- Deep Dive
We are glad to introduce the powerful 17.3-inch gaming laptop, XMG APEX 17 MAX, which is based on AMD’s strongest 16-core mobile CPU, the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX. It can be optionally equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 or 4070. This deep dive thoroughly examines the essential features of XMG APEX 17 MAX, from CPU benchmarks to performance profiles, upgrade options, display properties, and advanced BIOS tuning features, providing a comprehensive analysis and comparison with other 17-inch laptops using the Intel Core HX series as a competitor.
Highlights
Key product highlights include:
- AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX (16 cores, 32 threads, 5-nm process): AMD’s flagship mobile CPU.
- More efficient than Intel models in content creation applications.
- Available with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 or RTX 4060 with up to 125 W GPU power.
- Large display covering 100% of DCI-P3 and sRGB color spaces.
- MUX Switch for toggling the internal display between iGPU and dGPU.
- AMD FreeSync support on the laptop display.
- iGPU-only mode: permanent disabling of the dGPU is possible.
- HDMI 2.1 and Mini DisplayPort 1.4a, both connected to dGPU, making it VR compatible.
- USB-C with DisplayPort linked to iGPU and 100W USB-PD (Power Delivery).
- Up to 16 terabytes of SSD storage with PCIe Gen4, spread across two M.2 slots.
- Upgradable memory—up to 96 GB DDR5-RAM total capacity (see details).
- Keyboard with full numeric keypad and customizable RGB lighting.
- Webcam with privacy shutter and noise reduction.
- Conditionally: CPU and RAM tuning via BIOS setup (see details).
Comparison with other 17” models
While the notebook market is increasingly moving away from 17-inch laptops primarily to smaller 16-inch or (much rarer) larger 18-inch formats, XMG APEX 17 MAX remains an excellent choice for those seeking maximum performance in this classic 17-inch screen size.
Compared to other 17-inch models in our portfolio, the XMG APEX 17 MAX stands out especially for the efficiency of its AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX. Particularly in content creation applications, this CPU works much more efficiently than comparable Intel CPUs, making it an attractive option for demanding users. Moreover, XMG APEX 17 MAX offers a higher memory capacity, as we can support up to 96 GB thanks to the more efficient AMD platform—a configuration that reaches thermal limits with Intel models.
Although the XMG NEO series exceeds the APEX 17 MAX in terms of GPU options (with up to RTX 4080/4090) and the ability to connect a water cooling system, the XMG APEX 17 MAX offers a balanced combination of strong performance and extensive upgrade and connectivity options, especially in comparison to the XMG FOCUS and XMG PRO models.
A detailed comparison of the product features between the XMG FOCUS, XMG PRO, XMG NEO and XMG APEX 17 MAX is provided in this table:
Click on the ‘XMG APEX 17 MAX vs. 17-inch models’ tab at the top left.
CPU benchmarks and comparison with Intel Core HX series
The standout feature in the XMG APEX 17 MAX is the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX from the “Dragon Range” series. This chip architecture, also used in the desktop CPU AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (“Raphael”), is implemented here as an SoC variant with an integrated chipset, an iGPU, and an optimized frequency-voltage curve for use in notebooks. These optimizations make the 7945HX not only powerful but also efficient, particularly attractive for mobile high-end systems.
In benchmarks like Cinebench R23 Multi, the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX significantly surpasses the Intel Core i9-14900HX in terms of energy efficiency. With nearly identical performance, the 16 cores of the AMD processor require only about 60 percent of the energy of the Intel counterpart in this all-core rendering discipline. In single-core tests like Cinebench R23 Single, the Ryzen 9 7945HX also performs well, although Intel has a slight advantage due to higher clock frequencies.
The following table shows a benchmark comparison between the XMG NEO with Intel and the XMG APEX 17 MAX with AMD. The performance of these systems represents similar systems with the same components.
In 3D benchmarks like 3DMark Time Spy, the i9-14900HX is clearly ahead. It can be assumed that this advantage is noticeable in gaming loads as well—though only at lower resolutions. The all-around performance of the AMD chip is evident in further workstation and everyday benchmarks such as HWBOT, Geekbench, and CrossMark: here, the results are relatively balanced compared to the i9-14900HX, with a slight advantage for Intel at a higher energy cost.
Performance profiles
Here is an overview of the preconfigured performance profiles. Each of these profiles has its own fan curve, which can be toggled through using the keyboard shortcut Fn+F3.
The difference between the “Entertainment” and “Performance” profiles may seem too big at first glance. However, depending on GPU load, room temperature, and airflow, the system will not continuously provide 105 watts of CPU power even in the “Performance” profile. During sustained all-core CPU load, we advertise a thermal power limit of 70 watts at relatively moderate fan noise. With the Fan Boost option, this limit can be further increased.
Fan control
The EC/BIOS of the XMG APEX 17 MAX includes a total of 5 preconfigured fan curves. In addition to the three aforementioned performance profiles, there are two sub-profiles:
- The “Performance” profile can be set to “Turbo,” making the fan curve more aggressive.
- The “Entertainment” profile can be set to “Noiseless,” lowering the fan curve (but not as low as in the “Quiet” profile).
All fan curves share the feature of smoothing CPU and GPU temperature values with a rolling average and filtering out single outliers. This prevents a brief load peak (especially on the CPU) from causing an immediate increase in fan speed.
The two fans are not controlled exactly symmetrically. The respective speed depends on use case. If the primary load is on the CPU, the fan on the CPU side spins faster than on the GPU side, and vice versa. However, both fans dynamically adjust, just not exactly symmetrically. This is intended to improve the efficiency of cooling in cases of one-sided load, as, for example, the path from the CPU to the CPU fan is shorter when the primary load is on the CPU.
Battery life
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX is relatively energy-efficient under high and medium loads. However, at absolute idle, the consumption is about 3 watts higher than, for example, the Intel Core i9-13900HX or i9-14900HX. This also affects the battery life in passive scenarios like video playback.
With local video playback at medium brightness, XMG APEX 17 MAX (M24) clocks in a runtime of about 4.5 hours.
Look inside
The bottom shell of XMG APEX 17 MAX can be easily removed by unscrewing 14 identical screws. A PH1 screwdriver fits best, but PH0 will also work. Once the bottom shell is removed, the following internal layout is revealed:
The thermal unit covers both the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX and the RTX 4060/4070 with composite heat pipes. The fans are 11 mm in height, 60 mm in diameter, and each has 67 blades. Fans and thermal units are identical, regardless of which of the two graphics cards is chosen.
Under the thermal unit, the GPU is located on the left and the CPU on the right in this picture. The two SO-DIMM RAM slots are arranged south of the CPU in a “sandwich” layout. The SSD slots are located to the left and right of the RAM slots. The Wi-Fi module is mounted to the left of the 73-Wh battery. The battery is secured with four screws and is replaceable like in all XMG laptops.
The ports on the rear (including Mini DisplayPort, HDMI, LAN, USB-C) and on the user’s right side of the laptop (again USB-C, plus USB-A 3.2 Gen2) are located on the mainboard. On the left side (top in the photo right) are audio and the second USB-A port on a small daughter-board.
RAM support
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX officially supports up to DDR5-5200. In the base configuration, we also offer modules with DDR5-4800. If a combination with DDR5-5200 is chosen in the configurator, we will actually install DDR5-5600 modules, which will then be operated by the AMD platform at 5200 MT/s.
Exception: For the maximum expansion level with 2 x 48 GB (a total of 96 GB), we only support a speed of 4800 MT/s. Higher speeds are possible but will encounter thermal limits during stress tests like AIDA64.
On systems with Intel Core HX CPUs (Raptor Lake), even 4800 MT/s will cross thermal limits in stress tests. Fortunately, Intel Meteor Lake and AMD Ryzen run much more efficiently. Therefore, we are able to offer 96 GB exclusively in the following models:
In this list, the KEY 17 Pro and the XMG APEX 17 MAX are the two models with by far the highest CPU performance, especially in multi-score scenarios. However, the XMG APEX 17 MAX has a significantly lower entry price than the SCHENKER KEY 17 Pro, making it particularly well-suited as a mobile workstation with a focus on CPU performance and large memory capacity.
More details on the unique 96 GB capacity limit are also described in one of our latest roadmap updates, in this section: Do you plan to offer the 96 GB memory configurations in more laptop models?
Display properties
XMG APEX 17 MAX is equipped with a 17.3-inch display that covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color space and offers a high refresh rate. Additionally, it supports AMD FreeSync. The refresh rate can be reduced to 60 Hz, which not only extends the battery life but is also advantageous for video editing at 30 or 60 FPS, such as for quality control of the final rendered project.
The following table provides a display comparison with the other 17-inch notebooks in our portfolio:
SCHENKER KEY 17 Pro (M24) is missing here due to limited space, but it offers exactly the same panels and properties as XMG PRO 17 (E23). All panels in this comparison forego PWM in controlling their brightness, making them completely flicker-free.
BIOS features
The BIOS of the XMG APEX 17 MAX (M24) offers, in addition to standard functions like Wake on LAN and SSD encryption, advanced options specifically relevant to the AMD platform:
- SMT (Simultaneous Multithreading) can be disabled if needed.
- Virtualization features AMD-V and AMD-Vi (I/O MMU virtualization) are enabled by default.
For tinkerers and overclocking enthusiasts, there is a special submenu for CPU and RAM tuning, which includes the following options:
- Adjustments for RAM frequencies and timings
- Settings for Precision Boost Overdrive (including PPT, TDC, EDC)
- CPU Curve Optimizer, configurable for all cores simultaneously or per core individually
However, there are some important points to consider when tuning to manage expectations:
- Sensible defaults: AMD platforms are already quite efficient out of the box and can be controlled very easily via the PPT power limits in our preconfigured performance profiles. There is therefore no urgent need for tuning.
- Limited Recovery Mechanisms: Extreme or invalid memory tuning settings can lead to a situation where the system no longer boots. In such cases, it may not be possible to reset the settings through the BIOS setup (F2).
- Thermal limit: The available thermal headroom in the chassis of the XMG APEX 17 MAX is limited. There is no option for water cooling, and the AC adapter delivers a maximum of 230 watts (including the budget for the NVIDIA GPU).
- Questionable benefits: Possible performance gains from CPU and RAM tuning are in the low, single-digit percentage range. It is also quite possible that improper tuning reduces performance instead of increasing it.
We do not guarantee performance or efficiency improvements, nor system stability. If a system fails to boot due to extreme tuning settings, this is not covered by the warranty and will require a paid repair.
An official BIOS tuning guide explains the risks and possibilities in detail and provides a step-by-step guide for advanced users. The guide is available as a PDF file in the download portal, on the included USB stick (which also contains drivers), or directly through the following links:
We are happy to answer questions about the tuning options via email, in this Reddit thread, or in the #xmg-apex-max-m24 channel on our Discord server.
Docking stations and USB-C chargers
XMG APEX 17 MAX offers two native DisplayPort signals (DP 1.4a) from the iGPU over USB-C, making it compatible with docking stations. Thanks to NVIDIA Optimus, screen contents from the NVIDIA graphics card can also be displayed on them. When selecting a docking station, compatibility must be considered. A list of compatible docking stations is available here:
When selecting a docking station, compatibility must be considered. A list of compatible docking stations is available here:
More information is available in this FAQ article:
Furthermore, the battery of XMG APEX 17 MAX can be charged over USB-C with up to 100 watts. Of course, CPU and especially GPU performance is severely limited on a mere 100 watts power source. Please refer to the following links and articles for more details:
- XMG & SCHENKER USB-C Power Delivery Recommendation Matrix
- Which XMG and SCHENKER laptops can be charged over USB-C or Thunderbolt?
- What performance limitations may I have to take into account when using USB-C chargers?
- I am looking for a power bank or battery extension for my laptop.
- Can I use a smaller/lighter power adapter or charger for travelling?
Linux? TUXEDO!
XMG does not offer Linux support. However, the chassis of the XMG APEX 17 MAX (M24) is also available from our friends at TUXEDO.
For more information, see this FAQ article.
Configure and buy
The freely configurable XMG APEX 17 MAX is available at bestware.com:
Configure now: XMG APEX 17 MAX (M24)Your feedback
If you have further questions or feedback on the new XMG APEX 17 MAX, please feel free to contact us on reddit, in the Computerbase forum, or join our Discord server.
