Second computer monitor (take, buy, or suck-it-up?)

[mkub3905]

my spouse and i will be taking up a brief (Feb 2022) expat residency in Buenos Aries. we will both be working from home (but not at "home".) both of us have jobs that are infinity easier with a second screen (both PC). +/- A 27" screen is sufficient, and it does NOT need to be 'gamer quality'.
---> is it easier to ship the ones we already have?
---> purchase while there (lord luv / hate the Amazon Prime)?
--->...Or just suck it up and do without (AURGH!) ?

with much appreciation in advance,
mark

 

[steveinbsas]

my spouse and i will be taking up a brief (Feb 2022) expat residency in Buenos Aries. we will both be working from home (but not at "home".) both of us have jobs that are infinity easier with a second screen (both PC). +/- A 27" screen is sufficient, and it does NOT need to be 'gamer quality'.

Do you only need one 27" screeen?

---> is it easier to ship the ones we already have?

If by "shipping" you maean send by DHL (for example) you will not be able to have it delivered to you without a DNI/CUIL in your name.

You can bring one in your luggage and not pay any taxes or customs fees if it is used.

---> purchase while there (lord luv / hate the Amazon Prime)?

You would have to find someone with an Argentine DNI/CUIL who has Amazon prime to buy it for you and it would have to be deilvered to them.

If I understand how Amazon prime works, taxes and customs fees are collected a the time of purchase, so they should not have to deal with customs.

--->...Or just suck it up and do without (AURGH!) ?

Or buy one here (perhaps used on Facebook or OLX) and sell it before you leave if you can't or don't want to take it home with you.

Mercado Libre usually has many used monitora listed for sale, but they require a DNI as well.

 

[Neil]

Or Google "27 pulgadas mercado libre argentina" to see some prices...( Divide by ~350 to see in usd$)

 

[steveinbsas]

Or Google "27 pulgadas mercado libre argentina" to see some prices...( Divide by ~350 to see in usd$)

Monitor 27 | MercadoLibre 📦

Envíos Gratis en el día ✓ ¡Comprá Monitor 27 en cuotas sin interés! Conocé nuestras increíbles ofertas y promociones en millones de productos.

listado.mercadolibre.com.ar

The link shows 27" monitors priced from $56,000 - $100.000 pesos ($160 - $285 USD) on ML.

 

[sts7049]

are you coming on a tourist visa for just one month but planning to work?

i dont think i would bring it with you, that might look a little strange lugging monitors with you in your luggage. and then explaining it's for work...

i would buy one when you are here, you could find a computer store easily and buy a monitor. take it with you when you leave no issue.

 

[Redpossum]

If you're only here briefly, you won't have a DNI, and you can't use ML without one.
BUT there is always Galeria Jardin on Florida right downtown.
Here's the monitors page 1 on the Fullh4rd website, there are 8 pages of listings. Pick something there that says "en stock" on a green field, then go down to their storefront in the Galeria Jardin and buy it. With recent changes, you should be able to use your US credit card and get a decent rate, or you can pay in cash and ask for a discount. Or you can buy it on the website with a US credit card, and wait for it to be delivered.

Just suggestions based on personal experience

Long thread here on the use of US CC's here and resulting exchange rates. Used to be a horribad idea, but that changed recently.

 

[mkub3905]

(so much more of a response than i anticipated; so much more useful info than i had ever imagined THNX !!!)

Had not known about the need for DNI/CUIL (this may accidentally be the most useful info of all): (...even if only for a brief 1 mes stay ...28 dia? Is what it is...)

About the issues w/ US CC's: glad to hear about the recent changes. Have they been in effect long enough to be reliable? Or maybe it would be better to pack an amount of USD and convert -I'm presuming that there is a limit on the $ amount that can be brought into the country?)

Back to the monitors
Sounds like there are a few options:
- buy new; seems like a hefty price for such a short term; and i would not be able to do this stateside; i would have to buy locally (just thinking about the logistics of timing...)
- buy used; (could be hit or miss) reliable would it be to buy (used) ahead, and arrange to pay / pick-up after arrival? In addition to Facebook, is there a local Craig's list? would that be ML? Reading that i would still need a DNI to use ML, if the seller has a cash option, does it matter -do sellers offer cash transactions?
- absolutely do not bring or ship (from home)
- how common are shared work spaces? Would any of them provide / rent (at a $, I'm certain) peripheral computer equipment ?

lastly,
yes, we would be traveling on tourists visas. since this is such a short period of time (28 dia), and that the work is for US companies, being performed by US citizens - is this an conflict? My hunch is that when passing through customs, our responses should be nothing more than "traveling for the fun of it"; "will be based out of an apartment in BA, but plan on additional travels within the country which we have not yet made definite plans for" ??

again, many thanks,
mark

 

[jblaze5779]

If you need a monitor for work just buy one here and consider it a cost of doing business in a foreign country. The easiest and fastest way would be to just go to a computer store and buy one with cash. Take it with you when you leave or sell it.

 

[Ries]

Argentina is complicated.
There is no Ebay or Amazon, and Mercado Libre is unusable without legal residency and a DNI. Fast DNI times are sometimes as quick as 3 to 6 months, assuming you arrive with an apostillized FBI background check and US birth certificate. More common is a year or more.

I have brought monitors in my checked luggage. Been living here part time since 2007, and early on, it was much cheaper to bring than buy here.
Also, back then, local models were 3 to 5 years behind US models.
I usually cut a piece of thin 1/8" doorskin plywood to the size of the monitor screen, then tape the whole thing up in bubble wrap.
So, sure, you can do it.

I long since switched over to just buying local monitors at the big electrodomestico chains- FraVega or Gabarinos, mostly.
But yes, its more expensive than US prices. Usually in the $130 to $200 USD range for cheapo 21" to 27" monitors.
Sometimes you can find one used on Facebook Marketplace, which is free, available to tourists, and you can pay in cash.

Basically, anything imported here is roughly double Amazon prices.
And since all monitors are made in China or Southeast asia, they are all imported.
This is pretty average, in terms of what you can get and what you would pay. https://www.fravega.com/p/monitor-gamer-samsung-lf24t350fhlczb-24--363967/

 

[sts7049]

to be clear, for now only US visa and MC get you the good rates. they seem to be working fine based on other's comments here. i've used my visa a couple times and it works seamlessly

you will have no issue going into a local store and buying one either with your CC, or in cash (pesos). if you buy from an individual it will be in cash almost certainly