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| Apex 17 outdoors, snow in the background |
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| Apex 17 starts at €2.049 now |
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| Lenovo Legion 5 15 starts at €1.519 - including an OLED, Wi-Fi 7, USB 4, and a 5 MP wecam |
In the world of gaming laptops, raw performance doesn't always come cheap. The XMG Apex 17 (model M25) is living proof of that. Our comprehensive review reveals that this German-engineered machine delivers truly exceptional performance, with its GPU already outpacing many other RTX-5060 gaming laptops. But it's the CPU performance that's even more impressive—the high-end AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX processor is a component rarely found in laptops within this class.
A Processor That Defies Expectations
There's a good reason why most manufacturers avoid pairing an RTX 5060 with such a powerful processor: the CPU significantly increases the cost of the Apex 17. When paired with Nvidia's entry-level to midrange GPU, it's arguably more powerful than necessary. Most OEMs opt for more affordable processors to better match the GPU's capabilities, but XMG has taken a different approach—one that prioritizes raw performance above all else.
Price Shock: Now Starting at €2,049
When we finished our review of the Apex 17 just a few days ago, the laptop was still listed at €1,899 in XMG's official bestware.com store. On our Reddit channel, users commented that the price was already too high and that more affordable alternatives existed.
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If €1,899 already seemed expensive for an RTX-5060 gaming laptop, there's more bad news: Schenker has since confirmed that rising component costs have forced the company to adjust pricing. In practical terms, that means a price increase—the Apex 17 now starts at €2,049, a €150 jump. That makes it one of the most expensive RTX-5060 laptops currently available. According to Schenker, further price adjustments later this year are possible.
Configure your XMG Apex 17 at bestware.com
Performance That Punches Above Its Weight
So what exactly are you getting for that premium price? The Apex 17 is built around a philosophy of unrestrained performance. XMG has given the RTX 5060 a full 115W TDP (including Dynamic Boost), ensuring it can deliver frame rates that often leave its peers—and even some RTX 5070 laptops—in the dust. In gaming benchmarks, the Apex 17 consistently delivers frame rates that are not only top-tier for an RTX 5060 but also edge out several competing laptops with higher-tier GPUs that are likely power-limited or thermally constrained.
The Ryzen 9 9955HX processor deserves special mention. With 16 cores and boost clocks up to 5.4 GHz, this Zen 5-based CPU provides immense processing power for gaming, streaming, and content creation. It ensures the GPU is never left waiting for data, creating a perfectly balanced system despite the apparent mismatch in component tiers.
Where the Apex 17 Cuts Corners
As impressive as the Apex 17's performance is, its price cannot be ignored. Laptops made in Germany by Schenker aren't cheap, but they're also not flawless. In some areas, better-rated alternatives are available at lower prices.
The Apex 17 lacks USB4 and Thunderbolt support—a notable omission in 2025 that limits external storage speeds to just 10 Gb/s. The keyboard features extremely shallow key travel and feels merely acceptable for extended typing sessions. While the 17.3-inch QHD display is good overall with its 240Hz refresh rate and wide color gamut coverage, its brightness of 325 nits is nothing exceptional. On the plus side, you get a 1080p IR webcam with a physical shutter, and the laptop runs surprisingly cool under load despite the raw power being pushed through the chassis.
Competition: Cheaper Alternatives Abound
Price comparison sites show that RTX-5060 gaming laptops start at around €1,000. Examples include the Asus V16, HP Victus 15, and Lenovo LOQ 15. Various Acer Nitro models, Captiva systems, the Medion Erazer Deputy, and MSI's Cyborg lineup are also available just above the €1,000 mark.
Check out budget alternatives: The Lenovo LOQ 17 with RTX 5070: Big Screen Gaming on a Budget
In our review, the XMG Apex 17 scored 82 points. By comparison, the Lenovo Legion 5 15, which we named the best midrange gaming laptop of 2025, achieved 87 points and starts at €1,519. It also includes an OLED display, a 5-MP webcam, USB 4.0, and Wi-Fi 7. Against a laptop like that, the Apex 17 may struggle to justify its €2,049 starting price.
Lenovo Legion 5 15 starts at €1,519—including an OLED, Wi-Fi 7, USB 4, and a 5 MP webcam.
For €2,000, RTX 5070 and RTX 5070 Ti Alternatives Are Already Available
At this price level, buyers can already find gaming laptops equipped with an RTX 5070 Ti. Examples include the MSI Vector A16 HX, Gigabyte Gaming A16 Pro, Acer Nitro 16S AI, HP Omen Max 16, and Asus ROG Strix G16.
Lenovo also offers the Legion 7i Gen 10 with an RTX 5060 at a price above €2,000. However, even here, the Apex 17 faces stiff competition. The Legion offers features such as an OLED display, 5-MP webcam, aluminum chassis, larger battery, faster DDR5-6400 RAM, Thunderbolt 4, and an SD card reader. Pure performance isn't everything, and the Apex 17's single-minded focus on frame rates comes at the expense of features many users consider essential.
The Noise Trade-Off
This level of performance doesn't come without compromises beyond price. In full Performance mode, the Apex 17 gets very loud—the fans work overtime to expel all that heat. You'll definitely want a good gaming headset. The power consumption is equally demanding, drawing substantially more power under load than competing systems. For gamers conscious about energy use or noise levels, these are significant considerations.
Conclusion: Price Increase Makes It Harder for the XMG Apex 17 to Compete
The Apex 17 is an extremely powerful gaming laptop, but its current pricing makes it harder for Schenker to attract buyers. It's a specialized tool for a specific type of user: the gamer or power user who demands maximum raw performance from an RTX 5060 laptop and prioritizes frame rates over everything else.
Buy it if you want the absolute best RTX 5060 performance on the market, appreciate a clean understated design without "gamer" frills, and plan to game with a headset. Consider alternatives if you need the latest connectivity like USB4 or Thunderbolt, require an SD card reader, or prioritize a quiet computing experience.
The market situation remains tense for both manufacturers and customers. Given the ongoing price increases, now may not be the ideal time to buy a new laptop. For those willing to wait, the coming months may bring more competitive pricing—or further increases. Either way, the XMG Apex 17 stands as a testament to what happens when a manufacturer refuses to compromise on performance, even if that means asking buyers to pay a premium for speed above all else.
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