FAQ

With Apple laptops and iPads you can order your own configuration. The configurations shown on the hardware page are recommendations. The discount is always the same: -15% off the Apple Switzerland price.

You can also order any configuration from Microsoft Surface. 

For HP and Lenovo laptops, only the configurations shown on the hardware page are available. No adjustments or changes to the configuration are possible. Most laptop models are available with the Swiss or English International keyboard and with Windows or without operating system. 

In general, anyone who has an active SWITCHaai login can order from us. If your student ID is still valid or your SWITCH-aai account is still working during the sales window, you can also order a device from us.

Yes, all pupils (apprentice = pupil, as vocational school) may order from Projekt Neptun. As you do not have a SWITCHaai login, you can validate via code. You can find more information here.

Yes, you can order a MacBook Air/Pro in your desired configuration. The discount is the same for all configurations and is 15% off the apple.ch price.

Instructions during the Neptun Waves: Click here on "order your own configuration", validate via SWITCHaai login or form. If you are in the store of the distributor, you will find the MacBook Air/Pro models in the navigation on the left. Find your desired configuration and put it into the shopping cart.

Outside the Neptun Waves, you will find the entire Apple offer at a discount between 6% and 10% here. 

Only institutional clients can pay by invoice. All other customers can choose between the following payment methods (not all options are available at all sales partners): prepayment, credit card, PostFinance, PayPal. Your order will not be processed until your payment has arrived on the account of the distribution partner. 

• Apple MacBooks can be ordered with any keyboard layout that is also available via Apple Switzerland. Since these devices are usually ordered on demand for the customer and are not available from stock, it can take up to six weeks until your laptop arrives at your place. 
• HP and Lenovo laptops can be ordered with a Swiss or US International keyboard layout. Other keyboard layouts are not available.
• Microsoft Surface devices can only be ordered with a Swiss (QWERTY) keyboard. Other keyboard layouts cannot be ordered in Switzerland. 

Unfortunately, nowadays only a few laptop models allow the keyboard to be replaced at a later date. We can tell you for which models this is possible and help you to order the desired keyboard layout. Our Help Point staff can change the keyboard.

Yes, you can. Please validate via the form. Please have the confirmation of enrollment from your university ready, you have to upload the document into the shopping cart for Apple orders.

For new students at Universities of Applied Sciences and Universities of Teacher Education with a laptop obligation from the first day of their studies, we open our sales earlier in the summer. You can order at least two weeks before the official Wave start. Your laptop will be delivered from stock within a few days and will arrive in time for the installation days at your university. You can find more information here. 

There are two four-week Neptun Waves per year, generally these take place in September and February at the beginning of each semester. The exact dates are communicated on our website, via newsletter and social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram). Information about devices sold in the past Waves can be found in the archive.

Between the Neptune Waves there is a reduced offer with smaller discounts: Apple High-Edu Shop, Microsoft Store Education and so called Neptun Compatibles with laptop models from HP and Lenovo, which are kept as reserve stock after the Wave is over. Shopping between the Neptun Waves is only possible with a SWITCHaai login.

Between the Neptun Waves there is a reduced offer with smaller discounts:

• You can buy in the Apple High-Edu shop, the discount is 5-6% smaller than in the Neptun Wave
• You can buy from Microsoft Store Education, the discount is 10% for devices and varies for accessories
• You can order a Neptun Compatible, these are laptop models from HP and Lenovo, which will be kept in stock after the last Wave. The prices are about 10% higher than in the Neptun Wave. We are not profit oriented, with this surcharge we finance the storage and distribution costs between the Neptun Waves.

Please note that in the Apple High-Edu Shop between the Wave you can only shop with a SWITCHaai login. The other offers are also accessible without SWITCHaai authentication, i.e. via a form.

In general, all members of an educational institution are entitled to order. 

• Students and employees of Swiss universities (university, university of applied sciences, college of education)
• Apprentices / vocational school or higher technical school, secondary school students / grammar school students
• Teaching staff (Primary, Sek I, Sek II)
• Educational institutions for official procurement

To order as an alumni you have to be a registered or paying member of an official alumni organisation. For some offers a confirmation of membership is required. 

There may be restrictions so that not all customers can benefit from certain offers. The restrictions will be noted, where available, with the respective offer.

Select the desired offer on our website and click on "order now". You will be redirected to the "Neptun Validation" page where you can choose between SWITCHaai, form and code.

• SWITCHaai authentication for members of a university
• Form for members of all other educational institutions, alumni
• Code for students in the first semester of certain universities of applied sciences who are participants in the "FH Wave" and for whom we open the sale earlier in autumn

After authentication you will be redirected to the webshop of the corresponding distribution partner. In the webshop you can shop as usual. If you are not yet 18 years old, let your parents make the purchase for you. Have your student or employee ID card ready for uploading (Apple orders only).

Select the desired offer on our website and click on "order now". You will be redirected to the "Neptun Validation" page where you can choose between SWITCHaai, form and code.

• Please choose the authentication via SWITCHaai

After authentication you will be redirected to the webshop of the corresponding distribution partner.

• HP, Lenovo: If your institute has never purchased via Project Neptun before, you can register an e-mail address of your choice in the web shop. The billing address must be the same as the institute address. Then contact the distribution partner via email to activate payment by invoice.
• Apple: Select "Payment by invoice" under payment options. The billing address must be the same as the institute address. The distribution partner will automatically send you an invoice as PDF to the registered e-mail address.
• Microsoft: Unfortunately there is no payment by invoice available. 

Other webshops: Please write us an e-mail.

• Apple: Max. 1 laptop and 2 iPads per person and academic year
• Microsoft: 2 hybrid tablets per person and academic year
• Dell / HP / Lenovo: Max. 2 laptops and 2 tablets per person and academic year
• No limitation on other devices (e.g. printers, displays, accessories), unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer

No limitation on institutional orders. To prevent abuse, random checks are carried out.

Every three years Projekt Neptun performs a manufacturer evaluation. Laptops can be ordered from the manufacturers which prevail in the evaluation. Currently these are Apple, HP, Lenovo and Microsoft. For each Neptun Wave, the devices are carefully selected to make sure that the latest hardware and high quality matched components are included in the offer. For this, an abbreviated device evaluation is carried out twice per year, in order to select adequate device models and configurations.

The hardware requirements of the universities are taken into account, especially the higher technical requirements of the MINT studies.

The discounts on laptops are difficult to quantify because the configurations offered by Projekt Neptun are partly not available on the open market. Basically however the following applies:

• Windows laptops: Up to 35% off selected laptop models, configured for use during your studies
• Apple laptops: 15 - 16 % discount on MacBook Air and Mac Book Pro, all configurations, colours and keyboard languages, 7% - 14% on other Apple devices
• Microsoft Surface Pro: Up to 25% discount on Microsoft Surface Pro bundle: Tablet, keyboard and pen included, all configurations and colors 

Please note that the discounts are renegotiated before each Neptun Wave and therefore may vary. The figures above refer to Neptun Wave Spring 2020.

Projekt Neptun visits various Swiss Universities and Universities of Applied Sciences during each Neptun Wave so that the devices can be viewed and tested before buying. You can find dates and locations under Demo Days.

In addition, all laptop models are exhibited at our Help Point ETH Hönggerberg from the start of sales. Since we do not always receive all demo laptops from the manufacturers in time, please inquire by email whether your desired model is exhibited at the Help Point ETH Hönggerberg.

Depending on the online shop or distribution partner, the payment options vary. Private orders must usually be paid in advance either by bank transfer or credit card. Please note that the order will only be processed after receipt of payment. Credit card payments are made immediately, but may be subject to additional credit card fees. For institutional orders payment on account is available.

HP and Lenovo laptops, printers, displays and other peripherals

• Prepayment by invoice or e-invoice: If you choose to pay by bank transfer, an e-invoice will be sent to the e-mail address provided within 24 hours of the order being placed. Customers who do not receive the email within 24 hours are asked to check their spam folder and contact our distributor's team via email or by phone at 041 318 40 00
• Credit card payment
• Pay Pal

Apple

• Prepayment via invoice: The confirmation of the order including the prepayment invoice in PDF format will be sent to the e-mail address provided within 24 hours of the order being placed. Customers who do not receive the e-mail within 24 hours are asked to check their spam folder and contact the team of our distributor via e-mail or by phone on 058 225 52 77.
• Credit card payment
• Payment in installments (additional costs will be charged)

Microsoft

• Advance payment by credit card or Sofort bank transfer.

All devices are delivered by our sales partners directly to the indicated delivery address of the customer. For insurance and customs reasons, deliveries can only be made within Switzerland and Fürstentum Liechtenstein. The billing and delivery address does not have to be identical, customers with a temporary residence abroad can arrange a delivery to relatives / acquaintances with postal address in Switzerland, this is usually not a problem, as the goods are sent by registered mail. 

No postage will be charged for purchases over CHF 49.- in the online shop of the Apple distribution partner. In the online shop of the HP / Lenovo distribution partner no additional shipping costs will be charged for orders over CHF 500.-. If delivery costs have been incurred, these will be listed in the shopping cart.

No delivery costs will be charged in the Microsoft Store and the Wahl.ch online shop.

Online orders made in the Apple shop of our distrubition partner can be collected in a DQ Solutions store. You will get an e-mail notificaton as soon as your order is ready for pickup.
For all other offers, the option of on-site ordering or pickup is not available. We distribute all other offers exclusively online and all orders are delivered by our partners directly to the customer.

All orders are processed through our distribution partners, here we refer to the exchange and return policies for each partner (see below) .

• Apple Refund/Returns: MacBook, iPad, desktops, peripherals
• Laptop and peripheral return / refund and general terms and conditions: Dell, HP, Lenovo, Winows/Anroid Tablets, Displays, Printers, Sennheiser, 3Dconnexion
• Microsoft Refund/Returns: Surface products

• Apple device orders: 058 225 52 77 or via email
• Windows laptop / peripheral devices orders: 041 318 40 00 or via email
• Surface orders, Microsoft Store: 0848 858 868
• Intel® NUC orders: via contact form or email

Orders are accepted and processed directly by the respective distribution partners. Contact possibilities that are not listed above can be found in the respective offers website. Projekt Neptun is also available for general questions and inquiries (purchase advice) at 044 632 72 00 or via email.

• Delivery Apple devices: Apple MacBook, iMac and iPad will be shipped within one week of receipt of payment if in stock. For out-of-stock devices and CTO orders, a longer delivery time is to be expected. In case of delivery problems on the part of Apple, the delivery time may be extended again. Exact delivery times will be communicated by the distribution partner at the time of order.

• Delivery time HP, Lenovo laptops and printers, NEC monitors, peripherals: We make a pre-order before each Neptun Wave, so that a larger number of all laptop models is in stock at Wave opening. Repeat orders are made on an ongoing basis, but we cannot guarantee that all laptop models are in stock. If the stock is sold out at the time of the order, the delivery time may be longer. The delivery times are communicated on the website of the distribution partner for each model and are only calculated after receipt of payment. Monitors, printers and other peripherals are normally in stock. A partial delivery will only be made if the expected delivery time of the laptop is longer than two weeks. 

• Delivery time Microsoft: Surface / Surface Pro are normally in stock and will be delivered within 1-2 working days. 

Please note:

• The delivery times in the shops refer to the current stock. However, an order will only become active after payment has been received. If there is a longer period in between, the delivery situation may change.

• All laptops that are ordered without pre-installed Windows (DOS) or with a special keyboard layout (e.g. US) have a longer delivery time. Please note the corresponding delivery details of the distribution partner's website.

• Dell / HP / Lenovo laptops, printers, displays, peripherals: Please send an e-mail to our distribution partner Computacenter TS GmbH with date of purchase and serial number of the device
• Apple devices: Log in with your Apple ID in the user account or by phone 0800 801 078 (for devices bought until Neptun Wave Spring 2016). From Neptun Wave Fall 2016 please contact our distributution partner DQ Solutions.
• Microsoft Surface: Sign in using the Windows Account and find your order details
• Intel® NUC: contact form or email

Can be requested via the manufacture websites:

• Apple Warranty / DQ Solutions
• Dell Warranty
• Lenovo Warranty
• HP Warranty
• Microsoft Surface Warranty
• Intel® NUC Warranty

The type and length of the warranty varies depending on whether you buy a Lenovo, HP, Mac, or Surface. Here you can find the support and warranty information for the different manufacturers:

• HP laptops: 3 years Pickup & Return International as standard warranty  included in the price. Warranty extensions (e.g. accidental damage coverage) or extensions can be purchased with the laptop. 
• Lenovo laptops: 3 years Onsite International, with Premier Support in Fall 2020. Warranty extensions (e.g. accident coverage) or extensions can be purchased with the laptop. 
• Apple laptops and iPads: 1 year manufacturer's warranty, the second year is covered by the legal warranty of the dealer (DQ Solutions AG) and the configurations recommended by Projekt Neptun include the warranty extension for the 3rd year of warranty. If you choose your own configuration in the higher education store of the distributor, the warranty extension is not included in the price. However, it can be purchased for an additional CHF 99.-, Apple Care+ is also available for purchase. 
• Microsoft Surface products: 2 years send-in warranty, only valid in Switzerland. With Microsoft Complete, you can buy an accidental damage protection in addition. Unfortunately, Microsoft does not offer a warranty extension beyond the two years or international coverage. 

For other products such as printers, monitors, etc. there can be differences from manufacturer to manufacturer. These devices come with at least two years warranty. For a repair these must be sent to the dealer. 

Important: Devices that are defective on arrival must be immediately registered by the manufacturer as a DOA case (dead on arrival)!

The relevant time limits and procedures are listed in the manufacturer support pages.

Neptun laptops from Apple, HP and Lenovo have a worldwide warranty. However, there are some countries, primarily in Africa and Asia, where there is no support infrastructure and the device must be taken to the nearest repair center. The warranty for Microsoft Surface products is only valid in Switzerland.

Projekt Neptun runs a software service with free commercial backup software available exclusively to Neptun customers. You will need a download code to download the software for free. You will receive the required download code from our distribution partner via email once your laptop has been shipped.

To reset your device to the default settings you need to use recovery media. Instructions for all manufacturers can be found here.

At the moment we do not have any software offers for students. It is possible your school offers discounted software. Before you buy a license, consult your computer help desk / service desk of your school, and see if the desired product may be available there.

We provide software bundles with free software. These installation packages can be downloaded here. The installer can (should) also be used regularly to keep the installed products updated.

See also Projekt Neptun Software Service for free antivirus software and backup solution (available for Neptun customers only).

In general it is possible to run Linux on any laptop. However, device-specific problems can occur (e.g. with convertibles, with pen). Mac laptops are less suitable,
but are not excluded. We have the current laptop models tested by the student association of ETHZ "The Alternative". Projekt Neptun laptops are also used as working devices by "The Alternative" during the Linux Days.

Yes, this is possible on most HP and Lenovo laptops. You can recognize these devices in the online store by the label "DOS". On the Projekt Neptun website you can also find the "price without Windows", which is 110.- CHF lower then the price with a Windows licence.

The manufacturer's statement about a battery life of e.g. up to 10 hours may be correct, but does not have to be. The battery life is always specified by the manufacturer for the most energy-optimized model in the range. Depending on the equipment and model, however, Projekt Neptun laptops might use more powerful components, such as an i7 processor instead of an i3, which has a significantly higher energy consumption. The type of graphics card (integrated or dedicated) also makes an enormous difference in terms of energy consumption. So it depends on the actual equipment of the respective notebook. Basically, more speed or more performance always requires more energy. We measure the battery life, which you can find on our website for each device, ourselves. If no own measurement could be done yet, we'll state the battery life either as "TBA" or "information of the manufacturer".