XMG’s latest laptop is a desktop replacement in about as true a sense as you can get. It’s a 17 inch notebook PC powered by up to a 125-watt Intel Core i9-11900K and up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 graphics with up to a 165-watt TGP.
In other words, the XMG Ultra 17 is a laptop with the beating heart of a desktop PC, and a rather high-performance (and energy hungry) desktop at that.
Weighing more than 10 pounds and measuring about 1.7 inches thick, it’s more of a luggable laptop than a truly compact portable. But it’s certainly easier to move around than a desktop PC. And with a 97 Wh battery, you should be able the computer unplugged for at least a little while.
The XMG Ultra 17 is available from European retailer Bestware for €2,799 (~$3,290)and up.
The starting price is for a model with an Intel Core i7-11700K processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics, 16GB of DDR4-3200 RAM, a 500GB Samsung 980 Pro SSD, and a 17 inch, 1920 x 1080 pixel IPS LCD display with a 300 Hz refresh rate.
But the computer can also be configured with up to 128GB of RAM, up to a 4K display, and with more powerful CPU and graphics options.
Standard features include
- 4 x M.2 2280 slots for storage (1 x PCIe x4, 1 x SATA III, and 2 x support either)
- 4 x SODIMM slots for DDR4-3200 dual channel RAM
- 2 x Thunderbolt 4
- 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C
- 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
- 1 x HDMI 2.1
- 2 x Mini DisplayPort 1.3a
- 1 x headphone jack
- 1 x mic input + S/PDIF optical
- 1 x 2.5 Gbps Ethernet
- 1 x SD card reader
- WiFi 6
- Bluetooth 5
- Backlit keyboard with per-key RGB lighting
- Fingerprint reader
The laptop can support up for three external displays and has a built-in 2.1 channel audio system, which should make it pretty usable for gaming or graphic design. I just wouldn’t hold out high hopes for long battery life.
Fortunately, unlike most modern laptops, the XMG Ultra 17 seems to have a removable battery. So I guess you could carry around a spare if you need one. That’s bound to be easier than carrying the charger, which includes two 280 watt power supplies.