Would you buy this Dell in UK or get laptop in Phuket (moving permanently at end of the month). Would use it for emails etc, no gaming.

AMD TurionTM 64 Mobile Technology MK-36

Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition

512MB 533MHz DDR SDRAM

15.4" Widescreen WXGA (1280x800)

60GB SATA Hard Drive (5,400rpm)

Memory - To 1024MB (From 512MB)

Due to End 17/01/2007.

FREE 36 Months McAfee Security Centre

Due to End 31/01/2007.

Save £50 (Inc vat)

Due to End 31/01/2007

£448 (30900)

This one is also on offer and could upgrade screen size for £30

Mobile AMD Sempron TM Processor 3500+

Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition

512MB 533MHz DDR SDRAM

14.1" Wide XGA screen

60GB Hard Drive (5,400rpm)

FREE 36 Months McAfee Security Centre

Due to End 31/01/2007

£349 (24081)

Not bothered about warranty, am told if laptop goes almost impossible to repair anyway.

These sound like good deals. I bought a new Core2Duo Toshiba Satellite A100-998 laptop 15.4" / 1 GB / 100 GB for £800 from an eBay seller in UK in Nov 2006. £50 less than cheapest retailer and a good machine; nothing of that spec seen in Thailand.

If you have a 12 month Thai visa, or maybe if you have a letter from the Inland Revenue Service accepting that your tax status is now changed to non-resident (assuming you have informed them, which may be a good idea) why don't you try getting your VAT back for the purchase. Maybe other TV members can advise if this is possible?

Would you buy this Dell in UK or get laptop in Phuket (moving permanently at end of the month). Would use it for emails etc, no gaming.

AMD TurionTM 64 Mobile Technology MK-36

Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition

512MB 533MHz DDR SDRAM

15.4" Widescreen WXGA (1280x800)

60GB SATA Hard Drive (5,400rpm)

Memory - To 1024MB (From 512MB)

Due to End 17/01/2007.

FREE 36 Months McAfee Security Centre

Due to End 31/01/2007.

Save £50 (Inc vat)

Due to End 31/01/2007

£448 (30900)

This one is also on offer and could upgrade screen size for £30

Mobile AMD Sempron TM Processor 3500+

Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition

512MB 533MHz DDR SDRAM

14.1" Wide XGA screen

60GB Hard Drive (5,400rpm)

FREE 36 Months McAfee Security Centre

Due to End 31/01/2007

£349 (24081)

Not bothered about warranty, am told if laptop goes almost impossible to repair anyway.

everything you mention is prety much standard kit on a budget laptop, good value is when you are also getting a high end graphics card and UXGA panel, these are the items that cost big money

Thanks. Had not thought about the VAT, have not sent forms yet to Inland Revenue as house sale still going through.

Would I pay a lot more for similar Dell spec/reliability in Thailand? If there is not much in it I will wait as it would be another thing to try and get on the plane but there are 3 of us using one laptop at the moment and unfortunately the other two are already making MY laptop overwork. I can also forsee arguments in Phuket when shopping for said laptop and price getting higher & higher.

get it in the UK dont give any money to the Thai PC vendors, they will prob rip you off....

I don't think they will rip you of in Thailand!

If you want to live in Thailand why not buy here? The prices not that much different if any!! You will find good brandname Laptops here as well.

I using a ACER 5593 wiyh this spec: Dual Core 2 Intel CPU, 1 GB RAM, 120 GB SATA Hdd, Multi DVD Burner,14.1" wide TFT screen, WiFi, LAN, Bluetooth, USB, Crad Reader, PCMCIA Express, Modem, USB Windows Media Center Original and other soft original, at a cost of Baht 45,000 and I believe it's a good Deal. Even a 1 year Insurance, if stolen pp is included. Warranty is international! What you want more?

On this deal is nothing from Rip-Off!!

And the 7% VAT you can claim back!!

ToshibeThailand even opffers good deals and other brands as well like ASUS, HP/COMPAQ pp.!

And how about repair in Thailand? Is it hard to repair notebook for example ?

Buy in Thailand and then you will be sure of local service.

Dell is not well supported here.

Acer and Compaq/HP will be better bets.

I would go for 1Gb of memory if you pocket will cope.

yes you will get local service - wether it is any good or not is another issue. I would look at HP/Compaq or Acer and buy it outside. Just me personally!