 3
The Witcher 3
Stress test
Stress test
Full load - top
Full load - top
Full load - bottom
Full load - bottom

In short, the combination of the Core i9-9900K and GTX 1080 seems to bring the Barebone to its limits and even slightly overextend it. Schenker has told us that in the XMG Ultra 17 the CPUs are even undervolted in the state of delivery, which is definitely necessary in this case.

Max. Load
 43 °C
109 F
43 °C
109 F
37 °C
99 F
 
 44 °C
111 F
43 °C
109 F
37 °C
99 F
 
 31 °C
88 F
35 °C
95 F
29 °C
84 F
 
Maximum: 44 °C = 111 F
Average: 38 °C = 100 F
45 °C
113 F
43 °C
109 F
40 °C
104 F
42 °C
108 F
42 °C
108 F
36 °C
97 F
25 °C
77 F
28 °C
82 F
27 °C
81 F
Maximum: 45 °C = 113 F
Average: 36.4 °C = 98 F
Power Supply (max.)  46 °C = 115 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 38 °C / 100 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 44 °C / 111 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 45 °C / 113 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.1 °C / 84 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(±) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 32.4 °C / 90 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (35 °C / 95 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-6.1 °C / -11 F).
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh
i9-9900K, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17
i7-8700, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
Asus Chimera G703GI
i9-8950HK, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
Aorus X7 DT v8
i7-8850H, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
Average of class Gaming
 
Heat
0%
-6%
-6%
-3%
Maximum Upper Side *
44
41
7%
50
-14%
51
-16%
46.2 ?(28.2 - 61, n=193, last 2 years)
-5%
Maximum Bottom *
45
48
-7%
50
-11%
63
-40%
49.6 ?(30 - 66.3, n=193, last 2 years)
-10%
Idle Upper Side *
32
30
6%
32
-0%
27
16%
31.6 ?(21.2 - 43, n=193, last 2 years)
1%
Idle Bottom *
33
35
-6%
33
-0%
28
15%
32.7 ?(22.6 - 45, n=193, last 2 years)
1%

* ... smaller is better

Speakers

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2038.741.92535.640.83129.132.14033.940.4502730.66325.927.48027.236.210028.451.41252452.716023.959.220026.961.925026.260.431521.168.140020.176.950018.977.463017.672.88001871100018.366.712501962.1160017.461.9200017.165.8250017.367.6315017.265.8400017.264.4500017.362.4630017.362.9800017.262.41000017.260.41250017.158.6160001751.8SPL30.380.2N1.449.3median 17.6median 62.4Delta1.83.633.735.531.229.729.929.927.229.2253126.140.32451.923.557.824.261.822.866.225.166.622.569.420.373.819.274.818.477.317.878.217.477.817.880.417.580.217.277.717.27717.477.717.377.117.576.717.272.817.269.417.467.917.365.417.258.31752.429.888.81.382.3median 17.5median 74.81.85.7hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseSCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake RefreshAsus Chimera G703GI
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (80 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 5.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 7.1% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.9% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (13.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 16% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 79% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 10% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 87% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Asus Chimera G703GI audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (89 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 8.9% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (6.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.1% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (2.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (11.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 10% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 87% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 6% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 92% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management

Power Consumption

Due to the occasional throttling, the measurements of the power consumption are not 100% comparable with that of the competitors – at least in 3D operation. During idle operation, the 17-incher consumes between 33 and 49 watts, which is a lot, even for a gaming notebook. Thanks to their notebook CPU, the Asus G703GI (29-46 watts) and the Aorus X9 DT v8 (23-37 watts) consume much less power. By the way, all of these devices drop Nvidia's Optimus technology in favor of G-Sync.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.4 / 1.2 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 33 / 42 / 49 Watt
Load midlight 93 / 293 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 Coffee Lake Refresh
i9-9900K, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17
i7-8700, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
Asus Chimera G703GI
i9-8950HK, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
Aorus X7 DT v8
i7-8850H, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
Average of class Gaming
 
Power Consumption
-8%
-18%
2%
31%
Idle Minimum *
33
32
3%
29
12%
23
30%
13.8 ?(2 - 64, n=189, last 2 years)
58%
Idle Average *
42
38
10%
37
12%
33
21%
19 ?(6.5 - 67, n=189, last 2 years)
55%
Idle Maximum *
49
45
8%
46
6%
37
24%
26.6 ?(9 - 101.1, n=189, last 2 years)
46%
Load Average *
93
96
-3%
156
-68%
115
-24%
112 ?(32.1 - 202, n=189, last 2 years)
-20%
Witcher 3 ultra *
156
237
-52%
252
-62%
225
-44%
Load Maximum *
293
331
-13%
314
-7%
281
4%
250 ?(64.5 - 418, n=188, last 2 years)
15%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Since the XMG Ultra 17 has to make do without graphics switching, the battery life is extremely poor. Even at minimum brightness, you cannot squeeze more than 3 hours out of the 82-Wh battery. On the other hand, the battery can be accessed from the outside, so you can replace it.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
2h 51min
WiFi Websurfing
1h 56min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 13min
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh
i9-9900K, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 82 Wh
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17
i7-8700, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 82 Wh
Asus Chimera G703GI
i9-8950HK, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 71 Wh
Aorus X7 DT v8
i7-8850H, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 94.24 Wh
Average of class Gaming
 
Battery Runtime
5%
-6%
60%
150%
Reader / Idle
171
164
-4%
169
-1%
296
73%
548 ?(57 - 1290, n=90, last 2 years)
220%
WiFi v1.3
116
142
22%
130
12%
228
97%
364 ?(57 - 745, n=191, last 2 years)
214%
Load
73
70
-4%
51
-30%
80
10%
85.5 ?(36 - 173, n=153, last 2 years)
17%
H.264
148
392 ?(56 - 747, n=97, last 2 years)

Verdict

Pros

+ UHD-display with huge color space
+ individually configurable
+ CPU & GPU removable
+ outstanding performance
+ many upgrade options
+ large number of connections
+ many accessories included
+ RGB backlight
+ no bloatware
+ practical tools
+ good sound
+ G-Sync

Cons

- heavy and bulky case
- limited CPU Turbo
- mediocre fan control
- very loud in 3D operation
- high power consumption
- short battery life
XMG Ultra 17, test unit provided by Schenker Technologies.
XMG Ultra 17, test unit provided by Schenker Technologies.

An impressive performance that is only worthwhile for very few users - This is how you could summarize the Core i9-9900K in a single sentence.

While eight cores and sixteen threads may bring a great advantage in some particular usage scenarios, gamers can relax and continue to rely on a quad or hexa-core laptop (with Hyper-theading).

The notebook itself leaves a good impression. However, as customary in the absolute high-end range, you are confronted with a high noise level and low mobility (keywords: dimensions, weight, and battery life).

Besides these weaknesses, the 17-incher does not deserve that many complaints. In addition to the connection equipment and the configuration and upgrade options, the sound and input devices also succeed in convincing us to a large extent.

The Clevo Barebone P775TM1-G it is based on is a real desktop replacement that could easily go against a well-equipped PC tower

SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh - 10/30/2018 v6(old)
Florian Glaser

Chassis
80 / 98 → 82%
Keyboard
83%
Pointing Device
78%
Connectivity
75 / 81 → 93%
Weight
47 / 10-66 → 65%
Battery
62%
Display
89%
Games Performance
99%
Application Performance
98%
Temperature
84 / 95 → 88%
Noise
56 / 90 → 62%
Audio
84%
Average
78%
88%
Gaming - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Schenker XMG Ultra 17 (i9-9900K, GTX 1080, UHD) Clevo P775TM1-G Laptop Review
Florian Glaser, 2018-10-30 (Update: 2018-11-22)