Buying from the US, warranty, electrical compatibility, etc

[rrrro]

Hey all,

I want to get my hands on one of the new Macbooks in a month or so. I'll be travelling to the US in that time, and it will probably work out cheaper to buy it there, once I throw away the box and pretend it's old on my way back through customs in Dublin!

However, I have some questions about warranty and such.

Is it true that my warranty will be US-only?
Can I purchase AppleCare in Ireland for a Macbook I bought in the US? Or, if I purchase it in the US [which will again be cheaper] will I be equally as covered as if I had bought it here in Ireland?
And what's the story with power adaptors and suchlike? Will I need a converter/transformer or something? [My current Sony Vaio was also bought in the US, and works fine over here without any transformers.]

To complicate matters, I'm also a student. Can I get a student discount in the US?

Sorry for all the questions guys!

 

[Jaffa Cake]

The warranty is worldwide on laptops, so there's no trouble there – and you shouldn't have any trouble buying AppleCare for it in Ireland either. As for power, a standard adapter will do the trick, or if you've got a spare slide-on plug from an iPod I think that'll fit the MacBook's power brick.

Do beware though – US prices don't show Sales Tax, which varies from State to State and may well eat away a substantial chunk of the saving you think you might be making...

 

[Phrasikleia]

I don't know for certain about the warranties, so I'll let someone else help you there.

I can assure you that a MacBook will need nothing more than a prong adapter to function in Europe.

In order to get the student discount you have to be affiliated with an academic institution on Apple's list, which would of course exclude you unless you're in an exchange program and are therefore officially in residence at a US institution.

 

[logana]

To complicate matters, I'm also a student. Can I get a student discount in the US?

If you are a student in Ireland it will be cheaper to buy in Ireland (HE discount). Back to School promotion is on at the moment - ends 31 October 2008 - in the UK this is £95 off iPod Nano.

Apple student discount can be used when purchasing a Mac in the same country you are a student.

No problems with warranty - international - but you realise the US keyboard is different to the UK/Euro version.

Have a look at this thread - https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/567580/

cheaper to buy at the airport than in the US and no worries - the 15% discount is similar to the HE discount....