Gaming notebooks have only gotten stronger in recent years. But one thing is still a limiting factor today: the cooling capacity. Due to the compact dimensions, manufacturers always have to make certain compromises. XMG wants to solve this problem with a little trick.
With the XMG Oasis, the manufacturer has an external water cooling system in its range that can be connected to compatible notebooks and is intended to ensure better cooling performance. Does that work? We did the test.
The most important data at a glance
For our test, the manufacturer not only provided us with the latest generation of the Oasis, but also with a suitable notebook. This is an XMG NEO 17. Our test copy is equipped with extremely powerful hardware. Inside is an Intel Core i9-13900HX processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 notebook GPU. The system is rounded off by a total of 32 GB DDR5 RAM and a 2 TB SSD. A real high-end notebook! With a price of 4,129 euros, however, it is not exactly cheap either.
| Size | 17 inch |
| Panel | IPS |
| resolution | 2.560 x 1.600 Pixel |
| frame rate | 240 Hertz |
| processor | Intel Core i9-13900HX |
| graphic card | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Notebook GPU |
| RAM | 32 GB DDR5 (5.600 MHz) |
| Storage | 2 TB M.2 SSD |
| battery pack | 99 Wh |
| Weight | 2,8 kg |
| connections | 1x headphones, 1x microphone, 3x USB 3.2, 1x USB-C (Thunderbolt/DisplayPort), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x LAN port, 1x card reader |
| Miscellaneous | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.0, mechanical keyboard, RGB light bar, Oasis support |
high-end equipment
The XMG NEO 17 comes in a matte dark gray and makes a very chic impression. It feels good in the hand, the case looks robust and you won’t find any uneven gaps. Unfortunately, the case is quite prone to fingerprints.
There are two narrow RGB strips on the back, which, in combination with the eye-catching ventilation slots and the mass of connection options, make it clear from afar that this is a gaming notebook. The keyboard also has a chic RGB lighting to offer. Both lighting options can be personalized as desired in the associated software. Here we have a wide variety of effects and all possible colors to choose from.
Connections are not only found on both sides, but also on the back of the notebook. Overall, the XMG NEO 17 has three USB 3.2 ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, a headphone and microphone port, a card reader and a USB-C port. The USB-C port also scores with Thunderbolt and DisplayPort support. The connection options for the XMG Oasis are on the back.
The first impression is extremely positive. In everyday situations, the notebook runs absolutely smoothly and there are no long loading times. On the one hand, this is due to the powerful processor from Intel. On the other hand on the fast SSD. CrystalDiskMark certifies sequential read rates of 6625 MB/s and write rates of 5034 MB/s. These are excellent values.
A small highlight is the notebook’s keyboard. XMG uses a mechanical keyboard with CHERRY MX Ultra Low Profile Tactile Switches. The keys have a very pleasant touch and are also a pleasure to write longer texts. On the other hand, typing is a little louder than on conventional notebook keyboards. The touchpad works precisely and always reliably.
With a brightness of around 380 cd/m², you are well equipped for gaming indoors. In direct sunlight, on the other hand, the image becomes quite pale, and the screen’s anti-reflective coating can’t do much to change that. However, the most important details can still be seen outside. The colors of the display look natural and not artificially oversaturated. The sRGB color space should be covered by 99%.
For gamers, the refresh rate plays an important role. The XMG NEO 17 has 240 Hertz to offer here. So up to 240 frames per second can be shown on the display. Perfect for a fluid display in fast-paced game situations that regularly occur in classic eSports titles.
Die XMG Oasis
The external water cooling also comes in dark gray and looks perfect with the notebook. It is 203 x 75 x 186 mm in size, weighs around 1.3 kilograms and also has a small RGB strip on the front. The manufacturer’s lettering is emblazoned on the top.
Before the first start, the coolant must first be let in. The water level can be checked through a transparent strip on the front. The water cooling is connected to the notebook via two hoses and a power cable.
Really practical: the hoses are held in the right position magnetically and can also be removed again very easily. They are self-sealing on both sides and thus prevent the coolant from escaping. Communication with the laptop takes place via Bluetooth.
All important settings can be made in the Control Center. There are three different performance profiles to choose from – from “Balanced” to “Overboost”. The higher the power, the louder the whole thing gets. Manual profiles can also be created if required. There is also a view of the fan and pump status, as well as the option to adjust the RGB lighting.
Die Gaming-Performance
Let’s get to the most important point: how does the XMG NEO 17 perform in gaming and how big is the influence of the XMG Oasis? We grabbed three more or less current AAA games for the test. Cyberpunk 2077, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and Hogwarts Legacy. The first test is carried out with a resolution of 2560×1600 pixels and the highest possible graphics details. Ray tracing is left out for the time being.
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The results are really impressive. With the help of water cooling, the temperature of the graphics card can be reduced between 9 and 13 degrees Celsius. And that also affects the number of frames. We benefit most from this in Hogwarts Legacy. Here the FPS increase is around 9 percent.
| Spiel | Without oasis | With oasis |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 83°C / 92 FPS | 74 °C / 99 FPS |
| The Witcher 3 | 82 °C / 122 FPS | 69°C / 125 FPS |
| Hogwarts Legacy | 81 °C / 78 FPS | 71 °C / 85 FPS |
Benchmarks without ray tracing. GPU temperature & average FPS.
Next, the combination of notebook and water cooling with activated ray tracing has to prove itself – again in QHD and the maximum graphic details. The results are similar. In some cases, the temperature of the graphics card can be reduced by 12 degrees Celsius with the XMG Oasis, which results in a performance increase of up to 10 percent.
| Spiel | Without oasis | With oasis |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 82 °C / 43 FPS | 74 °C / 47 FPS |
| The Witcher 3 | 81 °C / 72 FPS | 69 °C / 76 FPS |
| Hogwarts Legacy | 83 °C / 39 FPS | 71 °C / 43 FPS |
Benchmarks with ray tracing. GPU temperature & average FPS.
The XMG Oasis also has a positive effect on the volume. Gaming notebooks get pretty loud under load – the XMG NEO 17 is no exception. The fans are not switched off completely, but as soon as the water cooling system is connected, it becomes significantly quieter and therefore all the more pleasant for everyone.
Conclusion
A notebook with an external graphics card seems pretty absurd at first glance. However, the test showed that the XMG Oasis is more than just a nice gimmick. It effectively reduces the temperatures of the hardware and thus ensures better performance and quieter operation. The effect is most pronounced in particularly demanding titles such as Hogwarts Legacy, where every frame is synonymous with a smoother gameplay experience.
The general conditions are also convincing. Equipment and processing of the notebook are really excellent and the operation of the water cooling is child’s play. If only it weren’t for this one catch: the price. The XMG NEO 17 itself is not exactly cheap and the XMG Oasis costs around 200 euros. Therefore, the concept is probably only for real enthusiasts – but they should get their money’s worth.