How best to ship a build intercontinental?

[Stagnant_01]

So I'm about to order the parts for my new build, and now there's merely the question of how to get it from where I am now (continental United States) to where it needs to be (Germany). There are two main questions:
1. How to ship the rig: in pieces or built
2. Who to ship it with

So as far as I can tell, shipping is going to be just way cheaper than buying the components in Germany – like, 200-300 bucks cheaper. If I ship it in pieces, I'm likely going to buy just the case in Germany, but in general, it seems like just putting it all together and then shipping the case, with the insides buffered out with bubble wrap or something would be the way to go. Am I wrong?

Anyways, as far as shipping goes, I have all the usual options (USPS, UPS, FedEx, etc.), plus the option of taking it with me on my plane flight as checked baggage for (probably) $100. Any safety tips? Advice on how to ship it? General pointers?

 

[drums101]

you shouldnt build the rig I would ship it in the boxes that it came shipped to you in...you may want to check and see if the components are working first maybe throw it together and check for functionality then put it all back into the original packaging it came in.....I know shipping will not be cheap so for bringing it with you on the plane for 100 bucks is not a bad deal...I cannot give you an estimate for shipping the parts via ups or something else but I know it cost me 16 bucks to ship a harddrive from illinois to texas lol just a regular 3.5 inch hdd

 

[Stagnant_01]

Shipping it individually has the problem that you have to pay individually for each piece, though. That's especially expensive, seeing as there are a lot of different pieces. I got a rough estimate from USPS, and they want between $120 and $170... Is there any particular reason not to put it together and let it get shipped that way?

 

[sam_fisher]

If you put it together and shipped it there is a high probability it'll arrive in Germany in pieces again. If it gets knocked or dropped you could have a graphics card tear out a PCIe slot, or have a heatsink break off and bang around in your case. Not to mention lots of vibrations/small hits could just damage parts in general.
Your best bet is to just ship it in its individual boxes, (or pack them into one big box).

 

[kajabla]

Yeah, I think you'd have to pack the bubble wrap so tightly that it'd be unsafe in itself. There's no harm in, say, removing the plastic molds from the PSU box and putting in the CPU and GPU with it and plenty of bubble wrap, but don't put everything together.

 

[Stagnant_01]

Crap. That makes my situation considerably more difficult. This means I'm actually going to have to order the boxes and figure out what I'm dealing with, size-wise, before shipping... Hoo boy. It also means I can't really assemble this before shipping it, unless I try to do so without a case (can you do that?). What if I just inserted the parts all loosely into the case with bubble wrap/similar protective covering? Well... no, ***, I know that at least the PSU weighs like 10 pounds, that seems iffy. Everything in one big cardboard box? (I'm just kinda spitballing ways to keep the costs low but still ship it effectively and safely here)

 

[sam_fisher]

I would probably take the case out of the box, put what components I could inside the case (in their boxes still!), fill the case with bubble wrap and what not so that nothing inside it moved and ship that, plus another cardboard box with the leftover components in it.

You're shipping an entire computer half way across the world - it's not going to be cheap.

 

[kajabla]

I think you can definitely fit everything in one big cardboard box. It won't have to be that much bigger than the case, since you can put things inside it as mentioned above. The issue is with assembling: you don't want things hanging off the motherboard in transit.

 

[drums101]

yea no matter what you do its not gonna be cheap just dont assemble it first that is a bad idea....thats why it might be worth it to buy the case in germany like you said you were gonna do and then just bring an extra set of luggage on the plane with the parts...if it only costs 100 bucks...you are easily gonna pay that much to ship it via ups or other carriers.

 

[jk47_99]

Why not just buy only the parts that are significantly cheaper in the US, and then put them in your hand luggage? Usually when I fly I can take one hand luggage size suitcase and a laptop case on the plane in addition to my checked in luggage, smaller items like the CPU, RAM, GPU, hard drive etc can just be packed in here using your clothes as a buffer, even though the x-ray people at the airport might get curious!

 

[sam_fisher]

Why not just buy only the parts that are significantly cheaper in the US, and then put them in your hand luggage? Usually when I fly I can take one hand luggage size suitcase and a laptop case on the place in addition to my checked in luggage, smaller items like the CPU, RAM, GPU, hard drive etc can just be packed in here using your clothes as a buffer, even though the x-ray people at the airport might get curious!

haha I know it's made of plastic but I would love to see the x-ray people's reaction to seeing the pistol heat sink design on the G1.Assassin 2 :lol:

 

[daship]

Shipping will be $100 plus no matter what and possibly you have to pay customs?

 

[Stagnant_01]

Why not just buy only the parts that are significantly cheaper in the US, and then put them in your hand luggage? Usually when I fly I can take one hand luggage size suitcase and a laptop case on the plane in addition to my checked in luggage, smaller items like the CPU, RAM, GPU, hard drive etc can just be packed in here using your clothes as a buffer, even though the x-ray people at the airport might get curious!

Because that's pretty much every part – CPU, RAM, GPU, SSD, PSU, MOB... At that point, all that's left is the cooling unit, the wifi card, and the case.

 

[sam_fisher]

Pack the CPU, RAM, SSD and wifi card in your suit case, and take on the bigger stuff as extra luggage. Your biggest concern will be the case - if you can get it in Germany get it there.

 

[FinneousPJ]

Yeah I think you may get into trouble with customs if you try to ship a box full of computer hardware and it gets checked. By trouble I mean import tax which will probably make it more expensive than just buying on site.

 

[jk47_99]

Because that's pretty much every part – CPU, RAM, GPU, SSD, PSU, MOB... At that point, all that's left is the cooling unit, the wifi card, and the case.

I meant that he needs to be sensible and just take the biggest savings, like the CPU, GPU, MOB, SDD, because the relative costs of the other parts is quite cheap. If he saves on the $100 shipping/extra luggage, then that would cover any loss for the RAM, PSU and the case.

Each country has rules on what you can bring in and what value you can't go over:

Minimum thresholds

When importing goods into Germany, duty is not charged, if either the total value of the goods (not including shipping charges or insurance) does not exceed €150 or if the amount of duty payable, does not exceed €5. Neither duty nor VAT is payable if the total value of the goods (not including shipping charges or insurance) does not exceed €22.

 

[Stagnant_01]

Yeah, that limit is bullshit though. It's broken by literally everyone who brings a decent laptop overseas (which is quite a few people). I don't think I'll get caught if I pack well.

 

[drums101]

then go for it lol...bring your parts with you on the plane that is your best bet what I have been saying from the get go