XMG Neo 17 (E23) / Eluktronics MECH-17 GP2 review (2023)
We test & benchmark the XMG Neo 17 RTX 4090 gaming laptop & XMG OASIS liquid cooling laptop system
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The XMG Neo 17 E23 / Eluktronics MECH-17 GP2 are new high-powered laptops aimed at gaming enthusiasts which bring the same performance customization and high-TGP graphics cards that we’ve seen in previous entries in the series, as well as compatibility with a unique (optional) external liquid cooling solution.
The XMG Neo 17 E23 as sold in the EU is virtually the same laptop as the Eluktronics MECH-17 GP2 marketed in the US in most areas, so this review will serve as a review of both, though bear in mind there are some aesthetic differences and software layout variations between the two.
The particular laptop we’re reviewing has a 17-inch 240Hz display, RTX 4090 graphics card and i9-13900HX processor, although we will also be reviewing the 16-inch Neo 16 E23 with RTX 4080 separately. We’ll first be testing how the laptop performs on its own, and then benchmarking the temperature and performance changes with the external XMG OASIS external liquid cooling system attached to see if it’s worth the additional expenditure. Read on to see how the Neo 17 E23 compares to other RTX 4090 laptops and see whether it’s worthy of a place in our best gaming laptop list.
Note: Previous stability issues as reported Jarrod’s Tech and others, have now been resolved with BIOS updates (Our review unit had no such issues). These were not limited to XMG laptops, but affected various Nvidia 40-series and Intel 13th gen laptops across different brands and models. To XMG’s credit, they offered extended refund policies over this period plus technical support to those affected.
XMG Neo 17 E23 / Eluktronics MECH-17 GP2 (i9-13900HX)
CPU
Intel Core i9-13900HX
Graphics
Nvidia RTX 4060 (140W) / 4070 (140W) / 4080 (175W) / 4090 (175W)
RAM
16GB/32GB/64GB DDR5 (4800-6400 MHz)
Storage
500GB – 8TB SSD
Screen Size
17″
Max Refresh Rate
240Hz (can be set to 60Hz)
Specifications & upgradability
Opening up the XMG Neo 17 E23 was fairly straightforward – all you need is a Phillips head screwdriver and the screws and back panel come away fairly easily.
Once you’re inside you’ll see the two upgradable M.2 PCI-Express 4.0 x4 storage slots for SSDs and two DDR5 Dual Channel RAM slots, supporting up to a maximum of 6400MHz 64GB RAM (more than you’ll ever need unless you’re doing demanding workstation tasks). The laptop also has an upgradable Wi-Fi 6E slot. Like last year’s E22 model, the extensive cooling pipes for the liquid cooling system are notable throughout the inside of the build, along with the dual cooling fans.
The E23 comes with a single CPU choice: the Intel Core 13th Gen i9-13900HX processor. The iGPU is Intel UHD Graphics, which can be fully turned off using the MUX Switch in the onboard software to maximize performance at the expense of battery life (something we usually recommend when gaming unless you’re running off battery only). The dedicated graphics card in our test model was the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 (16GB VRAM), though RTX 4080 (12GB VRAM), RTX 4070 (8GB VRAM), and RTX 4060 (8GB VRAM) are also available. All GPU variants are the highest TGP options available and come with Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut liquid metal cooling. The RTX 4090 and 4080 come with a larger 330W power adapter, with the RTX 4060 or RTX 4070 versions coming with a smaller 280W power brick.
The external OASIS cooling system does not come with its own liquid coolant as part of the price, but you can easily pick up some distilled water cheaply from any number of retailers.
CPU
Intel Core i9-13900HX
Graphics
Nvidia RTX 4060 (140W) / 4070 (140W) / 4080 (175W) / 4090 (175W)
RAM
16GB/32GB/64GB DDR5 (4800-6400 MHz)
Storage
500GB – 8TB SSD
Screen Size
17″
Max Refresh Rate
240Hz (can be set to 60Hz)
Resolution
2560×1600
Panel Type
IPS
Touchscreen?
No
Webcam
1080p Infra Red
Weight
6.17lbs / 2.8kg
Ports
1x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4, DP 1.4a, G-Sync), 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1x HDMI 2.1 (G-Sync, HDCP 2.3), card reader (SD/SDHC/SDXC), 2.5Gbit/s Ethernet RJ-45, Audio out 3.5mm, Mic in 3.5mm, Kensington Lock slot
- Superb gaming performance
- Highest TGP RTX 4080 / 4090 in a laptop
- MUX Switch & Advanced Optimus
- Superb onboard software allows for detailed performance/fan tweaking
- Great sRGB color replication, accuracy & panel uniformity
- Bright screen with respectable contrast
- Mechanical keyboard option & trackpad are very good
- SD card reader
- Good build quality
- Compatible with external liquid cooling
- Intel Core i9-13900HX CPU runs hot without liquid cooling
- Webcam & mic could be better
- Heavy power adapter
- Standard membrane keyboard option is mediocre
- Bland aesthetic
Software
The fantastic ‘Control Centre’ software we’re used to with XMG machines is back again, in all its easy-to-navigate and highly tweakable glory.
Once again, in the Performance menu, you can choose between three standard performance profiles (Balanced, Enthusiast, and Overboost) that regulate the voltage supplied to the primary components plus their cooling via fan speed. Alternatively you can create and save custom fan speed profiles for the CPU and GPU, as well as tweak power levels, GPU clock speed, and even Memory overclocking (though this was disabled for our review unit). You can select different profiles to be applied when running different applications.
There a couple of new voltage/clock speed sliders under the Custom Profile settings (see the image gallery for the full range) but besides that it’s pretty much the same options you go with the 2022 XMG variants, which is by no means a bad thing.
General Settings includes a Device Manager letting you enable/disable the webcam, Touchpad, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, a GPU Settings Menu where you can disable Optimus as well as change the refresh rate settings, an In-Game OSD menu which is great for tracking your FPS, CPU, GPU, and Memory usage in-game, and finally Key Remapping.
You can also change the charging profile of the battery to one of three options: High Capacity Mode to favour increased charging speed and capacity, Eco Mode to reduce the battery’s capacity and slow its charging speed but lengthen its lifespan, or Balanced Mode which lies in between these two extremes.
Design aesthetics & RGB
The XMG Neo 17 E23 comes with the newer chassis and display found in the Neo 17 M22 that was released in Q4 2022, which differs from the models we last tested from earlier that year.
It’s more or less the same shade of black as previous editions, but with a slightly more matte finish on the top surface around the keyboard. Once again it’s a no-frills, utilitarian looking device, though this makes it ideal for the office.
The membrane keyboard on the model we tested has a white rim around each of the individual keys, which we can’t say we’re a fan of. This membrane keyboard has 4 RGB backlight zones but the overall brightness of them wasn’t brilliant.
The mechanical keyboard option however (which we tested on the Neo 16 but which you can buy for this model) looks much better. It doesn’t have the white edge around the keys, and comes with impressively bright RGB which shines through the lettering and around the keys. It has per-key RGB backlight functionality that you can control via the onboard software, to achieve the usual pulse patterns and colors. It looks very nice against the black.
The unimpressive RGB strip that appeared on the front of previous entries to the series has been removed… to be replaced with an equally unimpressive pair of horizontal plastic slithers that protrude out of the rear of the laptop. These light up and can also be controlled via the Control Centre to emit various light colors and patterns, though don’t get very bright at all. In short: probably not worth bothering with.
Size, build quality & ergonomics
As mentioned the XMG Neo 17 E23 has an updated chassis compared to the last models we reviewed, but similar to the Neo 17 M22 released in late 2022. The newer chassis has wider exhaust ports along the side and now includes them across about ⅔ of the back edge that isn’t occupied by ports. The hinge mechanism has been updated and a new button sits next to the power switch to quickly change between the three pre-set performance modes.
Whereas in previous XMG Neo models both the display lid and the top case were made of metal (aluminium), in the E23 models it’s only the lid. However, the tough matte plastic of the top of the casing/chassis actually feels just as durable and in fact we prefer it over the older metal: it’s nicer to rest your hands on, less prone to the paint scratching off, and less likely to get as hot in the sun and sweaty beneath your hands.
The bottom and sides of the laptop feel more plasticky and less durable, but no more than they did in the older variants, and no more so than the vast majority of premium laptops (Razer laptops being an exception). Overall it feels like a sturdy, well-built machine, and this extends to the hinge action – screen wobble is minimal.
Looking at the dimensions and weight of the Neo 17:
Height: 2.7cm / 1.06″, Width: 38.17cm / 15.03″, Depth: 27.28cm / 10.74″
Laptop weight: 2.83kg, Power adapter weight: 1kg, Combined weight: 3.83kg
Excluding the power adapter the Nero 17 E23 has identical dimensions and weight to the XMG Neo 17 M22 released in late 2022. It’s 300g heavier than the new E23 16-inch version, and 600g heavier than the XMG 15 E22 we last tested (a 15-inch laptop).
Compared to the other 17-inch competition it’s 70g lighter than the MSI Raider GE77 HX (as well as being slightly narrower and less deep, but a bit thicker than the 2.59cm Raider) and 80g heavier than last year’s ultra slim Razer Blade 17 (which is only 1.99cm thick). Although it lines up alright compared to competing laptops from other brands, the reality is any laptop of this size is not particularly portable – it doesn’t fit easily into a small backpack and when combined with the hefty 1kg charger you will definitely notice the weight.
XMG OASIS (Rev. 3)
In most regards this latest revision (the third) of the XMG OASIS liquid cooling system is the same as the previous iterations. It comes with the following dimensions:
Height: 18.6cm / 7.32″, Width: 7.5cm / 2.95″, Depth: 20.3cm / 8.00″
This 1.39kg (3.06lb) (when filled) device along with associated tubing is pretty easy to carry in a backpack, though won’t fit in your standard laptop case obviously. Setting up the OASIS pump is pretty easy after you’ve done it the first time. We’d recommend watching the official XMG OASIS setup video to see the steps involved. There is the issue of draining it of cooling fluid each time you want to take it with you (advisable to avoid a bag full of leaking coolant).
What’s unique about Rev. 3 of the XMG OASIS cooling system comes with a self-sealing connection when the tubing attaches to the laptop, meaning you don’t have to tighten two sets of screws to hold it in place as you did last time. This makes it quicker and less fiddly to set up, though it does appear to be slightly less secure if you move the laptop, as we did notice a tiny leak in once instance after moving the device a bit.
Still, revision 3 of the device apparently has water flow sensor that automatically switches off the pump if an interruption in the water flow is detected – meaning if you accidentally disconnect it whilst it’s still on, you won’t get liquid pumping out all over your laptop (though to be honest we did not test this).
The main drawbacks of the OASIS remain the same as they were when we tested its predecessor. When you disconnect the pump, most of the liquid is withdrawn back into the tube to the OASIS and kept behind its valves, however some liquid will inevitably remain in the laptop’s piping. This means you have to drain the laptop before transporting it unless you want to experience a disastrously damaging leak inside your laptop bag, which would, of course, damage the laptop itself – not exactly convenient, particularly if you’re in a rush to get out of the door.
Keyboard & trackpad
Keyboard options
The keyboard of the XMG Neo has undergone a revamp since the E22 variants of the Neo 15 we tested in H1 2022. No longer does it come with a standard optomechanical keyboard, you now have the option of a ‘silent membrane’ keyboard or a fully mechanical keyboard with CHERRY MX Ultra Low Profile Tactile switches.
Although the test version we had of Neo 17 came with the cheaper ‘silent membrane’ keyboard, we’ve had the pleasure of testing the mechanical keyboard on the Neo 16, so can report as to the quality of both.
The cheaper option is basically the standard basic membrane keyboard, which you’d expect on a more mid-range machine: the key depression is mushy and spongey – lacking in any good feedback besides the space bar. It was however very quiet to type on. Not great but not terrible either.
In every area besides noise, the mechanical keyboard is superior, though to be accurate it’s not entirely mechanical: the majority of keys use the Cherry MX switches, however the top Function keys and Numpad use membrane switches. Still – this doesn’t really negatively impact the experience when typing or gaming.
The new mechanical keys are heavier compared to the optomechanical switches we’ve tested on the E21 and E22, with more tactile actuation similar to a Cherry MX Brown style switch (they depress to a point of resistance, then, once this is overcome, depress easily – giving the user tactile feedback). This is in contrast to the E21 model which had a less apparent actuation point. Whilst typing experience is subjective to a point, we’d definitely say the new switches will feel better for the majority of users, and they aren’t obnoxiously loud either.
Both membrane and mechanical keys are smaller than the larger keys on previous models with greater gaps between them, which helps to reduce typing errors though does change the look of the keyboard. The space under the keys has also now been reduced, meaning less likelihood of dirt getting stuck underneath.
All-in-all we’d heartily recommend paying the extra for the mechanical keyboard option, but are less enthused about the membrane variant.
Trackpad
The ‘Microsoft Precision Glass Touchpad’ on the Neo 17 is a large one, measuring 15cm x 9.5cm. It is an all-in-one clickpad design with two integrated buttons (i.e. the buttons are not separate).
Unlike the significantly smaller (more ‘normal’ sized) trackpad on the latest Neo 16, the Neo 17 variant can be split so one half of it is deactivated by tapping the respective corners – to favor either left-handed or right handed users who might find that the fully activated trackpad gets in the way when typing. The entire trackpad can also be activated/deactivated by tapping one of the corners (or alternatively in the onboard software), causing a small indicator light to come on when activated.
We had no issues with the trackpad even in its fully activated mode: it was pleasingly responsive, tracks the movement of your finger well, feels sturdy and well built, and has a satisfying bass click to it.
Webcam & inbuilt microphone
The laptop comes with a upgraded 1080p webcam, placed on the top bezel of the screen with InfraRed facial recognition technology to support Windows Hello. However the quality of the image was grainy, even after messing around with the settings to try and improve the image quality.
The inbuilt mic is also not great and doesn’t exclude fan noise or ambient sound particularly well. These are areas we hope XMG & Eluktronics can improve on in the future.
Ports, sockets, and other features
The port coverage for the XMG Neo 17 / Eluktronics MECH-17 GP2 is good, though admittedly we would have ideally like to have seen an additional USB-C port. As it is you get one USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port on the left, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports on the right, and a single USB-C port on the rear of the laptop.
The USB-C port does however support Thunderbolt 4, DisplayPort 1.4a, G-Sync and FreeSync (making it a great option for connecting to external displays), as well as output for VR headsets.
Additionally there are separate 3.5mm jacks for a microphone and headphones on the left side of the laptop, which is preferable to a combi-jack for gamers and streamers. There’s also a Kensington lock. On the right hand side, the laptop has a full-sized SD/SDHC/SDXC card reader, which is always a nice feature that furthers the utility of the machine outside of gaming (though something we’d expect to see on a premium laptop of this size).
The rear of the laptop also has the usual HDMI 2.1 socket (compatible with HDCP 2.3 and with G-Sync), RJ45 2.5 Gbit/s ethernet port, and the self-sealing connectors for the OASIS liquid cooling setup.
Screen
There is a single screen option for the XMG Neo 17 E23: a 17-inch, 16:10, 2560 x 1600 (aka QHD+), 240Hz IPS display (though the refresh rate can be lowered to 60Hz to conserve battery). Overall we don’t have many complaints with it.
The extra headroom that the 16:10 size provides makes the display extra immersive, not to mention more useful for tasks outside of gaming. The high resolution image is crisp and a pleasure to view content on and the 240Hz maximum refresh rate is the highest you can get at this resolution in a gaming laptop on the current market.
In terms of response time, we were slightly disappointed with the 7ms average grey-to-grey response time we recorded. In order to completely eliminate ghosting at this refresh rate you need a 4.2ms response time or faster, though in reality the vast majority of gamers won’t notice any difference.
This year the display supports both G-Sync and FreeSync, which is an upgrade over the previous models we tested that didn’t have the former feature.
XMG Neo 17 color gamut
XMG claims that the display covers 99% of the sRGB spectrum. We tested these claims for all three color gamut presets and got the following results: 99.5% sRGB, 73.2% Adobe RGB, 75% DCI-P3.
Based on these results alone, you could definitely work in the sRGB space on this device for color-based workflows, although high-end professionals working in the Adobe RGB or DCI-P3 space may want to look elsewhere.
XMG Neo 17 color accuracy out of the box
As with every laptop screen, we tested various visual data points for accuracy. Ideal values for each measurement are as follows: 6500K (White point), 0/m² (Black point), infinity:1 (Contrast ratio), 0 (average deltaE*00), 2.2 (gamma). Average deltaE*00 variance is the true measure of color accuracy, and anything below 2.5 is what you want to aim for.
The results were: 6300K (White point), 0.1184/m² (Black point), 1023.5:1 (Contrast ratio), 1.32 (average deltaE*00), 2.17 (gamma). The average delta score (the main determinant of color accuracy) was very good, meaning the XMG Neo 17 is certainly suitable for color accurate work in the sRGB space. The gamma result was also very good. The other three results were fairly mediocre, but certainly good enough for gaming.
XMG Neo 17 color accuracy following calibration
Although it’s often unnecessary on today’s premium laptops, which tend to come pre-calibrated before we get our hands on them, we like to see what a quick calibration can squeeze out of a display.
The results were: 6301K (White point), 0.1187/m² (Black point), 1021:1 (Contrast ratio), 1.36 (average deltaE*00), 2.0 (gamma).
So to summarise, calibration saw virtually no difference whatsoever, with a very slight improvement in gamma score at the expense of the average deltaE*00 score. In short: not worth bothering with.
XMG Neo 17 panel uniformity
Generally, any average color variation under 1.00 is good and shows up as green in the image above, though the average consumer won’t be able to tell much difference below 3.00. Visual editors who work with color however may have a keener eye.
The results we got on the XMG Neo 17 E23 were very impressive. All variation was below 1.00 average delta (in green), with the slight exception of one panel on the middle-right showing a variance slightly above this. This makes it an ideal display for doing color accurate work on.
Brightness
We finished off our color accuracy testing by running a luminance test. XMG Neo 17 claims a 380 nit peak brightness, but the results actually surpassed this.
We recorded a peak brightness of 414 cd/m² and a minimum of 21 cd/m² – better than average results for a gaming laptop and sufficiently bright to be used outdoors as long as direct sunlight isn’t shining on the screen.
When using the laptop indoors during the daytime we’d recommend matching the brightness to 120 cd/m² which equates to a brightness setting of 38% under the brightness controls for this laptop.
Audio
Speaker placement for the XMG Neo 17 E23 is in a similar placement to previous offerings: underneath the front corners of the laptop, which is less than ideal given the muffling effect of the surface underneath, particularly if you’re using the laptop on a soft surface. On a laptop this size we would like to see some on the top chassis as well.
The quality of the audio however, which has always been one of the drawbacks of XMG/Eluktronics laptops, has improved quite a bit, to the point where we’d now say it’s actually above average by gaming laptop standards: with very little tinniness and some fairly warm tones in the mid-range. Bass is limited, as is the case with virtually all laptops besides MacBooks (and even they don’t have a great deal) but it’s definitely better than previous instalments and above average by gaming laptop standards.
The audio quality on the Neo 17 is pretty much the same as on the smaller Neo 16 E23 model that we also tested, however the volume was louder on the larger laptop – with a fairly impressive max volume.
Battery Life
We did our usual test of two hours of fullscreen YouTube, then the rest web browsing and typing on GoogleDocs. We set the laptop to 38% brightness (the 120 cd/m² setting), with the performance setting switched to Balanced mode within the Control Centre software, the display set to 60Hz max refresh rate, and with all background applications and RGB switched off.
We got around 4 hours 20mins in this test, which is not ideal and does limit the utility of the laptop as a general use device, though it’s probably not that low when compared to other 17-inch laptops with core components this powerful.
XMG Neo 17 performance, noise & temperature
We tested benchmarked the XMG Neo 17 E23 both with and without the OASIS external cooling system to see the difference in performance.
Used the standard Overboost preset when benchmarking the laptops without the liquid cooling.
For the liquid cooling test, we selected a Custom Profile and ‘Enable Automatic GPU Overboost’ was turned on, which automatically raises CPU and GPU power limits to their respective maximums. You can overclock the GPU Core Clock and GPU Memory Clock further with two sliders (though it’s advised to only do this in small increments), however for the purpose of this test we didn’t touch them. Fan speed profiles were left as standard (maxing out at 90% speed at 90°C).
Fine-tuning all of the above settings, whether you’re using liquid cooling of fan cooling only, could squeeze you some additional performance beyond what we achieved, but you do need to be aware of what you’re doing before attempting it, and the potential effect they could have on reducing the lifespan of your laptop.
Noise
Without the use of the OASIS cooling system, the fan noise is pretty standard when compared to other desktop-replacement ultra high-end laptops. In Balanced mode in non-demanding scenarios the fans were barely audible, but when switched to Enthusiast and Overboost mode in games it became noticeably loud, unless you’re wearing headphones.
With the OASIS system turned on, for the first 30 seconds or so of the pump starting up gurgling/draining noises can be heard, but after that it quietens down to a sort of scratchy hum. ‘Balanced’ is the standard, most active setting for the pump, and this is quieter than gaming on Enthusiast and Overboost with just the fans, but is still audible. You can however dial it down to two settings below this, and the quietest of these is very quiet, even under stress in games on the highest settings (though still audible).
As we stated in last year’s review though, it’s questionable how beneficial this is for most people, given you’re likely to be using headphones when gaming at home which is when you’d actually use the OASIS, and the time you’d most likely to want the laptop to be quiet (in an office, on a train, or in some other public place) is when you’re least likely to be able to.
External temperature
The chassis of the laptop when being used in Balanced mode during web browsing, watching YouTube and general admin feels nice and cool.
In Enthusiast and Overboost mode when gaming, temperature increase under your hands becomes noticeable after a while if you’re playing a demanding title on the highest settings the WASD keys, however no worse than any other premium gaming laptop with the highest specs inside and it didn’t become uncomfortable. As you’d expect, a great deal of heat is expelled through the vents on the sides and rear of the laptop, so be aware of what you’re placing next to it.
With the OASIS system operational the body of the laptop feels noticeably cooler, though it can still get slightly warm during extended gaming sessions with settings on max. Still, the benefit here is definitely noticeable.
Internal temperature
Internal temperature results for the XMG Neo 17 E23 were very interesting.
Looking at the results where only the standard internal cooling of the laptop was used, the maximum and average GPU temperatures were slightly lower than than they were in the previous year’s XMG Neo E22 with RTX 3070 Ti that we tested, but notably higher than the RTX 3080 Ti equipped ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 17 SE (which had the lowest GPU temps we’ve ever recorded), also from last year. The results were well within acceptable limits however, and the results when using the OASIS liquid cooling were substantially lower (between 5-15% cooler GPU Max temps and 13-19% cooler GPU Average temps).
Looking at the maximum and average CPU temperatures however, the former were worryingly high. To give some context, a maximum temperature in the low to mid 90°Cs is where thermal throttling starts to take place, and high 90°Cs is where damage can occur to the processor over time, reducing its performance. Overheating is a known issue with Intel 13th gen CPUs in general (both for desktop and laptop variants) – the CPU core multiplier, clock speed, and voltage are both higher than they were on the 12th gen, without much in the way of improvements to the cooling, hence more heat. Of course, you could opt for a lower pre-set or fiddle with your own custom profile in order to knock this down by a degree or two, but if you’re buying a high-performance laptop you generally want to be able to run it on max settings without having to deal with this.
Using the OASIS liquid cooling reduced the Max CPU temperatures by between 2-8% and the average temps by 12-18%. In the most hot-running games – Doom Eternal, Far Cry 6, and Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla – this reduced max temperatures by 2-3°C, 8°C, and 3°C respectively; still leading to thermal throttling in Doom and Assassin’s Creed, however bringing all three games out of the danger zone where long term degradation of the CPU is likely to occur.
XMG Neo 17 gaming benchmarks
XMG Neo 17 benchmark
XMG Neo 17 & OASIS external liquid cooling benchmark
Performance vs RTX 3080 Ti laptop
Looking at the above data, we compared it to the most powerful laptop we’ve tested prior to this, the aforementioned ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 17 SE with RTX 3080 Ti graphics card and Intel Core i9-12950HX CPU.
CS:GO is not only an older game, but known to be more CPU intensive than most. It saw basically no difference in average FPS compared to the Strix SCAR 17 SE, which is likely due to FPS caps within the game itself. 1% FPS lows did see around a 10% improvement at 1080p resolution however, and at 1600p about a 20% improvement in both 1% and 0.1% lows – meaning less stuttering / frame drops for the XMG Neo 17 E23, particularly at higher resolutions.
Doom Eternal is a more GPU heavy title. It saw a 10-33% uplift in average FPS for the Neo 17 with RTX 4090, with the difference at its greatest at 1600p resolution, on maximum graphics settings, with Ray-Tracing turned on.
Far Cry 6, another somewhat CPU-reliant game, performed 13-38% better in average FPS terms on the Neo 17 E23 than the SCAR 17 SE did, with substantial (between c.30-50%) uplift for the 1% and 0.1% lows – again meaning less stuttering in game.
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, a fairly GPU/CPU balanced game, had the most impressive performance of the lot: with a 63-75% uplift in average FPS and a similarly impressive improvement in both 1% and 0.1% lows compared to the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 17 SE. We’re not quite sure why the performance increase was so dramatic for this game (both this and the older test had FSR Balanced enabled) – it could be a more recent patch/update has improved performance generally.
Obviously this is a relatively small number of titles, but it goes to show that the performance improvement varies dramatically depending on the game you’re playing. Jarrod’s Tech compared 25 titles on an MSI Raider GE78 with RTX 4090 and i9-13980HX against a Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 7 with RTX 3080 Ti and i9-12900HX and got an average FPS increase of 28.79% (ranging between 12-43%) at 1080p and an average increase of 30.57% (ranging between 18-39%) at 1440p. Given his latest gen laptop had a slightly better CPU, and the previous gen model was less powerful, the results loosely align with ours (excluding the artificial FPS cap in CS:GO).
Performance difference with OASIS liquid cooling
Upon connecting the OASIS liquid cooling and enabling Automatic GPU Overboost, the average FPS performance difference for CS:GO, Far Cry 6 and Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla was fairly inconclusive – basically amounting to no real difference – however there was a roughly 10% average improvement in the 0.1% lows.
The same was true for Doom Eternal, both with and without Ray-Tracing enabled, except that the increase in performance for the 0.1% (between 10-45%) and 1% lows (between 21-234%) was quite dramatic. This points to the reduction in GPU temp thanks to the OASIS definitely helping to remove some thermal throttling on the graphics card, leading to a smoother experience in the game with much lower frame drops (even if the average FPS remains much the same).
Final Word
The XMG Neo 17 E23 / Eluktronics MECH-17 GP2 with RTX 4090 is a great gaming laptop. Its performance compared to the best of the RTX 3080 Ti laptops, relative to its asking price of only several hundred dollars more, means it’s definitely worth picking up compared to the most powerful of the previous gen. The in-depth internal software allows enthusiasts to tailor their machine’s performance to their needs, the bright 240Hz display is ideal for both gaming and sRGB color work, it has solid build quality, a unique mechanical keyboard option, great trackpad and a lot of different upgrade options for storage and memory.
It’s good to see that the company has improved on areas we found lacking with previous models (it now has both G-Sync and respectable speaker quality), and most of the issues that remain are either unavoidable (a heavy power adapter) or not especially important (an inferior webcam & mic and somewhat bland aesthetic). We would have liked to have seen a better quality membrane keyboard option and a slightly faster response time, but in the case of the former this is easily solved by getting the superior Cherry MX keyboard option and in reality the latter isn’t likely to noticeable by that many people.
The main drawback of the machine is the thermal performance of the CPU on the higher pre-sets. It should be made clear that this is an issue which affects other Intel 13th gen laptops as well, not just this model, but the lifespan of the CPU would no doubt be degraded by such max temperatures if it’s pushed to the highest performance. The obvious way around this would be to purchase the additional external liquid cooling solution for around $200/€200, which successfully keeps internal temperatures from getting into dangerous levels, whilst reducing fan noise and frame drops in-game.
XMG Neo 17 E23 / Eluktronics MECH-17 GP2 (i9-13900HX)
