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Buying A Powerbook in Hong Kong

D

deebster

macrumors 6502
Original poster
The new updates and Hong Kong's prices have got me thinking.

I was all set to buy a 12" iBook, but looking at the HK prices (and after a couple of emails to the Cablex store) I discovered I could get a stock 12" Powerbook with Applecare for HK$ 12,700 (about £ 900 / US $ 1650)

That is way, way cheaper than I could get it in Thailand or at home in the UK (even if I managed to get a VAT-free or Edu price).

After doing a search here I've read that the keyboard/language/power supply is UK-compatible and that Apple's warranties for portables are indeed worldwide. I'd be bringing it back to Thailand for a while until I make the trip back to (live again in) the UK.

Is there anything else I ought to be considering before I take the plunge and go there?

And if anyone has had experience of dealing with Cablex (or recommends any other store) I'd be interested to hear from them.

Thanks for any replies
 
Yikesies!

My girlfriend offered to ask her auntie to ship me a Powerbook 15in from Apple Canada, since her auntie lives over there. It would have worked out about £1070 not including shipping. That store offers the Powerbook 15in combo for £1085, the extra £15 being worth not hassling her auntie for.

They don't seem to offer online ordering though? Do they offer international shipping?

andy.
 
Dunno about them offering international shipping, but if you import anything this large into the UK or any other on-the-ball country I imagine you could be in for a very nasty shock when you get a bill for import duty.

That would be a real bummer if it happened.

When I emailed them the reply stated that new PBs would be there on Friday, and that the cost of the stock 12" combo would be HK$ 11,500, which is 400 less than the price from the HK Apple store.

May be worth getting in touch with them anyway

http://www.cablex.com.hk/

enquiry@cablex.com.hk
 
Deebster,

That's true - something that wouldn't really be an issue if I got my girlfriends auntie to ship it over for me.

Cheers,

andy.
 
I'm not sure if I entirely understand what you want to do,however there is no import duty on electronics to the UK .Certainly if they think its new they will try and claim 17.5% Vat.But if your going to pick it up in HK then take to Thailand then toUK it'll be used and Vat free.Have you thought of Singapore as an alternative.
(well I think there is on LCD's something to do with protecting the Welsh CRT manufacturers)
 
My mention of import duty was in response to _pb_boi's post, in that something mailed into the UK would probably attract an additional cost, unless it were to be classed as a gift or used item.

As for Singapore, yes I have checked the prices and they are considerably more than HK. Much closer to the prices here (when the new PBs arrive, which could be up to a few months from now).
 
I've bought an iBook from HK (and it was Cablex I think). No problems at all and everything works fine for the UK. The minimal tax makes it a good deal. I also bought a G5 iMac and carried it back to Thailand, for use in Thailand!

Thailand has some pretty good prices too at Pantip, plus they throw in a lot of extras 😉 But I'd stick with HK for peace of mind.
 
That's good to hear, thanks munkle.

I bought my current Mac (iBook G3 600) from Panthip in 2002, but lately the prices seem to be falling more in line with the UK than with the US/HK, as witnessed by the new Mac Mini and iPod Shuffles, that are almost exactly the same as the UK now.

What is really swinging it for HK is the Applecare though. Works out at about £90 for it, compared to £270 in the UK.
 
I know you can get really good deals on Rev C PB's at the moment, from Pantip and the Apple retailer in Siam Discovery. Might be worth thinking about.


Edit: I'm not trying to dissuade you from HK, I bought two computers from there, plus a host of peripherals and both experiences were great. No problems at all.
 
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