Buying a laptop from the States

[janaage]

Is there any problem in doing this?  I have a mate over in the US for a while and I need a laptop for home, looking on the US Dell site it looks like you get so much more for your money.

Do you techie people see any problem in buying a US laptop and predominantly using it over here?

[Simon Pieman]

Just make sure you can adapt/get a new power adapter. Everything else is coolio.

Oh and the DVD drive's region may need setting to UK, but this is easily done through Windows.

[Simon Pieman]

Have you factored in taxes for import (I don't know how this works).

Personally I wouldn't buy a Dell laptop again, my inspiron 1100 overheats something chronic. Make sure you research the problems.

[janaage]

As soon as I saw you were about I knew who'd be replying first.

Cheers Si!!

Obviously Yank business men must use their laptops ok over here, so I thought their shouldn't be a problem.  Good point about the DVD region though mate, didn't think of that.

[pumbaa]

My US purchased laptop works perfectly in the UK with a suitable power adaptor. I proved it last week. My DVD drive automatically determines the DVD region, so you can swap between R1 & 2.

[janaage]

Have you factored in taxes for import (I don't know how this works).

Personally I wouldn't buy a Dell laptop again, my inspiron 1100 overheats something chronic. Make sure you research the problems.

Well I was planning on ordering it from here, having my mates address in the states for delivery and for him to bring it home.  Would he have to declare this?  I haven't got a clue about customs charges.

Coxernator, would I be able to reclaim the yank sales tax on this?

[pauld]

As SP says main issue is power adaptor, but also be aware of the different keyboard layout. TBH, most people get used to it within a day or so, but for some it can be a real issue.

[pumbaa]

Have you factored in taxes for import (I don't know how this works).

Personally I wouldn't buy a Dell laptop again, my inspiron 1100 overheats something chronic. Make sure you research the problems.

Well I was planning on ordering it from here, having my mates address in the states for delivery and for him to bring it home.  Would he have to declare this?  I haven't got a clue about customs charges.

Coxernator, would I be able to reclaim the yank sales tax on this?

He shouldn't have to declare it through customs if he brought it into the country and left it with you. Not strictly legal mind you, but every other bugger does it  

I'm not sure about reclaiming the sales tax. Maybe your friend who has to file taxes in the US might be able to do that and only charge you the before tax price, depending on how good a mate he is.

[land_of_bo]

Have you factored in taxes for import (I don't know how this works).

Personally I wouldn't buy a Dell laptop again, my inspiron 1100 overheats something chronic. Make sure you research the problems.

Well I was planning on ordering it from here, having my mates address in the states for delivery and for him to bring it home.  Would he have to declare this?  I haven't got a clue about customs charges.

Coxernator, would I be able to reclaim the yank sales tax on this?

Surely if he unpacked it and brought it over in a laptop bag he can just say it's his laptop - no charges then...

The keyboard point is a good one, but unless you are a touch typist that it's not a problem.

I'd also go along with SIPI - I don't like Dell laptops - see if you can get a good deal on a Sony...

[pumbaa]

As SP says main issue is power adaptor, but also be aware of the different keyboard layout. TBH, most people get used to it within a day or so, but for some it can be a real issue.

Its a little different, but not significant. The main problem is the lack of the £ key!

[janaage]

What's the difference between lay outs?  Sorry for being dense.

[land_of_bo]

US
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b100/landofbo/US.png

UK
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b100/landofbo/UK.png

Things like " £ \ are in different places. So you set windows to UK layout and just have to remember that SHIFT 2 will give you " even though above the 2 on your keyboard is @

[Barry Scott]

Have you factored in taxes for import (I don't know how this works).

Personally I wouldn't buy a Dell laptop again, my inspiron 1100 overheats something chronic. Make sure you research the problems.

Yeah, try to aviod Dell mate, they're pretty crap nowadays. they feel cheap and their keyboards always seem to collapse.

I've had a couple and they have loads of problems, plus if parts break, quite amusingly, they will try to charge you a good 3 to 4 times the amount you could purchase them from a proper computer shop, while telling you that you can't get the parts anywhere else (which is bullshit). That alone marks that down in my book.

I bought an HP a little while back and that is by far and away the best laptop i've had in ages. Seriously well built and reliable as hell.

[Nomoreheroes]

I would suggest that you have a look at 'Compusa', 'BestBuy' and 'CircuitCity' websites to see who is doing the best deals. They have these shops on every corner in the US and offers change every week. If you wait until November then you could save yourself another couple of hundred dollars buy purchasing on 'Black Friday' - Last day of the business year when they flog everything off cheap.

NMH

[pauld]

Things like " £ \ are in different places. So you set windows to UK layout and just have to remember that SHIFT 2 will give you " even though above the 2 on your keyboard is @

Sounds more complex than it is - you get used to it in a day or so. And if you're using it docked, you'd most likely use an external keyboard anyway