US laptops used in the UK??? plz help

chodecz

Member
Feb 24, 2005
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Hi,

I have compared prices and technology, and have decided to buy from the US.

I am in England (UK), and am wondering what would be some disadvantages, etc???

I was looking to buy a TOSHIBA SATELLITE P105-S6014.

I have listed some areas of concern, if anyone with knowledge on this topic would help, that would be great!...

1. Mains power issue (110v AC in US, 230v AC in UK) - Would there be any problems at all? I can buy converter for 230v to 110v.
2. Video ports (RGB & S-Video) - NTSC in US, PAL in Europe. Would laptop output both?3. All other ports (USB, i.LINK, PC card/ExpressCard slots) - Are these universal all around the world?
4. DVD SuperMulti drive - Would this be region free? Would it read/write all CD/DVDs?
5. Any other problems?..

Sorry about all the questions guys, I'm just a bit nervous and anxious about spending a load of money, then only to find out its been a waste in some way(s)!

Many many thanks to anyone who can help! :)
 

Zepper

Elite Member
May 1, 2001
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1- Most charger/adapters that come with notebook PCs now are universal - all you should need is a plug adapter. Check the specs for the one you're interested in on the mfr's american web site - it'll be there.
2- NTSC and PAL are irrelevant to computers. Your DVD playing software and the integrated hardware should be able to deal with either if there is a TV output on it.
3- AFAIK all other connectors are standard.
4- Most DVD drives are settable re. DVD region up to 5 times in firmware and there is software out there to get around that entirely.
5- Not that I know of.

.bh.
 

chodecz

Member
Feb 24, 2005
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Just checked, the mains adaptor is 100-240v AC input!

So looks like i'm gonna buy it!!! F these UK prices!!

(if anyone reads this post and thinks of some other major/minor problems, please post)!

Thank you.
 

corkyg

Elite Member | Peripherals
Super Moderator
Mar 4, 2000
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Right! All youneed to worry about is getting it through UK customs. You will have to probably pay duty and VAT.
 

Zepper

Elite Member
May 1, 2001
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Personally, I'd avoid buying a Centrino notebook. Heck, I'd probably avoid Intel all together as I think one gets more for his money with AMD - but that's just me.

.bh.
 

GrammatonJP

Golden Member
Feb 16, 2006
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OH BTW, the keyboard layout are different

we use dollars and you guys use pounds.. and | and other keys are all map wrong.. if you can live with that.. thats fine..
 

Mday

Lifer
Oct 14, 1999
18,647
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1. already addressed. all you need is the plug converter
2. tv out should be no problem. you should read the manual before asking the question.
3. the other protocols are universal.
4. it's not region free. you will be prompted to set a region when you pop in your first dvd region coded movie. otherwise, a data dvd is a data dvd.
5. warranty is a problem. you will not have one when you bring it to the UK. 3rd party international warranties are subject to fraud on the part of the provider.
 

chodecz

Member
Feb 24, 2005
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Thanks for your input guys!

With all the in mind, I'm still going to buy it from US.

The ONLY thing that does bother me is the warranty.

What happens if something does go wrong, would Toshiba UK touch it at all?? What other options for laptop repair is there???
 

Zepper

Elite Member
May 1, 2001
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Air freight to the nearest warranty repair station in the States... ;) Luckily they aren't too heavy or large. One of the big fears I have with a notebook is the screen - very expensive if you have to repair it out of your own pocket. Almost worth it to buy over there so you could get all-risk coverage on the screen that would be handled there. Definitely something to ponder.
. And there may also be the problem of grey market where the US Toshiba warranty might not even apply. However, if you buy in a big-box store here, that shouldn't be a problem. Bottom price online stores are where that problem generally lies. Read the warranty carefully - maybe even call Toshiba with the question. After all, aren't a notebook's boots "made for walkin'". You'd think a buyer could get Toshiba service wherever they happen to be.

.bh.