Let me just start by saying I absolutely LOVE this computer. I wanted to wait on reviewing it until I used it for a week or so, just so I could get familiar with it and its quirks. I bought this laptop after my other one died (a 2019 Asus Zephyrus S GX701). I refused to go with another Asus machine simply because I have been very disappointed by the quality control of their machines (every single Asus I've bought had motherboard issues) so I decided to try Sager/Clevo. There isn't much on the internet about this small notebook company, but what little I COULD find about them showed rave 4.5-5 star reviews. So, after some contemplation, I went with this particular model.
I'm an artist, gamer, and I'm looking into getting into content creation, so I wanted something with power. And boy.. this packs some serious heat. The Nividia Geforce RTX 4090 is the fastest GPU on the market for laptops, (and yes, I'm aware that the Laptop version of the 4090 doesn't really match up to the desktop version, but that's a whole other topic). I wanted to be well equipped to have something that will last me years, and I can already tell between the GPU and the bafflingly fast Intel Core i9-13900HX CPU I know that this thing will continue to perform well for quite a while. I also like how it's upgradeable - I went with a combined six TBs of space.
XoticPC made the process of buying this laptop seamless. I understand that XoticPC has mixed reviews online, but I think I had a good experience here. However, keep in mind, unless you're ordering extra customization (such as panel etching) onto your laptop, it will be manufactured and shipped directly by Sager themselves. The computer was built, QA tested, and shipped to me in less than 4 days (this includes the weekend) and it got in my hands in a week. It probably would've gotten here sooner if UPS didn't delay the arrival of the package, but that is on UPS and not at all on XoticPC or Sager.
Out of the box, this computer blew me away. It was super premium looking and feeling and it was packaged very well. There's not a single fingerprint, dent, or scratch on it. Sager really did build my machine with care. The chassis of the thing attracts fingerprints like the dickens though so be aware, but Sager was actually considerate enough to include a black cloth to wipe those fingerprints away! It also included directions to setting the computer and a Windows 11 activation code.
I bought Windows 11 Home with this. Windows 11 makes logging in that much easier with Windows Hello (yes, this laptop does include a webcam despite its extremely thin bezel!) and I am spoiled by being able to connect my phone to my PC and see my texts and notifs while I'm in another room. Learning the ropes of Windows 11 wasn't too difficult since I was already used to Windows 10.
Sager includes software to change the color of the lights in your keyboard, to enable smart charging, and to manage the GPU/CPU performance and fan speed. This is accessed by pressing FN + / Sager also makes sure to do a clean install and there's no other bloatware on it! You can kiss Armoury Crate and McAfee goodbye!
I experience no lag in internet browsing or file management on my desktop (everything gets done pretty much as quickly as I initiate the process), and I have yet to meet a game that this thing doesn't sleep on. I can play everything on max settings and it just laughs. I get very good FPS on this machine. When it comes to my art and modeling programs, it just sleeps on those too. This is an extremely great performing machine for the price.
When I do push it hard the fans start roaring, but it's easily ignored if you have headphones. I recommend headphones with this machine or some sort of external speakers, because the speaker built into the laptop is very, VERY quiet. And when the computer's fans are sounding like a miniature jet plane taking off in your bedroom or office, you can't hear what's going on because of the quiet laptop speakers. I don't personally care about this since I always use a headset for privacy reasons, but it's something to keep in mind.
Oh, I need to mention this: the charge port is IN THE BACK OF THE LAPTOP. Holy CRAP that's genius! No more wrestling with stupid charge ports which are blocking your other plugin ports. It's in the back, and out of the way. It's so amazing and it's baffling to me that this isn't a more common thing, but it goes to show that this laptop was designed by people WHO ACTUALLY USE THEM. The HDMI port is in the back for the same reason and I love it there just as much as I love the charge port there.
My only other complaint about this laptop besides the speakers (which I don't care about) or the fingerprint attractiveness (which I also don't really mind) is the amount of USB ports on this guy. There's not that many. So, if you have a lot of stuff you like to plug into the machine (headset, keyboard, tablet, mouse, etc) get a USB hub. You'll than...
