Clevo N50TK1 ... extremly problematic in reliability

I want to share my experience with my Clevo NB50TK1 bought in 19/05/2018. I bought this laptop because i need a very powerful CPU (at the moment I have an i7-8700) and a GPU not so powerful. I found the product concept perfect for me at least in theory. All the money you pay go into maximum performance and very little to estetic and build quality. While in general build quality does not connect to reliability, here it does.

Let start: After 6 month from buying it the keyboard started to have issue with some keys. They started to work intermittently, with time they start to work less and less until after 2-3 weeks they stop to work. RMA reair and fixed. I also noticed that this problem is common on other Clevo models as well like the P950x

After about: 7 month I started to notice discoloration of the monitor on the bottom corner i saw yellow stains. Sometime seem more marked sometime less at the border of the screen. I searched this problem and I saw that other manufactures had this problem. There is one thread for the macbook https://gregsamborski.com/macbook-pro-led-screen-discoloration-spots-15-2017-touch-bar/. I my case are less marked. But the dynamic is the same. Because I work with this laptop and sending in RMA is a problem i decided to live with the problem

After about 1 year and 3 month: I discovered that the screen was woblying more that normal. Few weeks later opening the laptop i discovered that opening the lid was also lifting the top cover of the laptop (top cover i mean the cover where the keyboard is located). Same concept give back the laptop for me is a problem so i open the laptop and discovered that all the anchor points of the screen hinge lid, were completely into pieces. It look like the anchor points were not solid enough to resist the stress of the hinges. So I order the top cover and replaced by myself.

Today: The keyboard started to have some key that again work intermittently ... exactly the same as the previous one. most probably will stop to work in few weeks.


I was wondering if someone else had experienced one or more of these problems on the NB50TK1 Clevo model laptop.

 

Sounds like the lcd panel itself was not handling its own heat generation, it's impossible to know if that's going to happen for the vendor. As for the hinge it's not a common issue as far as I know. Generally it's recommended to use both hands to open the display and impacts/vibrations will stress the connection over time especially if it had a small defect from the factory that would not be evident for the first few months.

 

Hi Meaker

Thanks for the answer. I will substitute the keyboard and hopefully it will be the last repair.

 

I have found their QC on the Alpha series has been lacking, at least in comparison to the prime line. Is there any chance its still under warranty? The standard is usually 12 months

 

It depends on your reseller and local laws.

 

I want to update the status of the nightmare this laptop is producing.

I substituted (on Sunday) Touchpad keyboard and screen ... now all of them work perfectly. On the other end it is emerging another problem. Already before the substitution it was happening that sometime after standby the laptop was not tuning back-on. In general what happen is that the power light flash and than shutdown immediately. if I press it again, the light again flash and turn-off immediately. While I am able to backup the functionality removing battery and power, it seems the frequency is increasing and more difficult to restore its functionality. Did someone had the same or similar problem ?

P.S. From now I am shutting-down the Laptop to understand if is related only to the state of standby

 

Are you using sleep or hibernate?

 

Hibernate

 

Now also started to shut-down randomly ... to me sound the motherboard is approaching to die

Also some additional note.

This is also sound belivable at touch the yellow area was much warmer the the other area

Regarding the two keyboard that broken exactly in the sameway F and H key not working, I start to think the problem is again thermal. I am realizing that the area of the keybpard where F and H are located is just over the CPU and in general warmer than other areas.

The repair recap:

1 Touchpad
2 Keyboard
1 Screen
1 Top cover

 

Where in the world are you based and did you purchase within your country?

 

Germany. Yes I bought in germany. I have no problem to say where.

The barebone has been bought in dubaro.de

While the replacement parts has been bought in clevo-computer.com.

P.S. regarding the problem it seems the shutdown is correlated in having some CPU/Power load. When on idle does not happen.

 

You could look into your warranty/legal minimums to get repairs.

 

Unfortunately is not that easy. I work with this PC so every-time it has a problem for me is a damage. I decided to repair it by myself because an RMA would take more time producing a bigger damage. At this point the only thing really important for me is fixing it once for all if possible... otherwise I will substitute it.

 

If something is financially punishing to loose having a single point of failure should never be acceptable.

 

Well ... what you say is true ... although having redundancy does not come for free and so must be part of the equation. While I agree for data or services loosing them is bigger damage than pay for redundancy and backup. For just one laptop seen as hardware ... not so sure which kind of redundancy would be more convenient than: "I have one laptop and if I cannot repair in reasonable time (1-2 days maximum) than I buy another one the same day".

In any case I appreciate the suggestion.

 

For instance I had a tablet with convertible keyboard that would let me keep working even without the machine so I could make do if it was out of action. I moved onto having my machine and then an older spare.

 

Good point ... but unfortunately I cannot transfer to my case, because for my work I need a powerful CPU with an ok GPU. So a potential spare would end up to be expensive