Korean Job Discussion Forums

[CPT]

Can anybody recommend some reputable shops in Yongsan? Or anywhere else in Seoul, really.

I'm looking to buy a new laptop, and looking to spend some decent money to get a good one. My main concern about buying from Yongsan is getting stuck with a lemon. That, or not getting what I pay for (as in, they tell me certain parts are in there, and they aren't). The latter is probably just being paranoid, but I've heard about people buying computers over here (not necessarily in Yongsan, or even Korea), and having them die a few months later (a dead screen, fried hard drive, etc).

So yeah, can anybody recommend some shops at Yongsan, elsewhere, or should I just stick with buying online (in which case, I'd probably be going with Dell, so feel free to give me a better option there as well).

[bassexpander]

Just use www.dell.co.kr

Seriously, their prices are very very good.

[mindmetoo]

Just make sure you a) get the English version of XP/Vista (a legal copy) b) an english copy of the driver cd. And read the sticky on laptops above.

[rocklee]

[bassexpander]

If you must get Vista, get the Premium one (not basic, which is so crippled that you have to upgrade later anyway). You want the one under Ultimate (the one that's maybe an additional 80,000 or so).

Yah, make sure it's the English version -- not sure they let you choose XP anymore on Dell.

[CPT]

From looking around Dell's website, it looks like you can only get XP on the lower end computers, which don't have some of the options I want available.

I've been told I should spring for the top video card available (8600 GT), and it is only an option on the computers with Vista.

I also figure that I might as well get the latest OS now, as I plan to get a computer good enough to run it smoothly, and good enough to keep for a while. My only concern with Vista is getting other software. I've heard it's pretty hard to get bootleg copies of software, especially Microsoft software like MS Office. I'm sure there will be cracks eventually, if there aren't already, so how much of a concern should this really be?

[kprrok]

[bassexpander]

This Vista bootleg problem can apparently be overcome.

Anyway, people are now starting to use OpenOffice a lot. It's free, and does a pretty good job.

I'm not a fan of the new Microsoft Office, anyway. OpenOffice looks like the old office.

[CPT]

Are there any problems with buying a Toshiba in Korea?

I want to customize it, so I'd have to order from the website, but I've heard some things about warranties from Asia not being honoured back in North America, and vice versa.

I'll also need to order off the Korean site, I assume, which may not be as easy to do as I hear the Dell site is.

Just out of curiosity, if I were to order a $2000 laptop and get someone from home to send it over, what kind of taxes would I be looking at?

[JustJohn]

I believe taxes are 18% on anything over 150,000 won. You should ask someone who has shipped stuff recently though.

[CPT]

I was pretty much all set on getting a Dell, but when it came time to actually buy one, I decided to start my research all over again.

Who tends to make better laptops, Dell, Toshiba, or someone else?

It's been a pain in the ass trying to find customizable Toshiba laptops on the English website, so the Korean website is just a write-off unless I get some help (read: please help ).

I want to get a good machine for about $2000.