Buying a Laptop in the USA on hols?

davenpearsall

I've visiting the states during the summer. Around the summer time I am also going to be looking for a new laptop.

Has anyone every bought a laptop whilst in the US before? Apart from needed to buy a UK power adaptor is there anything else that will be different?

Does anyone know if they will be any cheaper over there than over here at all?

Many thanks

fwor

Not sure whether the price difference is worth it, but if you do get one there, make sure it has an international warranty! If it goes wrong it will be a pain to get fixed if not...

gaming_guy

the keyboard layout will be a US one.

you can change the input settings in windows, but if you want to change the hardware keyboard layout, then you would either have to replace the keyboard or use an external one

timbim_2

Legally, you would have to pay import duty on it, which whould cancel out any saving you might make.

macman

davenpearsall wrote: »

I've visiting the states during the summer. Around the summer time I am also going to be looking for a new laptop.

Has anyone every bought a laptop whilst in the US before? Apart from needed to buy a UK power adaptor is there anything else that will be different?

Does anyone know if they will be any cheaper over there than over here at all?

Many thanks

It will be cheaper, but by the time you've paid import duty and VAT on your return to the UK you may find the savings are fairly marginal. The potential problem with any warranty claim is what would put me off.

alanjuk

gaming_guy wrote: »

the keyboard layout will be a US one

That would be the thing that would put me off buying one from the States. It'd drive me mad.

Marty_J

With the current exchange rate, things aren't really much cheaper in the States than they are here.

thescouselander

As others have said, technically you will be liable to import duty etc. Also if it goes wrong you may not have too much comeback and you may have trouble getting it fixed.

You could buy a UK spec machine in the tax free shop at the airport in (in the UK) and this could save you money (but not always). Also if it goes wrong you can take it back to the same chain of shop in the uk.

gjchester

macman wrote: »

It will be cheaper

Maybe, depends whats on special at the time you go, and of course the exchange rate. It's a better saving on a Mac if thats what you were planning on buying. It used to be the case they were cheaper but leaving tax issues aside when work have bought them in the US (because they were specialist devices Dell were not suppling to the UK at the time) they were more or less the same price as the UK version they eventually released (it got released here about 6 months later).

The margins on PC's (desktop and laptops) are so small theres no huge differential these days. Look at somewhere like Bestbuy or Walmart or even NewEgg on line and you'll see there is some difference but not enough to say it makes any odds.

Certainly any saving will be eaten up if you get stopped by customs or it goes wrong.

It's also worth pointing out is that in the unlikely event that you get stopped at the airport the emphasis is on you to prove you bought it in the UK, NOT as most people seem to think, on Customs to prove you didn't. If in doubt they'll charge you VAT and Duty and you need to claim it back by sending a UK proof of purchase to them.

thescouselander

gjchester wrote: »

Maybe, depends whats on special at the time you go, and of course the exchange rate. It's a better saving on a Mac if thats what you were planning on buying. It used to be the case they were cheaper but leaving tax issues aside when work have bought them in the US (because they were specialist devices Dell were not suppling to the UK at the time) they were more or less the same price as the UK version they eventually released (it got released here about 6 months later).

The margins on PC's (desktop and laptops) are so small theres no huge differential these days. Look at somewhere like Bestbuy or Walmart or even NewEgg on line and you'll see there is some difference but not enough to say it makes any odds.

Certainly any saving will be eaten up if you get stopped by customs or it goes wrong.

It's also worth pointing out is that in the unlikely event that you get stopped at the airport the emphasis is on you to prove you bought it in the UK, NOT as most people seem to think, on Customs to prove you didn't. If in doubt they'll charge you VAT and Duty and you need to claim it back by sending a UK proof of purchase to them.

I have pretty much given up on trying to buy things in the US now. I nearly always find I can buy the same item in the UK from an on-line shop cheaper than even bestbuy etc. Its just not worth it any more.

davenpearsall

thanks for all the replies guys.