Computers... cheaper in the UK or Australia?

Unluckyalf · 15 Mar 2006 at 22:26

As the title says really.
Planning on moving to Aus later this year and i need a new pc but i dont know whether to get one here or wait till im out there.
Anyone here have an insight into both markets?

HEADRAT · 15 Mar 2006 at 22:37

UK, I can remember seeing some scary prices for new stuff if Aus, remember that even though Aus is in the APAC region where lots of this stuff is made its a very small market.

HEADRAT

thefranklin · 16 Mar 2006 at 00:15

I could have sworn i stumbled on to an aussie overclockers site, might want to check that out.

Yep, quick google search confirmed that. But its not good like this one, its more like the crappy one over here in America where they do not stuff and have ads like crazy. Take one of the ads and you'll be hooked up with an aussie computer store.

Andy100 · 16 Mar 2006 at 01:41

I'm living in Sydney and I can tell you that the computer's here are expensive for a whole system but if you build your own you can get the parts at about the same price as the UK or a little cheaper.

The problem is that one company pretty much supplies the whole market. Dick Smiths is evil but they own all the major electronic retail outlets.

Some of the full systems here still come supplied with CRT monitors!

You pretty much have to go to the little asian retailers to get anything for a decent price but bargains are definitely there to be had.

valerian · 16 Mar 2006 at 03:04

when i was considering (still am) going there to work, i looked into it and i thought it was about the same

kar · 16 Mar 2006 at 15:33

Well I have come the other way, and generally I think things are cheaper here, even after you allow for the higher consumption tax (10% GST in Aus vs whatever VAT is here).

Things like videocards, for 300-400£ you'll get top of the line, in Aus you'd be looking at around $1100-$1200. Even when you do the conversions it's still cheaper in the UK, and thats with the higher consumption tax.

There's more competition over here so if you shop smart things are cheap. But then for example something like an Ipod 5g is much, much cheaper in aus, about $400 versus £220 ($530-$550). So milage varies.

Energize · 16 Mar 2006 at 16:41

Andy100 said:
I'm living in Sydney and I can tell you that the computer's here are expensive for a whole system but if you build your own you can get the parts at about the same price as the UK or a little cheaper.

The problem is that one company pretty much supplies the whole market. Dick Smiths is evil but they own all the major electronic retail outlets.

Some of the full systems here still come supplied with CRT monitors!

You pretty much have to go to the little asian retailers to get anything for a decent price but bargains are definitely there to be had.

A lot of places sell computers with crt monitors still. They have better colours and dont have a fixed resolution which gives them advantages over lcds in games and video production.

Unluckyalf · 16 Mar 2006 at 22:34

Thanks for the replies. Seems it might be the safer bet to get a system over here before i go.

Cheers

Messiah Khan · 16 Mar 2006 at 23:58

Don't forget to add the price of getting the thing shipped over to Australia as well if you do buy it here. Also make sure they use the same voltage etc for main power sockets.

Unluckyalf · 17 Mar 2006 at 06:33

Voltage is the same as here, its just the plug thats different i believe.
The pc will just go into the container with the rest of my life so there wont be any shipping charges specifically for it.