Schenker VIA 15 Laptop Review: a lightweight AMD notebook, specifications

Portable and robust. | The Schenker VIA 15 is a 15-inch notebook that has good looks and promising specifications. But there are some peculiarities that potential buyers should be aware of. Find out more in our review.

At CES 2020, Schenker announced their business notebook VIA 15 - the manufacturer's first AMD model in over a decade. The device is currently equipped with chips from AMD's Raven Ridge series, but there might be an overhauled version of the device featuring Renoir CPUs if the model is a success.

Our configuration of the Schenker VIA 15 is available for around 900 Euro (~$990), which makes it slightly more expensive than similarly equipped notebooks. Any device in our database can be added to the comparison devices below every section.

Schenker VIA 15

Processor

AMD Ryzen 5 3500U

Graphics adapter

AMD Radeon RX Vega 8

Memory

16384 MB 

, Single-Channel

Display

15.6 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, Chi Mei CMN15E8, IPS, glossy: no, 60 Hz

Mainboard

AMD Promontory/Bixby FCH

Storage

Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 500GB, 500 GB 

, 427 GB free

Soundcard

AMD Rave/Renoir - Audio Processor - HD Audio Controller

Connections

1 USB 2.0, 3 USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 20Gbps, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: combined 3.5-mm audio jack, Card Reader: microSD

Networking

Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000/2500/5000MBit/s), Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6), Bluetooth 5

Size

height x width x depth (in mm): 17 x 356 x 234 ( = 0.67 x 14.02 x 9.21 in)

Battery

91 Wh Lithium-Ion

Operating System

Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit

Camera

Webcam: 0.9 MP, 16:9 (1280x720)

Additional features

Speakers: Stereo speakers, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 24 Months Warranty

Weight

1.394 kg ( = 49.17 oz / 3.07 pounds), Power Supply: 382 g ( = 13.47 oz / 0.84 pounds)

Price

830 Euro

Links

Schenker homepage
Schenker notebook section

Case & Connectivity - fast Wi-Fi with the VIA 15

Schenker has chosen a magnesium alloy case, which makes the 15-inch notebook light and solid. The design is simple and functional but attractive nonetheless. We did not notice any issues in terms of the workmanship, which seems to be of high quality. The device weighs 1.4 kg, which makes it the lightest notebook in our comparison field. Its narrow bezels also make it slimmer than the HP ProBook 455R G6 and Acer Aspire 5 A515, for example. The hinges are fairly tight and you will need two hands to open the notebook. 

Apart from its decent basic port selection, the VIA 15 also includes a microSD card slot. This only reaches low transfer rates in our test with our reference card Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II. The opposite can be said for the Wi-Fi module, which positions our test unit at the top of the comparison field in our test with the reference router Netgear Nighthawk AX12 thanks to its fast Wi-Fi 6 standard (802.11 ax).

However, a bug occurred during our tests which prevented Wi-Fi from working when the laptop was activated from standby. We managed to fix the issue with a BIOS update and by installing the newest Intel drivers. According to Schenker, models that are delivered now should not have this issue any more. 

The included webcam offers the usual 0.9 MP with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. Colors are displayed brighter than they should be and our test chart is rather blurry with noticeable difficulties displaying details.