I'll be spending time in both Singapore and KL in the next few weeks and am interested in buying an Apple MacBook laptop. Does anyone know which country is cheaper for computers, specifially Macs? I know Singapore is generally more expensive but I've heard through the grapevine that electronics can be cheap there.
That said, can anyone recommend a place in Singapore to go looking? I'm not familiar with the place.
Thank you kindly!
Hi
I don't really know whether you'll get a better deal in KL, but Singapore and Hong Kong are generally considered 2 of the better places for electronics stuff in Asia.
If you are buying your Mac in Singapore, the 2 good places are Sim Lim Square (Rochor Road) and Funan IT Mall (North Bridge Road). There are AppleCenters at both places. However, the forums suggest that SGL Marketing at 02-22 Sim Lim Square has a good reputation for kindly service. There are also other shops there selling Macs. You may check them out.
Sim Lim Square is also a good place to get bargains for stuff like RAMs and portable harddisk. The prices here are generally the best in Singapore. But when shopping here always check with a few shops before buying. You can always return to the one that offered the lowest prices.
I strongly suggest you do a bit of research before you come. Make a list of the models you'd be interested in & take note of their prices back home. Some of the salesmen at the level 1 shops (mostly home entertainment, video cams, etc) are masters at upselling. Give them half a chance and they'll try to sell you more than what you need, even what you do not need. So knowing what you want and a bit about the prices help. Remember also that these guys are not the Ritz Carltons of the world, so don't bank on good customer service. Drive a hard bargain, or simply walk away.
The computer shops at the higher levels are generally good bargains. 3 shops where I've had positive experience are Bizgram, Fuwell, and M Technic. Happy shopping.
Forget it.
Macs are cheaper in Australia or the US.
Southeast Asians haven't really cottoned onto the pluses of Steve Job's vision and the company commands a meagre 4% market share.
This is a very PC (in more ways than one) left brain dominant part of the world.
Backup is virtually nonexistent but the local Mac doctors are at the Epicentre, Weelock Place.
My advice- BYO (Bring your own)
BTW I'm a Singapore-resident Macophile.
Thank Gods my bro works for Apple in Oz and can sort out the glitches for me!
So in other words, if I am moving to Singapore and want to get a new laptop, I should stick with a PC so I can get help if needed? And if I agree to get a PC shoudl I wait for Singapore or go ahead and buy it in Canada also, like buying a MAC was suggested to buy in the States?
So do you know if prices for pc laptops is better in Singapore or Malaysia?
Thank you for your help!
B-
I've purchased a Mac both in Singapore and Australia, and price wise I think it's cheaper in Singapore. Sim Lim Square is the place to go. I went to IDT on the 6th floor (near the escalators) and they are quite reasonable (i.e. priced cheaper than normal RRP). If you are a non-Singaporean and leaving Singapore (by air) within 2 months of purchasing the mac, you can actually claim back about 5% GST at the airport (or at Sim Lim Square itself) which gives you an even bigger advantage in price.
The prices of Apple Mac's in Singapore are largely based on the online Apple Store (Singapore) prices. Where you do have some flexibility is with the add ons i.e. cases etc. I just bought mine from IDT on the 6th floor after this threads recommendation and rummaging around most of Sim Lim's Sq and a few other places.
The reason being, for £915 (US$1830) I got a top end MacBook, with a shoulder bag, keyboard cover and Photoshop CS, MS Office (H&S) and Toast Titanium loaded on. The programmes swung it for me, as I was going to buy them anyway (yes, I know it's not strictly legal). So if you're shopping for MacBooks, consider what else you want with it and shop with that in mind.