Key Takeaways
1. The XMG Neo 16 features a split motherboard and offers high-end Intel and AMD processors for superior performance.
2. Its advanced cooling system allows it to maximize Nvidia’s new Blackwell GPUs, reducing noise and emissions under heavy loads.
3. The optional mini LED display provides outstanding visual quality with a 300 Hz refresh rate and full P3 color space coverage.
4. Critiques include the lack of Wi-Fi 7, Thunderbolt 5, and Advanced Optimus graphics switching, which raises concerns given its high price.
5. Despite some flaws, the Neo 16 E25 is considered one of the fastest gaming laptops available, appealing to both gamers and content creators.
The XMG Neo 16 is a premium gaming laptop that has received multiple enhancements for 2025. It boasts a revamped internal architecture featuring a split motherboard. In addition to housing the latest Intel Core Ultra 9 2775HX, the Neo 16 is also offered with AMD’s high-end Ryzen 9 9955HX and 9955HX3D processors. Furthermore, it includes a PCIe 5.0 slot for top-tier SSDs.
Performance and Cooling System
With its advanced cooling setup, the Neo 16 can take full advantage of Nvidia’s new Blackwell GPUs, making it one of the quickest laptops in our synthetic tests, even without the use of external water cooling. This effectively lowers emissions and fan noise while providing the processor with extra breathing room, especially under heavy CPU and GPU loads. Nevertheless, the raw GPU capabilities remain the same, as the Neo 16 consumes the entire 175 watts of TGP, even when in standard fan mode. An additional perk is that the Ryzen CPUs can be paired with the fastest graphics cards, which is often not possible with other brands. We expect to receive a Neo 16 featuring the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D and the RTX 5090 laptop GPU soon, which should enhance gaming performance even further.
Display Features
A significant upgrade is the optional mini LED display, which excels in almost every area. The subjective visual quality of the matte panel is outstanding: it is remarkably bright, and the smooth playback is supported by a 300 Hz refresh rate. Local dimming can be turned off, which is beneficial for image editing tasks. The P3 color space is completely covered, and pre-calibrated color profiles for sRGB and P3 are available, although the two P3 profiles do have minor color discrepancies. Nonetheless, we managed to significantly enhance these profiles through our own calibration (the respective color profiles can be downloaded for free in our Neo 16 review).
Critiques and Considerations
However, the XMG Neo 16 does have its flaws. It is missing Wi-Fi 7 and Thunderbolt 5. The absence of Advanced Optimus graphics switching and G-Sync support for the internal display is concerning, particularly given the high price tag. Although a MUX switch is present, turning off the iGPU necessitates a system restart. XMG is currently collaborating with Nvidia to address this issue, and their transparent communication is commendable, as they provide extensive updates about the problem on their website. However, there is no assurance that these two features will be integrated in the future.
In conclusion, the Neo 16 E25 remains one of the top and fastest gaming laptops on the market today. With the new mini-LED display, it has also become appealing to content creators, adding to its versatility.
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