hi apple people

am in US now and will be able to purchase Apple stuffs under the education program. At moment, am budgeting to get a MacPro..
pricing here about 9999 and i can get it for about RM1k-1.3k cheaper.

i dont mind the hassle of carrying it around during flight but my big question is will there be any problem in airport? I'll be going through Penang airport not KLIA.

those of you who have bought back bulky electronics, care to share?

im not sure about desktops, i for one would love a mac pro, especially for a media server that runs my photoshop and video editting work and stuff for school. Bringing back from the US as u say undoubtedly is cheaper, but i know pretty much for certain that they wont kacau u if u bring a notebook pc.. just remove the box and everything before u balik lah... desktop not so sure... since it is big.. besides equipment like that i scared broken in transit mah.. hahah and also if the voltage is not set correctly, say 110V as oppose to 220/240V, it will go kaboom. i think mac uses universal power supplies though but im not sure so doublecheck on that, the notebooks im pretty sure do as they are portable what.. logic mah...

i guess if you say its used,you are good to go

Some clarification:

Computers are TAX FREE in Malaysia. So it does not matter if it is used or new, you can bring it in and it WILL NOT be taxed. Strangely, computer PARTS are taxed but not a whole working computer.

Apple computers (portables and desktops) ALL have international power supplies/adapters. It doesn't matter where in the world you buy/use them, plug them into a wall socket and you're good to go.

The major problem you'll have is shipping it back to Malaysia. If you check it in as luggage; the baggage handlers would likely smash your lovely aluminum enclosure and likely all the stuff inside. Don't even dream of bringing the MacPro on a US Flight. They'll insist that all carry-on luggage fit into the dimensions allowed and there is no way the MacPro qualifies.

can make order via u aa

i think for the saving you can still use courier serivces to send it back. but it would ended up not much difference from buying here.

remove the HDD and carry it with you..

I just had the joke of the day.

seriously? it has to be checked into the luggage? oh dear...there goes my big plan...i thought since the MacPro is nicely packaged by Apple, it should be easier to carry....

When i was studying in england, my friend took his desktop(some funny iron-like casing with a handle) via hand carry to england, and he brougt it back to malaysia....

he didnt have any problems with the customs....the guy just asked if he was a student and that's it...

this was about 4 years ago...so i dunno if u can do it now.....

but RM1-1.3 is not a lot based on the stuff u have to worry about and the trouble you have to go through....I'd just get it here in malaysia and eat maggi for 1 month...hehe.

Hmm..that's nice to know that compyter (as a whole) is tax free. But if really bring back a let say MacbookPro, and the kastam insist wanna tax us, we also cannot do anything :-(

Is there any official Kastam Malaysia website to refer ka?

i've brought back pc from germany to malaysia and again from malaysia to germany.

from germany to malaysia, i carried it onboard with pc bag, got a few of scan that u have to pass and i imaging US will be more strick..

from malaysia to germany, cannot bring onboard again. The check-in people did't want the let me go with the pc onboard. Luckily i brought Box with me (i hide it first), packed it and put in cargo with 'fragile tag' .. arrive in working condition, but my water cooler system got crack on CPU heatsink..btw, i took out hdd and put it on my backpack..

here is my suggestion,
before you give ur pc/mac pro to airport crew to handle it, take out hdd, graphic card, ram and everything that attach to motherboard.This to avoid broken..then ask them to be really careful with ur pc/mac pro..ask for fragile tag..pack ur pc/mac pro nicely..

good luck..

Hi, MacDaNife's advice is good, there are no duties for PC's even if there is you can declare it as personal effects so no problem. Customs are more interested on smuggled goods, controlled items etc. The rest u already know from this thread.

hi.. i had experience bringing back my compaq pc from Iowa (US) to Malaysia (back to year 2000). I put both monitor and cpu inside a box. Just make sure the pc are not closely intact with the box. Put polisterine or your cloth in between. If possible, wrap everything with thick cloth. Don't leave any space inside it.

As for tax, I didn't face any problem with custom.

Gud luck!

You guys are superb!!!!

1. if possible, i still wanna save the 1k plus and get it from here...somemore got free ipod nano...hehehe...eating maggie mee for 1 month not an option .

2. i checked the airlines requirement for baggage...dimension allowed is (from their website) is "should not be more than 9" x 14" x 22" (length + width + height) or 45 linear inches (the length, height and width added together)". Apple's website revealed that MacPro dimension is
Height: 20.1 inches (51.1 cm)
Width: 8.1 inches (20.6 cm)
Depth: 18.7 inches (47.5 cm)
and this is only the unit, not inclusive of the box, so I dont think it will be allowed as baggage...

3. looks like i need to consider checking it as luggage then....thanks for the many good advice. it seems that taking out the HDD, Graphic card is good idea....however, do we really need to put something in between the CPU and box, since in theory, the CPU is padded with styrofoam that comes with packing?
saw this online but at the end, the cost doesnt justify : http://www.casesbypelican.com/apple-g5-1640.htm


worse come worse, may consider a Macbook Pro instead. easier and no problem. but then, need to go into the whole debate of desktop vs notebook again...



4. bro kevler..wish i can help but i really have loads to carry...relatives, friends, semua minta tumpang.....hehehehe

This post has been edited by nando: Jun 22 2007, 09:02 PM

haha..no problem ...

If you're checking it in put it in the original box for best protection. Of course every idiot out there will know you're bringing back a Mac Pro but then again it's too big to be stolen (maybe?).

Warranty is important, I've done my fair share of long distance flights with computers in checked in luggage but once I had my then almost new Powermac 6100 die on me, I checked it in my bag, with enough padding etc. But once home it died, no power, no nothing. I think it may have been some sort of static problem but I can't be sure. Fortunately it was replaced under warranty.

then.. u don't need to worry. coz last time i bring back my pc (not mac) and by using normal box. i put thick cloth in between just as an extra precaution. hehe.
lucky me no problem after all.

If you buy Mac Pro in US, the warranty would be an issue. Only Apple's portable computers: i.e. macbook, macbook pro... etc have international warranty... As for the rest, warranty is only regional. Thus, you'll have to risk and hope your Mac Pro is defect free...
I only found out about this when I bought my AppleCare a year ago and wanted to register the AppleCare to my iMac online. I noticed the Mac's serial no was locked to a specific country... I couldn't register the AppleCare as it won't accept Malaysian Address. I made a call to Apple Malaysia and they told me Desktop Macs only have regional warranty. Luckily mine was bought in Hong Kong, they said HK and M'sia is under same region, thus the fellow registered thru phone the AppleCare to my Mac with a Malaysian address...
Also, I was not allowed by MAS to carry my iMac onboard the plane (I was not taxed by custom though)... Thus, I had to checked it in using the box that came with my Mac. I saw with my own eyes that my Mac being chucked not so gently even with the fragile stickers all over. I also believe there were other luggage placed on top of the Mac. Luckily my Mac survived the quite harsh journey in its box and had been working fine.

See the below warranty policy:


This post has been edited by VinceThu: Jun 23 2007, 03:45 PM

wow...so much info here...

after reading all these, i've decided on a MBookPro....
the risk of transportation, warranty (thanks bro. Vince!) makes it a bit too much for a MacPro.
to everyone ...thanks !!

May I suggest you buy a second 85W MagSafe power adapter? At the AppleStore it is US 79. In Malaysia a whopping RM 459.

I prefer to leave one at work and one at home so I don't have to lug the adapter unless I'm travelling...

Get one with gloss screen, then can compare with MacDaNife's matte screen. And like he said, get the accessories as well. How much cheaper it is there for the MBP?

And while you are at it, just wondering if you could do me a favor, I wanna get this:-
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20Wor...ing/MSTG800U2K/

Just wondering, perhaps you are interested to get one for yourself too.

One World Computing ships worldwide.

I might be buying some stuff from them soon. Would you be interested in combining an order?

Thats what I thought at first, so I was contemplating over the shipping charges, and when I finally got over it, decided to buy it anyway, I found out they don't ship to Malaysia...

Would love to combine with your orders though! Let me know ok! Thanks...

TS sorry arr.. a little off topic.. will take this to pm instead..

Update: Man do I feel stupid, after seeing your message that OWC do ship worldwide, I went to check again, and THEY DO! The thing that stopped me the other day was the country pull down menu, the list of countries started with US, Australia, Canada, France ... Japan, Netherlands ... and UK. I thought Malaysia was out of the list already! But today when I checked the list again, after UK, it goes back to US and then the rest of the world, including Malaysia! The list was longer than I thought

This post has been edited by civic98: Jun 24 2007, 04:39 PM

Hi everyone,
yeah, am thinking of accessories and checking out items like the power adapter and also the inflight charger.
Actually, also considering the cinema display. Interesting in the whopping 30 inch display but will need to call Apple to check the dimension of the packaging to see if i can carry it as hand carry luggage. Also need to check if warranty is international or limited to the States.

Have you SEEN the 30" ACD?

You've got to be joking about wanting to hand carry stuff like that on a US flight. In case you haven't heard airline carry-on restrictions are VERY tight these days. Even your intended MBP will have to be taken out of your laptop bag and put through the XRay machine in its own plastic caddy. The security guys may even ask you to switch it on for them to prove that it is in fact a laptop and not some kinda bomb.

If you're selected for "additional inspection" they'll wipe down the insides of your bag for traces of explosives residue and chemical testing.

Do yourself (and your fellow passengers) a favor and just carry on a regular bag like everyone else.

---

Added on June 25, 2007, 1:35 pmActually, buying in the States had the advantage of getting the US-style Magsafe adapter plug. It has the flip-out prongs which travel better than the 3-pin ones that are supplied here. You can still buy the 3-pin one at MacStudio LYP. I noticed a box full of them behind the cashier when I bought my 2.4Ghz LED MBP.

This post has been edited by MacDaNife: Jun 25 2007, 01:35 PM

yeah, been through the US securities few times since arriving here. It was level `orange'. Took out my old 17 inch powerbook couple of times for inspections. Have taken off shoes, socks, belt, video cam, dig cam for them too. I respect these security checks 100% and will want them to be a thorough as possible. After all, they're doing their job to save our lives.

BTW, what's ur take between the matte and glossy?

This post has been edited by nando: Jun 25 2007, 01:39 PM

Actually, I think these additional security precautions is a load of BS. NOTHING is going to stop the dedicated terrorist willing to die for his cause. The 9/11 hijackers were armed with nothing more than box-cutters. The precautions are just there to give passengers a (false) sense of security.

Dunno about Matte and Glossy comparisons other than what I've read on the web. But since the Matte screen is so nice to look at I figured that I go for the screen that I could see (rather than one that I'd have to build-to-order before having a chance to actually see it).

If you are in the US, you'd be able to compare both screens side-by-side and choose the one you want.

Another word about accessories: I bought a wristpad cover from Machines, Midvalley (Marware) for RM148. It is selling in the AppleStore for US 19.99. I also bought a second 85W Power Adapter at Machines for RM449. Selling at AppleStore for US 79.00. We're being ripped-off here....

This post has been edited by MacDaNife: Jun 25 2007, 05:22 PM

Well, you're right as nothing is 100% fool-proof. Take a strong fella and wrap his hands around an air-hostess or something like that, and you have a bad scenario. Still, its better to have at least some level of security check than nothing..

havent been able to compare the Matte and glossy here...surprising, 2 apple stores i visited didnt have the glossy.

yeah, tell me about the Rip-off. i wonder who is responsible for it. I burned a Powerbook adapter once and was Rm500 poorer! Some of you Mac cum business -savvy fellas should apply for license to sell Macs from Apple and lower the price...if that's possible..

No need ah, just buy Wonpro Malaysia plug adapter upstairs at Sri Computers for RM10. When you buy the Mac in the US you will get the 2-pin flip-out plug plus a 3-pin cable.

The UK/Malaysia-style "3-pin" plug from Apple isn't actually earthed (at least the iBook G4 one wasn't), so you are better off with the US 3-pin plug plus a Wonpro adapter.

As for bringing a desktop computer as check baggage, the best way is definitely in the original box with all the original molded styrofoam. It's meant to withstand the abuse that it gets from postal delivery for people who order them online.

If you are concerned about it being an obvious theft target, get another plain brown box and put that outside the Apple box. But I don't think something that large is likely to be stolen, normally it's stuff that the airport staff can fit in their pockets.

Hi all,

This topic just in time. I'm getting a Macbook Pro from Australia and wondering the same question with the tax, anybody brought back from aus before?

My friend should be bringing his laptop back along too, might not have another hand for my MBP . If check in the whole box as luggage , is it safe?

Thanks

hi Alpha...since so many fellas here contributed to advise me, i better do something back in return

NO..try not to check in your lap top box as luggage..definitely not safe...risk of theft and the thing being handled roughly...

if you're getting a 15 inch, maybe pay extra cash to your friend to get a larger notebook bag and put both his notebook and your new MBP in the bag for him to hand carry...
i am not sure if he will be asked how come he carries 2 notebook by securities though....

I've brought two notebooks with me, one personal and one business during my travels to Europe and the US before. It's a lot more hassle since security requires all notebooks to be out of the bag for scanning but no questions asked.

With the current exchange rate, buying a mbp from australia would only be worth it with education discount and GST refunds... Compared with malaysian prices, you'd save RM546(2.2 15") / RM472(2.4 15") / RM604(2.4 17")... To be eligible for the 10% GST refunds, u gotta buy the notebook 30 days before flying out and the item must be shown along with the purchase receipt to the customs officers at the airport... Hence, you'd wanna get your friend to bring it on as hand carry luggage... Checking in a MBP even if it's still in the original packaging isn't a good idea, coz the box is quite thin, small and fragile... Someone could easily steal it from the luggage carousel without anyone noticing too.. so yeah, get ur friend to bring it on board

Thanks lailaikatong,nando and tishaban. 1 Personal & 1 Business is a very good reason . Guess I'll hav to ask him to hand carry then.


Yeah GST and tax refunds.

To be eligible for the 10% GST refunds, u gotta buy the notebook 30 days before flying out and the item must be shown along with the purchase receipt to the customs officers at the airport...

Hmm sorry not very clear about this. Just for the info, that means if you buy laptop from aus and bring back msia sure got 10%GST refunds? I think I have GST refund by default, just worry if there's extra charges from Australia side at the airport.

Thanks

sorry to pop your bubble , but 56xx selling for rm9k for macbookpro

http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=476266&hl=17

You won't get charged extra on the Australian side at the airport, but instead you make the claim there. The tax refund claim system is similar to the one in Singapore.

There's no such thing as GST refund by default... There is a way to buy products GST free outside of the airport in duty free shops around the city... But to qualify for the duty free price, the buyer has to present a flight ticket and passport as evidence that you're flying out of the country. But then, these shops don't sell Apple products, except for ipods.

Simply put, there's no easy way to buy macbooks/macbook pros GST exempt. Your friend has to pay the full price/education price including GST, and then bring the notebook along with the purchase receipt to the customs counter at the airport, and claim the GST refund there.

Details are at http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=4646 . Get your friend to read it thoroughly so that he knows what he has to do.

I guess i have the answers already, that means I wont be charged at both msia and aus airport. Just have to ask him to hand carry now.

lalaikatong studying in melbourne? Muz have bought some stuff from there back home XD . Thanks for your help.

Just wondering, what is considered computer parts then. For instance, if a whole set of computer is brought thru custom, and includes LCD monitor, keyboard, mouse, ext hdd etc on top of a desktop, which are taxable or all duty-exempted if it goes with a desktop? Any ideas?

I'm no customs expert but I do know that all the items you have listed are tax-exempt.

I've got a couple of stuff (4gigs of RAM and a 250Gb Harddrive) for my MacBook Pro winging it's way via FedEx International Priority right now (At this writing it's in Subic, Phillipines) and when I spoke to FedEx Malaysia about it yesterday afternoon, they assured me that both items are also exempt from any customs duties.

From your post, I can only deduce that FedEx told you that ram and hdd are tax exempted. What makes you think a bigger item such as a monitor is exempted also? If that's the case, since TVs are also usable as monitors, then if you say you are using your TV as a monitor, would it also be exempted? I would think not, for both monitors and TV.

how about voltage use??

Trying to pass a TV as a computer monitor for the purposes of tax-exemption really has only two possibilities:

Either you think the customs guys are really stupid... or you are.

The problem with importing goods is that there is often no clear definition of whether certain goods is taxable, or tax exempt. Especially something that falls near/on the middle ground. Similarly is the case with TV vs Monitor, ATSC tuner vs no ATSC tuner. I bet some of the customs don't even know wth is an ATSC tuner, and the argument may actually sound illogical. However, with regards to TV vs Monitor regarding ATSC tuner, you can actually try to google out the industry standards and print it our as proof before sending the item back home.

But of course, declaring the item as personal effects is the most trouble free way of bringing things back to Msia. However, the items need to be certain age old before they could be declared as personal effects. Specific duration could be found online or just call up the customs office. You can even bring a vehicle home under personal effects and save up the 300% tax/duty....as long as u pay for the freight

When unsure of the situation, I like to use fedex/ups express, brokerage is covered and they expedite customs inspection procedure. Therefore, sometimes you can actually get away with items that are suposedly taxable without actually paying the taxes.

I believe they actually have "specific" customs checking these courier's goods instead of passing the items to the more general customs (those that inspect goods for local post services). Just like they have their own jets for transporting overnight shipments. Not to mention that you get your stuff within 3 business days at most with these services....the extra cost is something you've gotta bear of course.

The government of Canada taxes all imported goods over 20CAD and items declared as gift at 60CAD or more. One trick that I've found to be very effective in discouraging the customs to open the item for inspection is to get the seller (usually my friend forwards the stuff to me from the states) to tape the package thoroughly with cellotape. Customs usually would just let the item pass through the x-ray and forget about opening it. Otherwise, some customs would neglect the declared value on the declaration form and imply proper taxes on the actual invoice included in the item if they do open up the item and found discrepancies on the item's value. (yes, I've kena once before because I forgot to ask the seller to remove the invoice) I do not condone tax evasion though! it is illegal

Dear all,

Thanks for all the replies. I'm getting my MBP tomorrow! Just wanna know if I can use those universal travel adaptor converter from carrefour (the adaptor is Australia version) so I can use it in Malaysia. I mean is it safe for long term? Or do i need to get a specific one from apple malaysia (I bet it's gonna cost)? Thanks