Buying Computers in Hong Kong

[Takeshi]

Ok, my current computer is pretty damn old, and I'm thinking of buying a new computer.

I know this isn't really a computer forum, but basically what I want is a 15" or 17" thinkpad with a decent cpu, gpu etc and a screen that /is not/ 1366x786 because I hate that resolution. Bonus points if it has a numpad. Preferably 1920x1200/1080, but 1600xsth or 1440xsth would be livable.

But for some reason thinkpads in China seem to be extraordinarily expensive; maybe I'm just looking in the wrong places, but the lenovo website cites like 1~2万+. I would assume that in America such a computer would not pass 2k. (Letsay my budget is around 1.3万)

Somehow I have a feeling (I really have no clue) that it might be cheaper to buy the computer in HK. (I'd probably prefer the 繁体 OS and Chinese keyboard too) Does anyone know any good places to reliably buy a good computer in HK? Would it be cheaper to buy it in HK? Would there be any trouble bringing it back across the boarder if I'm only on a day trip? What are the policies about buying things on day trips and bringing them across the border?

Thanks.

EDIT: I've pretty much given up. I plan on buying a computer in the US. Though after the new Mac's resolution; I'm kinda wanting to wait for it to stir up the market and allow competitors to bring out a resolution like that, because the main thing I want is ultra-high resolution.

[skylee]

Take a look at my post #8 of this thread, which might be useful - http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/35963-computer-shopping-in-china/

[skylee]

^{Also take a look at this ->} http://shopap.lenovo...ebooks/thinkpad

I think they will be cheaper at the retail shops.

[abcdefg]

But for some reason thinkpads in China seem to be extraordinarily expensive; maybe I'm just looking in the wrong places,

I looked at some Lenovo Thinkpad laptops last Friday here in Kunming. Thinkpad Edge E40/0578K12 with Windows 7 Home Basic was 4,699 RMB (list price) at one store. The lady at that store said they were willing to sell it for less if I really wanted it, You can look up the detailed specs on the Lenovo website that @skylee furnished, above.

Another store had the same machine with Windows 7 Pro for 4,899 RMB (list) and was willing to "make me a real good deal."

I got the impression (not confirmed) that there was lots of competition and that if one were a diligent, well-informed shopper (I am not), bargains could be had. There must have been a hundred small computer stores in a one block area.

Both the above are 14" HD/LED screen machines, which is what I was after. I realize they are smaller than what you want. I don't know about the screen resolution.

[feihong]

At least here in the US, there is a huge variation in prices of ThinkPads. We have the T series, Edge, X series, L series, W series, and X series. The T series is the "classic" ThinkPad, and starts from 750 US dollars, which would be about 4700 yuan.

[Takeshi]

Thanks for the replies.

The talk about warranty sort of worries me. I sorta assumed warranties worked wherever you were. (I had in the past gotten a Toshiba bought in America fixed in Japan, but I suppose Toshiba is a Japanese company so it works out somehow.) If it's as simple as going back to HK again when I need to get it fixed; that would be fine if I lived in Guangzhou forever. But I will probably go back to Canada some day. (Heck, do Mainland warranties work in Canada?)

And yea, the prices quoted on the HK page are much cheaper. Maybe it was just the China page that was weird.

I'll probably take a look around HK someday when I get the chance, but I just happened to find an uncle with "connections" to Lenovo and he said he could help me get the laptops at the 入货价 which will make things much cheaper. I'll see how this goes, maybe it would be cheaper than buying in HK.

My main worries about HK though is about the border. Does anyone know the official policies about buying stuff on a day trip and bringing them across the border? Would I get taxed if I go over some amount? Has anyone bought any expensive electronics in HK and brought them over to China? Even if I don't buy a laptop there, I'm curious about this stuff.