what are the benefits of this servowave on the new xt and slx brakes?

can you have the pads sitting further away from the rotor but still grip just as tightly and effectly when the lever is pulled?

are they powerful brakes?

Yes and yes.

are the pads easy to change?

Yes.

Its supposed to give you a bit more pad / rotor clearance. I had a set of M555 deore discs previously and XTs are more powerful and have better modulation.
Oh and im 17st so i’d soon notice if they were lacking in power. Currently have a 203 front and a 180 rotor on the back.

Pads very easy to change, undo 1 bolt and they just pull out the top.

Servowave basically means when you first pull the lever the pads move more and then as you hit the set lever position the pads move less. It means you can have the pads set further out from the rotor but still get a rapid contact followed by controlled braking.

They’re brilliant but can be a pain to bleed and I remember reading that in a review in one of the comics when they were released. I gave up and used them in the alps knowing that they still had a tiny ammount of air in but they still caused no dramas; unlike well bled hopes out there in previous years. I have since bled them successfully. I’d definitely recommend them, my rear rotor is very bent but still only slightly rubs; would be a write off in any other brake that i have used.