Clevo or Sager?

MADMarc

Limp Gawd
Joined
Nov 15, 2010
Messages
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I apologize if this has already been asked, but are there any differences besides a branding? I am looking to get either the 11.6" mini-monster (Sager NP6110) or possibly the 15.6" monster, but found that I can snag the clevo for almost $100 less than the Sager. The only real difference I could find between the two laptops is that with the Sager I only get the option for a 256gb crucial SSD and the Clevo would be outfitted w/a 250gb Mushkin SSD...well, that and the thermal paste at avadirect.com will only run me 7 bucks, but 25 at xotic. Am I missing something for the price difference on that 11.6" unit?
 
Sager seems to be Clevo with a rebrand. (and then various resellers resell Sager).

Big difference in my (limited) experience is that on the off-chance that your computer is busted (like mine was. Glitchy OCZ SSD), AvaDirect charges a 15% restock fee, and Sager just makes you eat shipping, so I'd eat the $100 and go Sager.

/Have you tried one of the other Sager resellers? Sometimes, they're a bit cheaper.
 
Thanks for the info. I have heard some great things about xotic, and they're my primary, so you just reinforced that. I am totally unfamiliar with resellers of sager. Any chance you know the names? I wish I could find the article announcing these 11.6" laptops and the other rebranders of it...it was on here, I just can't remember where it was Hahah
 
Pretty much if you get a Clevo in the US is it going to be a Sager. They are by far the biggest importer. Eurocom is the only other big one I know of. Ultimately it comes down to what happens in the case of tech support and all that.

I got one recently and went with XoticPC. They did a good job over all and I'm happy. One good thing about the Sager resellers is that they'll provide tech support, but if they can't handle it, or go out of business, Sager will provide support and they've been around a long time. With some of the people who sell Clevo stuff (they are still buying through an importer, they just won't say who) they are the first and last line for support.

In general people recommend going with resellers as they tend to have better customer service than Sager themselves. Also you can get more options, though it slows down your build time when you choose some of them since the system is built by Sager in CA, then shipped to the reseller who customizes it further, then to you. If all the customizations are what Sager offers it they build it and ship it direct to you.
 
It is a confusing model, but here goes...

  • Clevo is a manufacturer and designer of barebone laptops. They also assemble and resell their own laptops (mostly outside of U.S.)
  • Sager assembles and resells Clevo laptops to other resellers. They also assemble and resell Sager-branded Clevo laptops to consumers. For some reason (likely to recoup operational costs), buying direct from Sager is often a tad more expensive than other resellers.
  • Firms like Xotic, Powernotebooks, and AVADirect resell Sager-branded Clevo laptops
  • Some firms, like Eurocom, buy direct from Clevo, assemble and resell them (which is why they normally get new models out a week or two earlier than other resellers). They also tend to be more expensive due to location (Canada), config options and quickness to deliver newest tech
When you buy a Clevo, Sager or Eurocom, you're basically getting the same model with some variation in configuration options e.g., case paint, hard drive brand. My advice is to go with a trusted US reseller like Xotic, AVA, Malibal etc. Go with the one with the best rep and terms (I've alway had a stellar experience with Xotic, but have heard good things about Malibal and Powernotebooks too).

On a related note, I'm a big fan of Sager/Clevo laptops: great build quality, config options and price. Also piece of mind Sager has been around since the late 80s so they're not a hack operation in the least.
 
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Thanks for the info. I have heard some great things about xotic, and they're my primary, so you just reinforced that. I am totally unfamiliar with resellers of sager. Any chance you know the names? I wish I could find the article announcing these 11.6" laptops and the other rebranders of it...it was on here, I just can't remember where it was Hahah

Ones that I know of:

Avadirect
Sager
Xoticpc
Malibal
Eurocom
Schlenker
 
Thanks a bunch for the responses, guys. Really helps me out in doing a bit more research before pulling the trigger.
 
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