How does Sager do it?

Hello NBR! I've been a member over at TPCR for a year but just joined to ask what's on my mind right now.

I'm going off to college in the fall, so it's time for me to splurge on a powerhouse laptop that will last all 4 years still have some fight in it. I've found that Sager has a reputation for being the least expensive and most powerful out there, and through XoticPC they also appear to have the best build quality and support. I can't believe a company like this exists, and needless to say I'm very excited.

I also love the plain-box look they've got going. The other manufacturers have this idea that every gamer wants this flamboyant box of flashing LED tubes, and it's refreshing to see a laptop line that looks like a 90s IBM (in a good way, somehow).

So my question is: How do they manage this? How is Sager/Xotic just so damn amazing? I feel like I'm setting myself up to be baited-and-switched, but I've got thousands of reviews to the contrary.

 

My guesses:
- Next to zero advertising costs
- Low overhead (little capital investment by selling through resellers, highly reduced support costs by making resellers first line of support)
- fewer middlemen between the manufacturer and consumer

 

Well because Sager is a Clevo builder. Clevo has been setting the records and paving the way for high performance laptops for over 20 years. They were the first to provide upgradable laptops, multi-GPU etc.

Also Clevo notebooks were at one point VERY expensive, but back then they were pretty much without competition. Back then Alienware was indepdent and they used Clevo/Compal notebooks. So they were expensive.

But the Asus G73JH changed everything. Asus provided a notebook at the time with most powerful 5870M at a substantial lower cost than the competition and the sales just boomed. It got a lot of press for it's design on every Tech show, both TV and internet. I think it was at that point, Clevo/Sager really started to aggressively compete with their prices. Especially to give people another great reason to buy Clevo rather than Alienware.

 

From what I have read, you cannot go wrong with Clevo/Sager/XoticPC, I am dying here waiting for mine to arrive, I already believe it will be worth every penny.

 

I really want an NP9150 to go side by side with my NP6110... but I really don't need to spend $1500+ right now.

Sager / Clevo's are great, no nonsense machines. However I do wish they'd offer a few more nice things like backlit keyboard and multiple battery options. Othewise I love them. Solid build, fast, excellent cooling, and inexpensive.

 

Well the NP9150 you want does have backlit keyboard, lighting by same company as the Steel keyboards use, supposedly very bright even in daylight. And you can buy extra batteries if that works.

 

hi Jerling, welcome to NBR!
The biggest thing as mentioned is no Advertising. One of the most common things we hear is "I've never heard of Sager before" but after you compare the hardware and the reviews out there you really cant go wrong. Also since Sager and their resellers dont have actual brick and mortar stores the overhead is less and in turn the prices can be lower.

 

Wait.........so do you guys work under a bridge or something then?!?!

 

I'm guessing he means they don't maintain a regular storefront store, which means they can locate their business in a low-cost building. It's crazy how much rent costs in high traffic retail areas, as well as the costs of regular hours with staff to stand around & wait for customers, sweep floors, deal with signage, display models, etc.

 

I didn't realize the change had come so recently. I read about Sager about 4 years ago, just before the G73 came around, and I remember thinking the prices were way out of my league. I also remember a ridiculous proportion of my friends buying the G73 when it popped up.

I type a lot when I get excited, so I'm trying to restrain myself. I haven't squee'd over buying electronics like this since I got my Nintendo DS (it was a big deal for a 10 year old). Thanks for all that info!

Anyway, it's awesome that Xotic has sales reps on so many fronts like this. I guess I should ask about your signature, Hutsady, or should I PM for that?

 

Right what i meant is we dont have a big box store where you find the more main stream brands. We dont have 10-15 cashiers waiting around, Stockers, 2-5 guys per sales department, warehouse guys etc. They all need to be paid and the only way to do is that charge more for the computers. With online retailers you eliminate all that extra labor cost and in turn can offer computers for less.
Although working under a bridge with a river wouldn't be too bad, I'd have a pole in the water all day.

Feel free to PM me with any questions Jergling

 

No, it's not a hoax. They sell the stuff to you at just over face value. Companies like AW charge you obscene prices and hope you don't call them out on it (if you do, they lose money on you), so the only downside of sager/clevo is that there's no haggling allowed. So you can actually get a "flamboyant box of flashing LED tubes" at a similar price, it's just more work for you.

I'm fairly sure the G73JH is only 2 years old... You need at least 5 posts to PM people.

 

How much of this is also true for MSI? I know they have flashier designs, and I wasn't very into the tech field, but it doesn't seem like they do more marketing than Sager's, but their systems consistently cost more when optioned similarly.

 

That's capitalism, I guess lol

Mr. Mysterious

 

Clevo has close to non marketing, but they are very active in the business area as their machines are everything but flash (well not with this years series/models with the backlit keyboard) the back of the laptop suggests nothing but professionalism and simplicity giving no hint of great power underneath the hood of the machine.

Clevo has always relied on a viral spread as they've (as far as I know) done no marketing in Europe or NA like..... ever

MSI on the other hand has their name stated on the back of the machine, with fine lines and lights and is built with funny forms, two very different brands

 

MSI can also be purchased from mainstream online stores such as newegg.com or Frys.com, so this is also technically a sort of advertising.

As far as I know, Clevo/Sager are only offered by small resellers and customer builders.

...I guess we are kind of hipsters. lol.

 

Yeah, hipsters with beefy laptops.

 

Wait, is my 9150 going to have a tofu port?

 

Yeah, but you probably have never heard of it.

 

At first I didn't think i'd like the 90s look of the laptops, but now that i've watched some unboxing videos on youtube, the new NP9150/70s look AMAZING. They're sexier than all asus and MSI. The new Lamborghini laptop ASUS has is over the top. Why pick a mainstream sports car manufacture and incorporate it into a not so mainstream computer company? If anything go with Bentley, Bugatti, etc. which are all sexier than Lamborghini's cars.

Anyways, gotta agree with the looks of Sager/Clevo's laptops!

 

That's the biggest reason why I refuse to consider an AW as E.Bar mentioned. I refuse to barter for a laptop. As Vicious implied before that means AW reps are told how low they can go and what they can negotiate to get a sale. That means they overcharge EVERYONE else who didn't get the memo that the actual price is lower than what they say it is. Far as I'm concerned AW lies to everyone who didn't know to haggle and ripoff anyone who didn't know you're supposed to haggle.

 

That's always been my issue with Dell/AW. Why should someone have to haggle for a new laptop? Just because someone can haggle better or get a rep that's willing to budge more they get a better price? How stupid is that.

 

It was Gateway who changed the game, with the 8800M GTS then 9800M GTS equipped FX series.

These things came out below $1500, which was completely unheard of, and they sold huge numbers at retail locations.

 

Yeah and what happened to Gateway? They started a great thing.

 

I would just like to share. I bought two notebooks from Xoticpc in 2008. An Asus F8V for big bro, an Asus G50V for me. Best experience ever! Customer service was like legendary lol! And the lappies are still going strong, i mean never broke down. Not even once. Not a single freeze nor a random BSOD. Coming up on four years and still not a single issue, how awesome is that. Also some friends bought sager laptops from some other reseller (i think powernotebooks?), build quality is top notch, and looks amazing lol. Im gonna buy Clevo P150EM next month when current delays with HD 7970M is over with. All that is left is choosing a reseller. Im gonna flip a coin between some resellers and see who's left. Meh, just gonna go with xotic... or Powernotebooks...... Mythlogic? LPC?