Where laptops and cellphones are cheaper: Thailand, HK or China?

[Maramook]

I'm going to China (I think Shanghai) and Hong Kong and then back to Thailand. I wonder, where is it better, or rather cheaper, to buy a laptop and cell phone among those 3 countries? Are there a significant difference in the prices?

[topt]

My one recommendation (having done it in the past) would be to not buy a laptop in China. Honk Kong ok as you can make sure you get everything in English.

However if you think you may want to type Thai letters then buy in Thailand with a dual English/Thai keyboard. Also any issues you can then take it back to the shop - although should come with a world wide warranty.

[Maramook]

I don't need thai letters on the keyboard.

Why not in China? I'm thinking of buying a chinese laptop, by the way, probably lenovo. Aren't in HK and China they exactly the same quality-wise?

[nev]

Buy a phone in China, they have some excellent phones you cannot buy here, ulefone betouch2 as good as any here.

[chingmai331]

Right. Any phone, laptop too, made and bought in china connects you directly to the chinese cyber patrol. so if you communicate forbidden messages while in china, 2K RMB fine and deportation. If same messages outside of china, only a nasty malware trojan sent to the machine.

[Sandman77]

I can tell you then luxury items in hongkong much cheaper like in China!

From memory hongkong did not charge any import taxes on imported electronically items

[Maramook]

chinese laptops and cellphones are manufactured in China, how can they be cheaper in Hong Kong?

[BKKdreaming]

knock offs are the big problem , not sure how you can figure that out quickly as you are handing over your $$$$ ,

I would buy from a place I could return it to and has an international warranty

[Fab5BKK]

Much better, and safer, to buy in HKG from major retail chains (with international warranty)

[speedtripler]

Much better, and safer, to buy in HKG from major retail chains (with international warranty)

Better to buy an expensive gadget in the country you intend to use it imo

You might save a minor amount buying it on holiday but if you have a problem you can't fix yourself a local dealer or warranty centre can be a godsend...

[Fab5BKK]

That's the reason why international warranty is quite important. Especially when you travel / move a lot.

I bought my laptop in HKG and got it fixed, free on charge with top service, in Bangkok.

Buying in HKG, I got a fair deal, good product with solid international support.

Much better, and safer, to buy in HKG from major retail chains (with international warranty)

Better to buy an expensive gadget in the country you intend to use it imo
You might save a minor amount buying it on holiday but if you have a problem you can't fix yourself a local dealer or warranty centre can be a godsend...

[lostinisaan]

chinese laptops and cellphones are manufactured in China, how can they be cheaper in Hong Kong?

Sandman's memory needs an upgrade to 4 GB.

[WhizBang]

chinese laptops and cellphones are manufactured in China, how can they be cheaper in Hong Kong?

Many items are manufactured in Thailand, yet are cheaper to buy in the USA. How can that be?

[bendejo]

My one recommendation (having done it in the past) would be to not buy a laptop in China. Honk Kong ok as you can make sure you get everything in English.

However if you think you may want to type Thai letters then buy in Thailand with a dual English/Thai keyboard. Also any issues you can then take it back to the shop - although should come with a world wide warranty.

Actually, it is nearly impossible to find a new laptop in Thailand that does not have Thai characters on the keyboard. I was looking for one a few years ago, in other cities as well as Bkk, not a one. However you'd have no problem getting an English-only replacement keyboard at a Pranthip type of place and swapping it out, unless you have an odd brand.

[Maramook]

Much better, and safer, to buy in HKG from major retail chains (with international warranty)

Better to buy an expensive gadget in the country you intend to use it imo

You might save a minor amount buying it on holiday but if you have a problem you can't fix yourself a local dealer or warranty centre can be a godsend...

actually, the last time I bought my laptop in HK and got a great discount because of an exhibition or something. Maybe because of a holiday but it was in the end of August and I am not aware of any well-known holiday then.

What kind of holiday do you mean? Is there a calendar of when they occur?

[Maramook]

chinese laptops and cellphones are manufactured in China, how can they be cheaper in Hong Kong?

Many items are manufactured in Thailand, yet are cheaper to buy in the USA. How can that be?

Because the companies are originally (based in) from USA.

For China it's not the case: they are from China and they assembled in China and sold in China.

Edited September 7, 2015 by Maramook

[bendejo]

actually, the last time I bought my laptop in HK and got a great discount because of an exhibition or something. Maybe because of a holiday but it was in the end of August and I am not aware of any well-known holiday then.

What kind of holiday do you mean? Is there a calendar of when they occur?

In Penang the Chinese have a big festival called Hungry Ghost that is usually on for a few weeks in August or Sept.

There are "trade show" sort-of things in most sizable cities in the region. I went to one at Queen S Center once, it was on a weekend and jam-packed. I couldn't tell you how much the average discount was, as I was looking at small stuff. There is also one in Malaysia, I think it's called Picom, that does a circuit of all the big towns every few months, including Penang. I wouldn't buy anything expensive at one of these. When in HK you may want to check out an area where there are street stalls selling tech stuff. I think it is near Mong Kok (subway goes there). Here again not place for major purchases but it's fun seeing tech stuff sold in a Third World market setting, I wouldn't have been surprised to see stuff like memory chips sold by the kilo. Haven't been there in a while, maybe the area has been renewed.

Edited September 7, 2015 by bendejo

[roly]

Well Apple stuff is certainly cheaper in HK. Picked up an Apple Watch for the missus whilst visiting this weekend. 13,500 baht here but 12,717 baht equivalent there. Similar story for laptops

Edited September 7, 2015 by roly

[Roman51]

China one and only. Looks forward to an alternative model of Russian Yotaphone2, produced just by the Chinese company and which should bee much cheaper than Yota Best thing in it are 2 screens: first normal LED touchscreen, the second eInk, such as in Kindle ereaders.

[muratremix]

chinese laptops and cellphones are manufactured in China, how can they be cheaper in Hong Kong?

iPhones are made in China but cheapest in USA, do you know why?

China has 17% VAT

Hong Kong has 0% VAT (no VAT)

Electronics are cheaper in HK.

[Maramook]

and where is Apple based? in USA or China?

[topt]

I don't need thai letters on the keyboard.

Why not in China? I'm thinking of buying a chinese laptop, by the way, probably lenovo. Aren't in HK and China they exactly the same quality-wise?

When I purchased mine they had huge problems configuring it to a UK language and then it still had Chinese characters on things like the hard disk partitions etc. The trouble is you may not discover the issues until after you leave. In HK you should not have this issue.

PS - if you use the quote function to reply directly to a post you have a better chance of getting a quicker reply

[NeverSure]

chinese laptops and cellphones are manufactured in China, how can they be cheaper in Hong Kong?

iPhones are made in China but cheapest in USA, do you know why?

China has 17% VAT

Hong Kong has 0% VAT (no VAT)

Electronics are cheaper in HK.

It's all about taxes. The USA charges no import taxes on things made China (Or most places.) Thailand OTOH has horrible import duties. The difference isn't where it's made per se, it's how it's taxed. Consumer goods are almost always cheaper in the USA than elsewhere. Thailand even charges big taxes on things made in Thailand, i.e. cars. IPhones are made in China and are taxed terribly in many countries but not in the USA.

If Hong Kong has no import taxes from China and there are no other hidden taxes then that "should be" a lot cheaper than Thailand.

[NeverSure]

and where is Apple based? in USA or China?

The last I knew most Apple products including the iPhone were made in China. I don't know how that affects prices in China because China has its own tax structure. I just know that things are very expensive in Thailand due to taxes. We all know that Thailand really gouges on import duties and even gouges on things made in Thailand by foreign manufacturers such as cars.

[thedemon]

chinese laptops and cellphones are manufactured in China, how can they be cheaper in Hong Kong?

iPhones are made in China but cheapest in USA, do you know why?

China has 17% VAT

Hong Kong has 0% VAT (no VAT)

Electronics are cheaper in HK.

It's all about taxes. The USA charges no import taxes on things made China (Or most places.) Thailand OTOH has horrible import duties. The difference isn't where it's made per se, it's how it's taxed. Consumer goods are almost always cheaper in the USA than elsewhere. Thailand even charges big taxes on things made in Thailand, i.e. cars. IPhones are made in China and are taxed terribly in many countries but not in the USA.

If Hong Kong has no import taxes from China and there are no other hidden taxes then that "should be" a lot cheaper than Thailand.

I agree with you when you say that consumer goods are almost always cheaper in the US than elsewhere and in the case of some products import duties are a factor. I also agree that where something is made is not a major factor. As a percentage of it's value, the cost of shipping an iphone or notebook is negligible.

But Computers and phones form China are exempted from import duties in Thailand. The only tax is VAT at 7% which is comparable to state taxes in many US states.

I believe that the primary reason the US is so cheap nowadays is competition and economy of scale plus a very efficient distribution infrastructure.

Hong Kong doesn't have and has never had any taxes on most consumer products. What has changed is the cost of doing business has risen dramatically especially the cost of real estate. In the old days everyone would buy electronics, cameras etc in HK. No one I know talks about that anymore.

As for shopping in China, sure there are some bargains but it is a bit of a minefield. I guess the op will end up in one of the Pantip style IT malls in Shanghai of which there are 3 or 4. It's worth going just for the experience but I doubt he will find an IT mecca.

[Roman51]

iPhones are made in China but cheapest in USA, do you know why?

China has 17% VAT

Hong Kong has 0% VAT (no VAT)

Electronics are cheaper in HK.

I .. rather considered the amount of production equipment and specific brands that come directly from China .. but what you write makes sense Well then, in future subsequent orders from Aliexpress, I need to look after the "shipping country" marked as HongKong Thanks for your opinion!