I'm looking to buy a laptop while I'm in Thailand this summer. How much baht does a laptop cost?

I'd love for it to be a Mac, but anything is fine. Just a estimate would be nice, to know how much money I'm saving, if any, by not buying it in the US.

Laptops here in Thailand generally cost a lot more than they do in the US. I live in Thailand and recently had a friend who was coming over pick me up a Sony Vaio, I saved over 30% compared to the prices here. Depending on the brand, a laptop with an average Intel Core 2 Duo processor and 1gb of memory will cost 35,000 THB (about $1,075) or more here, I think you can easily find something similar in the US for $800 or even less. Plus, although most brands are available here, we don't get nearly the selection that's available in the states. Thailand has fairly high tariffs on electronics, and combine that with a very weak dollar means you're not going to find any bargains here. Sorry.

Not to put you off from buying a Mac or to criticize you, but you're going to spend almost twice as much buying a Mac over a regular PC and get a lot less in it. I guess if you don't need the laptop for anything intensive or you don't need Windows/Linux programs, it's fine, but otherwise, I'd get a PC.

Anyways, a decent laptop depending on what you want would range from about 19,000 to 32,000 THB (approx. 600 - 1,000 USD). 600 USD would be more of an entry level web browsing/music playing laptop and 800-1,000 would be more of a desktop-replacement high performance. Anything above that is pretty much a gaming PC.

Gerald (of course) is right. Consider that the warranty for a system bought overseas will be different than one bought in the US. You'll also have to pay duty on in when you bring it back. That's why I register all of my systems (and cameras) before I leave with the customs people.

Branded PCs actually cost more in Thailand then in the US. However if you are looking at locally made PCs/ Notebooks etc then there could be some savings. However, if you have any problems local made stuff usually dont come with international warranty.

If you wanna save some money by getting a branded notebook in asia try singapore. Branded stuff there are usually chaper and as a tourist you get your GST / VAT refunded.

I have a Mac and a PC laptop - the Mac is better! But you can get more free stuff for a PC.

Wait until you get home to buy a computer. Places like Best Buy, Walmart and Circuit City always have sales that beat what you can get in Thailand for the same item.

Another problem with purchasing a laptop in Thailand is that the computer may be loaded with pirated software that is not supported with necessary updates. Also, the warranty may not be any good when you return home and need service!