**XMG's 2024 Gaming Laptop Lineup: Neo 17, Neo 16, and Fusion 15**

XMG is back with its annual lineup of gaming laptops, and this year promises to be exciting with several upgrades and new features. Let's dive into each model and explore what makes them special.

**Neo 17 (2023)**

The Neo 17 is the flagship laptop in XMG's lineup, and it's a beast when it comes to performance and cooling. The new cooler design now properly covers and connects to the PCH, which was previously missing and compensated by a thermal pad. This change ensures better heat dissipation and a more efficient cooling system. Additionally, the Neo 17 now supports USB Type-C charging with 100 watts on its rear port, making it one of the most convenient laptops in this category.

Compared to last gen, the new Neo 17 offers improved CPU performance and thermals, which should provide a noticeable boost in gaming performance. The laptop's all-aluminum chassis is sleek and sturdy, making it a great option for those who want a premium gaming experience without sacrificing portability.

**Neo 16 (2023)**

The Neo 16 is XMG's more portable alternative to the Neo 17, offering similar features and performance at a lower price point. The laptop's all-aluminum chassis feels nice in the hand, and its 15.3-inch screen is slightly smaller than the more common 15.6-inch panels but still offers an impressive 16:10 aspect ratio.

One of the notable upgrades in the Neo 16 is its MUX switch, which allows for faster graphics switching between integrated and dedicated GPUs. This feature is particularly useful when playing games that support G-Sync or Optimus technology. However, it's worth noting that gaming with Optimus on doesn't lose as much performance as it used to after the CASO update, so this change may not be as significant.

The Neo 16 still offers a range of ports, including USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A and C ports, an SD card slot, and HDMI output via Thunderbolt. The laptop's keyboard is also noteworthy, with a sleek design that fits snugly into the chassis while providing excellent tactile feedback.

**Fusion 15 (2024)**

XMG's latest offering in its lineup is the Fusion 15, a smaller and more portable version of the Neo 16. This laptop shares many similarities with its bigger brother, including an all-aluminum chassis and a MUX switch for improved graphics performance. The Fusion 15 also features a sleek 15.3-inch screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio.

One notable difference between the Fusion 15 and the Neo 17 is its cooling system, which uses a new design that covers and connects to the PCH. This change should provide better heat dissipation and more efficient cooling performance. The laptop also features a range of ports, including USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A and C ports, an SD card slot, and HDMI output via Thunderbolt.

The Fusion 15 is notable for its compact design, which makes it perfect for those who need a portable gaming laptop without sacrificing too much power. It's also worth noting that XMG will offer the Fusion 15 with Intel's Core i9-14900HX processor and up to Nvidia RTX 4070 graphics, making it an excellent option for gamers on the go.

**Hardware-Based iGPU Only Mode**

One of the most exciting features in XMG's new lineup is its hardware-based iGPU only mode. This feature guarantees that the integrated GPU won't accidentally get woken up and improve battery life by limiting power consumption to the dedicated GPU. The iGPU only mode can be enabled through the BIOS or control center software with a reboot.

**XMG's 2024 Gaming Laptop Roadmap**

So, when can you expect these laptops? XMG has announced that the Neo 17 will launch first, starting from early February for high-end RTX 4080 and 4090 configurations. The Neo 16 is expected to ship later, with pre-orders likely starting in late February or early March, followed by availability in mid-to-late March.

The Fusion 15 is set to arrive in late March or early April, making it the smallest and most portable option in XMG's lineup this year. As always, there will be more new gaming laptops coming out in 2024, but for now, these three models are sure to impress with their impressive performance, cooling systems, and sleek designs.

**XMG's Neo 17 Compared to Last Gen**

When comparing the Neo 17 to last gen, it's clear that XMG has made significant improvements in CPU performance and thermals. The new cooler design now properly covers and connects to the PCH, which should provide better heat dissipation and more efficient cooling performance. Additionally, the Neo 17 supports USB Type-C charging with 100 watts on its rear port.

In terms of cooling performance, XMG's new Neo 17 offers a noticeable boost over last gen, thanks to its improved design. This change should result in faster gaming performance and reduced temperatures during extended use.

**XMG's Neo 16 Compared to Last Gen**

Compared to the Neo 16 from last year, the new model features a sleeker design with an all-aluminum chassis that feels premium in the hand. The laptop's 15.3-inch screen is slightly smaller than the more common 15.6-inch panels but still offers an impressive 16:10 aspect ratio.

In terms of performance, the Neo 16 now supports USB Type-C charging with 100 watts on its rear port and improved cooling performance thanks to XMG's new design. The laptop also features a range of ports, including USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A and C ports, an SD card slot, and HDMI output via Thunderbolt.

Overall, the Neo 16 is a solid upgrade over last year's model, offering improved performance, cooling, and portability in a sleek design.

**Fusion 15 Compared to Last Gen**

XMG's latest offering, the Fusion 15, is smaller and more portable than the Neo 17 but still packs a punch in terms of performance. The laptop features a range of ports, including USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A and C ports, an SD card slot, and HDMI output via Thunderbolt.

Compared to last gen, the Fusion 15 offers improved cooling performance thanks to XMG's new design, which covers and connects to the PCH. The laptop also features a sleeker design with an all-aluminum chassis that fits snugly into the hand.

Overall, the Fusion 15 is a great option for those who need a portable gaming laptop without sacrificing too much power.

**Conclusion**

XMG's 2024 lineup of gaming laptops promises to be exciting, offering improved performance, cooling systems, and sleek designs. From the flagship Neo 17 to the compact Fusion 15, there's something for every gamer on the go. With its range of features, portability, and impressive performance, XMG is sure to stay a top contender in the gaming laptop market this year.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enXMG have improved CPU performance by 25% intheir Neo 16 gaming laptop with an updateto the water cooling design!And they’ve sponsored this video at CES2024 for us to check it out, as well as theupdated Neo 17, and new smaller Fusion 15design.Let’s start out with the Neo 16 and divestraight into what’s responsible for thoseimpressive performance gains.Just for context, in last year’s designthere was a pipe soldered on top of the aircooler for liquid cooling.This worked fairly well, but CPU performancecould suffer as the loop sits above the GPU.But now the cooler has been completely redesignedfor 2024.The water pipe is now integrated into thecooler, you can’t actually see it here.This image from XMG shows the path of thewater pipe in blue.The new design increases the surface areacontact of the water pipe with the rest ofthe cooler, and as the pipe isn’t just solderedon top of the air cooling, it also means there’sless physical obstruction to airflow, resultingin better thermal efficiency.Even without liquid cooling, the newer 2024design supports an extra 10 watts of combinedCPU and GPU power on air cooling comparedto 2023.With Cinebench and Furmark running at thesame time on water cooling we’re lookingat 160 to 170 watts on the GPU, and 100 wattson the CPU, for a total of 270 watts.Basically what MSI’s larger Titan 18 HXis apparently capable of, but in a smaller16” chassis.XMG had an early sample setup and I ran a10 minute Cinebench R23 multicore test.Towards the end it had settled in at 84 degreesCelsius on average and up to 94 for the CPUhot spot while using 175 watts, but it canboost as high as 205 watts at the start ofa test.After comparing the score last to year’sNeo 16 I found a 25% performance boost - whichis quite a big improvement between a singlegeneration.Yeah, the newer laptop has a newer 14th genCPU, but realistically the 14900HX isn’tthat different to the 13900HX - most of thegains are from the cooling improvement.The test isn’t even fair for the new laptopeither, because the hotel suite I tested inwas definitely warmer than where I normallytest for reviews, plus this isn’t finalhardware, firmware or drivers either.And of course it doesn’t count for any unit-to-unitvariance with liquid metal contact or CPUsilicon lottery, so results may differ.We were able to get 35 and a half thousandpoints in Cinebench R23 from idle in a singlerun with the liquid cooler and fans maxedout, not bad at all!The liquid cooler connector has also beenimproved again this year.It’s still magnetic and self-sealing, butnow it’s using a mechanical design witha metal pin in the middle.You push it in and it makes an audible click,confirming a tighter, more secure connection.The tubes are modular, and are supported withthe XMG Oasis Mk2.This year only the higher end RTX 4080 and4090 configurations have liquid cooling support.The 4060 and 4070 don’t use as much power,and they figure enthusiasts are more likelyto go for higher end GPU options.This is also why the 4080 and 4090 use ThermalGrizzly Conductonaut liquid metal on the CPUand GPU, as liquid metal is harder to servicedue to being electrically conductive - butdon’t worry, the 4060 and 4070 still useHoneywell PTM7958 on the CPU and GPU, whichis just what they call the popular PTM7950when buying it in bulk in larger tubes, thespecs are the same though.There are more improvements than just thecooling.The Neo 16 has a completely new all-aluminumchassis - including the top, interior andbottom panel, so no more rubbery grip-touchon the palm rest.The per-key RGB keyboard isn’t mechanicalthis year, but this has some advantages.The WASD and numpad areas act as air intakenow, which contributes to the improved aircooling mentioned earlier, and also helpsthe keyboard feel cooler to the touch.This just wasn’t possible with the CherryMX keyboard.The layout of the keys is improved too.The new membrane keyboard is bigger, meaningless space between the edges of the laptop.Here’s last year’s model for comparison,note that the numpad only has 3 columns ofkeys and the position of the arrow keys.Now here’s the new one.The numpad has 4 lines of keys the way it’smeant to, and the arrow keys are separate,which I prefer.Oh, and the touchpad is 13% larger this yeartoo, it’s bigger in both dimensions.The lid goes back the full 180 degrees now,and the bottom chin below the display is muchsmaller too.The compromise is a slightly thicker lid tofit the PCB for the panel behind it insteadof underneath, but I found this new designto greatly improve screen wobble comparedto last gen.Last year the lid would flop all over theplace, but now that’s much better, evenif you bump the table hard.The new design also means different panelscan be used.The 2024 Neo 16 still has a 2560 by 1600 240Hzscreen with advanced optimus, but it’s brighternow at 500 nits instead of 350.The 1080p camera above the screen is dualsensor now.This results in better quality, as the IRcamera for Windows Hello face unlock is separatedfrom the RGB camera lens.There’s also a physical camera shutter onthe RGB camera, though that will be blackinstead of red in the final version.The Neo 16 also adds an extra USB Type-C porton the left this year, and the one on theback now has support for Type-C charging withup to 100 watts.The performance button now has different colorsto represent different performance modes,allowing you to quickly see what’s enabled.Pressing the key cycles between performancemodes, but now you can hold the function keyto enable fan boost.You can still change this through the BIOS,but now this update lets you have the bestof both worlds.Now let’s move onto the larger XMG Neo 17,which also gets that performance button updatein the mech keyboard option.The outside of this year’s Neo 17 chassisis the same as when I covered it a coupleof years ago.All the changes to the Neo 17 are on the inside,where it’s been updated to Intel’s latestCore i9-14900HX processor, and just like thesmaller Neo 16, this time liquid cooling supportand liquid metal is only present on the higherend RTX 4080 and 4090 configurations.But in 2024, the pipe for liquid cooling alsogoes over the CPU now.Last year’s model was only over the GPU,but now the new one covers the CPU too.So it’s not as integrated as this year’sNeo 16, which uses a much more modified design,but it still means better CPU performanceand thermals compared to last gen.The new cooler design also now properly coversand connects to the PCH, this was previouslymissing and compensated by a thermal pad.The new cooler from 2024 can also be retrofittedto the 2023 Neo 17, XMG will announce priceand availability later, but that’s prettycool for people that already have one.Oh and like the Neo 16, the Neo 17 also getsUSB Type-C charging with 100 watts on therear port.XMG’s Fusion 15 is coming back this year.If you recall, this was the Intel collaborationlaptop back in 2022, but now that the IntelNUC team has left the chat they’re no longerinvolved.Maybe that’s why some regions will havean AMD Hawk Point version available.XMG haven’t confirmed they’ll offer itwith AMD yet, so let them know if you wantit!They’ll offer it with Intel’s Core i9-14900HXprocessor and up to Nvidia RTX 4070 graphics,so no liquid cooling available with this model.The Fusion 15 is basically a smaller, moreportable version of the Neo 16.The all-aluminum chassis feels nice, and it’sthe first laptop I’ve ever seen with a 15.3”screen, so just a tiny bit smaller than themore common 15.6” panels, but it’s also16:10 rather than 16:9.Unfortunately the Fusion 15 doesn’t haveG-Sync or advanced optimus, but it still hasa MUX switch.Honestly after the CASO update, gaming withoptimus on doesn’t lose anywhere near asmuch performance as it used to anyway, soI don’t think that’s a huge loss.External monitors via Thunderbolt or HDMIstill connect to the discrete graphics, bypassingoptimus and allowing G-Sync.Speaking of ports, the left side has a Kensingtonlock, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A and C ports, anda 3.5mm audio combo jack, while the righthas an SD card slot and two more USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports.The back has a Thunderbolt 4 Type-C port with100 watts of Type-C charging, HDMI 2.1 output,2.5 gigabit ethernet and the power input onthe right.Despite the smaller size, it still fits thesame membrane keyboard as the Neo 16.The keyboard goes right to the edges, so they’remaking the most of the space and not compromisingon functionality despite the compact design.It feels nice to type on, and the new keyboarddesign also means air goes through the WASDand numpad areas like the Neo 16 too.Even the touchpad is the same size as thebigger Neo 16, so it’s quite large here.Here’s how the Fusion 15 cooler comparesto the Neo 16’s cooler with 4060 or 4070and no liquid cooling, very similar as youcan see.Some changes apply to all three of these laptopmodels, like the RTX 4080 and 4090 configurationsstill use the larger 330 watt charger, butthe 4060 and 4070 use a new smaller versionof the 280 watt charger.Unfortunately they didn’t have them to showon video, but you can see the difference indimensions here.There’s also an option for a new smaller240 watt charger if you don’t need fullperformance on the go.All three of these laptops also have a newhardware-based iGPU only mode, guaranteeingthe dGPU can’t accidentally get woken upand improving battery life.It’s available either through the BIOS,or control center software with a reboot.Alright, here's XMG’s roadmap.XMG’s Neo 17 launches first, with shippingstarting from early February for the highertier RTX 4080 and 4090 configurations andfrom the end of March for RTX 4060 and 4070.Last year’s Neo 17 also gets a price drop,you can check current prices with the linksbelow the video.The Neo 16 comes out next, with pre-orderslikely starting late February or early March,with availability in mid to late March.As for the Fusion 15, we’re expecting latemarch or early April.So definitely some nice improvements to XMG’sNeo 16 this year, as well as some tweaks toits bigger brother, the Neo 17, while thesmaller Fusion 15 still has plenty of powerif you’re after something a bit smaller.There are plenty of other new gaming laptopscoming out in 2024, and you can find out aboutall of them in the rest of my CES 2024 coverageover here next.\n"