Computer - to buy or not to buy???

[sue-in-oz]

Hi to all,

My OH and I are coming over to oz in January and just wondering whether it will be worth us buying a laptop in the january sales before we come over so that we have an instant link to family and friends or do we wait until we get there and buy one there.

We have been advised that computers and laptops are alot cheaper here than in oz but that we may have issues with software etc. when we get there. We obviously don't want to lay out a load of money if it will be effectively useless when we get there!

Has anyone else had this issue? What did you do? Has anyone had problems with home comupters or laptops you have come over with and are they fairly easy problems to remedy?

Any advice would be useful!

Thanks

[Django]

Well I'm writing this on a lap top bought in the UK no probs at all. The only issue I would bring up is would it be warranty should something go wrong. Its a bit far to take back to the shop for repair.

Pete

[sue-in-oz]

Mm, that's what someone else has said at work! Will have to get it checked out when we buy. If we buy an international makes such as Sony or Toshiba, I imagine this would cover warranty worldwide but I'll definitely check! Good to hear you haven't had any problems with compatibility etc. so thanks for the advice!!!

[scooterdan]

Same here....

Bought this laptop in UK 2 months b4 coming out and works perfectly!! I think they are pretty similar prices really too....

Dan

[sueoc]

Yup,as others have said,computers here and in the UK are much the same,and the price is also,good luck.

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

Hi to all,

My OH and I are coming over to oz in January and just wondering whether it will be worth us buying a laptop in the january sales before we come over so that we have an instant link to family and friends or do we wait until we get there and buy one there.

We have been advised that computers and laptops are alot cheaper here than in oz but that we may have issues with software etc. when we get there. We obviously don't want to lay out a load of money if it will be effectively useless when we get there!

Has anyone else had this issue? What did you do? Has anyone had problems with home comupters or laptops you have come over with and are they fairly easy problems to remedy?

Any advice would be useful!

Thanks

Take a look at Acer, they do some pretty good cheap ones our cost about £250, that also somes with international warranty.:)
We would have been lost wiothour when we got here, ok we still needed the library but we could use it outside as we joined the library and used or abused their wireless network.

I would say get one..........

[sue-in-oz]

Thanks for all your help! Just surfing the net now trying to find a deal!!!

Thanks for the advice about the Acer too, that's a starting point!!!

[Martin and Val]

Like everyone else says, we bought ours in the UK and no matter where you buy them they still go wrong! (Bl---y things)
If you don't bring one with you, you wont be cut off from the rest of the world as the library has Internet access which is free of charge and easy to join.
Good luck for Jan 2009.

Martin and Val

[orrelljet]

Double-check the warranty, before you buy. Many of the large manufacturers (Dell included, would you believe) will not honour a warranty outside their designated purchase area; if Acer do then they're definitely worth considering.

Specs and prices are pretty similar between the UK and here but www.ebuyer.com often have some good deals. However, just because you get a bargain don't forget about the warranty - £250's worth of dead laptop isn't very useful. You could easily get a deal (with warranty) over here within the first couple of days of landing, especially if you check out some of the catalogue deals on various sites when you get here - free library access is perfect for the first few days or more. We brought a laptop with us but couldn't use it as we didn't have a provider anyway.

Have a look here for some bargains:

www.dse.com.au
http://www.msy.com.au/Parts/PARTS.pdf
http://www.harveynorman.com.au/produ...notebooks.html
www.dell.com.au




Good luck for January!!

Justin.

[katsmajic]

I would buy one there, i dont think theres much in the prices really, some are really cheap here etc, but we found ours invaluable for the actual move over.#

Had to access the internet at the airport on landing - easy with lappy
then once in our holiday rental we could take the laptop to the library and instead of waiting to use their pc's we were able to plug the lappy in and use their wifi...just remember a plug adapter.
i spent many hours sat in the library on t'internet whilst kids played with the toys and read etc...
and even cheekier, when we moved into our rental we stumbled across our neighbours wifi - we spoke to them about it and they let us piggyback for the couple of weeks it took to get our internet provider sorted.

so unless your going to buy one enroute or on landing i would def bring one with you.