Laptop in China?

[deezy]

If you're going to school in Beijing, or elsewhere (for a month) - how critical is it for you to bring your own laptop? Do you need it for a lot of homework/research/email? What about a printer?

Or are there a lot of PC labs or cheap, accessible net cafes around? Or free wi-fi in many places?

And do most of the dorms and hotels have cheap cable hook-ups?

[Xiao Kui]

When I went to school in China (2000,2004, Kunming) we didn´t need a computer for our homework. Of course, when you get to an advanced class (3rd year) where you´re writing essays it comes handy, especially if your written hanzi aren´t good.

If you already have a laptop it wouldn´t hurt to bring it, though I wouldn´t go out an buy one just to use for your time in China. I brought my laptop to Argentina and when it was damaged I took it to the local HP representatives and they were unable to fix it. There were other more capable local technicians, but if they opened the motherboard it would void my warranty (not valid for this repair because it was damaged by a power surge through the cable modem, the cable modem surge protector in our school´s main office had been burned out during the last storm so was no longer protecting our computers, but no one told me! GET A GOOD SURGE PROTECTOR! ) for any future repairs I might need. So after 2 months without a computer I finally sent it home with a friend to get it repaired at HP in the US. Now I have to wait another month till someone can bring it back.

Shared that personal problem just to let you know that you can encounter a migraine-headache ridden ordeal if you have to do laptop repairs in a country other than where the computer was purchased, unless you have a global warranty. On the other hand I think since many computers are manufactured in China, there are plenty of capable technicians there, and many of them can magically understand Windows in English even if they can´t get past "Hello, Laowai!" in basic conversation.

If you don´t have a laptop yet and are debating whether to get one, I would suggest perhaps buying a desktop in China - you can get some good deals, and you can even learn Windows in Chinese if you´re just going to use it for basic stuff or if you can read Chinese. The Okay and Cancel buttons are in the same place

If the main thing you use a computer for is emails, yes there are lots of internet bars which have really cheap hourly rates. They are loud and sometimes smoky, but I got by on them for 2 years in China. In Chengdu they even had luxury net bars where you got your own cubicle and leather office chair for3 yuan an hour (35-40 cents US).

Sorry I can´t answer abt cable modem hook up in dorm rooms/hotels as I always lived off campus, where that was never a problem.

[deezy]

3 yuan an hour (35-40 cents US)

Hmm, thanks, I think that answers my question!

Are these rates similar in Beijing too? And are they open all night and many close to the various campuses/hotels/dorms, I assume?

[Xiao Kui]

Many internet bars are open all nite. Some college students would literally spend all Friday nite in the wang ba playing Counter Strike. 3-5 yuan was the high luxury rate for western China where I lived. The normal rate was about 1.5 yuan (abt 20 cents) per hour.

As to the location in the west you could find them in every neighborhood in mid - large sized cities. Often several on the same block.

I don´t know abt Beijing, I imagine the rates would be a tiny bit higher but not much, and I imagine there are plenty of them everywhere. Hopefully some Beijingers will chime in.

[deezy]

3-5 yuan was the high luxury rate for western China

LMFAO...holy shyt...good 'ole devalued Communist RMB - god bless you!