China trip - laptop question
 

Aloha--

A colleague will be traveling next week to Mainland China and is thinking of renting a laptop to bring. He has two questions:

(1) Any restrictions on the bringing of laptops into/out of Mainland China? (the Apple commercial did come to mind) and

(2) He's concerned about powering it. Anyone know what the voltage is in China, and if it's not the same as the US, what kind of adaptor and/or charger would be needed?

Thanks--

CocoaNut

CocoaNut,

I have taken my laptop into China a number of times. The power supply on my computer is a 110/220 unit. It switches automatically. You WILL need a plug adapter to plug the unit into the wall outlet. You can get these easily. Major hotels also have them on hand for customers to borrow.
-RKG

you can bring them in easily. i never got inspection through the customer. if there is question, they would only aks you to show them when you depart.

the voltage is 220-240. but all transformers are 110-240 these days. they use the australian or the british plugs in most hotels, and the conceige/housekeeping usually lent you the adapters

There are a lot of 220 volt plug styles in use around the world, including China. Is there a web site that shows the various types and which nations use them?

------------------
Middle Seat

Magellans has a fairly decent database over at their site, www.magellans.com

Click on shop online, then electrical adapters, then on the left country database, then the country you are visiting, and up pops all kinds of good information, including pictures of their outlets.

Radio Shack and others sell a universial type of converter that firs into most countries outlets too.

I've been able to use my USA laptop and digital camera chargers without any adapters in China. But it probably makes sense to get your hands on some adapters. Hong Kong is a different story -- you will definitely need an adapter there (or just buy one on the street in HKG for 3 US dollars).

Most recent laptops come with electrical adaptors that are dual/automatic 110/240 voltage. So you really don't need to worry about frying your machine.

Folks here are right on about the plug adaptors, though. You should be OK between the standard US 2-prong plug (sometimes fits), a typical 220V dual round-prong (like the kind in Europe), and, in particular, a 2-prong adapter whose blades are slanted like this:

\ /

(If you're really desperate, you can take a pair of pliers and bend the prongs on your US plug, but that's really not so good).

Just be aware that an adapter is not a transformer.

I was amazed and speechless when a colleague told me once the hotel gave her a a bad adapter because when she plugged in her US hair dryer, it burned out right away! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif

No problem taking a laptop into both Beijing and Guanghou.

Just don't take in more than one (per person). THAT will make them question you.

Also, bring a phone line tester (always a good idea). I have a heck of a time getting a good connection in Beijing. Had to finally resort to my acoustic coupler. My source for boith of these items is Port.com.

RAD

One of my friends at work is going back to Shanghai again on Friday. He's taking his laptop......and has done so 4 times in the past with no problems.

I use my laptop for business purposes in China all the time, and have never been questioned at all.

Try www.kropla.com and www.teleadapt.com

hi,

My experiences differ. I have had problems clearing customs at smaller cities. I once was held up at the airport for 4 hours and had to pay a $200 (that's US) because I did not declare the laptop. but that said, I never had problems with all the big costal cities.

bellwilliam

bellwilliam, welcome to FT http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif You didn't say what cities in which you had problems, but I assume that they are in China, given the topic.

FWIW, in TPE I always declare my laptop. Not so much because the directions so indicate on the landing card, but I've found over the years that the customs lines are virtually non-existant on the red channels, while the green lanes are backed up. Nine times out of then, the officers nearby have to dig up a customs official to come over and staff the lane. Customs at most locales don't care about reasonable personal articles, laptops included. So, the customs guy just enters some data on a terminal, and I am on my way. And... its ultra-legal.