XMG NEO 16 and NEO 17: Gaming laptops featuring a Core i9-13900HX, RTX 4090 and optional liquid cooling

Las Vegas / Leipzig, 6 January 2023 – XMG is showcasing the very latest high-end gaming laptops from the NEO series at CES 2023. The XMG NEO 16 marks the debut of the first 16.0-inch model in the series, which – like the XMG NEO 17, with which it shares most specifications – combines Intel’s Core i9-13900HX with NVIDIA graphics cards up to the GeForce RTX 4090, utilising the full power limits. Another defining feature of the NEO laptops is their compatibility with the optional XMG OASIS external laptop water cooling system. In addition, they offer 240 Hz high-refresh-rate, high-resolution WQXGA displays in a 16:10 aspect ratio, the option to configure mechanical keyboards with CHERRY MX ULP Tactile switches, DDR5-5600 or DDR6-4000 RAM, as well as options for RAM overclocking and CPU undervolting.

XMG NEO (E23) with Core i9-13900HX and GeForce graphics cards up to the RTX 4090

As the performance flagship in XMG’s laptop portfolio, the NEO laptops are the first in the E23 model generation to be equipped with the latest components from Intel and NVIDIA. On the CPU side, both the NEO 16 and the NEO 17 use Intel’s Core i9-13900HX with 24 cores (8 P-cores, 16 E-cores), 32 threads and 36 MB cache. Unlike the mobile H and HK processors, the Core i9 with the HX suffix thus offers significantly more cores and performance; in the case of the 12th Core generation, the differences in specifications and consequently performance were ultimately smaller. In the multi-core run of CineBench R23, the i9-13900HX achieves a whopping 30,331 (NEO 16) and 30,484 points (NEO 17) respectively.

As for the graphics cards, there is not only an upgrade to NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 40 series, but also more choice than with previous NEO laptops – and each with the maximum permitted power limits. This applies both to the RTX 4090 and 4080 with a maximum graphics power of up to 175 watts, and to the RTX 4070 and 4060 with up to 140 watts.

Powerful air cooling system, maximum power limits and optional liquid cooling

A glance at the sustained performance of the components shows that the air cooling system in XMG NEO laptops is already very powerful: The continuously maintained CPU package power of the Core i9-13900HX at full load in CineBench R23 is around 100 watts (NEO 16) and 125 watts (NEO 17) – without any temperature-related throttling. Even the GeForce RTX 4090 can draw the full 175 watts in the 3DMark Time Spy stress test without any drop in performance. This is partly due to the significantly more powerful air-cooling system compared to last year’s XMG NEO 15 (E22) with an Intel processor. Both the NEO 16 and the NEO 17 use a hybrid system with five heat pipes, separate heat sinks at all four air vents, two large fans with a low-frequency, unobtrusive sound profile, and liquid metal (Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut) to cool the CPU and GPU.

In addition, there is still the option to cool the NEO laptops using the optional XMG OASIS laptop water cooling system to achieve significantly lower CPU and GPU temperatures, thereby ensuring much quieter overall system operation, particularly during full-load or gaming scenarios. The OASIS itself receives additional improvements for the new laptop generation, such as a magnetic docking mechanism for the laptops’ water connections. XMG will provide further details in a separate press release at a later date. Existing OASIS water cooling systems can also be used on new laptops from the E23 model generation onwards by replacing the connecting hoses.

DDR5 RAM with manual tuning options and two M.2 SSDs via PCIe 4.0

Two SO-DIMM slots for up to 64 GB of DDR5 RAM and two M.2 slots for fast PCI Express 4.0 SSDs allow for flexible memory configurations. For the RAM, XMG offers dedicated tuning options to give experienced users the opportunity to get the most out of the clock speeds and timings. In addition, specially optimised, configurable DDR5-6400 overclocking modules with CL40 latency are planned for the NEO 16 and NEO 17. However, the announcement of the availability date is still pending.

Fast 16:10 IPS displays with 2,560 x 1,600 pixels and modern connectivity

Apart from the screen sizes, the display specifications of the XMG NEO 16 (16.0-inch) and XMG NEO 17 (17.0-inch) are similar. The 16:10 IPS panels have a resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 pixels and a refresh rate of 240 Hz. Brightness and sRGB colour gamut coverage are 380 cd/m² and 99 per cent (NEO 17) and 350 cd/m² and over 95 per cent (NEO 16).

The connectivity options are identical. It is worth noting that the integrated DisplayPort stream of the Thunderbolt 4 port on the NEO 16 and NEO 17, featuring 13th Gen Intel Core CPUs, is once again connected directly to the NVIDIA dGPU. They are therefore fully compatible with current VR headsets and allow an external G-SYNC display to be connected via both Thunderbolt 4 and the HDMI 2.1 port, which is also linked to the dGPU. In addition, there is 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, three USB-A 3.2 ports, a card reader for full-size SD cards, and separate connections for microphone and headphones (compatible with combo-jack headsets). Wi-Fi 6E certification is currently in progress and should be completed by the time deliveries begin.

99 Wh battery, 330-watt power adapters and a choice of two keyboard versions

Measuring 358.44 x 266.8 x 26.1 mm and weighing 2.5 kg, the XMG NEO 16 is slightly more compact than the NEO 17, which measures 381.7 x 272.8 x 27 mm and weighs 2.8 kg. On the 16-inch model, the display lid is made of aluminium; on the 17-inch laptop, this also applies to the base. Further differences concern the design of the RGB lighting on the rear air vents: the NEO 17 uses RGB strips, whilst on the NEO 16 the LEDs are integrated into the ventilation openings on the chassis.

Power is supplied by a 99 Wh battery, whilst a 330-watt (with RTX 4090 and 4080) or 280-watt (with RTX 4070 and 4060) power supply is used when plugged in. The new 330-watt model is around 20 per cent lighter than last year’s counterpart, which offers identical performance.

In addition to a glass touchpad measuring 150 x 95 mm (NEO 17) or 114.5 x 70 mm (NEO 16), the E23 model generation offers, for the first time, a choice between two fundamentally different keyboard options. The high-end configuration continues to feature a mechanical keyboard with very flat, precise CHERRY MX Ultra Low Profile Tactile switches and RGB per-key lighting. Those who prefer the quietest possible typing experience, however, can opt for a silent keyboard with membrane technology and four-zone RGB lighting. Both feature N-key rollover, anti-ghosting, a dedicated numeric keypad and large arrow keys.

Prices and availability

The base configuration of the gaming laptops, which can be freely customised on bestware.com, includes an Intel Core i9-13900HX, a GeForce RTX 4060, 16 (2×8) GB DDR5-4800 RAM, a 500 GB Samsung 980 SSD, a 240 Hz WQXGA IPS display and a silent keyboard with membrane technology. Starting prices, including 19 per cent VAT, are €2,199 (NEO 16) and €2,249 (NEO 17). Upgrades such as the GeForce RTX 4070 (€375), RTX 4080 (€1,050), RTX 4090 (€1,687) or a mechanical keyboard with CHERRY MX ULP Tactile switches (€125) are available at an additional cost, and faster DDR5-5600 and DDR5-6400 RAM will be offered as soon as sufficient stock is available.

In line with NVIDIA’s embargoes, pre-orders will open from 1 February (laptops with RTX 4090, 4080) and 14 February (laptops with RTX 4070, 4060). Delivery will be available from 8 February (RTX 4090, 4080) and 22 February (RTX 4070, 4060) respectively. Whilst the XMG NEO 17 with RTX 4090 and 4080 will be available from 8 February, the NEO 17 with RTX 4070 and RTX 4060, as well as the XMG NEO 16, will follow in the weeks thereafter.