Macbook Air 11" Top Spec

[RAZZELL]

The wife wants to buy an 11" Macbook Air and has a couple of questions.

1 - We are undecided as whether to buy it in the UK or in Thailand as she wants one with a Thai keyboard. We've been in several different Apple stores in the UK and have had different answers to the question "can they change the keyboard for a Thai one"? Is it easy to change the keyboard on a macbook air? And would you do it?

2 - Also, does anyone have a number to call the Apple Store in Thailand - I'm assuming the one on the website is a "free phone or premium number" and we can't seem to be able to dial it from the UK.

3 - What's the availabilty like in the stores at the moment? She just called the store at Paragon and they said they had no "Top spec" as there were delays coming from Singapore?

4 - Where's the cheapest store and how much discount for cash?

Many thanks

RAZZ

[negreanu]

no discount for cash.

buy here if you want thai keyboard

stock is available all standard macbook air models.

if you want to customise order from store.apple.com/th

[bubba]

The Apple Store Thailand shows the top spec one in stock. Also, I'm not sure, but aren't the prices better in Thailand than in the UK now?

http://store.apple.com/th/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_air/select

[samuijimmy]

Easy to check prices from all countries by changing country at the bottom of the Mac Store web site... remember Thai prices include Tax, not sure if they do in UK...?

I just brought same yesterday 17 model, from Mac Store as the local store would not upgrade, from 15 .... even by bringing it in.

(BKK Authorized Mac Dealer Stores probably better to get what you want) ... with the Thai/ English keyboard...

[RAZZELL]

The Apple Store Thailand shows the top spec one in stock. Also, I'm not sure, but aren't the prices better in Thailand than in the UK now?

http://store.apple.com/th/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_air/select

Showing 3 days delivery, but we have a problem as we live in the UK at the moment and the wife's debit card is registered here....also the delivery address won't match the card etc etc

If you're a bit sneaky and ask for a "educational discount" in the UK you can save a few quid and also get cheap Applecare.

However, after checking the prices and taking into account tax refunds etc there isn't really much in it...about £100 or so.

So, I think she's going to order with iStudio in Pantip. You have to pay a 30% deposit and it "should" arrive when we are in Bkk in about 5 weeks.

RAZZ

[samuijimmy]

The Apple Store Thailand shows the top spec one in stock. Also, I'm not sure, but aren't the prices better in Thailand than in the UK now?

http://store.apple.c...book_air/select

Showing 3 days delivery, but we have a problem as we live in the UK at the moment and the wife's debit card is registered here....also the delivery address won't match the card etc etc

If you're a bit sneaky and ask for a "educational discount" in the UK you can save a few quid and also get cheap Applecare.

However, after checking the prices and taking into account tax refunds etc there isn't really much in it...about £100 or so.

So, I think she's going to order with iStudio in Pantip. You have to pay a 30% deposit and it "should" arrive when we are in Bkk in about 5 weeks.

RAZZ

In reality the shipping time is (should be"!!!) about 2 weeks, from the Mac Online shop, according to the confirmation I received....

From Mac stores it takes longer, so your "should" arrive, should be fairly realistic!

[bubba]

So it looks like the price for the top spec Macbook Air on the Apple Store UK comes out to 64,500 THB. The price on the Apple Store Thailand is 52,900 THB. On top of that, if you aren't living in Thailand and can claim the VAT refund for tourists, the price in Thailand comes down to 49,200 THB. Not bad...about £300 savings that way.

By the way, I checked on availability at the Mac Café in La Villa shopping arcade at Ari BTS, and they say they can have one in for you within seven days. They have all the other models in stock, but the top spec one is a special order. You can order it with US English only keyboard, or with a Thai/English keyboard. They can also provide the VAT refund paperwork.

[RAZZELL]

So it looks like the price for the top spec Macbook Air on the Apple Store UK comes out to 64,500 THB. The price on the Apple Store Thailand is 52,900 THB. On top of that, if you aren't living in Thailand and can claim the VAT refund for tourists, the price in Thailand comes down to 49,200 THB. Not bad...about £300 savings that way.

By the way, I checked on availability at the Mac Café in La Villa shopping arcade at Ari BTS, and they say they can have one in for you within seven days. They have all the other models in stock, but the top spec one is a special order. You can order it with US English only keyboard, or with a Thai/English keyboard. They can also provide the VAT refund paperwork.

Thanks for the info

The wife has been "thinking" and "might" get the i7 with 128GB as she doesn't really need the extra memory. It's only for email, internet and maybe a bit of work related stuff.

But as she wanted to buy a watch on Sunday and changed her mind 3 times who knows!

(Is the i-7 available pretty much everywhere?)

Many thanks once again

RAZZ

Edited September 19, 2011 by RAZZELL

[negreanu]

Thanks for the info

The wife has been "thinking" and "might" get the i7 with 128GB as she doesn't really need the extra memory. It's only for email, internet and maybe a bit of work related stuff.

But as she wanted to buy a watch on Sunday and changed her mind 3 times who knows!

(Is the i-7 available pretty much everywhere?)

Many thanks once again

RAZZ

Got that wrong way round really if all she is doing is email and internet etc. the i7 will be of no benefit and the 4gb will be of huge benefit on lion.

2GB on lion is painful compared to 4GB memory. The i7 will make 0 noticeable difference to you.

[bubba]

Thanks for the info

The wife has been "thinking" and "might" get the i7 with 128GB as she doesn't really need the extra memory. It's only for email, internet and maybe a bit of work related stuff.

But as she wanted to buy a watch on Sunday and changed her mind 3 times who knows!

(Is the i-7 available pretty much everywhere?)

Many thanks once again

RAZZ

Got that wrong way round really if all she is doing is email and internet etc. the i7 will be of no benefit and the 4gb will be of huge benefit on lion.

2GB on lion is painful compared to 4GB memory. The i7 will make 0 noticeable difference to you.

The Mac Café that I checked with had all the other models in stock. Only the top spec one was special order.

I think you're right- sounds like the i5 processor would be perfectly adequate. And I agree with you about the 2GB part. I have a 2009 Macbook Air with 2GB and it really does begin to get bogged down when I have more than one or two applications open. But that was happening before Lion with Snow Leopard for me.

[samuijimmy]

Easy to check prices from all countries by changing country at the bottom of the Mac Store web site... remember Thai prices include Tax, not sure if they do in UK...?

I just brought same yesterday 17 model, from Mac Store as the local store would not upgrade, from 15 .... even by bringing it in.

(BKK Authorized Mac Dealer Stores probably better to get what you want) ... with the Thai/ English keyboard...

Just to add to this, for general information: ..... What Mac Store online, said would arrive in weeks, has arrived in days! Yesterday in fact.!! (less than a week) ..

The shipment came from Shanghai, is what arrived, via the post office, which surprised me, as I thought according to tracking it was coming via DHL.... I really don't care as long as it arrived!

The Mac Air, is coming from Singapore... Maybe today? That had the shortest delivery shipping time supposedly!

I use a credit card from Canada, (it should not make a difference where it is from, as it never seems to be an issue, although I should have warned my bank, about the "higher than usual transaction", as they initially blocked it... that sorted, all went through OK....

I generally warn my bank, if traveling out side of normal purchasing area or with larger than normal purchases, just forgot this time! ....so my bad....

[samuijimmy]

Easy to check prices from all countries by changing country at the bottom of the Mac Store web site... remember Thai prices include Tax, not sure if they do in UK...?

I just brought same yesterday 17 model, from Mac Store as the local store would not upgrade, from 15 .... even by bringing it in.

(BKK Authorized Mac Dealer Stores probably better to get what you want) ... with the Thai/ English keyboard...

Just to add to this, for general information: ..... What Mac Store online, said would arrive in weeks, has arrived in days! Yesterday in fact.!! (less than a week) ..

The shipment came from Shanghai, is what arrived, via the post office, which surprised me, as I thought according to tracking it was coming via DHL.... I really don't care as long as it arrived!

The Mac Air, is coming from Singapore... Maybe today? That had the shortest delivery shipping time supposedly!

I use a credit card from Canada, (it should not make a difference where it is from, as it never seems to be an issue, although I should have warned my bank, about the "higher than usual transaction", as they initially blocked it... that sorted, all went through OK....

I generally warn my bank, if traveling out side of normal purchasing area or with larger than normal purchases, just forgot this time! ....so my bad....

All has arrived now (yesterday) Less than a week....