Mailing Computer From Usa

[saanya]

Hi,

My friend is gettingready to send my carefully packaged DELL XPS computer tower to Thailand. I don't expect the HD to be happy with this, as he probably doesn't know about parking HD's the techie way, but he did package the machine in a computer box.

Is there any issue with Customs or anything with regard to this? It's an older machine, but just figured I would ask.

saanya

[dave111223]

For the amount of shipping and tax you'll pay it must be a pretty valuable computer?

I would think shipping will be a few hundred $$USD, and then maybe another few hundred more for the import tax...

And that's just the cost, not taking into consideration that it might get broken on the way.

Edited April 19, 2011 by dave111223

[Heng]

Just about all my friends take apart their desktops and just bring over the key 'guts' of their computers over and put them in new cases here. The folks at Best Buy (and I assume other shops) will do the taking apart for you if you don't know how, and over here, just about any computer shop can put it back together for you. You really don't need to bring a case whose power supply will often need a new external transformer anyway and is just a space killer 'volume weight' wise in shipping.

Edited April 19, 2011 by Heng

[flying]

Just about all my friends take apart their desktops and just bring over the key 'guts' of their computers over and put them in new cases here. The folks at Best Buy (and I assume other shops) will do the taking apart for you if you don't know how, and over here, just about any computer shop can put it back together for you. You really don't need to bring a case whose power supply will often need a new external transformer anyway and is just a space killer 'volume weight' wise in shipping.

+1

If you really need your computer all you need is probably the motherboard with the memory & the hard drive

That would fit in the small international flat rate USPS box.

The rest as Heng said is easily gotten in LOS...case with power supply is heavy/bulky to ship + possible voltage problems.

Edited April 19, 2011 by flying

[WarpSpeed]

Well the power supply should not need to be changed as they all have a 120v/220v switch on the back and have for years or now have a multifunction transformer designed to adapt to all power inputs.

Not sure how much the case is an issue either and may actually provide more protection for the internals if it gets slammed around and if so THEN just have it torn down and replaced here should that happen, that would be my suggestion.

I brought my computer on the flight over and stored it in the overhead originally packed in it's original box and no problems with customs just told them it was 2 years old which was true and for personal use only, didn't pay a single baht customs waved on through..

Edited April 19, 2011 by WarpSpeed

[saanya]

Well the power supply should not need to be changed as they all have a 120v/220v switch on the back and have for years or now have a multifunction transformer designed to adapt to all power inputs.

Not sure how much the case is an issue either and may actually provide more protection for the internals if it gets slammed around and if so THEN just have it torn down and replaced here should that happen, that would be my suggestion.

I brought my computer on the flight over and stored it in the overhead originally packed in it's original box and no problems with customs just told them it was 2 years old which was true and for personal use only, didn't pay a single baht customs waved on through..

Thanks Warp Speed, -That's the kind of response I was hoping to scroll past, -nice feature that little switch.

I have my friend mailing it express in US Post that's $45 per 5 pounds so it shouldn't be too bad, I'd be happy even if it was $200 because the system is a screamer and has proven itself far more capable than what I see here that would require building from the ground up.

I agree, the power supply switch in the back on a system such as this is key, -I forgot about that and am glad all of you mentioned it.

My goal is simple at this point, -if it arrives rather intact, I will actually spend the $ on *even more RAM*, perhaps doubling or quadrupling it. As for HD, I would be surprised if it survived the trip, SATA drives are pretty weak in general. So that'll be a good excuse to get something big.

I shipped over an IBM Laptop previously and it's lasted years. I like the good hardware from the US, -not to say the hardware here isn't good, but as an systems engineer I am sort of past the days of building home-made machines or buying into lower-end systems that don't scale well unless it's server hardware.

Otherwise I would have cared enough to park the hard drive in the first place.

Hopefully the red, black, brown or tan ants don't take a liking to it when it does arrive, -that would be a true victory in itself.

[sarahsbloke]

I would only ship the hard drive.

The rest can be purchased very cheap.

As you say it's a Dell, nothing inside, apart from the data, will be worth very much.

[saanya]

I would only ship the hard drive.

The rest can be purchased very cheap.

As you say it's a Dell, nothing inside, apart from the data, will be worth very much.

Normally I'd agree with you Sarahsbloke, I detest DELL machines more than most, -but this is a sick gamer box with some insane hardware inside. I bought it used only because I had seen it in action previously, -and yeah I thought the same thing about the components inside this machine until I cracked it open. To try and build that here is going to cost way over $600-800 or even more so why bother when I could top it with something I already have and can get shipped for less. (my specs for a machine that would almost match up to what I already own are below). It's mostly the RAM that's the cost difference.

Nonetheless, -Sarahsbloke you make a good point.

DELL is famous, for those who don't know, for manufacturing hardware that you can only upgrade by purchasing from DELL, -not even one part inside seems possible to change or upgrade without involving them or a reseller. They are also annoying to service, -especially DELL servers. So, essentially, they are junk or well on their path to being junk as soon as even one part fails. Michael Dell was probably trying to accomplish with hardware, what Bill Gates had accomplished with software.

But luckily whomever designed and built this thing had it together. An odd exception in the world of DELL machines. Normally when I encounter a DELL, I will do my best to help it into the trash bins of a computer disposal service.

This one's got extremely high end audio & video hardware installed, and quite a bit of RAM for a normal PC, and running Linux flawlessly, -otherwise it would have been sold by now on craigslist in the US.

If I lived in Bangkok, I would have built something by simply walking into and out of Pantip shopping center. I have two dead towers sitting here, and if I feel like returning to the days of custom PC builds, I will, but I tire of the steep rates up here in Issan for hardware -perhaps mail order from BKK is the best option.

Anyone know a good computer parts supplier in Thailand? Not just any supplier, -a good one. Anyone can google search. -like if you have already been using one, and know they are solid, I'd like to get a Tyan Thuder (or later spec) board, 4GB Hynix or Micron or similar RAM, 2 AMD-64 bit dual or quad core CPU's, dual Broadcomm GB NICs, 3Ware RAID controller, Seagate or similar drives, and a solid nVidia or ATI video card suitable enough to play Counterstrike while ripping DVDs at the same time.

-saanya