Everything You Need To Know About The New MAINGEAR ML-16 Gaming Laptops

27/06/2024

MAINGEAR's ML-16 gaming laptop offers customizable RAM and SSD options with a focus on durability and high-performance specs.
The ML-16 features an impressive 16" QHD+ display, Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU, and RTX 4060 or 4070 GPUs for gaming and productivity.
With a slim profile, Wi-Fi 6E support, and a CoPilot button for AI solutions, the ML-16 is a versatile option for gamers on the go.

The gaming laptop market has advanced considerably over the past decade as modern gaming laptops become leaner and faster iterations of their predecessors, complete with high-refresh-rate displays and complex cooling systems. This has resulted in a resurgence in popularity for entry-level and mid-range gaming laptops across the board, as gamers now consider them a viable option versus desktop PCs.

MAINGEAR, one of the more well-established system builders in the industry, has announced its plans to cater to the growing user base of PC gamers on the go with the ML-16 gaming laptop, which comes in 2 pre-built trims (with potential RAM and SSD upgrades in tow), while also offering a completely customizable version for users needing a to-spec solution.

The Best 16-inch Gaming Laptops for 2024

A 16-inch gaming laptop can deliver an immersive gaming experience. Heres a handy guide to help you find the best 16-inch laptops available.

MAINGEAR's ML-16 Gaming Laptop: Hardware Offerings Revisited

MAINGEAR's ML-16 Gaming Laptop lineup offers customizable SSD and RAM configurations across its offerings, even as all laptops conform to the military-grade MIL-STD 810H spec, which indicates its durability and ability to work in extreme conditions without issues.

The laptop is built around an excellent 16” QHD+ 16:10 X-Rite Pantone Color Calibrated IPS display. This screen offers a refresh rate of up to 240Hz for gamers looking to play the latest games and established esports titles, such as Counter-Strike, DotA 2, and Fortnite, at the highest graphics presets.

Powering these specs is the new Intel Core Ultra 7 155H that offers a 16-core, 22-thread CPU, which comes in a unique 6+8+2 (performance + efficient + low power efficient) core configuration. With boost clocks of up to 4.8Ghz and leveraging the new Intel 4 process, it offers better performance per watt than previous generation Intel CPUs.

MAINGEAR CEO Wallace Santos With The New ML-16 Gaming Laptop At The MAINGEAR HQ

The ML-16 comes in both RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 trims and can offer up to 64GB of RAM and 8TB of customizable SSD storage added and ordered from the MAINGEAR Store. Both models offer a 105W TGP variant of the RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 GPUs with 8GB of GDDR6 RAM in play. This places them firmly as excellent mid-range laptop models that are great for gaming and productivity alike.

The ML-16 offers plenty of connectivity options despite its relatively lightweight profile with a chassis that is only 0.78 inches thick.

On the connectivity front, the ML-16 comes well-endowed, with Wi-Fi 6E support in addition to BT 5.3 and Gigabit Ethernet in tow. This, along with a Thunderbolt 4 port, 2 USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, a Type-C, and an HDMI port along with a 3.5mm combo as well as a microSD card reader slot on offer make the ML-16 a versatile option that caters well to both gamers and enthusiasts as well as productivity-centric power users simultaneously.

The ML-16 comes with a dedicated CoPilot button to access Microsoft's cutting-edge AI solutions without needing to jump through hoops, even as it offers integrated speakers with Sound Blaster Studio+ for gamers looking to skip a headphone occasionally. The ML-16, interestingly, does not place all of its ports at the rear or at the sides, opting for a more hybrid design that might be of interest to gamers in terms of the functionality it offers, moving the HDMI 2.1 port and the Gigabit Ethernet port to the rear side of the laptop to avoid cable clutter near one's mouse and keyboard.

The Best Nvidia RTX 4060 Laptops for 2024

Nvidia RTX 4060 powered laptops are the way to go if you want great gaming performance without digging too deep in your pockets.

MAINGEAR's Pre-Configured ML-16 Laptop Offerings

MAINGEAR ML-16 Gaming Laptop (RTX 4060)

The MAINGEAR ML-16's RTX 4060-based trim is the entry-level version of MAINGEAR's new gaming laptop offerings. It houses a powerful 16-core Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU, a large 80 WHr battery, and 1TB of PCI-E 4.0 SSD space.

The laptop also offers a zero-bloatware promise that means that users get to skip extra steps when it comes to installing and launching the latest titles even as MAINGEAR offers up-to-date drivers and lifetime tech support as part of its promise to gamers.

The ML-16 is alsoMIL-STD 810H certified, showcasing its durability during extreme conditions including higher temperatures, humidity, and dust.

Operating System Windows 11 ProCPU Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (16C/22T)GPU Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 8GB (105W)RAM 16GB DDR5 4800 MT/sStorage 1TB PCI-E 4.0 NVMe SSDBattery 4-Cell 80WHr BatteryDisplay (Size, Resolution) 16-inch 25601600 16:10 240hzCamera Dual Sensor 2.0M FHD Hello Camera Speakers Built-in Speakers with Sound Blaster Studio+ Ports 1x Thunderbolt 4 , 1x USB-C , 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 1x Ethernet, 1x HDMI, 1x MicroSD Card Reader, 1x 3.5mm ComboNetwork Wi-Fi 6E, BT 5.3, 1Gb EthernetDimensions 14.1in x 10.18in x 0.78inWeight 4.29 lbsBrand MAINGEARFinish Aluminum ExteriorKeyboard 4-zone RGB-lit keyboardDisplay type Pantone Color Calibrated IPS display $1800 at MAINGEAR
MAINGEAR ML-16 Gaming Laptop (RTX 4070)

The MAINGEAR ML-16's RTX 4070-based trim is the entry-level version of MAINGEAR's new gaming laptop offerings. It houses a powerful 16-core Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU, a large 80 WHr battery, and 2TB of PCI-E 4.0 SSD space.

The laptop also offers a zero-bloatware promise that means that users get to skip extra steps when it comes to installing and launching the latest titles even as MAINGEAR offers up-to-date drivers and lifetime tech support as part of its promise to gamers.

The ML-16 is alsoMIL-STD 810H certified, showcasing its durability during extreme conditions including higher temperatures, humidity, and dust.

Operating System Windows 11 ProCPU Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (16C/22T)GPU Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 8GB (105W)RAM 32GB DDR5 4800 MT/sStorage 2TB PCI-E 4.0 NVMe SSDBattery 4-Cell 80WHr BatteryDisplay (Size, Resolution) 16-inch 25601600 16:10 240hzCamera Dual Sensor 2.0M FHD Hello Camera Speakers Built-in Speakers with Sound Blaster Studio+ Ports 1x Thunderbolt 4 , 1x USB-C , 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 1x Ethernet, 1x HDMI, 1x MicroSD Card Reader, 1x 3.5mm ComboNetwork Wi-Fi 6E, BT 5.3, 1Gb EthernetDimensions 14.1in x 10.18in x 0.78inWeight 4.29 lbsBrand MAINGEARFinish Aluminum ExteriorKeyboard 4-zone RGB-lit keyboardDisplay type Pantone Color Calibrated IPS display $2200 at MAINGEAR

Configuring The ML-16 As Per Your Needs

The ML-16 is expected to be available at retailers in the coming weeks, according to MAINGEAR. For now, however, the best place to buy a unit happens to be MAINGEAR's site, where it offers the two configurations listed above and also two variants of each of these models. A customizable model is also available for users needing more SSD space or further customization, including up to 8TB of SSD storage.

Note: The ML-16 can be customized to leverage both M2 NVMe slots to maximize performance, allowing for faster read/write speeds compared to the competition.

The ML-16 Launch Edition

The Launch Edition of the MAINGEAR ML16 Comes With $279 Of Added Value Including An IP67-rated waterproof, Lockable Case And Custom Artwork On The Chassis

For the first 50 units of the ML-16 purchased on-site, MAINGEAR is offering a limited edition trim of the gaming laptop with custom LAUNCH EDITION artwork and a complimentary Doro Hard Case. Users building their own can pick up a complimentary MAINGEAR classic T-shirt at the time of writing, making for plenty of extras in tow with a laptop that already does a lot more than the bare minimum the industry currently demands.

The Best Gaming Laptops under $1500

A list of some of the best laptops gamers can buy under $1500 to max out their gaming experience and productivity needs

What Makes The ML-16 Gaming Laptop So Different In A Market With 16-Inch Options Aplenty?

The MAINGEAR ML-16 is a powerful gaming laptop that currently caters exclusively to the mid-range gaming laptop segment as it focuses on offering a superior experience in a market that is already inundated with multiple 16-inch laptop options across the board. The team at Game Rant got a chance to chat with the CEO of MAINGEAR, Wallace Santos to discuss what makes the ML-16 a compelling purchase in 2024.

A Strict No-Bloatware Policy

Most gaming laptops come with plenty of software under the hood that, in principle, allows for better customization, tweaking, and performance-related fixes. In reality, however, it can be detrimental to performance, take up already limited system resources, and slow down, if not outright break experiences for users at times.

Gaming laptops are, after all, primarily devices that push the performance envelope and the easiest analogy that one can use for gaming PCs and laptops in particular is that "too many cooks spoil the broth". With most software applications already offering optimizations for games including Nvidia's App (In beta), much of this is unnecessary and one sees many people often recommending a complete re-install of Windows to "get rid of the bloat" that has become so commonplace in modern gaming PCs and laptops that come with preinstalled utilities many of which impede performance during the startup process and beyond.

One of the best hardware promises that the ML-16 delivers on is an excellent 16” QHD+ 16:10 X-Rite Pantone Color Calibrated IPS display.

MAINGEAR's offerings take a different route, limiting their installs to the most recent Windows updates and accompanying drivers at the time of shipping, making for a truly customizable laptop experience that isn't weighed down by software that can often run on gigabytes of storage and memory requirements over time.

Better Warranty And Software Support

MAINGEAR benefits from being a company focused on performance hardware and relies on positive word of mouth as one of its strongest marketing traits. The CEO, Wallace Santos, who also happened to be an avid Counter-Strike player back in the day, detailed why MAINGEAR's laptop offerings are considerably superior to the competition.

For starters, because of how the ML-16 is sourced, it comes with more up-to-date images installed on the laptop. This means that users setting up the laptop have to go through a smaller or negligible wait time versus other gaming laptops thanks to its its more current set of drivers on offer and Windows builds. This can both save valuable time that others spend setting up and updating their laptops and ensure that users can hit the ground running when it comes to MAINGEAR's offering.

The MAINGEAR ML-16 is MIL-STD 810H certified, indicating that these laptops hold up particularly well when it comes to stress and working in difficult environmental conditions.

On the support end, the MAINGEAR ML-16 comes with a comprehensive 1-year product warranty and lifetime customer support bundled in. Users can reach out to support on call, for a live support session on their PC, on Discord, or even in person at MAINGEAR's NJ office. As gamers themselves, MAINGEAR's team is uniquely poised to help users with issues pertaining to hardware and software alike.

Catering To User Requirements

MAINGEAR's ML-16 comes with customizable laptop artwork on the lid, upgradeable RAM, and SSD (via either the "custom" offering or "Boost" hardware presets), and can also come with the "Nvidia Studio Edition", which offers Nvidia's latest studio drivers for users intending to use the ML-16 for productivity in particular.

The Best Gaming Laptops For Destiny 2 The Final Shape

A guardian needs the right tools to keep the fight going. Here are some of the best gaming laptops to run Destiny 2's finale in all its glory.

What's Next For MAINGEAR?

The ML-16 Gaming Laptops are MAINGEAR's latest laptops out there, but they are not the first gaming laptops from the company which has worked previously on models including the MAINGEAR VECTOR PRO that came in both Intel and AMD trims. This, combined with the team's enthusiasm for the new ML-16 which should be available at retail locations in the coming days does mean that users might have more options down the line when it comes to MAINGEAR's laptop offerings as part of its ongoing collaboration with Clevo.

The MAINGEAR ML-16 Offers A Thin Chassis With Strategically located HDMI and Ethernet Ports At The Rear.

In a market that benefits from competition which directly leads to innovation, gamers in particular stand to win when it comes to more options. The ML-16 happens to be just that - a very solid contender that is minimalistic when it comes to design, but aims to maximize performance thanks to both a high-end Core Ultra 7 CPU and 105W TGP RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 GPUs. It does so while weighing in at just 4.29 lbs and at 0.78 inches thick, it approaches the MacBook Pro (0.61 inches) while offering considerably more power under the hood for gamers and designers alike.