Buying Laptop in Japan

he11bent on 02/08/2023 - 16:06

Hey ya

So need a new laptop for my partner while we holiday in Japan for the month of September (all of Sept), problem is, she's doing her part time studies, so will need a laptop to log into her tuts and lectures.

Been looking for a laptop for both of us and the deals or what Australia is currently being provided leaves a lot to be desired. My question is;

Is it worth thinking about just buying a laptop when we land in Tokyo? She won't have a tutorial till 4 days after we land, so gives those 4 days to find a laptop.

Or just pull the trigger on this one;

https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/791549

Computing Computer Laptop

Comments

  • Worf on 02/08/2023 - 16:15
    +1

    If buying in Australia, you can claim a gst refund via tourist refund scheme.

    If buying in japan check the compatibility with Australia mains power (240v I think 50hz) I imagine it should all be universal, maybe someone can comment.

    • spackbace on 02/08/2023 - 16:22
      -4

      Japan is 100V, so the laptop would likely come with a power brick to suit, and you'd need to buy a new power brick in Aus

      Also, keyboard layout will be different:
      https://www.reddit.com/r/japanlife/comments/u1nd5a/is_the_ja…

      • he11bent on 02/08/2023 - 16:25
        +2

        If the laptop is a USB C charge port. Would any of my 100W USB C chargers work? Or just buy the new GAN chargers. Don't mind that.

      • hogehoge51 on 03/08/2023 - 08:53

        No, they are all universal power supplies.

        (I’ve bought 5 or 6 back over last 15 years)

    • rumblytangara on 02/08/2023 - 16:51
      +12

      Every single power brick for a laptop I have ever seen in the past 20 years can take worldwide voltages, 100-240V. Hertz is irrelevant- they convert to DC output.

      On the other hand, too many weirdly specific Japanese things for me to bother buying a laptop there. It'll have an extra characters on they keycaps (which I dislike), it'll come with the Japanese language packs installed, and there are just so many weird little quirks about anything to do with Japan that I would just avoid it altogether. Earlier on in my career I've had to mess about with Japanese-installed laptops and learned that there is just too much potential for weirdness to bother with, for a 'deal'.

      • Antares on 02/08/2023 - 18:47
        +3

        The keyboard thing is correct, but more importantly if you change to an English IME some of the keys will be incorrect.
        I'm currently using a Japanese laptop, and all the special key markings are incorrect, things like * ( ) etc are all marked incorrectly.

        If you memorize every special key it's not too bad, but it can be annoying if you sometimes need a usually unused key for something and you can't figure out where it is on the keyboard…

        I should also point out that while I set the default language to English, some things still default to Japanese.

        Power adapter has no difference, I use a cheap convertor from Japan to Australia that cost about 200 yen ($2).

    • OZBargainer in SA on 03/08/2023 - 09:00

      Laptop chargers are universal nowadays, you just need to get a local cable or plug adapter. If the laptop is charged via USB-C, any USB-C compliant charger with a wattage rating higher than what the laptop needs, can be used.

  • GG57 on 02/08/2023 - 16:15

    A laptop purchased in Japan is most likely tailored to the local Japanese market / users.
    To consider.

    • Worf on 02/08/2023 - 16:16

      Oh yeah, would keyboard be QWERTY us?

      Or can you get a keyboard with kanji printed buttons, but it functions like a QWERTY? That could be cool

      • he11bent on 02/08/2023 - 16:28
        +1

        a quick search online for pictures of Japanese laptops they are indeed QWERTY with English characters

        • GG57 on 02/08/2023 - 16:31
          +3

          They may appear to be online, but will likely have different default characters (e.g. for currency). Same if buying a laptop or keyboard from the UK, or another country that may use different punctuation / accents etc.

          • Worf on 02/08/2023 - 16:40

            @GG57: Are the characters baked into the hardware? Or can you have it function like a US keyboard (via software change) even though the physical keys have something else printed on them?

            • GG57 on 02/08/2023 - 16:43

              @Worf: Perhaps you can, and perhaps you could also swap out the keyboard keys for a version that fits with the language of use.

              Or just buy a laptop here and avoid all of that.

            • he11bent on 02/08/2023 - 16:43
              +1

              @Worf: https://adayofzen.com/best-japanese-laptop-brands
              https://cdn-0.japanyugen.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/5582…
              https://www.amazon.co.jp/s?i=computers&rh=n%3A2188762051%2Cp…

              Here is pictures of Japanese laptops,
              English characters baked into the keyboard with Japanese characters on the bottom.

              • GG57 on 02/08/2023 - 16:55

                @he11bent: Cool. I looked at a couple closely and some of the characters appear to be on different keys to 'our' standard keyboard.
                But I don't suppose you will know for sure until you see physical examples in store.

              • Worf on 02/08/2023 - 18:43

                @he11bent: Thanks. I think it would be cool to have a weird/different physical keyboard but have it function like a standard US keyboard (I touch type).

                Sounds like the consensus is that it doesn’t work that way and non-standard keyboards are a hassle from a functionality perspective if you’re not native to that language.

                Maybe I’ll just paint the keys.

        • eug on 02/08/2023 - 17:00
          +3

          a quick search online for pictures of Japanese laptops they are indeed QWERTY with English characters

          I have a Japanese laptop and the keyboard does have English characters, but the layout is nonstandard and there are extra keys so you'll have to retrain your muscle memory. I'd definitely prefer a normal layout but it's workable.

  • Fredfloresjr on 02/08/2023 - 16:18

    it is still blurred. If that is what you are after.

  • Mechz on 02/08/2023 - 16:27
    +7

    I don't think Japan is cheap for electronics, they just have a much bigger variety.

  • node modules on 02/08/2023 - 16:36

    Brands like Apple lets you choose between US keyboard layout or JP. Not sure about other brands. I preferred the US layout because you lose a key (backslash) in the JP layout (and this key is somewhat important as an engineer). Moreover, I think the input method that is based on the markings on the JP layout (kana) is less popular nowadays (in case you need JP input).

  • Hybroid on 02/08/2023 - 16:50
    +2

    Consider that you will not have warranty when return to Australia. So if anything happens within next 11 months, tough luck.

    • rumblytangara on 02/08/2023 - 16:55

      Depends on the brand. Some brands will have worldwide warranties, especially for the business models. Which will run 3 year warranties.

    • node modules on 02/08/2023 - 17:35

      Apple does worldwide

  • nandystam on 02/08/2023 - 17:14

    Consider the JP second hand shops like Hard-Off or Yodobashi/BIC Camera. I can't recall if Yodobashi/BIC have used laptops but I'm sure i've seen other used electronics for sale there.

    Also have a look around Akihabara.

  • rumblytangara on 02/08/2023 - 17:57
    +6

    Is it worth thinking about just buying a laptop when we land in Tokyo? She won't have a tutorial till 4 days after we land, so gives those 4 days to find a laptop.

    I missed this bit.

    Unless you are intimately familiar with Japan, know the stores and are good with messing around foreign language OSes on laptops and can compare hardware specs in your head, and have nothing better to do besides stress out, this sounds like a load of unnecessary stress and hassle. Oh, and can carry windows install .iso files on a thumbdrive + activation keys in case you want to totally blow away the installed OS and start from scratch.

    I could do it, some of my tech friends could do it, I would not suggest that anyone else waste their time doing this. And I wouldn't waste my time doing it even if I could. I'd just enjoy Japan and get myself set up for the rest of the month.

  • eug on 02/08/2023 - 18:01

    Oh, and can carry windows install .iso files on a thumbdrive + activation keys in case you want to totally blow away the installed OS and start from scratch.

    FWIW Windows keys have been baked into the BIOS since Win8 so downloading Windows should be enough. A USB installer should be made beforehand so it'd be just a matter of boot-to-usb and go.

    • rumblytangara on 02/08/2023 - 18:57
      +1

      Having experienced all sorts of utterly senseless minor compatibility problems with Japanese language machines in the past, I would not risk something like this and would want to use an independent corporate/enterprise key that had no potential lock-ins to language.

      It'll… probably… be okay language pack wise. But the small risk is not worth it imo.

  • Ocker on 02/08/2023 - 18:29

    Go to Akihabara and check out the hundreds of electrical shops to find a suitable PC

    • SydStrand on 03/08/2023 - 02:53

      Terrible idea. Akihabara is a tourist trap. The days of being able to find hidden gems are decades gone. Every shop has access to eBay and international shipping, so Super Potato knows exactly how much their stuff is worth. Secondly, Akihabara is all otaku merch, games, and consoles, not PC gear. Not that it'll be any cheaper than here, even ignoring the compatibility problems.

      • Ocker on 03/08/2023 - 08:34

        Having lived in Tokyo for 10 years I dispute what you are saying

        • grey6641 on 03/08/2023 - 15:07

          Which 10 years were you there? Akihabara in the 90s up to early 2000s was pretty good but increasingly changed from late 2000s.
          From around 2010 or so until now its more or less as SydStrand described. There are still some old school shops around, and some cool niche stuff, but you really need to look for it and know the area. Its a shadow of what it was back in the day.

          Source: Living in Tokyo since the early 90s and visited Akihabara regularly over the years.

        • SydStrand on 04/08/2023 - 18:14

          I've been in and out of Japan since the mid-90s. You're confusing Tokyo with Taipei, which actually still has a thriving underground PC market. All the little old electronic shops in Akihabara were gone when I last visited, and it'll 100% be worse post-covid. It's all tourist shops at tourist prices. And if the OP wants new, the big stores like Bic or Yodobashi are no cheaper than buying locally.

  • Indomietable on 02/08/2023 - 19:22

    deals or what Australia is currently being provided leaves a lot to be desired.

    What are we missing here? I'm genuinely interested

    • SydStrand on 03/08/2023 - 02:56
      +1

      This. I want to know what makes the OP think we're getting shafted on. Considering the AUD looks to be taking a plunge, our RRP are actually competitive right now. Cutting out GST via TRS, and there's no way they'll buy cheaper in Japan.

  • Porker on 02/08/2023 - 20:27
    +1

    I bought a Sony camera here in Australian and claimed GST via TRS for my trip to Japan. I was surprised to see that the same (!) camera cost more over there than here - however, I had no idea what their shop equivalents were to what we have here.

    As in, buying at JB Hi-Fi will tend to be cheaper than say buying at Myer. I looked at their Sony mega store, looked at their numerous electronic outlets and buildings (where each floor is a different category) etc.

    As said in another reply, the range is much more over there but prices are not much cheaper.

  • he11bent on 02/08/2023 - 21:05
    +5

    Thanks y'all for the replies. I'll just buy from here and save us the hassle

    • jv on 02/08/2023 - 22:21
      +2

      Smart move…

  • hogehoge51 on 03/08/2023 - 09:01
    +1

    Kakaku.com will tell you the range and prices available. (Kakaku.com is your friend for any big purchase in Japan!)

    https://kakaku.com/pc/note-pc/

    You could also drop by Akihbara where there are stacks of second hand laptop shops in the back streets.

    Keyboard will be QWERTY with Japanese layout. This is hard to adapt to due to extra character conversion keys and different placement of @()[]\¥” keys.

    Universal power supplies are standard and work in Australia.

    • he11bent on 03/08/2023 - 22:41

      AMAZING! Thanks for that, I've decided to just buy a laptop here, but there are other purchases that we're thinking off that'll be handy to check out

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