Q. Where can I get a good deal on a PC (in Nagoya)?
You can find good deals in the electronics district between Osu Kannon Station (exit 2) off the Tsurumai subway Line and Kamimaezu Station (exit 12) off the Tsurumai or Meijo subway lines. There are also several electrical mega-stores that offer cut-down prices and deals. These include: Bic Camera ビックカメラ located the at Shinkansen Exit of Nagoya Station; K's Denki ケーズデンキ,18 stores in Aichi; Eiden エイデン,41 stores in Aichi; CompMart,10 stores in Aichi. The key is not so much the best price as the best price for a given model.

Q: Is it usually possible to negotiate a better price?
You may be able to negotiate the price down a bit but make sure that you are getting the quality you wanted. It is very common for computer salesmen to offer a similar model computer with a lower quality processor for the discounted price. The electrical mega-stores usually offer very competitive prices and sales staff will have some leeway to offer a discount if you want to buy additional hardware like a printer or a scanner. Additionally some stores offer percentage discounts for cash payment.

Q: How much should I be paying?
The price will vary greatly depending on the quality and features of the computer. Makes like Sotec come in at basement level prices, better well-known brands like Toshiba tend to be more expensive. The type and speed of the processor will have the greatest impact on the price of the computer. Quality aside, laptops tend to cost more than desktops of similar quality, but you get more value for your money with a desktop than with a laptop. Cheap laptops will range between 100,000 and 130,000 Yen; a good laptop should be in the 150,000 to 200,000 Yen range. Cheap desktops (without a monitor) will range between 70,000 and 80,000 Yen; a good desktop should be in the 90,000 to 140,000 Yen range. Make sure that you know what is included in the price. Be weary of advertisements that have teaser prices that do not include operating systems or monitors.

Q: What should I be looking for?
Just like when you are buying anything else you need to take into consideration your needs, features that you desire, how long you will keep the computer and of course your budget. For example, if you are just a basic user (internet, email, word processing, etc.) you don't really need a computer with all the extras. If you are a gamer make sure you get a computer with a good quality video and sound card. Whatever your needs a computer with a quality processor, not just the cheapest one in the shop is suggested. Buying a quality computer means that it won't become obsolete as quickly and you will get several years of use out of it.

Q. If I buy a laptop can I use it outside of Japan?
Yes you can, just make sure you have the proper adaptor for that country's voltage.

Q. Can I get an English Operating System Nagoya? How about in other languages?
All PCs require an operating system (OS) to function. The most widespread is Microsoft Windows, which has a 90% share of the market; Windows XP is the most up-to-date version of this OS. Almost all electrical stores in Japan sell PCs with a Japanese OS. This means that all the menus and pre-installed software are in Japanese. However there are several companies that sell PCs with other language versions of the OS.

Prime PC - All computers are customizable in terms of processor, memory, hard drive size, optical disk drives (CD, DVD etc.),shipped with a 100-240V power supply, an English manual and come with an English keyboard (optional in Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, German, and Russian). Software options include English, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese OS (Windows XP), English Office XP and antivirus / system utilities. Payment options include cash-on-delivery, bank transfer, convenience store payment, or credit card (except American Express, JCB). Payment by installments is available with Japanese credit cards. They also offer a one-year warranty for all our computers in Japan, extendable optionally to 3 years, and repair service support in Japan. For more information in English or Portuguese please call 03-5297-7650 or e-mail: sales@primepc.jp. For more information in Chinese, Spanish, or French please e-mail: sales@primepc.jp.Their website: www.primepc.jp is available in Japanese, English, and Portuguese.

Q: I am a first time user, are there any places in Nagoya that offer PC assistance in English?
For those looking to find out more about PC's why not join the Nagoya International Personal Computer Club. They have discussions on various topics and meetings are open to users of all levels. Check their website at www.nipcc.org or call 090-2924-1455 for more information.