- Deep Dive
In this post, you will find current information and technical details on our flagship model XMG NEO 16 (A25/M26) and its sister models XMG PRO 16 and XMG PRO 16 Value Edition (M25). Important updates are marked with the date.
Delivery situation
August 25, 2026: XMG NEO 16 (M26) launched; table has been updated.
The XMG NEO 16 (M26) can be ordered with either an OLED or an IPS display. These display variants are now fully available in all configurations – with 5070 Ti, 5080 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU.
The new Mini-LED panel cannot be ordered yet. Availability is targeted for October 2026 and depends on successful validation of NVIDIA G-SYNC and NVIDIA Advanced Optimus. We will only make this display option available once validation has been completed. Until then, we will not provide a binding order or delivery date.
The XMG NEO 16 (A25), XMG PRO 16 (M25) and XMG PRO 16 Value Edition (M25) remain unchanged in the line-up. We plan to add the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 (non-Ti) with 12 GB to the XMG PRO 16 Value Edition (M25) before the end of the year. A new XMG PRO 18 is scheduled to be introduced by the end of September.
The following table summarises the current time frames for the various configurations.
| Model | Information |
|---|---|
| XMG NEO 16 (M26) with IPS and OLED | Fully available. IPS only with RTX 5070 Ti; OLED with all GPUs. |
| XMG NEO 16 (M26) with Mini LED | Planned for October. |
| XMG NEO 16 (E25) | Only left available with IPS and RTX 5090; other variants are sold out. |
| XMG NEO 16 (A25) | Fully available. |
| XMG PRO 16 (M25) | Fully available. |
| XMG PRO 16 Value Edition (M25) | Fully available. |
Remarks:
- Availability of the XMG NEO 16 (M26) with Mini-LED depends on the progress of NVIDIA validation.
- The XMG NEO 16 (E25) with Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is no longer being produced. Variants with IPS and RTX 5090 are available only while stocks last.
What’s new in the XMG NEO 16 (M26)?
The XMG NEO 16 (M26) is the direct successor to the previous E25-generation of XMG NEO. The AMD-based XMG NEO 16 (A25) remains unchanged in the line-up alongside its new, Intel-based counterpart.
The chassis, motherboard architecture, cooling system and I/O layout of the M26 are largely based on the predecessor. The refresh focuses on the components for which a relevant upgrade is actually available in 2026:
- The Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus replaces the Core Ultra 9 275HX.
- For the first time, the XMG NEO 16 is available with a 240 Hz HDR1000 OLED display.
- The more affordable 300 Hz IPS panel now covers DCI-P3 as well as sRGB in full, although it is now only available with the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti.
- OLED and IPS support Variable Refresh Rate via NVIDIA Optimus.
- The sustained combined CPU and GPU power limit with XMG OASIS increases from 280 to 300 watts (RTX 5080/5090 only).
The selection of NVIDIA graphics cards remains unchanged. The cooling system with two large main fans, a third fan for the memory and support for XMG OASIS is also carried over from the E25 and A25 models.
Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus in detail
More performance on an existing architecture
The Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus fundamentally remains based on the familiar Arrow Lake HX architecture. Like the Core Ultra 9 275HX, it has a total of 24 cores, consisting of 8 Performance and 16 Efficiency cores.
Compared with the Core Ultra 9 275HX in the XMG NEO 16 (E25), the maximum CPU clock increases from 5.4 to 5.5 GHz. The biggest technical improvement, however, comes from the combination of lower system latencies and further refinements within the existing platform. Compared with the previous generation, Intel particularly highlights a 900 MHz increase in die-to-die frequency. This interconnect is involved, among other things, in communication between the CPU, uncore and memory controller.
A higher frequency on this path reduces latency within the processor system. This particularly benefits workloads that frequently exchange data between CPU cores, cache, memory controller and system memory. In games, the advantage is most apparent in CPU-limited scenarios and at high frame rates. Support for the Intel Binary Optimization Tool adds another factor, allowing supported titles to achieve further frame-rate improvements through additional optimisations.
Intel Binary Optimization Tool
The Intel Binary Optimization Tool, unofficially abbreviated as IBOT, is part of Intel’s extended optimisation framework. It is activated through the Advanced Mode of Intel Application Optimization and only works with supported applications and games.
IBOT is not an overclocking mechanism. Instead, the tool adds another optimisation layer for program code. It uses Intel compiler and profiling technologies to optimise libraries and executable code and reduce architectural bottlenecks.
The XMG NEO 16 (M26) supports IBOT as well as Intel Application Optimization and the Intel Platform Performance Package. Supported games therefore gain an additional performance uplift. Unsupported applications continue to run normally while still benefiting from the processor’s hardware improvements.
What does this mean for gaming performance?
Across 32 games, Intel reports up to 8% higher average gaming performance for the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus compared with the Core Ultra 9 285HX – and therefore somewhat more compared with the 275HX in the XMG NEO 16 (E25). The tests were performed at Full HD resolution with an RTX 5090 Laptop GPU; IBOT was only active in a small number of selected titles.
In practice, the advantage is strongest when the CPU is the limiting factor:
- E-sports titles at very high frame rates
- Strategy games and simulations with high CPU load
- Games with particularly large numbers of draw calls
- Scenarios with lower resolution or reduced graphics settings
- CPU-heavy 1% low and frame-time scenarios
Independent measurements in numerous press reviews have also confirmed these performance gains.
Performance profiles
Our laptops can generally be operated with a number of performance profiles. Profiles with lower power limits enable more efficient operation and thus reduce system noise. The following table provides an overview of the preconfigured performance profiles and their impact on CPU and GPU power limits.
This is related to the factor of ‘diminishing return’, where silicon at the top of its power curve may not get much more performance per watt, no matter how much you push the power limit. The same can be said about the efficiency of a cooling system in relation to fan speed. At a certain point, higher fan speed gets you more noise, but not neccessarily more cooling (or only in minute amounts).
The reverse is also true: As power consumption decreases, performance does not decline proportionally. A moderately reduced power limit can significantly lower noise and temperatures while only slightly reducing actual application or gaming performance. CPU and GPU power limits and fan curves can also be adjusted manually.
Mini-LED or OLED: two high-end options with different strengths
The XMG NEO 16 (M26) offers a degree of choice that is rare in the current high-end segment. Many powerful gaming laptops are offered with either OLED or Mini-LED, but rately with both. With the XMG NEO 16, both technologies are available within the same platform.
OLED: perfect blacks and precise HDR highlights
On an OLED display, every pixel generates its own light. A black pixel is completely switched off. This produces virtually unlimited contrast, very clear dark scenes and pixel-precise separation between bright and dark areas of the image.
The OLED panel in the XMG NEO 16 (M26) offers:
- 2560×1600 pixels
- 240 Hz
- 500 nits with SDR content
- up to 1000 nits with HDR content
- 100 % sRGB and DCI-P3
- Variable Refresh Rate from 60 to 240 Hz via NVIDIA Optimus
- glossy surface
- a total laptop weight of only approx. 2.6 kg
OLED is particularly well suited to games and movies with dark scenes, HDR content with clearly defined light sources, and applications where black levels and pixel-level contrast are a priority.
Mini-LED: higher sustained brightness and a matte surface
Note: The Mini-LED panel planned for the M26 generation cannot currently be ordered. It will only be introduced once validation of G-SYNC and NVIDIA Advanced Optimus has been successfully completed.
Technically, the planned Mini-LED panel remains an IPS LCD. However, its backlight is divided into around 1000 individually controllable zones. This allows the display to selectively dim dark areas while simultaneously displaying very bright content.
The Mini-LED panel planned for the XMG NEO 16 (M26) is identical to the panel in the E25 predecessor and in the XMG PRO 16 and XMG APEX 16 MAX. Its specifications are:
- 2560×1600 pixels
- 300 Hz
- 750 nits with SDR content
- 1000 nits with HDR content, including large bright image areas
- 100 % sRGB and DCI-P3
- matte surface
- Local Dimming can be disabled
- a total laptop weight of approx. 2.8 kg, making it 200 grams heavier than the OLED panel
- Planned: NVIDIA G-SYNC and NVIDIA Advanced Optimus
Mini-LED is the stronger choice for very bright working environments, consistently bright SDR content, large white areas and users who prefer a matte surface. The panel also reaches 300 rather than 240 Hz.
Because a Mini-LED zone is significantly larger than an individual pixel, it cannot achieve the pixel-level black separation of an OLED display. In particularly high-contrast scenes, slight halos can appear around bright objects. In return, high brightness is maintained even with full-screen bright content, and its 750 nits in SDR mode – Windows, Office and web content – surpasses the OLED panel’s 500 nits.
As with the 2025 models, Local Dimming can be disabled in Control Center without rebooting. This is particularly useful for colour-critical image editing, as brightness and colour reproduction then depend less on the surrounding image content. Since Control Center 5.57.51.60 (January 2026), the user-selected setting is also retained reliably after a cold boot or after waking from hibernation. This applies to all XMG models with Mini-LED since the E25 generation.
IPS in the base configuration
Configurations with the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti are also available with a conventional IPS panel. It reaches 500 nits and 300 Hz and fully covers both sRGB and DCI-P3. The surface is matte. This is the same panel that is also used in the XMG PRO 16 (M25).
An IPS panel with a conventional LED backlight offers neither the black levels of an OLED panel nor the superior SDR brightness of Mini-LED, but its specifications are still very solid for gaming, content creation and general use as a desktop replacement.
The OLED display in detail
Comparison with the OLED panel in XMG FUSION 16
The OLED display in the XMG FUSION 16 (M25) offers 2880×1800 pixels, 120 Hz and 400 nits. It does not support an extended HDR brightness range. A small white area therefore remains limited to around 400 nits, just like a large white image.
| XMG FUSION 16 (M25) | XMG NEO 16 (M26) | |
| OLED panel model name | Samsung ATNA60CL10 | Samsung ATNA60HU01 |
| Resolution | 2880×1800 | 2560×1600 |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 240 Hz |
| SDR brightness | 400 nits | 500 nits |
| HDR brightness | 400 nits | 1000 nits |
| Color gamut coverage | 100 % DCI-P3 | 100 % DCI-P3 |
The new OLED panel in the XMG NEO 16 (M26) doubles the refresh rate to 240 Hz and introduces proper HDR operation with up to 1000 nits. Its 2560×1600 resolution is slightly lower, but better suited to the native gaming performance of current laptop graphics cards. SDR brightness also increases to 500 nits, meaning the new OLED panel also surpasses the previous panel in the XMG FUSION 16 with non-HDR content such as web, Office and multimedia.
Brightness ratings by OPR (On-Pixel Ratio)
With many OLED displays, the maximum achievable brightness depends on the size of the bright area on screen. A small HDR highlight, a large bright scene and a completely white test image place different demands on an OLED panel.
OLED pixels generate their own light. A large number of pixels emitting very bright light at the same time increases both power consumption and the thermal load on the panel. The display therefore gradually reduces maximum brightness with particularly large white areas.
This is normal behaviour and is also seen in many smartphone and TV OLED displays. To describe this behaviour transparently, we use the industry-standard metric of “On-Pixel Ratio”, or OPR. It indicates the proportion of pixels that are “on” – specifically: “on” at full brightness.
- OPR20 means that 20 % of the display area is white.
- OPR50 means that 50 % of the display area is white.
- OPR80 means that 80 % of the display area is white.
- OPR100 corresponds to a completely white screen.
A 16:10 test image with an OPR of 50% looks exactly like this:
For the OLED panel in the XMG NEO 16 (M26), we specify the following HDR brightness levels:
| OPR level | Available HDR brightness |
| OPR20 | 1000 nits |
| OPR50 | 950 nits |
| OPR80 | 700 nits |
| OPR100 | 550 nits |
The OPR50 figure is particularly noteworthy. Even when half of the display is showing pure white, brightness remains at 950 nits, still very close to peak brightness. It only drops more substantially with even larger bright areas.
HDR content requires more than setting Windows to HDR “enabled”
Brightness values above the specified SDR brightness of 500 nits apply exclusively to HDR content. With normal SDR content, the OLED panel supports only 500 nits. This limitation is also fairly common. OLED laptop panels exceeding 500 nits in SDR do exist, but they either have lower refresh rates or are extremely expensive.
This means that the Windows desktop, Office applications, normal websites and conventional SDR images are not automatically displayed at 1000 nits. Even with Windows HDR enabled, the operating system treats SDR and HDR content as separate brightness ranges.
HDR applications can deliberately render individual areas of the image above the normal SDR white point. Typical examples include:
- sunlight and reflections in a game
- headlights, fire or explosions
- bright light sources in a dark scene
- appropriately mastered HDR videos
- HDR images in compatible image viewers, for example HDR + WCG Image Viewer
A normal white background in Word, Excel or a browser, however, remains SDR content. Windows does not provide a general user setting that simply boosts every white SDR pixel to the maximum HDR peak brightness.
Windows and the Intel graphics driver provide various contrast, brightness and power-saving functions, but no universal “1000-nit SDR mode”. Actual use of the HDR range depends on the operating system, application, graphics pipeline and content.
To see the 1000 nits in action, you need to:
- Enable Windows HDR.
- In games, use the native HDR mode provided by the respective game engine.
- Adjust HDR brightness and tone mapping in the game to match the display.
- For videos and images, make sure that both the content and the application being used actually support HDR.
The OLED panel shows its greatest advantages in games and videos that control their own HDR output path. In conventional desktop applications, the main benefits remain the high SDR brightness of 500 nits and the characteristic OLED black level.
OLED in everyday use
The OLED panel has a glossy surface. This contributes to the clear, high-contrast image, but it also reflects light sources more strongly than a matte IPS or Mini-LED display. In bright rooms, the position of windows and lamps should therefore be taken into account.
Because each OLED pixel generates its own light, power consumption increases with the overall brightness of the displayed image. Conventional LCD panels, by contrast, use a continuously active backlight and create black by blocking as much of that light as possible. Therefore, in OLED, dark surfaces reduce power consumption, meaning that consistently using “Dark Mode” in the operating system, applications and web browser can indeed improve battery life.
OLED panels theoretically retain a residual risk of permanently visible shadows from static image content. Modern OLED displays are considerably more robust in this respect than earlier generations, however, as demonstrated for example in this video:
- Deliberately Burning In My QD-OLED Monitor – 15 Month Update [Monitors Unboxed]
Nevertheless, we would like to point out a few preventative measures:
- automatically switch off the display when idle
- use Dark Mode in Windows and frequently used applications
- automatically hide the taskbar
- use a brightness level appropriate for the environment
- avoid permanently static image areas at maximum brightness, such as taskbars, HUDs, toolbars and dashboards
- when away from the laptop: manually switch off the display via Fn+F8 or lock the screen with Win+L. When the screen is locked, the display also switches off after a short time, independently of the timer configured in the operating system
Further information is available in this accompanying document:
Why isn’t the OLED display available with AMD?
The fact that we can only offer the new OLED panel in the Intel-based XMG NEO 16 (M26) is related to validation by the CPU manufacturer and OLED panel maker.
Laptop display panels have to be validated separately for each platform so that HDR/SDR behaviour, stability and power efficiency are reproducible across all intended operating modes. OLED has historically been somewhat more complicated in this respect.
One example of such platform-specific differences concerns HDR-related brightness and panel control via eDP. In practice, both a standardised VESA implementation and an Intel-specific proprietary implementation exist. Depending on what a panel – and its TCON – expects or best supports in a given generation, this can affect whether the panel can be integrated into other platforms.
In addition, modern OLED panels are developed in very high volumes for standardised platforms. Custom firmware branches for individual laptop models and smaller production volumes are not readily offered, particularly by large panel manufacturers such as Samsung. Without support from the panel manufacturer, a second platform-specific integration will be impossible to implement.
The limitation is therefore not artificial product segmentation. We will continue to watch this space for future panel generations. As soon as an OLED panel can be integrated flawlessly across platforms, we would be very happy to offer OLED on AMD platforms as well. At present, however, there are no such plans – there simply is no OLED panel available to us that is both suitable in all respects and compatible with AMD.
Hybrid graphics, MUX switch and variable refresh rate
NVIDIA Optimus and the MUX switch
All current XMG laptops with dedicated graphics have a MUX switch – including the XMG PRO 16 and XMG NEO 16. This allows the internal display to be driven either through the processor’s integrated graphics or directly through the NVIDIA graphics card. See our FAQ article:
With NVIDIA Optimus enabled, the NVIDIA GPU renders demanding applications while display output is handled by the more efficient iGPU. This reduces power consumption in everyday use and allows the NVIDIA GPU to switch off completely at low load.
In dGPU mode, the internal display is connected directly to the NVIDIA graphics card. This eliminates the additional transmission path through the iGPU. It reduces latency and allows the 300 Hz panels to operate at their full maximum refresh rate.
Switching between the two modes is done through the Control Center or BIOS. On models without Advanced Optimus, a restart is required.
Variable Refresh Rate on OLED and IPS
The OLED and IPS displays in the XMG NEO 16 (M26) support Variable Refresh Rate through the Intel iGPU when NVIDIA Optimus is enabled.
On the OLED panel, VRR operates between 60 and 240 Hz. Below 60 FPS, the display can no longer match its refresh rate directly to every rendered frame. Without V-Sync, this results in “screen tearing”: parts of two consecutive frames may briefly appear on screen at the same time, usually as a horizontal break in the image.
This is normal behaviour rather than a fault, and how noticeable it is depends heavily on the game and camera movement. In practice, sustained frame rates below 60 FPS are also a good reason to reduce a few graphics settings.
The 300 Hz IPS panel also supports VRR via NVIDIA Optimus. Due to its connection through Intel’s iGPU, however, it is limited to 240 Hz. The VRR range on the IPS panel is between 100 and 240 Hz. Disabling NVIDIA Optimus allows the panel to operate at 300 Hz with slightly lower latency – but without VRR.
External monitors are independent of this. HDMI 2.1 and Mini DisplayPort 2.1 are connected directly to the NVIDIA GPU and support compatible G-SYNC and FreeSync monitors. The two USB-C outputs run through the Intel iGPU and, depending on the connected display, can also support VRR or Adaptive Sync.
Differences between XMG PRO and XMG NEO
The XMG PRO 16 and XMG NEO 16 share many of the same fundamentals: powerful HX-series processors, NVIDIA graphics up to the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti – or beyond in the case of the XMG NEO – upgradeable memory, two M.2 slots and a comprehensive selection of I/O ports.
With further similarities in chassis design, keyboard layout and connectivity, the obvious question is: what actually sets these two flagship series apart?
The following table summarises all relevant similarities and differences:
For further information, we recommend reviewing the spec sheets and shop configurators:
Look inside
The internal layout of the XMG NEO 16 with Intel and AMD is largely identical, so a single photo is sufficient:
An additional photo with the RAM and SSD heat shields removed is available here. Instructions for removing these heat shields can be found on the respective product pages in our download portal.
The channel inside the thermal module for the optional XMG OASIS liquid cooling system can be illustrated as follows:
By contrast, the XMG PRO 16 uses a different thermal module – without a water channel:
The fans and heatsinks in the XMG NEO 16 are 12 mm tall, while the XMG PRO 16 – which is also slightly slimmer overall – uses 10 mm components. This also results in slightly different power limits for CPU-only and combined CPU+GPU load.
Also, since the E25 generation of XMG PRO and XMG NEO, the GPU board is separate from the mainboard:
This semi-modular approach supports our product development and is one of the reasons why we can offer XMG PRO and XMG NEO in so many variants. A dedicated article on this motherboard design is available here:
XMG OASIS: liquid cooling solution for XMG NEO 16
What is the XMG OASIS?
XMG OASIS is an external liquid cooling system for the XMG NEO 16. It supplements the laptop’s internal air cooling with an additional liquid cooling loop: a pump circulates distilled water through a cooling channel integrated into the laptop’s cooling system. The heat absorbed there is then transferred to the surrounding air through the radiator and fan of XMG OASIS.
Even without XMG OASIS, the XMG NEO 16 remains a fully-capable air-cooled laptop, designed to sustain the full GPU performance of all available graphics cards. With the top-end GeForce RTX 5080 and 5090, all variants of the XMG NEO 16 already sustain a combined CPU and GPU power of 240 watts on air cooling alone.
XMG OASIS adds another layer of cooling and primarily takes load off the internal fans. With XMG OASIS connected, the XMG NEO 16 (M26) raises its sustained combined power limit to as much as 300 watts while simultaneously reducing temperatures and system noise.
Performance, temperatures and noise levels
How much additional cooling performance XMG OASIS provides depends on the workload. In the following comparisons, we showcase the XMG NEO 16 (A25) with Ryzen 9 9955HX3D alongside the XMG NEO 16 (E25) with Core Ultra 9 275HX, whose design is largely identical to that of the new M26 model. Both systems are equipped with the top-end GPU and are tested with air cooling as well as with XMG OASIS.
Disclaimer: In the tables below, “CPU temperature” always refers to the average across all 16 or 24 CPU cores. In other contexts, CPU temperature is often reported as the hotspot value instead, meaning the hottest measurement point at any given moment.
CPU-only
Under CPU-only load, the benefit varies depending on the platform:
In the sustained Cinebench R23 test, CPU power on the AMD system increases from 135 to 159 W. At the same time, the average CPU temperature drops from 91 to 87 °C, while the Cinebench score increases by only 5%.
On the Intel system, sustained CPU power increases more significantly from 159 to 199 W. Rather than using the additional thermal headroom to lower temperatures, the CPU converts it into additional performance: the average core temperature remains at 95 °C in both cases, while the Cinebench score rises by around 13% to 40,268 points.
These two results also illustrate why additional electrical power does not translate proportionally into additional computing performance. At 135 W, the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D is already relatively high on its efficiency curve and therefore gains comparatively little extra performance from another 24 W. In this workload, the Core Ultra 9 275HX is able to convert the additional power and thermal headroom into a larger performance gain.
CPU+GPU stress test
The advantage of XMG OASIS becomes even more apparent under simultaneous maximum CPU and GPU load. For this worst-case test, we combine Prime95 with the 3DMark Steel Nomad Stress Test.
Even on air cooling alone, the GeForce RTX 5090 sustains around 173 W in both systems. With XMG OASIS connected, this GPU power is fully maintained while significantly more headroom becomes available for the processor.
On the AMD system, sustained CPU power increases from 65 to 110 W. At the same time, GPU temperature drops from 82 to 70 °C, while the average CPU temperature decreases from 77 to 75 °C.
On the Intel system, CPU power likewise increases from 65 to 110 W – an increase of almost 70%. The GPU continues to sustain 173 W while its temperature drops from 81 to just 71 °C. The average CPU temperature rises only slightly from 83 to 85 °C, despite the substantially higher CPU power consumption.
The 3DMark score changes only marginally in this combined test because it continues to primarily reflect GPU performance. The main benefit here is the significantly greater amount of CPU performance available at the same time. This is relevant, for example, for workloads that heavily utilise both CPU and GPU in parallel.
Noise levels
In addition to performance and temperatures, acoustics are a major advantage of XMG OASIS. Even on air cooling alone, the XMG NEO 16 uses large fans with a comparatively low-frequency and therefore more pleasant acoustic profile.
With XMG OASIS connected, a substantial share of the heat is dissipated through the external radiator. This allows the internal fans to run at lower speeds, further reducing the laptop’s noise output.
In our Steel Nomad noise test, for example, the measured maximum noise level in Overboost Extreme drops from 52.4 to 47.4 dB. Noise levels decrease further with XMG OASIS in the lower performance profiles as well.
XMG OASIS on video: setup, operation and FAQs
Our latest video provides a detailed walkthrough of how XMG OASIS is connected, filled and used in everyday operation. Among other things, we cover the self-sealing connectors of the current generation, control via the XMG Control Center, disconnecting and transporting the laptop, and the recommended steps for maintaining the liquid cooling loop. We also show and explain the benchmark and noise measurements summarised above in greater detail.
You can find further information in our Help Center:
Other tidbits and fun facts
SSD cooling with PCI Express 5.0
PCI Express 5.0 SSDs are no longer a novelty – even a slim ultrabook such as the SCHENKER ELEMENT 16 now supports these extremely fast drives.
Keeping temperatures low on such flagship SSDs is still as vital today as it was when Gen5 was first introduced. This is why all of our models that support Gen5 SSDs include thermal conductors and connect the SSDs to the inner chassis surfaces using generously sized thermal pads.
In the XMG NEO 16, for example, heat from a Gen5 SSD is transferred via thermal pads and a heat shield to the aluminium bottom case. This spreads the heat across a larger surface area and reduces localised hot spots at the SSD controller. The XMG PRO 16 works similarly, except that its thermal module interfaces with a surface on the inside of the plastic bottom case.
In a ten-minute sustained write test with the Samsung SSD 9100 PRO, our solution maintains a constant write speed without thermal throttling:
The green graph shows the SSD variant without the Samsung heatsink, but with our own cooling solution inside the closed laptop chassis.
The result: our solution performs on par with the manufacturer’s own solution. Both variants maintain consistently stable write speeds within PCI Express 5.0 specifications without any throttling. The temperature curves converge after just a few minutes and stabilise at an SSD temperature of approx. 64 °C.
Since the CPU generates very little load in this scenario, the laptop fans also remain relatively quiet. Further information is available in this FAQ article:
Tuning options
The XMG PRO 16 and XMG NEO 16 support the following features across all currently available laptop variants:
- Preconfigured performance profiles from Balanced to Overboost.
- Creation of a manual performance profile with user-defined CPU and GPU power limits, including adjustment of PL1, PL2 and PL4, or SPL, sPPT and fPPT.
- Manual control of the MUX switch, switching between MSHybrid, iGPU-only and dGPU-only.
- Option to disable TPM 2.0.
- Option to disable Secure Boot.
- Automatically enabled support for virtualisation technologies.
- Setup of hardware encryption with compatible SSDs.
Those features apply to both AMD and Intel. The following table, however, shows the options in which the Intel and AMD platforms differ:
| XMG NEO (A25) with AMD | XMG PRO (M25) and XMG NEO (M26) with Intel |
|---|---|
| Supported: ✅ Factory-level optimization of PBO (Precision Boost Overdrive) in cooperation with AMD, including tuning of TDC and EDC. ✅ Standard frequency/voltage curve in compliance with AMD guidance. ✅ Automatic support for DDR5-5600 CL46 (SO-DIMM). ✅ Options to disable the second CCD (Core Chiplet Die). ✅ Options to disable SMT (Simultaneous Multithreading). ✅ Manual adjustment of the CPU Curve Optimizer (undervolting).* ✅ Options to adjust memory clock speeds and latencies* *marked options are only available since BIOS N.1.12A10 with AMD. Not available: ❌ Options to to load XMP/EXPO profiles. ❌ Manual tuning of PBO, TDC, or EDC. ❌ RAID setup. | Supported: ✅ Manual undervolting via BIOS setup. ✅ Option to disable Undervolt Protection to allow undervolting via Windows software. ✅ Manual tuning of memory clock speeds and latencies. ✅ Manual loading of XMP profiles. ✅ Individual core configurations, e.g., disabling specific E/P cores or all E cores. ✅ Predefined profiles with AC Loadline tuning. ✅ Automatic support for DDR5-5600 CL46 (SO-DIMM). ✅ Automatic support for DDR5-6400 CL52 (CSO-DIMM).* ✅ Setup of RAID arrays, especially RAID 1. *marked options only apply to variants with Intel Core Ultra 9 HX-series, i.e. not to the i9-14900HX in XMG PRO 16 (M25). |
Length of power cable
The XMG NEO with RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 is supplied with a 420-watt power adapter. This power level is required with RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 to cover the maximum intended combined power limits when using XMG OASIS, as liquid cooling enables higher power consumption when the CPU and GPU are under load simultaneously.
This charger has a relatively short cable of only 80 cm length, spanning from the power brick the the laptop’s power input port. The AC cable on the other side of the brick is modular and variable – we ship with a 1.8 m cord out-of-the-box.
The shorter DC cable is required to ensure sufficiently stable current delivery. This is particularly necessary because the cable is effectively extended when used together with XMG OASIS:
- The 420-watt power adapter connects to XMG OASIS.
- A DC extension cable connects XMG OASIS to the XMG NEO.
- Power from the 420-watt adapter is routed through XMG OASIS to the laptop.
Alternatively, we offer smaller power adapters with lower wattages and longer DC cables. The following table compares all recommended and supported chargers:
| Adapter | Model Number | Dimensions | Weight (with AC cord) | DC cable length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150 W USB-C | FSP150-APDBR01 (link coming soon) | 113.5 x 64.5 x 23 mm | 466 g | 1.5 m |
| 240 W | FSP240-ACBU3 FSP250-ACBU3* | 127 x 71 x 25.6 mm | 611 g | 1.2 m |
| 330 W | FSP330-ACAU3 | 165 x 75.6 x 25.8 mm | 751 g | 1.2 m |
| 420 W | FSP420-ACAU3 | 178.5 x 81.6 x 27 mm | 834 g | 80 cm |
Remarks:
- With air cooling, the smaller 330-watt power adapter is 100% sufficient under full CPU and GPU load – including in “Overboost” mode.
- The even smaller 240-watt power adapter should instead be used in “Enthusiast” mode. In Overboost mode under full CPU and GPU load, it would be overloaded and switch off, causing the laptop to switch to battery power. In “Enthusiast” mode, however, the adapter can be fully utilised.
Our recommendation:
- Install the original 420-watt charger permanently at your main workstation with a sufficiently long AC cord.
- Buy a second power adapter with lower wattage, lower weight and a longer cable for mobile use.
Further information is available in this article:
Wi-Fi 7 and the XMG NEO 16 with AMD
The XMG NEO 16 (M26) is offered with Wi-Fi 7. On the Intel-based variants of the XMG PRO 16, Wi-Fi 7 is available as an upgrade depending on the configuration.
The XMG NEO 16 (A25), by contrast, supports Wi-Fi 6E, including the 6 GHz band. An upgrade to Wi-Fi 7 is not supported on this model generation. This limitation does not only apply to the factory-installed wireless module; replacing it with a Wi-Fi 7 module is not supported either:
- The AMD platform does not boot with Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200.
- Modules based on MediaTek MT7925 do not achieve the intended Wi-Fi 7 operation on this platform.
The limitation is rooted in platform integration and the regulatory certification of the wireless solution. We therefore do not plan to introduce Wi-Fi 7 support for the XMG NEO 16 (A25). Its existing Wi-Fi 6E solution remains more than capable for current routers and high-speed internet connections.
Frequently asked questions
Is there also a refresh planned for the XMG NEO 16 (A25)?
There is no refresh planned for the XMG NEO 16 (A25) within the current product generation.
The model will remain unchanged in the line-up and continue to be produced as-is. It will not receive a new generational designation or be rebranded.
The reason is simple: AMD has not announced a successor or refresh for the Ryzen 9 9955HX and Ryzen 9 9955HX3D. Both processors remain AMD’s current flagship CPUs in this class. The available NVIDIA graphics cards are also identical to those in the XMG NEO 16 (M26).
The Intel-based M26 introduces two specific changes:
- the new Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- the new OLED display, which is only compatible with the Intel platform
Neither can be carried over to the AMD model. The XMG NEO 16 (A25) therefore remains the current AMD variant – there will be no purely cosmetic rebranding to a 2026 generational designation. The XMG NEO 16 (M26) exclusively replaces the previous Intel-based E25 model.
Why is there no XMG NEO 17 anymore?
The feature set and performance class of the XMG NEO will remain exclusive to the 16-inch chassis for the foreseeable future, as this is globally the chassis size most in demand among customers for high-performance laptops. For users who prefer a larger display and do not mind the additional weight, however, we are now planning to launch a new XMG PRO 18. All information:
Technically, the model is largely based on the XMG PRO 16 platform, but combines it with a larger chassis and several additional features. The regular version is planned with an Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and a 300 Hz IPS display with 2560×1600 pixels. A Value Edition with a Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus, GeForce RTX 5070 with 12 GB VRAM and a 180 Hz display is also in development. Both variants feature, among other things, a larger four-speaker sound system, a larger glass touchpad, a 99 Wh battery and a comparatively slim chassis for the 18-inch class.
Pricing and the final availability date will only be announced at the official launch – expected before the end of September 2026.
Configure and buy
XMG NEO 16 (2025) with AMD and Intel can be configured and ordered at bestware:
Configure now: XMG PRO 16 (M25)Configure now: XMG PRO 16 Value Edition (M25)
Configure now: XMG NEO 16 (A25)
Configure now: XMG NEO 16 (M26)
