Singapore Expats

I'm buying a pc from the US for gaming and work related stuff. I read some threads online and some said that they needed a step down/up transformer so that their US appliances can work in Singapore. I heard that it's also to prevent any damages(Explosions?) from occurring.

If I needed a transformer, how much watt do I need? Since I'm also buying the 50" samsung smart tv, 24" Wacom cintiq touch and also the asus monitor led-lit 27" (which I'm all importing from us) is buying a 3000watt transformer fine?

Thanks in advance

If you are speaking of a laptop computer, almost all reasonably late model laptops are dual voltage. Check your transformer on the power cord. It will probably state the the input voltage is 100-240 volts (Japan is 100). If so, you are good to go.

If you are talking about a desktop PC, then many, but not all, will have a dual voltage power supply, which you change by sliding a switch from one to the other. Again, on the back of the PC, by the power supply, you should see a label and/or a switch.

If for some reason, you don't have switchable power supplies, then check the wattage of the PC... you will want a transformer capable of supplying at least twice the recommended wattage.


Since you are buying, just make sure that you get dual voltage equipment. Most new Asus are dual voltage.

Thanks for answering, but what if I decided to get a 650watt power supply for my pc and I needed more then 240 volts? Lets say it needed 260v, how am I to use the power supply/appliances if my transformer can only go up to 240?

What If I wanted to use more than 1 appliances at the same time, but all the appliances has different voltage and I'm assuming that the transformer can only change voltage one at a time. I'm kinda confuse on this.


Could you also please elaborate what a dual voltage is? Thanks.

Dual voltage means that the electronic piece of equipment will run on either 110~115V or 220~240V. Usually via a manual switch on the back of the unit or it may be automatic (but you will see a sign on the back that usually states 110~240V or similar). If you are coming from the USA all your equipment with either be 110~115V or dual voltage. If it is an appliance and it has a motor in it, it will generally not be able to be switched so would need a transformer, but it will still not run the way is should due to the different cycles e.g., 50/60 cycle (Strong Eagle or x9200 are the ones who need to explain this). Suffice it to say, most PC are dual voltage. Most kitchen appliances are not. A search on this forum will turn up all the explanations needed as it's been answered at length several times before.

http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ftopic87770.html
http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ftopic100927.html
http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ftopic100583.html

Thanks, I read through some of the threads and somehow managed to understand most of it; though I still have some qualms, but hopefully everything will turn out fine. Thanks ^^

Aiofi12 wrote:Thanks for answering, but what if I decided to get a 650watt power supply for my pc and I needed more then 240 volts? Lets say it needed 260v, how am I to use the power supply/appliances if my transformer can only go up to 240?[..]

Why do you think you will need to run your PC @260V?

It would be so much easier if you could just point to a specific model you are thinking of bringing over.

Any brand-name computer these days will run in the USA and Singapore. You'll just need a plug adapter. Printers are a different matter.

Because we are close to the equator you will find that the screen picture will shrink. If you think that's bad if you take Northern Hemisphere computer to Australia the screen is upside down.

scarbowl wrote:Any brand-name computer these days will run in the USA and Singapore. You'll just need a plug adapter. Printers are a different matter.

Not only voltage but ink cartridges as well. I had to leave a very nice color laser in Singapore because of voltage and inability to get toner cartridges.