buying a laptop in japan

[Exidez]

i know that akihabara is the place to be for technology and i noticed when i was over there before that there prices were much less than here in Australia

I am going to head back over there again and i was thinking of buying a laptop there. Is there a website or alike where i can get some general prices?
im looking for a really good laptop to use.

Or has anyone recently purchased one?

[Silverpoint]

Your main problem is going to be getting a non-Japanese spec laptop (mainly keyboard layout and Windows version). 99% of laptops will ship with Windows XP Japanese Edition, but if you're not too bothered about re-installing Windows (or another OS) yourself you could do this when you get back. You may get one or two problems tracking down obscure device drivers though.

Alternatively there are shops in Akihabara that specialise in 'overseas models'. These are not necessarily quite what they seem. They're generally made for sale in Japan but to foreign specifications. The choice can be a little limited to a few manufacturers though. Toshiba are probably the best supporter of overseas models in Japan, but you can get IBM, 'Sony Overseas' and Fujitsu, and maybe others. Personally I have a Tosh - they have a strong history in the portable market and make very solid and reliable units. I also got it for about 40% less than the UK price (my home country).

Power requirements won't be a problem since laptops are designed for global travel so you can plug it in pretty much anywhere in the world and it will auto-switch.

You might want to try a few smaller shops in Akihabara. Although people say the Japanese don't normally barter over price, I've found that you can knock people down quite a lot if you push (or alternatively they will throw in a bunch of extra stuff). The bigger chain superstores are unlikely to do this as much though.

One thing that is really important is that you get the shop, whether its a specialist shop or mainstream electronics store, to fill in the duty free tax form which they will staple into your passport (you will need this with you at the time of purchase). This allows you to avoid paying sales tax, which at 5% can run into tens of thousands of yen savings on a high-end machine. This is supposed to only be for visitors to Japan, but actually I did this myself even though I am resident here. I just tore the form out of my passport after leaving the shop. No-one's ever caught up with me, but don't tell the authorities that!

One place that advertizes frequently as supporting foreign buyers is "Users Side" (conveniently in Akihabara). I can't answer for their service because I've never shopped there, but their website (which sucks a little) is:

http://www.users-side.co.jp/index_eng.php

Hope this helps.

[GaijinPunch]

You may get one or two problems tracking down obscure device drivers though.

THink long and hard about this statement before you get your laptop. It is a chore getting the English one to work. If you touch-type, then the keyboard issue isn't such a problem.

Go to www.kakaku.com and figure out which laptop you want, then find the product page and see if you can download the drivers for it from the manufacturer for it. If you can't find the drivers, it's not worth the headache. Don't bother asking the store assistants. They will be useless in this capacity.

EDIT: In my experience, the graphics driver is the tricky one.

[Maciamo]

One specialist of computers for foreigners (i.e. with OS and keyboard in various languages) in Akihabara and other places (even online order), is Prime PC (http://www.jref.com/cgi-bin/jump.cgi?ID=11335).

[Exidez]

Thanks guys
you have helped me out alot so far

[GaijinPunch]

One specialist of computers for foreigners (i.e. with OS and keyboard in various languages) in Akihabara and other places (even online order), is Prime PC.

Right, but does the consumer come out on top? I've found that just about any business made for gaijin is going to be expensive. Then again I'd just as soon leave the Japanese OS on. Less complaints from the old ball & chain.

[mr.sumo.snr]

I've already given Exidez plenty of private advice. In general though I have to say that 'power notebooks' (it turned out that he was after something really, really powerful) are perhaps still a major gamble, in so far as getting a Japanese model to happily function in English.

I have a 100% success rate installing English XP on basic Japanese notebooks, and in getting all the bells and whistles to work. This assumes a pre-existing factory-installed copy of Japanese Windows XP from which I can 'cheat-copy' INF files to correctly identify any and all 'Unknown Devices' that might appear in the Device Manager menu.

My customers ask me: “what is the best and cheapest way for them to play Medal of Honor or whatever the latest favorite online game”, yet they still want a computer to take into school with them, I tell them to get two. A fast, 19" TFT display, P4 desktop system and a new basic notebook can be bought together for around 26, 27 man yen. A kick-arse 17" display notebook is going to start at that price.

It's in pieces now but my wife's first notebook computer, a Fujitsu PII 266Mhz, with a 4Gb hard disk cost 30 man new about 8 years ago!

[Jscott77]

I'm about to move to Japan for 4 years, and wondering whether to buy a laptop in London or Akihabara.

I think I will find it easier choosing one in London, but could this cause problems with setting up broadband etc when I get to Japan? I plan on getting a Japanese brand (probably Toshiba or Sony) in case anything goes wrong. (I’m not exactly a PC wizard).

Will my choices be limited if I buy in Akihabara, in terms of English operating systems etc? I also read (on here I think) that the salesmen there generally have very little product knowledge.

Prime PC and other Akihabara shops, seem to do custom spec laptops, and I can't find branded ones.

How do prices compare to UK? I’m not looking for top spec, it’s mainly for surfing (to find a job when I arrive) and Emailing photo’s etc. I’m looking to spend around £700-£800. If I get one in London I will be VAT exempt (saving 17.5%).... (don't ask).

Thanks in advance, using the search revealed this to be the most relevant thread.

Oh, and Hello, I'm a newbie!

Cheers,

James.

[GaijinPunch]

It won't be a problem. As long as it has a standard Ethernet port on it, that's all you'll need for broadband. Well, most broadband. Some providers (NTT for one) require some goofy software daemon to run on your computer. I would assume it would run on a non-Japanese OS, and could definitely be rigged to, but it might be a hassle. Simple solution? Don't use them -- get Yahoo or Cable if it's available.

[Jscott77]

Thanks GaijinPunch,

So, do you think I should buy in London, so I have more choice? Or is Akihabara much much cheaper?

Thanks again,

J.

[mr.sumo.snr]

I've PM'd you James. Hope to hear from you.

--

[yukio_michael]

1. I haven't found Akihabara to be very cheap or even technologically up to date comparitively to what you can get on newegg. I've had a difficult time finding higher end memory brands like Kingston, Corsair, Mushkin, etc etc... Personally, I don't think that buying a computer IN Japan is all that wise a move, unless that is you don't feel like carrying one over.

2. Broadband using a English OS should be fine, as there aren't any requirements other than those set up in the network settings.

3. One problem I run into is using a Japanese keyboard with an English OS, the keymappings are different, and I haven't quite figured out how or if you can change this--- However there are plently of places in Akihabara that will sell you an English keyboard.

[GaijinPunch]

If you dont' mind buying the English models in Akihabara, you will probably get one cheaper in Japan than the UK (that's a hunch, but I'd say a pretty good one). The thing is, you're limited to much fewer models.

2. Broadband using a English OS should be fine, as there aren't any requirements other than those set up in the network settings.

Not always. Some providers require a daemon to run on the client. It technically should work on an English OS, but I've never tried it. Personally, I think it's a terrible idea in the first place, and avoid such providers.

3. One problem I run into is using a Japanese keyboard with an English OS, the keymappings are different, and I haven't quite figured out

And this is most likely going to be JScott's problem. I never bougth export model computers, but I would imagine the keyboard layout would be North American, not UK. Even if they had them -- again, limited.

I would say if you're not picky, you'll likely get a better deal in Akihabara, but you might not like the model.

[mr.sumo.snr]

One problem I run into is using a Japanese keyboard with an English OS, the keymappings are different, and I haven't quite figured out how or if you can change this--- However there are plently of places in Akihabara that will sell you an English keyboard.

PM me if you want the answer to your keyboard mapping problem.

--

[ArmandV]

Ah yes, the "joys" of Japanese keyboards. That's a well-known headache around these parts! I seriously doubt you find better bargains in Japan than you would back home.

[tigermilk]

The aforementioned Japanese keyboard can be a problem (especially the small keys and small spacebar), but at least they are better than French keyboards (some letters in completely different spots - guess the French just have to be different). One thing to consider is the warranty, as in if you get a Japanese model laptop you may not have a warranty honored. I believe the export models do have warranties.

[japantvhost]

Take a look at this new notebook series from Fujitsu, which has just announced its B- and Q-series laptop PCs with the option of either 16GB or 32GB of flash instead of an HDD.

[Benoist]

Is it hard for someone experienced with Windows, but who know just a little bit of Japanese, to handle a Japanese laptop with Japanese WindowsXP on it? I'm mostly going to use it for browsing websites.

And does anyone have any experiences on buying used laptops at Yahoo Japan?

Edit: to buy one from Yahoo Japan, I would have to have access to a computer, which I won't have when I go there. Do you think it's safe to buy it on an Internet Cafe computer?

Edit2: What Japanese brand do you recommend for Japanese laptops?