Maingear Super 16 review: The right kind of power, but not the complete package

Price When Reviewed

$2,758

Best Prices Today: Maingear Super 16

Maingear may not be the family model that large OEMs like Asus and Lenovo are, but it surely brings stable chops relating to making a gaming laptop. The Maingear Super 16 is a transparent instance of this. It packs in highly effective {hardware} and comes with an thrilling checklist of specs like a 300Hz show. 

The Maingear Super 16 could not fairly have the appears to be like of a few of its rivals because it comes with a chassis made by Clevo, not Maingear itself. Still, the model does stable work inside that constraint. And it even manages to keep up a reasonably aggressive worth. But the place worth counts, it might come right down to a number of the intangibles.

After all, the Super 16 didn’t blow away the competitors in benchmarks, outshine them in design, or cleanly undercut them in worth. The cleaner software program setup may assist, and the promise of in-house, human buyer help from a small firm may very well be helpful for customers who’ve discovered themselves in want of tech help. But when you’re trying to get extra efficiency for each greenback you spend, the Maingear Super 16 could have a tough time incomes that cash. 

Maingear Super 16: Specs and options

• CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
• Memory: 32GB DDR5-5600
• Graphics/GPU: Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti 140W
• Display: 16-inch 2560×1600 300Hz IPS, Matte, G-Sync
• Storage: 2TB PCIe Gen 5 SSD Samsung 9100 Pro
• Webcam: 5MP + IR
• Connectivity: 2x Thunderbolt 4 with 100W Power Delivery, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x microSD card reader, 1x 3.5mm combo audio, 1 x Ethernet
• Networking: WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
• Biometrics: Windows Hello facial recognition
• Battery capability: 78 watt-hours
• Dimensions: 14.02 x 10.75 x 1.18 inches
• Weight: 5.04 kilos
• MSRP: $2,758 as-tested ($2,549 base)

The Maingear Super 16 primarily is available in a single pre-built configuration with the above specs. Maingear gives a “Boost” specification that doubles the storage and reminiscence, however the core elements stay the identical. Maingear additionally gives a customized configuration with choices for 64GB or 96GB of reminiscence and extra SSD selections. The pre-built mannequin ships with a Samsung 990 Pro PCIe Gen 4 SSDs, however our evaluate unit got here outfitted with a Samsung 9100 Pro PCIe Gen 5 SSD. This drive is on the market within the custom configurations. The customized configuration additionally permits for the choice of secondary and tertiary SSDs. 

Maingear Super 16: Design and construct high quality

Foundry / Mark Knapp

The Maingear Super 16 doesn’t have probably the most gorgeous design. It appears like {hardware} made merely to accommodate the most recent elements with out a lot emphasis on the laptop computer’s design itself. It merely fades from the image. The all-black shade scheme helps with that fading, although there’s a sparkle to the paint job that provides it slightly luster virtually at odds with the blandness of the design in any other case. 

The chassis is a mix of laborious angles, with nary a easy curve in sight. That leaves the entrance lip of the laptop computer angular as properly, which might dig into the wrists a short time utilizing the sizable machine. To home a 16-inch show, the Maingear Super 16 doesn’t get to be small, however its front-to-back size is appreciable at virtually 11 inches. This makes it tougher to suit into luggage and a little bit of a stretch to succeed in the keyboard. There’s appreciable bulk, too.

This isn’t a thin-and-light gaming laptop computer like the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16, both. Instead it’s virtually 1.2 inches thick and weighs 5 kilos. The charging brick, although not unusually giant, provides one other 1.5 kilos to the combination.

Like the appears to be like, the construct of Maingear Super 16 isn’t too thrilling. It does get a steel show lid with a Maingear brand stamped on it, however the remainder of the system is plastic — tough ABS across the show and easy polycarbonate for the decrease deck. The result’s slightly cheaper feeling and looking out than laptops incorporating steel into the decrease body. The construct isn’t overly versatile, however there’s a little bit of wiggle and bending right here and there that doesn’t make it really feel fairly as tank-like because it appears to be like. 

The laptop computer sits on giant rubber toes that do an excellent job of conserving it in place whereas additionally guaranteeing the underside has entry to contemporary air. All the air is exhausted by means of the massive grilles on the perimeters of the laptop computer and thinner grilles that reach out of the again of the system. Curiously, I discovered the laptop computer vibrating whereas gaming at one level, seemingly because of some form of resonance from the followers. I may hear the vibration and really feel it with my palms on the keyboard. It stopped after a minute or so, but it surely was an uncommon incident. 

The one splash of favor that the Maingear Super 16 will get is an LED gentle bar that runs alongside the again fringe of the laptop computer, the place you merely can’t see it when you’re truly utilizing the laptop computer (although different folks can). 

Maingear Super 16: Keyboard, trackpad

Foundry / Mark Knapp

The keyboard is a combined bag. It gives a protracted journey and an virtually clicky really feel that provides it a poppy expertise. But that’s offset by poorly and erratically stabilized keycaps with no contour to assist information my fingers to the middle. I discover myself typically rolling off the perimeters, touchdown on the sting of neighboring keys, and even catching on neighboring keys when I attempt to shift my fingers after urgent a key.

The result’s that I merely can’t stand up to hurry with out introducing vital errors into my typing. I used to be capable of get to typing speeds between 100 and 110 phrases per minute in Monkeytype, however normally with accuracy under 95 %, leaving loads of typos to scrub up. 

The keyboard contains full-size arrow keys and a barely slim quantity pad. Unfortunately, the arrow keys eat into the house of the principle keyboard and quantity pad alike. This could make use of the suitable shift key and the zero key on the quantity pad a bit fraught. The backlighting of the keyboard is sort of efficient, absolutely illuminating the legends and supporting varied results. It solely is available in three zones although, so no per-key customization. 

There’s little to say concerning the trackpad. It’s small for a 16-inch laptop computer, however not annoyingly so. There’s house to swipe round, carry out multi-finger gestures, and usually get the job performed. The floor isn’t the smoothest, however is satisfactory. The bodily click on is a bit smooth and unsatisfying. At least palm rejection was dependable. 

Maingear Super 16: Display, audio

Foundry / Mark Knapp

The Maingear Super 16’s show is nice, however doesn’t fairly hit the bar for very good. It’s a vivid, easy-to-see IPS panel that hit 547 nits in our testing, and due to its matte end, it’s simply viewable even at far dimmer ranges.

As an IPS panel, its distinction is of course rather less spectacular, solely hitting 1260:1, and it doesn’t boast the widest shade gamut with simply 84 % protection of the DCI-P3 shade house. It is sharp and quick, although, delivering 2560×1600 pixels at as much as 300Hz with variable refresh help through G-Sync.

Playing video games on this show, the velocity was admirable. But with alternate options on the market providing 240Hz OLED panels which have quicker pixel response instances, wider shade gamut, and stronger distinction, the additional 60Hz Maingear gives doesn’t really feel value all that a lot.

The audio system aren’t particularly spectacular. They’re a pair of down-firing audio system positioned close to the entrance of the laptop computer. They pack a good punch, serving to them play over the sound of the followers properly sufficient, they usually don’t sound boxed in or tinny. But additionally they don’t stand out for a large soundstage or distinctive depth both. 

Maingear Super 16: Webcam, microphone, biometrics

The 5MP webcam on the Maingear Super 16 is a succesful one. It captures sharp visuals, albeit with some noise in dimmer rooms. It gives pretty pure lighting and coloring, too, although can wrestle to reveal correctly with sturdy backlighting. It additionally helps Windows Hello facial recognition for fast logins. And for privateness, it has a bodily shutter to cowl up the lens. 

The mics are pretty delicate, capturing my voice simply with loads of element. But the facet impact of that is that additionally they decide up plenty of room noise. You gained’t get away with typing on the laptop computer or clicking round when you’re on a name with the built-in mic.

Maingear Super 16: Connectivity

Foundry / Mark Knapp

The Maingear Super 16 isn’t a connectivity beast prefer it may have been as a 16-inch laptop computer with loads of house for ports, but it surely’s not a disappointment both. It incorporates a fairly typical choice of ports for a gaming laptop computer of its measurement. You’ll discover a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports on the suitable facet of the laptop computer, each of which might help 100W energy supply, although not whereas gaming. There’s a microSD card slot on the suitable edge as properly. A 10Gbps USB-A port is on the market on both facet of the laptop computer and a 3.5mm headset jack on the left.

The rear fringe of the laptop computer squeezes in a couple of additional ports with an HDMI 2.1, 2.5Gb Ethernet, and a devoted DC energy jack. Because the Maingear Super 16 has giant exhaust vents on the perimeters, the entire facet ports are pushed towards the entrance of the laptop computer, which might make for a barely messier desk look and wired units can get in the way in which of a mouse. 

Wireless connectivity is a robust level with the laptop computer supporting Wi-Fi 7 by means of an Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200 card, which helps tri-band Wi-Fi 7, providing you with entry to that less-congested 6Ghz band. The card additionally helps Bluetooth 5.4. 

Maingear Super 16: Performance

Thicker laptops are inclined to have a bit of additional potential the place efficiency is available in, and the Maingear Super 16 reveals that off. It gives exceptionally sturdy efficiency within the holistic PCMark 10 benchmark, which analyzes programs’ efficiency in a wide range of workplace duties. 

As a potent gaming machine, workplace duties are gentle work for it. Note, nevertheless, that as a result of this take a look at system has an upgraded SSD that the pre-built mannequin doesn’t embrace, its rating is probably going slightly increased. Even with that SSD, the Maingear Super 16 truly trailed the pack on this gaming laptop computer lineup for the App Startup sub-test in PCMark 10, which is dependent upon quick storage. 

The Maingear Super 16’s Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU performs fairly properly, although isn’t a class-leader and leaves some efficiency on the desk. Its single-core efficiency lags a bit behind its competitors right here. AMD leads the way in which with the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D within the Asus ROG Strix G16 with sturdy single-core and multi-core efficiency. Maingear’s choice sits between the Acer Predator Helios NEO 16S AI and Alienware 16X Aurora, each of which use the identical CPU however with totally different ranges of efficiency, displaying what a substantial distinction cooling and energy supply could make. 

Part of the problem with the Maingear Super 16’s efficiency is that it comes barely hamstrung by default. Checking out the efficiency within the demanding 3DMark Port Royal take a look at, we are able to see that the Maingear Super 16 goes from second-place in its default plan straight to first by swapping over to its increased efficiency mode, getting over a 10 % increase in velocity.

While loads of gaming computer systems are completely satisfied to mechanically kick into increased efficiency modes when it’s known as for, the Maingear Super 16 sticks to a lower-power plan except manually adjusted. That guide adjustment requires opening up Maingear’s software program, too, as there’s no one-click button on the keyboard to allow it. Part of that is to adjust to California legislation, however Maingear defined the reliance on guide energy changes was as a result of they didn’t need customers coping with noisy followers each time they plugged their laptop computer in.

I’m not fairly satisfied by that excuse, as loads of different laptops don’t instantly ramp up the followers simply because they’re in the next energy mode however as an alternative accomplish that when in that mode and working a heavy workload. Besides, the Maingear Super 16’s followers make loads of noise once they’re working laborious even within the default energy plan.

In gaming, the Maingear Super 16 reveals what a giant distinction energy provide allowances could make with its 140-watt GPU. It nonetheless trails the Asus ROG Strix G16, which gives the quicker CPU and has a 140-watt GPU, however subsequent to the opposite two RTX 5070 Ti-equipped, it will get a pleasant little efficiency benefit. The system may be very succesful at 1080p. 

The Maingear Super 16 may even deal with fairly demanding video games properly. Metro Exodus at its Extreme settings actually hammers PCs even at 1080p, however the Maingear Super 16 is ready to keep a stable 61fps common. Again, its higher-power GPU helps it step away from lower-performance choices. 

Cyberpunk 2077 reveals related outcomes with the Maingear Super 16 once more main its 115-watt rivals however falling in need of the Asus ROG Strix G16. That constant efficiency deficit places it right into a little bit of a troublesome spot because the Maingear Super 16 and ROG Strix G16 are very related laptops when it comes to measurement, weight, and development however Asus opts for a wonderful OLED show.

Though we did see the Maingear Super 16 pull again a efficiency lead by switching to its “Performance” mode in a single benchmark, that wasn’t a constant methodology to shift benchmarks in its favor. It could have helped it win in 3DMark’s Port Royal take a look at, but it surely nonetheless trailed the Asus system in Steel Nomad. And the place gaming is taken into account, I’ve seen latest AMD {hardware} are inclined to ship a bonus over latest Intel {hardware} in precise sport benchmarks that wasn’t demonstrated in artificial benchmarks like 3DMark’s. Besides, all of those laptops have their very own methods of dialing efficiency to the max in flip, to assist them regain any floor they could lose from the Maingear system dialing up its personal efficiency. 

Still, the Maingear Super 16 is a strong-performing laptop computer. And even with its default energy plan, it has a lot to supply. I performed an hour or two of Stellar Blade on the laptop computer’s native decision and tapping into DLSS Balanced to take advantage of what the {hardware} needed to provide, and I loved constant framerates between 180 and 200fps and a responsive sufficient expertise to face three bosses and prevail on the primary strive every time. While the followers had been slightly noisy, they weren’t shrill or obnoxious, and the entire system remained comfy to the contact throughout this gaming session. 

Maingear Super 16: Battery life

Some gaming laptops have seen their battery life enhance significantly lately, and that’s typically aided alongside by stable software program administration of the inner {hardware}. If a gaming laptop computer is wise about disabling the GPU when it’s not wanted, it may final for much longer. Unfortunately, the Maingear Super 16 neither contains the biggest battery it may nor makes notably environment friendly use of the capability it does have. In our offline video playback take a look at, the system simply scraped previous a three-hour runtime. Its competitors is providing virtually double that on common, and turning to a system just like the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 reveals how a lot increased it may go together with good {hardware} administration (and lower-power elements).  

The real-world battery life can range fairly a bit. Leaving GPU administration to the system, it may leverage the RTX 5070 Ti for lots of little issues that may not seem to be they want the GPU and harm the battery life within the course of. The show’s matte end lets it present serviceable visuals at decrease brightness ranges than we utilized in our take a look at, although, so it’s additionally potential to finish up with extra conservative battery use. Outside of sturdy direct lighting, I used to be comfortably in a position to make use of the laptop computer at its lowest brightness setting, and with the GPU absolutely disabled, I noticed runtime on observe for about 5 to 5.5 hours. That mentioned, that’s nearly a best-case situation. 

Maingear Super 16: Conclusion

The Maingear Super 16 is a potent gaming laptop computer that may run with a number of the finest that large OEMs have to supply. Its design is rather less thrilling, and it doesn’t deliver good software program to the desk to assist handle energy states and simply take advantage of its {hardware}, although. This could make it laborious for it to maintain up with a few of its rivals. And at $2,758, it’s not marking a very spectacular worth both.

The dominant Lenovo Legion Pro 7i 16 Gen 10 has an RTX 5070 Ti configuration for much less on the time of writing. Asus’s very aggressive ROG Strix G16 was additionally out there for significantly much less on the time of writing. And for extra spectacular {hardware}, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 could be fitted with an RTX 5070 Ti as properly for a aggressive worth whereas providing a extra gorgeous, thin-and-light design that’s a pound lighter and virtually half as thick whereas additionally becoming an even bigger battery and working longer on it. The Maingear Super 16 is respectable, however simply doesn’t stand out.