The short answer
A licensed set and an international-version set are the same television from the same factory. The difference is not the machine — it is the import channel and who stands behind the warranty: the manufacturer's Hong Kong network for licensed stock, the shop that sold it to you for an international version. Which is why, when buying an international version, choosing the shop matters more than choosing the model. Two things to confirm before paying: Hong Kong free-TV reception, and menu language.
Three names, one thing
The terminology is messy: grey imports (水貨), parallel imports and "international versions" all mean the same thing — genuine sets built by the manufacturer for markets outside Hong Kong and imported through channels other than the official agent. Not refurbished, not counterfeit: identical at the factory gate, with the difference beginning only at import.
Parallel importing is a lawful business in Hong Kong. What the law regulates is the description: the Trade Descriptions Ordinance does not allow a merchant to pass non-licensed stock off as licensed. That is why a straight international-version dealer states "not local licensed stock" in writing — the willingness to say so plainly is the first signal of a trustworthy shop.
The comparison, item by item
| Item | Licensed | International version |
|---|---|---|
| Factory | The manufacturer | The same manufacturer — no difference on this row |
| Import channel | Official agent | Third-party importer |
| Who handles the warranty | The manufacturer's Hong Kong service network | The shop that sold it — the manufacturer's HK office generally will not take it |
| Free-TV standard on the spec sheet | DTMB (the Hong Kong standard) | Southeast Asian sheets list DVB-T2; reception must be checked per model |
| Spec-sheet labelling | Hong Kong pages use the 60Hz / 120Hz family | Thai, Malaysian and Singaporean sheets use 50Hz / 100Hz — same panel, two conventions |
| Software features | Configured for Hong Kong | Some features are officially listed for specific markets only — ask first |
| Plug | Hong Kong three-pin (BS 1363) | Malaysian and Singaporean sets use the same three-pin; Thai sets differ |
| Price | Official pricing | Usually a tier lower — which is the whole reason this market exists |
The biggest difference: with an international version, you are buying the shop
When a licensed set fails, you call the manufacturer's Hong Kong service network. When an international version fails, the manufacturer's local office generally will not take it — whoever sold it, warrants it. So the real risk in an international version is not build quality (identical at the factory); it is whether the shop is dependable.
The Consumer Council has handled plenty of television warranty complaints, and the typical plot is the same: "three years' warranty included" said aloud at purchase, then a five-figure repair quote at failure, because inspection was free but labour and parts were not. The common thread is never the machine — it is nothing in writing. Wherever you buy, get written answers to four questions before ordering:
- What exactly is free? The inspection? The labour? The parts?
- Do they come to you, or do you carry a 75-inch set back to the shop?
- How many years, counted from when?
- Before replacing a part, do they quote first and wait for your approval?
Our television warranty terms are written down: free on-site inspection and repair within three years, with any parts replacement quoted separately — the quote comes first and work proceeds only after you confirm. That is not "everything free", but all four questions are answered before you order. The full terms are on the international-version warranty policy.
The second difference: Hong Kong free-to-air TV
Hong Kong digital terrestrial television uses GB 20600-2006, commonly called DTMB, in force since August 2007; Southeast Asian markets broadcast DVB-T2. So licensed spec sheets list DTMB while international-version sheets mostly list DVB-T2 — a question of broadcast standard, with nothing to do with whether the set runs Tizen or webOS.
The practical step: WhatsApp us the exact model before buying and we answer for that model. If a set cannot receive the local broadcast, there are three alternatives: the myTV SUPER app (official minimums Android 9.0, Tizen 5.0 or webOS 4.0 — all three platforms qualify), the ViuTV app, or an external DTMB set-top box.
The third difference: two labelling conventions — do not be alarmed
Buyers doing homework often find the Hong Kong page saying 120Hz while the Thai page for the same model says 100Hz, and conclude the sets are different. Usually they are not: Hong Kong and the US label in the 60Hz family, while 50Hz markets label in the 50Hz family — the same panel, written two ways. The details, including the DLG traps that genuinely deserve caution, are in our separate guide: how to read TV refresh rates.
One trick to tell them apart: the model-code suffix
No need to take anyone's word for it — the full model number on the back label already answers the question. Using Samsung as the example:
| Suffix | Market |
|---|---|
| …XZK (e.g. QA100QN80FJXZK) | Hong Kong licensed |
| …KXXT (e.g. QA65QN70HAKXXT) | Thailand |
| …KXXM (e.g. QA55QN85FAKXXM) | Malaysia |
| …KXXS | Singapore |
The suffix is useful twice over. Buying an international version, it lets you look up the factory specification on that market's official site. And if a shop ever passes an international version off as licensed stock, one glance at the suffix settles it. LG uses market codes too, in a different format — simply ask for the source market.
Five questions to ask before buying an international version
- Does this exact model receive Hong Kong free-to-air channels?
- Does the menu offer Traditional Chinese?
- Is the plug the Hong Kong three-pin — and if not, who deals with it?
- Where can the warranty terms be read in writing?
- When it fails, who comes to the door, and how fast is the response?
A shop that answers all five, in writing, is worth buying from. A shop that stumbles on any one of them is not — at any discount.
So who should buy licensed stock?
Honestly, an international version is not for everyone:
- You want the reassurance of the manufacturer's own service network and no questions to ask — buy licensed.
- Corporate purchase needing a licensed-goods invoice — buy licensed.
- You want the same model for meaningfully less and will spend five minutes on the five questions above — the international version exists for you.
Both are reasonable choices. The point is knowing what you are buying, and who is responsible at the end.
How this shop does it
Every Samsung TV and LG TV at Elechid is an international version — not local licensed stock — with the warranty provided by us. Each product page states the specification and source per model; the full three-year on-site inspection and repair terms are on the warranty policy page. Delivery, installation and wall mounting are charged by size, with on-site installation available — details on the delivery and installation page. The Kwun Tong showroom holds stock for collection only, with no demonstration or side-by-side viewing. To browse the full range, start with the smart TV collection.
Frequently asked questions
Are international-version TVs the same as grey imports? Are they genuine?
Same thing, and yes. Grey import, parallel import and international version all describe genuine sets built by the manufacturer for markets outside Hong Kong and imported outside the official agency channel — not refurbished, not counterfeit. Parallel importing is lawful in Hong Kong; what the law requires is that merchants describe the source honestly rather than passing the goods off as licensed stock.
What is the biggest difference between licensed and international versions?
The warranty. Licensed stock is handled by the manufacturer's Hong Kong service network; for an international version the manufacturer's local office generally will not take it, so whoever sold the set warrants it. Before buying, get the shop's terms in writing: what is free, whether they come to you, for how many years, and whether parts are quoted before replacement.
Will an international-version TV receive Hong Kong free-to-air channels?
Check per model. Hong Kong broadcasts DTMB while Southeast Asian spec sheets list DVB-T2, so no blanket answer is honest. WhatsApp us the exact model and we answer for that model. If a set cannot receive it, the myTV SUPER or ViuTV apps run on all three major TV platforms, or an external DTMB set-top box solves it.
How do I tell whether a TV is licensed or an international version?
Read the model-code suffix on the back label. For Samsung: Hong Kong licensed sets end in XZK (for example QA100QN80FJXZK), Thai sets in KXXT, Malaysian sets in KXXM and Singaporean sets in KXXS. The suffix also lets you look up the set's factory specification on that market's official website.
Are international versions always cheaper?
Usually — that is the reason the market exists — but the gap varies by model and by season. Compare the whole package rather than the sticker: who warrants it, for how long, and whether they come to you. A thousand dollars saved on a set nobody will service is not a saving.
About this article
The Hong Kong broadcast standard is taken from the Office of the Communications Authority's technical standard; model suffixes and labelling conventions from official Samsung specification pages in each market; warranty terms as stated on the warranty policy page. This article is general information, not legal advice.
