Better To Buy A Laptop In Thailand Or USA

[pdogg]

A friend who has a desktop just asked:

 

Is it better for him to buy a laptop in the Thailand or the States?

[rxpharm]

The prices in the US for most things electronic are better than in LOS. The only factor is warranty. Your friend should look for something in the US that has an international warranty. The price difference is due to market size - the US has a huge market and so has better pricing, especially considering how much competition there is in electronics.

[Snick]

The price difference is much less than it used to be, but the warranty issue is still something that might be important.

 

Its easy enough to look for a laptop in Thailand, then check the price on Amazon.com to see what USA price is, keep in mind Thai price includes the 7% VAT while Amazon's posted price will not include your local sales tax. Lately I have found the Thai price to be within 5% of the USA price on most items. My Canon Camera was actually cheaper here !

 

PS. In USA all PC laptops will come with Windows installed, in Thailand you can get a laptop without windows installed and save a few bucks that way. Assuming you have alternative ways to get an Operation System installed

[JaiDee]

Not only can you get the OS you choose, as long as you don't mind using pirated stuff you can get ANYTHING you want installed on your new laptop as well. For instance, I bought this Dell Inspiron laptop I am typing on right now in March of 2010, ordered it from the only real computer shop on Phangan Island.   The Swiss guy who runs that place got it from BKK and installed Windows XP pro on my request, and also loaded up Photoshop CS4 and 7 or 8 other programs I requested, all free of charge; these programs would have cost a small fortune in the states.

 

     Knock on wood, the thing still goes great today and I love it.....only cost 19K baht, too.  Could be big problems ahead when MS stops all updates for Windows XP come April, but I am sure someone,somewhere will figure out a solution; I read recently that 1/3rd of all Windows-based PC's use XP as their operating system.

 

  Bottom line, PD; I'd have no issues at all buying another laptop in Thailand, I think the prices are comparable and your buddy can get whatever he wants put on it for no or very little cost. Plus he can get a Windows 7 OS, much better than that dastardly new Windows 8.

[stoolpusher]

I found it was cheaper not by much to by a pc in Australia than Thailand with 3 years warranty but i still have a look every time I'm in Bangers  just in case but the thumb drives are way cheaper in Thailand.