# Can I use a Canadian laptop in th U.S.? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 31, 2012, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-canadian-laptop-in-th-u-s/629966 "2012-07-31T16:27:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-canadian-laptop-in-th-u-s/629966/1 "2012-07-31T16:27:07Z")
I found a good deal on a Sony Vaio laptop, but when I looked it up it seems it’s a Canadian model (link [here](http://store.sony.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=100803&storeId=20153&langId=200&productId=8198552921666458896)). Does anybody know if there would be any issues with me using it in the U.S.? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-canadian-laptop-in-th-u-s/629966/2 "2012-07-31T16:40:48Z")
I have never tried a Sony, but I’ve bought laptops in both countries and used them in both and I cannot imagine what could be different. One caveat. When I bought a Dell (through their Canadian distributor) the help phone number that was on the help screen connected me to an idiot with a Texas accent who claimed I was lying about the serial number (because it turned out I had called the US number, who knew that Dell would lie onscreen?) We got into a slanging match and he hung up on me. (I’ve never gone back to Dell, incidentally). I have also used Canadian machines in Japan and Switzerland. No problem (though for the latter I needed a plug converter, but the power block worked on anything from 100 (standard in Japan) to 240 V, also 50 or 60 Hz. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-canadian-laptop-in-th-u-s/629966/3 "2012-07-31T16:44:10Z")
😕 A slanging match? Sounds dreadfully charming somehow. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-canadian-laptop-in-th-u-s/629966/4 "2012-07-31T16:44:36Z")
I can’t even imagine what the difference would be, unless Windows has a French language option or something. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-canadian-laptop-in-th-u-s/629966/5 "2012-07-31T16:46:10Z")
The one concern I’d have is whether the warranty would be valid in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-canadian-laptop-in-th-u-s/629966/6 "2012-07-31T16:48:57Z")
[ul] [li]The warranty might not be invalid.[/li][li]The support might be sketchy at best (see **Hari Seldon** ’s post above).[/li][li]When you buy it, if it’s shipped from Canada to the USA, US Customs may play games with you.[/li][li]The carrying case [might look like this](http://www.besportier.com/archives/warmest-winter-hats-canada-goose-classique-beaver-fur-hat.html).[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-canadian-laptop-in-th-u-s/629966/7 "2012-07-31T16:55:53Z")
That carrying case sold me. Thanks, guys! ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-canadian-laptop-in-th-u-s/629966/8 "2012-07-31T17:01:31Z")
Canadian computers are almost the same as American computers. It is just the little differences you have to watch out for. 1. Spell check on any installed programs is probably going to be all screwed up. 2. Internet searches may not work right - searching for ‘bacon recipes’ for example will not give you the same results you would get on an American computer. 3. On the plus side, Canadian computers are built more ruggedly than American computers so that they can tolerate static electricity discharges caused by users walking around on carpet in their socks. ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-canadian-laptop-in-th-u-s/629966/9 "2012-07-31T17:16:27Z")
Check the keyboard. The specs on the page you link show that the keyboard is bilingual, so it may have things like an accented e where you’d normally see ?/ . ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-canadian-laptop-in-th-u-s/629966/10 "2012-07-31T17:20:32Z")
> [@borschevsky](#): > > Check the keyboard. The specs on the page you link show that the keyboard is bilingual, so it may have things like an accented e where you’d normally see ?/ . And the third row of the keyboard goes: EH S D F G H J K L 😛 ---
**Author:** ![howye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@howye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/howye)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-canadian-laptop-in-th-u-s/629966/11 "2012-07-31T17:26:39Z")
Careful - true Canadian models run on maple syrup. Most US households are not equipped with an adequate syrup supply. But as a bonus some do come with a donut holder, although the timbits fall through the hole in the middle. ---
**Author:** ![Nature\_s\_Call](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nature_s_call/32/19006_2.png) [@Nature\_s\_Call](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nature_s_Call)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-canadian-laptop-in-th-u-s/629966/12 "2012-07-31T17:30:13Z")
I bought a very used Toshiba laptop on ebay, having it shipped from the U.S. to Canada. It was so old warranty was not an issue. However, when the power system started to go, I brought it to the local Toshiba repair place. They couldn’t help me - I forget the exact reason (not authorized to service a U.S. laptop? supply chain difficulties?). I had to ship it to a U.S. repair shop to get fixed. So it took a bit longer and had to pay shipping, but other than that, no biggie. ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-canadian-laptop-in-th-u-s/629966/13 "2012-07-31T17:30:46Z")
Run for the hills. I’ve been [bitching](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=618265) about how the next laptop I buy is going to be either a Macbook or an American PC, because I cannot touch type on that multilingual rubbish. /all /of /my /capital /letters /end /up /like /this. :mad: Don’t do it, dude! ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-canadian-laptop-in-th-u-s/629966/14 "2012-07-31T17:32:42Z")
> [@borschevsky](#): > > Check the keyboard. The specs on the page you link show that the keyboard is bilingual, so it may have things like an accented e where you’d normally see ?/ . They’re usually juxtaposed next to the US English in a different colour. That is to say, you’ll have your normal ? and / on the key, and é next to it in green or pink. It’s ugly, but definitely readable if you get a big enough laptop. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Blakeyrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blakeyrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blakeyrat)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-canadian-laptop-in-th-u-s/629966/15 "2012-07-31T19:38:46Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I can’t even imagine what the difference would be, unless Windows has a French language option or something. If it connected to the cellphone network? Maybe? Just spitballing. ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-canadian-laptop-in-th-u-s/629966/16 "2012-07-31T22:15:09Z")
> [@Blakeyrat](#): > > If it connected to the cellphone network? Maybe? Just spitballing. Nope, the physical keyboard is different. The cell bands (if a laptop had them :dubious:) would be the same. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-canadian-laptop-in-th-u-s/629966/17 "2012-08-01T01:28:28Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > When I bought a Dell (through their Canadian distributor) the help phone number that was on the help screen connected me to an idiot with a Texas accent… > We got into a slanging match … _Never_ get into a slanging match with someone from Texas. It’s the proverbial case of “knife to a gunfight”. ---
**Author:** ![ragerdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d07c76/32.png) [@ragerdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ragerdude)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-canadian-laptop-in-th-u-s/629966/18 "2012-08-01T01:33:28Z")
Aren’t you able to change the international keyboard settings anyway? What you type will be different than what’s physically painted on the keys, but you can assign the U.S. layout to the keyboard. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-canadian-laptop-in-th-u-s/629966/19 "2012-08-01T01:48:45Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I can’t even imagine what the difference would be.. The ‘A’ doesn’t work. Aw damn, didn’t catch that I was beat to it in the first read-through. > [@Colophon](#): > > And the third row of the keyboard goes: > > EH S D F G H J K L > > 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-canadian-laptop-in-th-u-s/629966/20 "2012-08-01T02:29:23Z")
It’s called the “Canadian Multilingual Keyboard"and I hate it. It takes the right half of the left shift key and makes it a tilde or something, and it takes the horizontal return key and puts in a vertical one, adding another key to the right of '/”. Whenever I use one I fuck up every single time I go to hit left shift or return. Not all manufacturers use them - I got a Dell which has a conventional US layout - but I think Sony does. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-canadian-laptop-in-th-u-s/629966.md?page=2)