Slim high-end gaming laptops with RTX 3080 receive update to Intel's Core i7-11800H

Leipzig, Germany, October 12th 2021 – The XMG PRO laptops are by far the slimmest high-end gaming options in XMG's 15.6 and 17.3 inch portfolio, thanks to an overall z-height of less than two centimetres. Up to now, graphics cards up to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 have provided maximum performance. With Intel's Core i7-11800H, an eight-core processor of the latest generation now also makes its entrance, bringing with it features including Thunderbolt 4 and PCI Express 4.0.

XMG PRO (L21) gets platform update to Core i7-11800H

In contrast to the XMG NEO laptops, which are focused on delivering maximum mobile performance, the XMG PRO 15 and PRO 17 in the new L21 model generation strive for an optimal balance between high-end performance and mobility. The slim dimensions and low weight of 357.9 x 238 x 19.8 mm and 2 kg (XMG PRO 15) as well as 395.9 x 264.95 x 19.9 mm and 2.3 kg (XMG PRO 17) are evidence of this: both the 15.6 inch version and the larger 17.3 inch model remain below the 20 mm line in terms of z-height. With the exception of the display bezel, the sturdy cases are made entirely of aluminium.

An NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 with 16 GB GDDR6 operates in the top performance envelope. Alternatively, the laptops are also available with an RTX 3070 with 8 GB GDDR6 which, following the very slim design of the aluminium cases, are efficiency-optimised versions with a TGP of 105 watts (90 watts plus 15 watts Dynamic Boost 2.0).
Unlike the E21 version, which was only introduced at the beginning of the year, the new L21 model series replaces Intel's Core i7-10870H with the new Tiger Lake eight-core Core i7-11800H. This is also accompanied by an update to Thunderbolt 4 and a PCI Express 4.0 connection to the graphics card and SSDs. Up to 64 GB DDR4-3200 and two fast M.2 drives are supported, whereby the primary SSD is connected via PCIe 4.0 and the secondary via PCIe 3.0, each with four lanes.

XMG offers the PRO 15 with a high-resolution UHD OLED panel, 400 nits brightness and 100% coverage of the Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 colour space, in addition to a 300 Hz Full HD IPS panel. The PRO 17 also starts with a Full HD IPS display running at 300 Hz, with an available upgrade to a UHD IPS display with 100% Adobe RGB colour space. The 4K models are each factory colour calibrated and X-Rite certified. This selection underlines that XMG is not only addressing the high-end gaming target group with the PRO series, but also meeting the demands of creative professionals. With the exception of the 60Hz 4K OLED panel, all displays are PWM-free.

Both laptops continue to feature a 73 Wh battery and, in addition to the already mentioned Thunderbolt 4 port with integrated DisplayPort stream, have a G-SYNC-compatible Mini DisplayPort as well as an HDMI output to simultaneously run up to three external monitors in addition to the laptop display. There is also a Gigabit Ethernet port, Wi-Fi 6, three USB-A ports and separate audio jacks for headphones (headset compatible) and microphone. The microphone input also functions as an S/PDIF output. In contrast to the preceding E21 iterations, the L21 models do not include a microSD card reader; due to the still rampant chip shortage, a market launch of the laptops would otherwise have had to be postponed for an undefined period of time. A keyboard with RGB per-key illumination and Microsoft Precision-compliant touchpads round off the package. While the XMG PRO 15 has a glass touchpad, the XMG PRO 17 uses a conventional model with integrated fingerprint reader.

Price and availability

The base configuration of the XMG PRO 15 (L21) und XMG PRO 17 (L21), which can be freely configured at bestware.com, combine Intel's Core i7-11800H, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, 16 (2x8) GB DDR4-3200, a 500 GB Samsung 970 EVO Plus and a Full HD IPS display with 300 Hz. The starting price incl. 19% VAT (in some countries different tax rates apply) is € 2,199 (PRO 15) and € 2,249 (PRO 17). Upgrade options include a GeForce RTX 3080 (€ 461) or a 4K OLED display in the PRO 15 (€147) and a 4K IPS display in the PRO 17 (€ 278). The laptops are immediately available for pre-order - shipping of all models with Full HD displays is expected to begin at the end of October, while PRO laptops with UHD displays will follow in early November.