Vendors 2010 Selection - Clevo W870CU/M870/Sager NP8760

I am debating between vendors to purchase the Clevo W870CU/M870/Sager NP8760 laptop model.

I couldn't find how to PM Gophnn to advise him to update the Clevo Guide thread.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/sag...-0-faq-reseller-info-read-before-posting.html

I worry about ordering anything 400 km from my location due to previous issues (ripped off, poor quality goods, falsely advertised, etc ...). I would like your opinion and help to select a vendor, so I may receive the laptop by August 2, 2010.

• 
  Shipped to: Ontario, Canada P2P (estimated 200 USD on S&H).

• Payments: PayPal, Visa, Direct Deposit (wired transfer)

• Discounts: Royal Canadian Air Force - Retired unit (any document required?)

I am looking for a reliable vendor that, when I receive my purchase, I am satisfied and at ease that everything is as ordered.
System has been properly tested.
System will be used for 3D Simulation-Modeling/Programming/Game-Network Development (first game to be installed- Left 4 Dead II)

Current Selection (In order of alignment):

1. Xoctic PC - Frequent response rate - Popular on the forum - Good system support

• PC Torque - Average response rate, good follow-up

• Sager Notebooks - Product manufacturer/providers

• ProStar - Reviews not so good, currently lowest price

• Dark PC - DX17 = W870CU

• iBuyPower

• MTech - Highest price (overpriced??), did not respond to my last technical questions

• AVA Direct - average price

• RK Computer - second lowest price, product/service seems doubtful

• Power Notebooks - Incompetent vendor (from my experience)

Canadian vendors:

1. Reflex Notebook - Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada

• Eurocom - Bad vibe, office in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada?

System Specs: (3yrs+ upgrade; RAM & HDD & GPU)

• 17.3” Full HD(1920x1080)16:9 LED Backlit Super Clear Glossy Widescreen

• Zero "0" Dead Pixel Policy

• 30 Day No Questions Asked Money Back Guarantee!

• nVidia GeForce GTX 285M 1,024MB PCI-Express GDDR3 DX10

• Intel® Core™ i7-740QM CALPELLA Clarksfield Processor, 1.73-2.93GHz, (45nm, 6MB L3 cache)

• IC Diamond Premium Thermal Compound - CPU + GPU

• 4GB (4096MB) DDR3 1333MHz SDRAM (2 SODIMMs) (2gb + 2gb)

• 500GB l 7200RPM I SATA II-300 (16MB Cache Buffer)

• 8X DVD±R / RW / 4X + Dual Layer Drive with Software

• Enhanced High Definition 3D Audio Sound System with S/P DIF Digital Output - SB Compatible

• Internal Built-In 7-in-1 Memory Card Reader (MS/MS PRO/MS DUO/SD/Mini-SD/MMC/RSMMC)

• Integrated Built in 10/100/1000 Fast Ethernet / LAN Network

• Integrated Built in Intel Centrino 6300 A/B/G/N Ultimate-N WiFi Link

• Standard 11.1V Smart Li-Polymer Battery Pack 3800mAh, 42.18Wh

• Standard Full Range AC Adapter with Power Cord

• Deluxe Black Business Carrying Case (Free!)

• Windows 7 Professional 64-Bit Installed (64&32-Bit CD Included) w/ Drivers & Utilities CD's

• No Microsoft Office

• No Software Bundle

• Sager 3 Year Labor, 1 Yr Parts Warranty (Labor Yrs 2+3 paid) (w/ 2 Way Shipping!)

Thanks for all of your support.

 

There are Eurocom (in Ottawa region) who give military discount and have great service and support regardless some bad comment on the forum. But they overprice everything.

 

my vote goes to Xoctic PC but they are in america and im not sure where the rest are. since ive been on nbr they get rave reviews and also justin@xoctic and another chap are on here quite regularly.
but im on the other side of the world so what do i know

 

Eurocom is not on my list as:
1. Over Priced (I will still save lots by ordering and shipping from current selected list)

2. Do not get a good vibe from Eurocom

Thanks for the votes.

 

Is there a reason for aren't considering Custom Laptops by PowerNotebooks.com™ - Custom Built Gaming Laptop Computers ? They are regarded as well as xoticpc generally.

 

I've added it to the list. More or less, they seem to provide the exact same thing as Sager Notebooks.

 

I always found it odd that there aren't many Clevo dealers in Canada.

 

Shane, I have added 2 vendors in Canada, there is another one in Manitoba, and one in British Columbia, however I do not recall the names.

Canadian Vendors are about 200-300$ more then USA vendors before shipping and taxes. I can't talk on their behalf to explain this increase.

However, it could possibly be due to fee to receive the products from/to USA.

 

I'm pretty sure that Pro-Star once had the best deal for Canadian buyers.

I've bought from them, and I'll give them a recommendation. I've never known anyone who's had an issue with their service.

 

Here are my choices in this order. (if i were to live in canada, and if i wouldn't mind the distance)

1)Origin PCs
2)Ava Direct
3)Sager
4)Eurocom

Origin PCs would be my first choice, however, they only sell a 15" clevo unit, the one with the gtx285 and radeon 5870, and the 18 incher x8100.
They offer crossfire 5870 on the x8100, and the wide range of components is impressive.

Apart from that what impressed me the most
1)Truly Custom PCs. Want a component that is not on our site? Call or email us and we will include it in your system.

2)Wooden Crate Armor is just one part of ORIGIN's Maximum Protection Shipping Process:
Stage 1: Every ORIGIN system is placed inside a black velvet sleeve to protect your chassis from scratches or scuffs.
Stage 2: Custom foam inserts are wrapped around the left and right sides of your chassis to absorb the impact of any shock or impact to your crate.
Stage 3: Every ORIGIN system is placed inside of a durable, thick cardboard box and sealed with high resistance tape.
Stage 4: Just like fine art, your ORIGIN box is then placed inside a solid 1-inch thick wooden crate with another 1-inch of padding between the crate and your cardboard box.
Stage 5: Your crate armor is then sealed with multiple two-inch long metal screws, securing your system against tampering or any external exposure during shipment.

3)Also, this looks great on paper:
For a PC to be deemed ORIGIN certified it must have:
*)True Personalization {The complete package has to 'look' as good as it performs}
*)Hand-Built by Certified ORIGIN Specialists {Just because anyone can build a PC, doesn't mean they should}
*)Lifetime phone and online service guarantee {Once you join ORIGIN, we will have you covered for life}
*)Lifetime labor for all your service and upgrade needs included with every ORIGIN system
*)Gaming Performance & Quality Testing {1 cycle of a benchmark does not mean it is ready, this is a gaming PC. Every ORIGIN PC runs through at least 72 hours of testing}
*)Component Quality Assurance {Only the best quality/performing components}
*)Wired for Thermal Optimization {No, a bird's nest is not allowed in a gaming PC}
*)Inspected and Approved {Over 100 point quality checklist signed by your dedicated team of professionals}
*)Dedicated Support Team {Never deal with anonymous agents that don't know your name}

AvaDirect, my second choice, has an impressive range of components you can fit inside the laptop, and prices are good.

Sager is ok, but has fewer components you can choose for the laptop, this may or may not be a problem, depending on your prefferences.

Eurocom, since is near you, the downside is it'sa but pricey, the good part is that is has a wide range of options.

 

There are many custom builders that offer this (including us at DARK), you just don't see it on Sager resellers' sites because they have to abide by what Sager allows in Sager-branded systems.

 

Which is better, faster ?
Sager NP 8760 or 8850

Thanks

 

GentechPC. Not sure if they ship to Canada though.

 

The W880CU (8850) has better graphics with the GTX480M, but only by a small margin. The W870CU (8760) is probably the best bang for the buck.

 

Yeah there is only like a ten percent difference with the 480 and the 5870, but they both can play games at 1080P mostly but that 2 gig card will help it become a bit more futureproof with certain games.

 

Thank you guys
Price is not a Issue
just looking for a Gaming laptop
which doesnt stutter or get laggy

Also wanted to know, if its a pain to install the Nividia drivers
like it is in Ati to mod the drivers before installing

God Bless You for your help

 

NVIDIA has always been known for having better drivers than ATI, so you shouldn't have a problem

 

Thanks again

 

tell that to eurocommm ...

 

Bytales >
Thanks for the OriginPC suggestion ( http://www.originpc.com).
They seem like a gaming development organization.
Because they do not advertise my model, it will not be added them to my list.

Shane@DARK and ibraveheart > nVidia and ATI are both good cards.

From my experience,

- ATI -

• Designed for a particular task (Movies, pick this, Games, pick this ... etc)

• Generaly stable and nice architecture for longivity and component health

- nVidia -

• Innovative - Designed with many prototype features

• Great for Development and Modification

• Usually works well with anything due to hidden features

• Some heat issues and if not careful, common user could kill this hardware

I prefer nVidia due to my Development needs. If it would be strictly for gaming of a specific genre of game (or specific rendering), I would go with ATI

ibraveheart > This thread is focused on the NP 8760 model. I have looked at the basic specifications of the NP 8850. It is the same machine as the NP 8760 with some motherboard modifications.

In my opinion, if you don't need a larger GPU and USB 3.0, is not worth the price. The price will probably not lower due to the GPU.

 

I added PowerNotebook to my list of vendors as I thought of possibly considering them, however after receiving a very poor and unacceptable responce from them (Donald Stratton as stated). I will not look at them again.

Without being too defamatory, I select the vendor who will care about my business and will assure that I am happy with my product, even to the point of cutting theirself short. Not only that, but a vendor who knows everything about their product, is not afraid to talk in-depth about their product and organization, and attempt to teach the user/client a thing or two. These are fine lines that assures Quality.

And yes, if I am happy, I influance my friends and workers to purchase from them. If the service is great, I may visit their office, greet them, give inside scoop, basicly treat them as family.

Among other things, for the future to any vendors, please never answer a question by "Don’t know. Why do you care?"

 

Thanks buddy
that was very helpful

hope there will be some Video reviews on both soon,
havent seen any Sager Laptop videos on youtube in year 2010
thas very odd

 

Be careful with AVADirect. Seems they have been banned from NBR forums for unethical sales or bogus reviews of themselves.

My main concern is getting warranty work performed with the least amount of problems or hassle in the shortest timeframe.

Review how each vendor handles warranty repairs. For example, if you call one of the resellers about a problem with your machine, do they tell you to call Sagar to get repair vs the reseller performing the repair on-site allowing the reseller to deal with Sager's abrupt customer service?

If you purchase a 2 or 3 year warranty and contact the reseller regarding a problem, again, does the reseller just tell you to call Sager which is not known for their customer service and not protecting your laptop from scratches once on-site for repair.

Look at the length of time you will be without a computer during a repair.

You can review resellers ratings at the following link. I always sort the results by Low to read about the latest complaints, the number of most recent complaints within the past year or two, and how the vendor responded to the complaints.

Store Ratings & Reviews - ResellerRatings.com - Find Trusted Stores

 

Should I truly believe that you don't have any affiliation with Origin?

It's like you copy/pasted a PR blitz.

 

Kevin Jake2.0 > Bytales copied and pasted the key informations from their website. I believe this was a way of referencing why he/she would pick Origin instead of having a link to their site.

 

No i don't have any affiliation with origin, i'm looking for the past 2 months at a clevo resseler myself, however, i don't think origin ships to romania, cause i haven't seen my country in the shipping list.

What i like about them is the proffesional feeling they gave me through their website, and the wooden crate shipping method.
Also, i like the way they fitted the x8100 with dual 5870.

And yes, i have copy pasted from their website.
If they are able to ship to romania, maybe i will buy from them if they can provide what i am looking for.
But by the looks of it, i might end up buying from cizmo.

I also liked origin because they have to option to fit the laptop with crucial real ssd (the 6gbps version)(that is what i would get) and the 1TB laptop.
For instance i would choose the 128GB crucial real ssd with 2x1TB hdd in raid fitted in the x8100.
No other vendor i know of offers this option.

However even with all of this i don't see myself buying from them because i don't think they ship to romania, and i don't know if the Romania State is gonna make me pay for VAT.
That's why i said i might end up buying from either cizmo or kobalt.

 

Since the X8100 doesn't have a SATA III (6Gb/s) controller, it doesn't matter since you would only be able to take advantage of the SSD at 3Gb/s anyway.

 

I know you know i know about it, but even so, the specs are very good, besides, Sata III is only felt in sequancial reading, all other 3 specs (sequancial writing, random reading, random writing) are speeds well within sata II limits.
This is now my choice for a SSD.
Lets wait and see how intel 3rd gen ssd-s gonna end up with the specs.

 

Yup, here is the response mail:

Hello Mihai,
Thank you for your interest in Origin. Yeah, the X8100 is a beast of a laptop!

Yes, we can ship to Romania Europe. One of the reason we started using the wooden crates is for our international shipments, it has worked out great for us. You can contact [email protected] and they can assist you further and answer any questions you might have.

Thank you,
Mike

Looks like i'm gonna get my laptop from them when i shall have the dough.

 

What about in the 8850 ?
6Gb/s or 3Gb/s

Thanks

 

All current Clevo models are running at SATA II, 3Gb/s.

 

Your Dx 17 is a
Clevo W880CU or W870CU Notebook ?

Does yours have Usb 3.0 ?
the good part on your site is
that it has option of choosing Ati or Nividia

Thanks

 

The DX17 is both models. If you order anything besides the GTX480M it's a W870CU (no USB 3.0) and if you order the GTX480M it's a W880CU (w/USB 3.0). Seeing as otherwise they're pretty much the same laptop we didn't feel it was necessary to make a separate page.