You’ve likely worked with an OEM, or Original Equipment Manufacturer, to bring Chromebooks into the classroom. When the Chromebooks are damaged within the warranty period, they’re fixed with OEM parts, then put back in rotation.

When the warranty period expires, your district has a few choices when it comes to repairs and replacement parts. In the instance of AC adapters, technology departments can procure OEM chargers, which means that if a Lenovo Chromebook is deployed, a Lenovo AC adapter is purchased as a replacement. Another option is replenishing it with an ODM charger.

What is ODM?

Very similar to an OEM, ODM stands for Original Design Manufacturer.

Chromebook manufacturers rarely produce their own AC adapters. More often than not, they will contract an ODM to make these parts for them. The ODMs design the part, manufacture it, and get them UL certified. The ODM then labels the charger with the OEM’s logo, at their request. You may also notice when taking a new Chromebook out of the box that the charger doesn’t always have any OEM logo on it, which is an indicator that they probably have partnered with an ODM.

Is there a difference between buying an OEM and an ODM?

The short answer is no. Since OEMs contract the ODM to create the AC adapter, the part is exactly the same, just without an OEM logo. As long as you are purchasing from a trusted source, like edu-parts.com, you rest assured knowing that you are still buying a certified, high quality part coming directly from Original Design Manufacturer.

What ODM parts does eduPARTS offer?

We’ve recently partnered with two of the largest and most respected AC adapter companies in the world: LITEON and Chicony. These ODMs are trusted, proven, UL certified manufacturers of the most popular Chromebook OEMs and produces high quality chargers. The price is accessible, allowing your budget to go further, and we believe these will become your go-to AC adapters moving forward. Additionally, eduPARTS is the only Authorized LITEON Reseller in the United States and we are proud to provide you these exceptional parts.