Since questions about the Acer Aspire 5500 series keep coming up, and since these laptops are not available in the U.S., I have decided to post what I know about them all in one spot.
I learned the following information when I was seriously considering buying an Acer Aspire 5504WXMi and importing it from Singapore. I ended up not pulling the trigger, so I can't provide first-hand experience about the laptop or the importing process.
Here are some useful links for information about the two Acer Aspire 5500 models available in Singapore:
Aspire 5500 webpage at Acer SingaporeAspire 5502WXMi and 5504WXMi specifications from Acer SingaporeAspire 5500 multimedia demoProfessional review of the Acer Aspire 5500 series from CNET AsiaUser reviews of the Acer Aspire 5500 from CNET Asia
Singapore-based discussion threads on the 5502WXMi and the 5504WXMi can be found
here and
here.
The vendor I found in Singapore is
D-Nexus. At an exchange rate of 1.65 Singapore dollars per U.S. dollar, an
Aspire 5502WXMi costs US$1369 and an
Aspire 5504WXMi costs US$1587.
The D-Nexus sales rep quoted me $103 for insured shipping via UPS to my central U.S. location. He estimated that shipping would take 3 business days. D-Nexus requires international orders to be by wire transfer. They are not covered by credit card protections for merchants on credit cards issued outside of Singapore.
Why Singapore? Singapore is a former British trading colony, like Hong Kong. Unlike Hong Kong, Singapore is now an independent country. The English language is widely used in Singapore, particularly for business purposes. Singapore is a very law abiding country. The justice system in Singapore is swift, strict, and focused on enabling honest trade.
The Singapore versions of the Acer Aspire 5500 laptops feature English language keyboards and Windows. The one aspect of the Singapore laptops that is not compatible with U.S. requirements is the plug on the AC adapter. In Singapore, they use 240V 50HZ AC with British style plugs. The Acer AC adapter automatically adjusts to 100 - 240 VAC, but the plug won't fit U.S. outlets. The D-Nexus rep offered to include a plug adapter for free with my order. The long term solution would be to replace the power cord with a U.S. version
such as this one.
I spoke with Acer presales support, and was told that Acer would cover the Aspire 5500 hardware for one year in the U.S. and may or may not cover the software for that period. I spoke with Acer Technical Support, and was told that the laptop would be covered for both hardware and software anywhere in the world for one year. Acer extended warranties only apply to the country in which they are issued, so an extended warranty on an imported Aspire 5500 would be a waste of money.
I spoke with U.S. Customs and was told that there would be no import duties on a laptop imported from Singapore for personal use. They told me that the import procedure would be as follows: the shipper (UPS) would notify me when the laptop arrived in my town. I would then fill out a form stating the value of the laptop and the fact that is was for personal use. I would get this form approved at my local U.S. Customs office. Then, I would take the approved form to UPS and they would release the laptop to me.
