buying a MacBook in Las Vegas...

eeloe

This might be in the wrong place?

I'm going to Las Vegas for a holiday with the family, and i'm looking to invest in a macbook while over there.

Am i right in thinking all i need to do when i get home, is get a new charger? as the american chargers run a different voltage?

Will i actually be saving much by doing this?

longhalloween

I'm not really an expert but AFAIK the transformer brick works for a variety of voltages. Mine is 100v-240v so it should work here.

You just need to buy a new plug.

Sad Professor

Yeah, all Mac notebooks have a universal power supply.

whiterebel

eeloe wrote: »

This might be in the wrong place?

I'm going to Las Vegas for a holiday with the family, and i'm looking to invest in a macbook while over there.

Am i right in thinking all i need to do when i get home, is get a new charger? as the american chargers run a different voltage?

Will i actually be saving much by doing this?

After paying VAT and Duty to Customs & Excise? No, not a lot.:D

eeloe

Macbook(just a standard one)
$999 or e733.86

I might be able to get a much better spec machine than i originally budgeted for!

eeloe

whiterebel wrote: »

After paying VAT and Duty to Customs & Excise? No, not a lot.:D

eh....who's to say i didn't have it in my bag going over?

Stuxnet

exactly !!

eeloe

also, anyone got any tips for buying a mac in the US?

haggling, bartering, getting stuff thrown in for free?

JDxtra

Dont forget to add on sales tax, about 8% in Vegas I believe.

eeloe

JDxtra wrote: »

Dont forget to add on sales tax, about 8% in Vegas I believe.

Still, i'm saving in or around 200euro, if i just wait the three weeks till i'm over there to buy one!:)

atgate

eeloe wrote: »

Still, i'm saving in or around 200euro, if i just wait the three weeks till i'm over there to buy one!:)

I wonder if its possible for you to buy one in an airport without the sales tax....

Tom Dunne

Moved from Apple Media Devices.

eeloe

I'll have a look when i get over there to see what the story is!

But i desperately want a mac, and i'll probably just buy the first one that falls in to my hands....so any advice would be greatly appreciated...

sorry for having this in the wrong section Tom!

Deep Thought

Did the same myself,

One tip, even though you brought it over yourself.....

Remember to charge it again in the hotel and dispose of any cardboard that you may have accrued on your trip

Ham'nd'egger

eeloe wrote: »

eh....who's to say i didn't have it in my bag going over?

That is up to you to prove if you are stopped by Customs and not the other way round. These guys know all the dodges and tricks; don't say you haven't been warned;)

delety

As for where to buy one. There is a Mac Store in the forum shops at caesars palace.

Hrududu

You could bring a memory stick with loads of music/documents on it. So if questioned you can show that you have loads of stuff on the 'puter, and therefore couldn't have just bought it.

thecommander

Bought this MBP in Vegas in September and previous one in NY. Walked thru customs both times with the new one (out of packaging) and the old one I had with me for work. Never heard of anyone being stopped for a laptop either.

Ham'nd'egger

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm not sure if they are going to work exactly like the iphones. I heard that the mac book will be tied into AT&T in america, if this is the case, they won't let you buy one. I tried to buy an iphone in the apple store and couldn't.

As for where to buy one. There is a Mac Store in the forum shops at caesars palace.

Don't you mean the iPad, pet?

Ham'nd'egger

Hrududu wrote: »

You could bring a memory stick with loads of music/documents on it. So if questioned you can show that you have loads of stuff on the 'puter, and therefore couldn't have just bought it.

It would need to be loads of memory sticks in that case, not to mention that it's a shiny new laptop your carrying along with empty memory sticks;)

Hamndegger

Hamndegger wrote: »

Don't you mean the iPad, pet?

Aw man, I'm such a bimbo :pac:

Anywho.....
At least I gave some advice on where to buy it ha!

Ham'nd'egger

Deleted User wrote: »

Aw man, I'm such a bimbo :pac:

Anywho.....
At least I gave some advice on where to buy it ha!

Can we hold you to that?:D;):p

Hamndegger

Hamndegger wrote: »

Can we hold you to that?:D;):p

Em, no.
For the record I actually own a mac book ha!
I just have iStuff on the brain cos I was browsing iPhones earlier

whiterebel

thecommander wrote: »

Bought this MBP in Vegas in September and previous one in NY. Walked thru customs both times with the new one (out of packaging) and the old one I had with me for work. Never heard of anyone being stopped for a laptop either.

Times are changing now, though. No € on the keyboard is usually an easy spot.

thecommander

whiterebel wrote: »

Times are changing now, though. No € on the keyboard is usually an easy spot.

Whats point are you making? That they'll know that you bought the laptop on that trip because it has no euro key?

Talisman

thecommander wrote: »

Whats point are you making? That they'll know that you bought the laptop on that trip because it has no euro key?

Yes there's no € or £ symbols on the US keyboard.

thecommander

Talisman wrote: »

Yes there's no € or £ symbols on the US keyboard.

But whats your point? I've traveled back and forth alot, and so have clients of mine. Never been asked to take it out of the case, never mind open it up to inspect the symbols on keyboard.

440Hz

REMINDER: read the forum charter about customs evasion.

Suggesting filling memory sticks etc really should not be discussed here. I'll let the previous ones go, but no more conversation about tips on how to evade customs!!

Talisman

thecommander wrote: »

But whats your point? I've traveled back and forth alot, and so have clients of mine. Never been asked to take it out of the case, never mind open it up to inspect the symbols on keyboard.

My point is that it's quite easy to tell the difference between a US and Irish/UK keyboard - I thought that was obvious from my post.

thecommander

Talisman wrote: »

My point is that it's quite easy to tell the difference between a US and Irish/UK keyboard - I thought that was obvious from my post.

It is, but my point is that a)they never look in the first place and b) that proves it was bought outside of EU, but it might have been bought 2 months ago and not on this trip.

alexlyons

the whole issue of symbols and documents is ridiculous. All they have to do is get the serial number and ask apple where and when it was purchased, AFAIK the are allowed get this info from apple, and if they're not they can easily see if they used the machine that the files were all put there while you were away etc.

They are trained how to stop customs evasion. don't do it.

Stainless_Steel

alexlyons wrote: »

they can easily see if they used the machine that the files were all put there while you were away etc.

Circumstantial evidence. You could have re-installed the OS while over there.

Serial numbers is a possibility....

whiterebel

thecommander wrote: »

It is, but my point is that a)they never look in the first place and b) that proves it was bought outside of EU, but it might have been bought 2 months ago and not on this trip.

They might stop and examine, they might not. However, as someone else pointed out - It is not C&E's responsibilty to prove it was bought from outside, it is up to you to prove it wasn't, and if they suspect strongly enough, they can impound it until you bring a receipt.

thecommander

whiterebel wrote: »

They might stop and examine, they might not. However, as someone else pointed out - It is not C&E's responsibilty to prove it was bought from outside, it is up to you to prove it wasn't, and if they suspect strongly enough, they can impound it until you bring a receipt.

Just a quick question, has anyone one here ever had their laptop inspected at customs in Dublin? Honest answers.