# Laptops/electronics-cheaper where?



## jillod (May 31, 2010)

Im looking at getting a new laptop, perhaps a MAC in the near future as I assume Ill be on it quite alot over the coming year, using skype and whatnot, and my laptop is quite battered, but am I better to buy it at home(Ireland) or wait till I get to Dubai?? where seems to be better value? this also applies to a phone and basics like ipod speakers ect??
cheers all!


----------



## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

From what i have seen of the prices in the UK they're cheaper than they are here. Dunno whether you can claim your VAT back too? Wouldn't have thought so but you never know.

The Euro is weak against the dollar too (The AED id linked to the $ at 1:3.67) so that won't help. Get the exact spec of the make you want and look at Sharaf DG, Jackey's electronics and some other places here for comparison.


----------



## thedevil007 (Jun 6, 2010)

No idea of MAC laptop prices but u can get a good HP, Toshiba, Compaq, Dell laptop with the price ranges from AED2500 to AED4000. (US$ 680 to US$ 1090)


----------



## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

I'm pretty sure Mac prices are capped worldwide but you might save something. For PC's Sharaf DG and Carre Four. You could spend hours trailing round Bur Dubai going best price in and out of 20 shops but I doubt the saving will be worth the hassle.

One thing Bur Dubai is good for though is buying a PC with only DOS installed on it and buying a copy of windows seperatly. That way you get a hard copy of windows without all the ISP, Norton and other prompts to buy software you don't want on it.


----------



## Guest (Jun 10, 2010)

Mr Rossi said:


> I'm pretty sure Mac prices are capped worldwide but you might save something. For PC's Sharaf DG and Carre Four. You could spend hours trailing round Bur Dubai going best price in and out of 20 shops but I doubt the saving will be worth the hassle.
> 
> One thing Bur Dubai is good for though is buying a PC with only DOS installed on it and buying a copy of windows seperatly. That way you get a hard copy of windows without all the ISP, Norton and other prompts to buy software you don't want on it.


I think Mac are supposed to be capped worldwide, but they are significantly more expensive here, although the accessories, eg., mouse, keyboard are comparably priced


----------



## Helios (Oct 22, 2008)

Cheapest place for buying computer stuff in Dubai is Al Ain centre in Mankhool road, Bur Dubai.


----------



## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Andy Capp said:


> From what i have seen of the prices in the UK they're cheaper than they are here. Dunno whether you can claim your VAT back too? Wouldn't have thought so but you never know.
> 
> The Euro is weak against the dollar too (The AED id linked to the $ at 1:3.67) so that won't help. Get the exact spec of the make you want and look at Sharaf DG, Jackey's electronics and some other places here for comparison.


You can reclaim VAT, but only once you are registered as non-resident.

Obviously rules apply, but I have all the info should anyone want it.

-


----------



## mayotom (Nov 8, 2008)

Jillod, you are probably best to take a trip to Belfast or even just to Newry, you will save on the prices in Dubai, but only slightly, as for Skype it is not allowed in Dubai. so either way you should download the installation file before you travel. 

But the cost will really come down to the Spec that you are looking for!!!


----------



## jillod (May 31, 2010)

Elphaba said:


> You can reclaim VAT, but only once you are registered as non-resident.
> 
> Obviously rules apply, but I have all the info should anyone want it.
> 
> -


Reclaim vat? Is Dubai not the Vat free heaven I have been hearing about? Apologies for my ignorance? Business and math go over my head! 
"Registered as a non resident"- will this exclude me as I am coming to live and work? 

And "rules apply" in regards to what exactly?! 

and thanks to all the others posts and advice!!decisions..


----------



## funkyant (Mar 27, 2010)

Just saw this, and have to state that computer prices at Al Ain Centre (Computer Plaza) in Bur Dubai are much cheaper (about 15%) than at home in Australia.

I'm a bit of a computer geek and am well versed on cheap hardware prices at home. I was kicking myself that I purchased a new PC before I came over.


----------



## thedevil007 (Jun 6, 2010)

Though Mac business is crapped, but yet i find ppl inted to go for MAC...anythin special in it ?


----------



## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

thedevil007 said:


> inted to go for MAC...anythin special in it ?




Very good branding and marketing thus certain people would buy a house brick at 3 times the price if it had the Apple logo on it.


----------



## Hamish (Dec 8, 2008)

Even with the Aussie dollar taking a dive recently? I find that hard to believe!


----------



## Guest (Jun 15, 2010)

thedevil007 said:


> Though Mac business is crapped, but yet i find ppl inted to go for MAC...anythin special in it ?


Mac business is crapped? What does that mean?

I think there are a couple of reasons:

1. if you're an IT or computer neophyte, Macs are just so much easier to use. I have a MacBook and I find the computer & software so much more intuitive than PC

2. I think many people like Mac because they can integrate everything, eg. iPhone, iTouch, MacTV, iTunes, etc. I also have an iPhone, and whenever I add contacts or appointments they are automatically added to the computer, or vice versa. If everyone in your house uses Mac, you can integrate the whole household. Easy to do - just plug your computer into the TV to show movies, photographs, etc.


----------



## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

I am so anti i-anything. I installed an i application and immediatly lost access to like 2000 songs as they are now 'copyrighted' of some sort that I couldnt figure out to only that i software. Besides it rearranged my songs out of their folders into what it decided. I have 8,000 songs that are just in random order now. It was my own fault for pushing allow to sort but I thought it would sort only for i software folder. Boy was I wrong. I dont want to take the days to fix what i software did  It has now been a year and a half and I despise apple everytime I turn on my zune in my car and deal with the 'sorting' that i did. My sony, phillips and zune mp3 thingies no longer can utilize the songs that are protected. 

Mac is used in the science industry almost exclusive and it is far from intuitive to me. I am still baby stepping on those things software, even after four years of utilizing them on projects, research, and other educational purposes. Shorts that I know to push in my pc leave the screen blank and not moving. I have those pulling hair out moments quite a bit. I find it far from intuitive. And this is from someone who has prob logged over 200+ hours working on them. 

Mac is too big for their britches. If you want to be part of the 'in' crowd, buy a mac. Relearn 'computering'. I have tried but just can not get the hang of it.


----------



## Guest (Jun 15, 2010)

Jynxgirl said:


> I am so anti i-anything. I installed an i application and immediatly lost access to like 2000 songs as they are now 'copyrighted' of some sort that I couldnt figure out to only that i software. Besides it rearranged my songs out of their folders into what it decided. I have 8,000 songs that are just in random order now. It was my own fault for pushing allow to sort but I thought it would sort only for i software folder. Boy was I wrong. I dont want to take the days to fix what i software did  It has now been a year and a half and I despise apple everytime I turn on my zune in my car and deal with the 'sorting' that i did. My sony, phillips and zune mp3 thingies no longer can utilize the songs that are protected.
> 
> Mac is used in the science industry almost exclusive and it is far from intuitive to me. I am still baby stepping on those things software, even after four years of utilizing them on projects, research, and other educational purposes. Shorts that I know to push in my pc leave the screen blank and not moving. I have those pulling hair out moments quite a bit. I find it far from intuitive. And this is from someone who has prob logged over 200+ hours working on them.
> 
> Mac is too big for their britches. If you want to be part of the 'in' crowd, buy a mac. Relearn 'computering'. I have tried but just can not get the hang of it.


I didn't there was an "in" crowd for computers! I didn't get it to be popular LOL! Maybe it's not intuitive for you because you started on a PC so are used to them? I have never really used a computer at all until recently, and more or less started on a mac so found it easy, maybe because I hadn't really ever used a PC. PC's are the same for me as Mac is for you - can't get the hang of them. 

Re the i application - have no idea what that is or why it did that to you. But you're right - if you have anything other than itunes or ipod, mac is probably crap. But that is obviously part of mac's marketing strategy - buy everything from them 

I guess everyone has their preferences, these are just my thoughts on why some people are drawn to mac - I know many don't like them


----------

