I going to be buying a few new laptops in the near future and using them in Thailand and I am wondering whether it would be easier and/or cheaper to buy them in the USA and bring them with me, or just save myself the hassle and buy them in Thailand.

I have checked USA prices and the laptops Im looking at cost around $300 USD new (Asus or Dell). My requirements in a laptop are at least a 1.7ghz processor, 2ghz RAM, 350GB HDD, a cd-rom drive, at least 10/100 network port, built-in wifi, at least 1 USB port (i have a 4 port hub), and most important is an external VGA port (not hdmi or DVI).

If I bring them with me to Thailand, it will be a pain because I will have to pay for an additional baggage allowance suitcase to bring them in ($200, I checked with the airlines) plus I will have to drag them around the airport. I hope they will not be subject to customs, because I will be taking them home with me when I come back to the USA.

I've never bought a laptop in Thailand, so Im just trying to get an idea if its better to wait and buy them there, will it cost the same for them, if so I will be happy to wait until I arrive.

Thanks!

you can easily find laptops at around 12000THB.

follow this thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/61857-on-line-computerelectronic-stores/ for online websites.

Better use google chrome for automatic translation from thai to english

The problem with buying in Thailand is that the cheaper models won't have a Windows licence. The vendors will often install a hacked version for you for a few hundred baht. I would avoid such an action.

The problem with buying in Thailand is that the cheaper models won't have a Windows licence. The vendors will often install a hacked version for you for a few hundred baht. I would avoid such an action.

This is not entirely true.

I just did an extensive hunt for a good laptop in Bangkok which involved visiting several malls as well as Pantib and Fortune plaza. All the shops I visited had a range of laptops, which were offered both with a choice of either DOS, Ubuntu or a legitimate copy of Windows. Where Windows is pre-installed, the ONLY option is a legitimate OEM pre-installed version.

The model I selected, only had DOS, so I then paid extra for a proper copy of windows 7 which came with the boxed DVD and license. It is probably still possible to find hacked versions in certain places, but certainly the bigger legit shops don't offer pirate windows anymore.The OEM pricing for South East Asia means you can pick up Microsoft or Adobe products for a fraction of the cost as in the US and Europe and the trend nowadays is definitely with the licensed versions.

The problem with buying in Thailand is that the cheaper models won't have a Windows licence. The vendors will often install a hacked version for you for a few hundred baht. I would avoid such an action.

This is not entirely true.

I just did an extensive hunt for a good laptop in Bangkok which involved visiting several malls as well as Pantib and Fortune plaza. All the shops I visited had a range of laptops, which were offered both with a choice of either DOS, Ubuntu or a legitimate copy of Windows. Where Windows is pre-installed, the ONLY option is a legitimate OEM pre-installed version.

The model I selected, only had DOS, so I then paid extra for a proper copy of windows 7 which came with the boxed DVD and license. It is probably still possible to find hacked versions in certain places, but certainly the bigger legit shops don't offer pirate windows anymore.The OEM pricing for South East Asia means you can pick up Microsoft or Adobe products for a fraction of the cost as in the US and Europe and the trend nowadays is definitely with the licensed versions.

So, what I said is true. Lower end machines are not supplied with a Windows licence. Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 32-bit English OEM DVD (GFC-02085) is going to set you back another 3790 baht. Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 64-bit English OEM DVD (FQC-04649); 4950 baht

That's a minimum of US$125 extra on a laptop purchase. That is why many here opt for the cheaper hacked versions.

The problem with buying in Thailand is that the cheaper models won't have a Windows licence. The vendors will often install a hacked version for you for a few hundred baht. I would avoid such an action.

This is not entirely true.

I just did an extensive hunt for a good laptop in Bangkok which involved visiting several malls as well as Pantib and Fortune plaza. All the shops I visited had a range of laptops, which were offered both with a choice of either DOS, Ubuntu or a legitimate copy of Windows. Where Windows is pre-installed, the ONLY option is a legitimate OEM pre-installed version.

The model I selected, only had DOS, so I then paid extra for a proper copy of windows 7 which came with the boxed DVD and license. It is probably still possible to find hacked versions in certain places, but certainly the bigger legit shops don't offer pirate windows anymore.The OEM pricing for South East Asia means you can pick up Microsoft or Adobe products for a fraction of the cost as in the US and Europe and the trend nowadays is definitely with the licensed versions.

So, what I said is true. Lower end machines are not supplied with a Windows licence. Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 32-bit English OEM DVD (GFC-02085) is going to set you back another 3790 baht. Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 64-bit English OEM DVD (FQC-04649); 4950 baht

That's a minimum of US$125 extra on a laptop purchase. That is why many here opt for the cheaper hacked versions.

My point is that an ever-increasing number of PC vendors here do not, in fact, offer pirated software anymore.

The problem with buying in Thailand is that the cheaper models won't have a Windows licence. The vendors will often install a hacked version for you for a few hundred baht. I would avoid such an action.

This is not entirely true.

I just did an extensive hunt for a good laptop in Bangkok which involved visiting several malls as well as Pantib and Fortune plaza. All the shops I visited had a range of laptops, which were offered both with a choice of either DOS, Ubuntu or a legitimate copy of Windows. Where Windows is pre-installed, the ONLY option is a legitimate OEM pre-installed version.

The model I selected, only had DOS, so I then paid extra for a proper copy of windows 7 which came with the boxed DVD and license. It is probably still possible to find hacked versions in certain places, but certainly the bigger legit shops don't offer pirate windows anymore.The OEM pricing for South East Asia means you can pick up Microsoft or Adobe products for a fraction of the cost as in the US and Europe and the trend nowadays is definitely with the licensed versions.

So, what I said is true. Lower end machines are not supplied with a Windows licence. Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 32-bit English OEM DVD (GFC-02085) is going to set you back another 3790 baht. Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 64-bit English OEM DVD (FQC-04649); 4950 baht

That's a minimum of US$125 extra on a laptop purchase. That is why many here opt for the cheaper hacked versions.

My point is that an ever-increasing number of PC vendors here do not, in fact, offer pirated software anymore.

They would certainly know someone who does. Either way I don't recommend doing so. The OP should be made aware of the extra costs involved.