Just comparing prices today for SSDs between here and the states:-

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-039-CS&groupid=701&catid=2104&subcat=

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-041-CS&groupid=701&catid=2104&subcat=

http://www.guru3d.com/article/corsair-neutron-and-neutron-gtx-ssd-review/

The difference seems huge - is that how it is nowadays ? - I don't think this particular UK supplier is out - of -kilter with others in the UK, witness:-

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/12779864/art/corsair/corsair-neutron-series-so.html?srcid=11270&nopopup=1&gclid=CK3V1erFsrICFaTKtAodVDoAPQ

Its more than £100 more than the states.

Worth importing with shipping @£25 + VAT (17%) + import duty (3%) ? - Worldwide warranty ?

Nick

Remember you will probably have to pay state tax of some sort in the US (something like 3-5% normally).

But yep, it's the ridiculous cost of importing over here, plus corporate tax, that sticks the prices up! Remember everything that is imported goes through different tax brackets based on what it is, so it may be more than VAT and duty!

Remember the Stateside boy is making a profit as well.

So, definately not rip-off Britain - along with 1750% ROI on Wonga.Com

Outrageous doesn't adequately describe it.

Thank God we've got a Department of Trade and Competition agencies looking after our interests . . . . .

Of course, that form of blatant profiteering doesn't hold back economic growth. . . . . . . much (Cough!). At that sort of price difference you'll have drug and people traffickers going legit ! Almost worth the government making UK sellers a time-limited offer of a trade-off between profit and corporate tax, just to get sales up and the economy moving.

Import duty only payable if item price (Ex shipping and insurance is over £135).

VAT will be payable as the item is over £9.

Nick

Edited 13 September, 201213 yr by Clunkclick

US prices are stupidly low,a lot of electronics and computer stocks are cheaper in the US than in China (where they are made!!).

This has always been the case. Generally we pay the same in £ as the Yanks do in $.

As someone said you will often find sales tax levied on top of the U.S. price. Also if you try to buy mail order you will find the postie collecting import duties before he can relapse the goods

Look up hybrid drives, should have min 60gb SSD and as big HDD as you wish to pay for. SSD will be exclusively used for OS. You may also consider buying multiple 120gb SSDs as prices of those mem. dies went down recently and I've seen offer prices of £65 for top brand one the other day. One for system and mission crit soft, other for games and third one for all else and you bought yourself 360gb for £195, not a bad deal!

I personally bought some very specialist hardware from the US and had good experiences with it so why not? Remember that warranty shipment costs will eat away any price diff should it come to failure...

Just remember that a lot of stuff in the States that runs on mains ( USA MAINS =120V AC),might well be SWMPS , with an ability to work up to UK mains (=230 vAC), BUT the supression capacitors for US working may well not be of that value. Son bought an X box in states for half what it'd cost over here - plugged it in and BANG- suppression cap on the input was rated at 120v AC. Fortunately no damage done and he found a UK one( PSU) for a few pounds.

Edited 13 September, 201213 yr by VWD

I take it that the capacitor that blew in your son's X-Box was on the input side (Mains Side) of the unit. This is normally electrically isolated from the power coming out of either the X-Box or a PC power supply unit.

The input side of these power supplies is specified as requiring different power according to spec of the mains supply in the country i.e. 120 AC in the States and 240 AC in the UK. However, the X-Box will not be supplying AC power to its main board or components. As with PCs the incoming mains power has to be transformed to DC and stepped down to the lower voltages that main boards and components, whether X-Box or PC, use.

A Solid State drive, whether sourced and or operated in the US or UK, shouldn't, under normal operation come into contact with AC power - they are designed to operate from either 12 or 5 volt DC supplied by the power supply unit. The power supply unit effectively isolates any components downstream from the in-country power supply.

Its the X-Box or PC power supply that has to be country rated.

So, I would say there is no risk in this area in buying an SS drive from outside the UK.

Nick

Edited 22 September, 201213 yr by Clunkclick

Nick - no problems with the likes of SSD stuff from USA. I only posted a warning to make folks aware of the risks of USA/UK POWER PROBLEMS. My DIL is a California lass, and my son is reasonably technology aware of possible problems, but how many others are aware of the problems. Even he had to stop & think of possible problems of the differences .

The main reason that I reckon is that most goods that move around the world are pirced in US Dollars.

Hence the US home market always know their margins.

When goods are imported from SE Asia, where most things are made, then imported to EU/UK or where ever then imported need a currency fluctuation margin.

The do not want to be changing their prices every week or so in many case hence include a margin of currency protection.

Tend to look at Dabs, Novatech etc to view those who have high volumes and can work on narrow margins.

Having big database speed issues at the moment and SSDs might be they way to go rather than RAID 10 normals.

A LOT of electronics goods being made today use electronic power supplies and can handle nearly any voltage, or frequency thrown at them; the ones to watch out for are the manual switchable voltage versions, these often do not make allowances for frequency differences and can cause problems when swapping between 50 and 60Hz supplies.

Electronic "universal" power supplies are becoming more common as it saves the manufacturer money - no more making a different version for every country; however a few people DELIBERATELY make old style supplies to stop grey imports affecting their profit margins in area like Europe where they charge a large premium over the US market.

GG- the Psu was rated at 110/240'50 Hz . But the input cap was rated at lower( when I'd cleaned up the markings).Son is reasonably techie aware of problems to look for .He did get one for a few quid less than he'd expected.

So it was not a US spec psu then.