It’s good. I tested the performance and the fan didn’t even come on. I just made the mistake of choosing the US-International keyboard layout. I thought this layout would be better for programming and it’s also what I’ve used for years in Poland. But I was surprised at how I already forgot how to use it and how I’m used to the Swiss layout.
Moreover, Parallels for M1 is still not available. And then I heard the rumours of what could come next year (14 inch MBP with redesigned chassis - the M1 looks exactly as my 4yo macbook, visually they almost identical). And I tested the touchbar and I find it a bit ridiculous, prefer the keys.
Seems quite a few comments about “don’t forget the import duty or VAT!!!”
Ignoring the legal-schmegal, I wouldn’t bat an eyelid in a similar situation at buying the laptop in CH (they can easily be 20% cheaper (duw to less VAT & probably higher Apple Umsatz in CH) plus the latest model is often only available in some countries (Poland, Portugal, etc) delayed. Then unpack it, make it look a bit used, fly to XYZ, go through customs with a laptop like maybe 60% of all passengers and then give it to whoever-friend-relative at the destination.
And a 4yo laptop, it wouldn’t even occur to me to investigate VAT on that.
It seems everyone here is holier-than-me?
That’s what I wanted to write, too, but I bit my tongue. People here quickly get very judgemental and act “holier than the pope” (as you say in Poland). I also thought that if I used the laptop for a week, took it with me to Poland and then simply came back without it, nothing would happen. It’s not a business scheme, it’s a one off situation.
On the other hand, it’s good to keep things in perspective and remain aware that it’s legally questionable… So it seems to me like people do not send electronics out of Switzerland. It’s too expensive and complicated. Btw what if a friend from Poland came to visit me in Switzerland and forgot to take back his laptop? How would I send it back to him? How would one prove to the customs that this laptop is not being sold or smuggled?
Surely not. If anything, you pat import duties according to what’s it’s currently worth.
No absurdity about that - used items are subject to VAT and import duties (if they aren’t your personal travel items).
Sure, many people would.
I wouldn’t be shock if most people would in that situation.
And I guarantee you that virtually all of them would get away with it, if it’s just one laptop.
Absolutely not.
That doesn’t mean it should be (phrased as) a recommendation on an internet forum.
A former boss of mine got caught by German customs doing exactly that: Sending packages without paying duty from a German border town. Think he was fined and registered in their database. The one I frequent, you can see German customs every once in a while, being positioned to check on incoming travellers and/or cars (and I don’t think they’re concerned about bringing in cash there).
No problem: He can present his valuables to EU customs before leaving the EU and receive appropriate paperwork, such as, for example, a “Vereinfachte Nämlichkeitsbescheinigung im Reiseverkehr” (sadly, it’s a term that probably can’t be fully appreciated unless you’re a native speaker of German).
Facing the average layperson who’s not familiar with the process and/or forgot about it, I suppose customs might show some leniency towards your friend and accept a Polish (or EU) proof of purchase/invoice for the laptop in question.
Most invoices for Apple laptops should have the serial number on them. Otherwise, customs are likely able to verify serial numbers and the the country of first sale in a database.
In any case, when in doubt, the burden of proof would be on the traveller.
Practically speaking, I guess it would come down to a quick glance at the laptop’s keyboard layout. A Polish keyboard would likely be mentally ticked off by the customs officer within merely a split second. A Swiss one is rather likely to raise serious questions though.
(Side note: It is certainly possible to buy MacBooks with a foreign keyboard within Switzerland, at least as a configure-to-order configuration)
EDIT: OK, forget Polish keyboards. Apparently the Polish use English keyboard layouts and there’s no physical Polish layout (though there are Swiss, Portuguese or even Hebrew layouts for much smaller countries).
There does exist a Polish layout, but I never saw it in real life. We do indeed use the US-International keyboard (with the so called Polish programmers layout).
It’s an option, yes. But I would for sure need to drop more than 100 chf vs the store price?
Since everything seems too complicated (or expensive), why not wait a bit until this storm passes, and you bring your sister a belated Christmas gift next time you fly over?
That’s the plan. But who knows when that will be. Until then the laptop will sit in the box, and her old laptop is at end of life already. I just mainly created this thread to vent my frustration and maybe hoping that somebody writes a really good tip like: go to Germany, use this company, it worked for me etc. but I guess it’s really not that simple.
Find a shipping service in neighboring Germany that will send laptops to Poland.
Then go to Germany and send it. You‘ve been advised of your import duty obligations already.
That‘s the sanest advice I could possibly give.
You’re welcome!
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