New Laptop from USA

Hi guys

I am in the process of buying a laptop (as a present) for my nephew in the UK from the US and this is what I am currently looking at. He is starting work after college and promised him one. Is this any good for that money or can I get a better one and more importantly will this work in the UK.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E...

Thank you.

I assume you are in the USA.
A quick google search shows you can buy a UK spec of this model, cheaper in the UK.
I would prefer to get the money. But I don't have such a generous uncle'

will this work in the UK.

it would have a US keyboard,
you would need to change the mains power lead (possibly the whole charger but unlikely)
wifi channels would need to be changed to UK/europe
warranty would be US only.
shipping might be costly

In reply to a post by Anonymous:

Hi guys

I am in the process of buying a laptop (as a present) for my nephew in the UK from the US and this is what I am currently looking at. He is starting work after college and promised him one. Is this any good for that money or can I get a better one and more importantly will this work in the UK.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E...

Thank you.

Add 20% VAT to the price, along with any duty to be paid.

Warranty will be difficult to exercise.

Is the Power adapter a 100-250V 50-60Hz or a 100-120V 60Hz unit? Experience of US sourced equipment is that the Power Supply may need to be replaced and as a minimum there will be a new power cord required.

The keyboard will be a US keyboard so certain characters will be missing and others in different places - it will then become even more confusing when a set of UK keyboard drivers is installed as key will not perform as expected.

I have an Acer Aspire (not your model) with 17" screen. Only thing I can say is that is rather heavy if you need to lug it around. However, being elderly, I need the larger screen to see things well.

Wife has a Dell Insperon (bought as reconditioned about 4 years ago). Can't tell it from brand new and came with a 2 year home visit warranty.

The replies about a US PC in the UK with Power, Duty, VAT and warranty are real concerns.

One upside, my Acer PSU is 110 - 240 V 50 / 60Hz.

Good Luck

Sorry, forgot to add...

The navigation of a US Keyboard can be a slight pain. Although a QWERTY layout, the £, $, # and other keys are in different places.

I was in an Internet Cafe in Egypt recently; took me ages to find the @ key to log into my e-mail account!

its some time ago, when an apple machine (original imac I think!) was being launched,
I was in france at a tech show,and they had free (promotional) internet access: machine had azerty, but some (other) geek had set it to qwerty - fortunately I can touch type...

You can't beat the one-finger "hunt and peck" method of typing- then it doesn't really matter what the keyboard layout is

Until you use a strange keyboard, which has some key labels indicating that key may be persuaded (possibly) to give certain symbols (especially @ , / and \) for which you don't know the combination required - I've had this in Spain.

He would be better off buying a laptop himself when in the UK. He'd then have a relatively easily enforceable guarantee and all the proper power cords.

hunt and peck fail if its a french layout with a uk driver
hunt qnd peck fqil if its q french lqyout zith q uk driver

In reply to a post by billford:

You can't beat the one-finger "hunt and peck" method of typing- then it doesn't really matter what the keyboard layout is

Ah - if only they still made those lovely IBM Model M keyboards where all the key caps could popped off and arranged as you wish. Best keyboard ever made.