I wouldn't buy a laptop with a different keyboard just to save 50 bucks.

But that's besides the point. The OP was asking about how not to drag all his/her luggage around during a 3-week travel period in Italy and Spain. And it's obvious that logos999 is ignoring the fact that ab10 is a study-abroad student (which would imply that ab10 is not looking to export goods from the US to Germany, and therefore probably isn't concerned with what is/isn't a bargain to a EU resident shopping in the US).

<i>since the German version costs less</i>

I am certain that you can't point to a single laptop that is cheaper in Germany than a comparable model in the US.

&gt; I am certain that you can't point to a single laptop that is cheaper in Germany than a comparable model in the US.

I agree. And even if one could find in Germany a cheaper laptop unit pre-installed with the OS, it wouldn't be at the typical electronics store. logos999 gave us an internet link to an Austrian (not even German) website; how reliable are the prices listed on that website?

I can walk into Best Buy today and buy a laptop and pay the following prices...


$449: Acer - Aspire Laptop with Intel&reg; Pentium&reg; Dual-Core Processor T3400 2GB DDR2 memory; DL DVD±RW/CD-RW drive; 14.1&quot; widescreen; 250GB hard drive; Windows Vista Home Premium with SP1


$599: Toshiba - Satellite Laptop with AMD Turion™ X2 RM-72 Dual-Core Mobile Processor - Onyx Blue L355D-S7901
AMD Turion™ X2 RM-72 dual-core mobile processor; 3GB DDR2 SDRAM; DL DVD±RW/CD-RW drive; Labelflash support; 17&quot; widescreen; 250GB hard drive; built-in webcam; Windows Vista Home Premium with SP1


$699: Dell - Studio Laptop with Intel&reg; Core™2 Duo Processor T6400 - Midnight Blue S15-158B
Intel&reg; Core™2 Duo mobile processor T6400; 4GB DDR2 memory; DVD±RW/CD-RW drive; 15.4&quot; widescreen; 320GB hard drive; built-in webcam; Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit with SP1


logos999, why don't you give us the names of stores in Germany (actual stores, not online stores or bargain/discount websites) where I could buy the SAME laptops as listed above for LESS?

You really don't have anything better to do with your life, that's quite fascinating.

Not even quouting sources...

There's really not a single piece of computer hardware, that is cheaper in the US than in Germany. Those are the simple facts. You don't even quote real prices. You won't get any of those for the price you quoted, maybe in New Hampshire, but there, they are NEVER in stock. Guess why?

Did I not mention my source? Best Buy.

Go to any Best Buy store, or view the store's website, and there you'll see the prices that I've listed. I certainly wouldn't be listing those items with such detail if I have no sources to back up the information, silly!


&gt; You really don't have anything better to do with your life, that's quite fascinating.


Shall I say, &quot;mirror, mirror, on the wall?&quot;

It's quite amusing to see the mean-spirited insults that are allowed on this forum. What's fascinating is how easily a thread could become hijacked and stray completely away from the subject of the OP.

No, it's not mean spirited, it's just the &quot;know it alls&quot; like you (and to some extent TG), don't have so much knowledge at all, contrary to what they claim. A few weeks abroad and they claim to know everything and give advice that is hardly accurate, yet defend their advice as if it would be absolute truth. That is interesting, don't you think?
No idea about different taxes etc. (19% VAT included vs. quoting prices without VAT) No idea about everyday life and costs of things in Germany.

It's the way their ego works, that's fascinating. In fact you can make them do anything. You can even tell it to them, still they're unable to comprehend.

Yes, still, in Germany computers cost less than in the US. Your statement above is simply wrong.

ab10,

Take a look at this:

http://www.casafortetraslochi.it/eng/self.php

Also, it looks to me like people are suggesting you add days to the front of your trip to go to Regensburg, put your things in secure storage, and then travel to Florence. If you get free accommodations and free storage in Regensburg, you only have the added extra expense of the travel cost to Florence.

However, if you have pay for storage and hotel rooms or such just to store your stuff, I would compare that cost to the cost of a plane ticket for someone else to bring your things to Regensburg at the end of the trip. Perhaps my suggestion is ridiculous, but when I once looked into having a desktop computer shipped to me in Italy from the US, and the hassles of getting an item like through shipping customs, it turned out that finding a cheap air ticket to have the item carried as luggage was cost-competitive and less worry. I have no idea if in your situation that might be the case. Perhaps you know somebody who would enjoy a jaunt to Europe and would be happy to start their trip in Regensburg if you are paying the airfare (and nothing else).

As to the issue of buying a laptop in Europe -- most people have so much on their personal laptops they need or want, you'd still have to bring an external hard drive to load the contents of your old laptop onto the new one, and a host of all sorts of other issues about finding manuals, etc in English. I don't know if it's cheaper, but it's not worth the hassle. I agree it would be a drag to lug your laptop around with you, but you need to be very sure wherever you leave it is totally secure.

Thank you to those that are trying to help me with my problem. About the laptop, I already have a laptop, so I won't be buying another.

If people could give me advice on either: storing my luggage in Florence at the beginning of the trip and then going back to get it after I've left Spain, before I go back to Germany OR going to Regensburg first, dropping my luggage off at the University, then traveling. Please keep in mind that I will be first traveling with a friend that has a very limited time in Europe and at the end of Spain I will have extra time to go back to Florence if need be.

Also, if anyone knew price estimates on train tickets from a German airport to Regensburg, then from Regensburg to Florence, or from Florence to Regensburg that would be a HUGE help as well.

Again, thanks SO MUCH for everyone trying to help!

ab10...

Repost (start a new thread) asking about your traian question and I'm sure there will be those who can help you!

Good luck!

The first question is (and I don't think you've said yet?) is there a secure place to store your stuff at the school?

You really need to know the answer to that to make an informed decision. If there is, I think it is worth you going there first and depositing your stuff before moving on with your travels.

You could meet your friend in a different city, if you don't want to drag her along to Germany with you to drop your stuff.

Storing your stuff in a strange city like Florence when you're just passing thru isn't going to be easy. Depending on just how much you have perhaps a hotel would be willing to do it, IF you stayed with them at the beginning and end of the trip.

Another quick thought, about not wanting to waste your friend's time. If you haven't bought plane tickets yet, you could fly over a couple days earlier and do this before meeting her?

Ab10,

As you tote up the possible costs and timing, you should know that Munich airport has direct flights into Italy. Florence is well connected by train to Pisa, Bologna, Rome, Milan and even Genoa, although the last involves the most transit changes.

Perhaps the best argument for going to your school first, provided they have good storage there, is that it is the one place you know for certain you must go back to, come hell or high water. Should you get a transit strike in either Spain or Italy, or if you store your things in Italy only to discover on the day you returned that it's a holiday -- or you've dragged your stuff to Italy only to find out the arrangements you thought you made actually can't be accomplished -- you get the picture, right?

The least hassle is going to be going to Germany first and dumping your beloved stuff! If for some reason that is out of the question, I stand by my previous suggestion.

Hi everyone, I'm in the same situation as ab10, but I'll be spending a year abroad in Germany doing an internship (I'm a college senior, doing research in Heidelberg). logos, where can I get a Toshiba Satellite like this in Germany for less?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1218040477075

I've been looking for deals and they look pretty good here where I live (I live in southern California). I need a laptop that's not too heavy and can play a lot of multimedia (music, videos, etc.). I'm also gonna get an external hard drive to back my files up as suggested. The price of this laptop is $599.99 + $49.50 here where I live in California (8.25% tax). How much is this laptop in Germany? And where can I find it?

I'll also be traveling for a few weeks before I begin my internship in Heidelberg. Thanks for everyone's advice on where to put luggage...I have the same problem.

My daughter has the same problem but reversed-6 weeks in Valencia then 10 days with family in Italy. Is it better to ship stuff home and just bring one suitcase with her for the end of the vacation? I have never looked at what the cost would be to ship overseas.

&gt; A few weeks abroad and they claim to know everything and give advice that is hardly accurate

logos999, I certainly would not say that I &quot;know everything&quot; nor would I accuse someone else here at Fodor's for making that claim. How naive of you to assume that I don't know about VAT. That's why I asked you if you could prove where laptops are sold for less in Germany. I gave you the names and models of laptops and asked you to give me prices from Germany, and all you could to is to continue to insult me on this thread. It's ridiculous and you're just making yourself look bad here on this forum.

And please don't assume that I'm just someone with &quot;a few weeks abroad&quot; of travel experience. I've lived in Germany, worked for a German company, and travel to Europe twice a year on leisure and business. I wouldn't consider myself a naive American traveler, but one who enjoys helping fellow Americans abroad given the experiences that I do have. I've been here on Fodor's for a few years now, and have received really useful advice from fellow Fodorites. I've been on the other end before, as someone who needs travel advice, as well as someone who could offer them (and of course, I do this without insulting others). Unfortunately, there's always a bad apple here and there, and spiteful comments prevent new Fodorites from coming back.

just a hint - once a certain fodorite muddies up a thread, it can go off on a tangent w/ little relevance to the original question. Sometimes it is just better to cut one's losses and re-post . . . . .

scruze_travel, you won't find the exact model over here.
I'd very much prefer the HP business series! They're not at all like the crappy Compaqs from a few years ago. I can do all the multimedia gimmicks and games. The Radeon 3100 in you Toshiba is very basic anyway.
I'd get a HP 6735s, great keyboard!
(Hewlett Packard NA853ES#ABD) 500&euro; (= 420&euro; plus tax). Make sure to get a tax refund when you leave.
Available i.e. in Karlsruhe
http://www.easynotebooks.de/xanario_...ducts_id=27053
another option and a great way for getting some oversight about prices is www.notebooksbilliger.de

No need to take your money to &quot;worst buy&quot;. They'll be out of business this year anyway and don't have the hardware in stock even if they claim otherwise.

nancicita, if you knew about VAT, you wouldn't compare apples to oranges.
Well, the moment &quot;worst buy&quot; goes out of business, there won't be a store left in the US that sells computers anyway :D

Hey everyone, thanks for all the info posted here. I'll be sure to take a look at the prices of laptops when I go to Germany.

Thanks!

kjh50,

I would begin by asking the school. Surely this comes up all the time. One observation: In recent travels, I often see students trying to pass through the airports with their luggage so huge and overstuffed from all they've bought, they're not allowed on the planes. The airlines keep getting tighter and tighter about this.