Ask Adrian: Would it be cheaper to buy a laptop in the US?

Question My family and I are going to Boston for St Patrick’s Day and I’m wondering whether I’d be better off buying a laptop there, as they seem to be cheaper. Are there any downsides? — Tony Coyle Answer Almost all electronics are cheaper in the US by between 5pc and 20pc, depending on which state you buy it in (additional sales tax varies from 0pc to almost 10pc). But there are a few things you have to think about if you’re considering a major tech purchase over there.

The warranties on electronics — which you sometimes need to rely on — can vary by brand. Something like an Apple MacBook has a global manufacturer warranty (plus extended warranties which you can buy online and use in any country) but several other brands rely much more on local sales channels. So if you buy a HP gaming laptop in the US, you might save €200 on the equivalent Irish price, but you may well be on your own if anything goes wrong with it.



Then there’s the technological compatibility question. It’s not just the difference in two-pin and three-pin plugs, either. Some smartphones can’t easily be integrated with existing Irish operators.

For example, the iPhone 15 and 16 models don’t have sim card trays, only ‘e-sims’. While Irish iPhones have ‘e-sim’ capacity, operators here don’t generally offer the same ease of compatibility with e-sim as US operators, so you could be stuck if you buy one over there. And there’s also the question of customs and taxes.

Don’t forget that buying something like a laptop in the US and bringing it back into Ireland (the EU) is treated by Revenue as importing goods. You can find out more about the rates and levels at which customs taxes are due, but that is the situation. If you are stopped with what is clearly a newly purchased laptop (which is probably still in its box with manual, cable and plug), you will rightly be charged this customs duty, which will almost certainly wipe out any retail price saving you would have had.

Finally, keep the exchange rate in mind. At the time of writing this, the exchange rate was $1.04 for €1, meaning that what might have been a much cheaper price two months ago (when it was closer to $1.

10 per €1) is now only somewhat cheaper..