US Console Prices

Lemlin

Hi folks,

Had a 360 but recently sold it and haven't been following gaming in a while now. FIFA was about all I was playing.

My wife is going to New York in November. I've a son who is mad into tablet games and his Gameboy who is turning five and I reckon his next port of call will be a console. I also wouldn't mind getting a machine solely for games to pick up the odd good title.

I'm just wondering would it be worth getting my wife to pick up a PS4 or Xbox One when she is over there? Is there much saving to be made?

I understand the old craic of PAL and NTSC which there would have been with consoles years ago is now gone.

Kirby

Lemlin wrote: »

Is there much saving to be made?

Not as much as you might think.

Their prices always seem way lower than ours......because their listed prices don't include tax. Ours do. So they can advertise a product at a certain price, and then charge you 40 quid more when you reach the till and it's just accepted as the norm.

So you might save a few euro....but any small saving will be offset by having to lug a large box back in your luggage.

If you are building a PC, then it can be worth it as there is huge savings on individual components like CPU's, Graphics cards, etc. But for a games console, it's just not worth the effort.

CiDeRmAn

The Pal/Ntsc thing isn't an issue now.
Region locking is though
The PS3 by and large was region free but the 360 was mixed bag of region specific titles.
Apparently the XB1 and PS4 are region free though.
Meaning Nintendo are the only ones making a region locked console, both home and handheld,

2Mad2BeMad

don't forget the different volts levels
you'd need an adaptor for that
you also have to declare the console too customs which could add more
its dearer too be honest

C14N

Kirby wrote: »

Their prices always seem way lower than ours......because their listed prices don't include tax. Ours do. So they can advertise a product at a certain price, and then charge you 40 quid more when you reach the till and it's just accepted as the norm.

So you might save a few euro....but any small saving will be offset by having to lug a large box back in your luggage.

The taxes aren't too bad though, not sure what it is in New York but most states I was in over there had it at 10% or less. Still low enough to justify the savings. If suitcase space is an issue you can always ditch the box too, in the case of the PS4 at least the console isn't that big.

2Mad2BeMad wrote: »

don't forget the different volts levels
you'd need an adaptor for that
you also have to declare the console too customs which could add more
its dearer too be honest

Ah now, how many of us really declare our US gadgets at customs?

I'd say wait and see what currency exchange rate is like at the time. It's pretty good now but it could change a lot in 6 months. See what it's like and decide if it's worth the savings.

SolvableKnave

Just to throw something out there - HMV are re-opening on Grafton Street next weekend. As part of the launch day bonanza, they have both PS4 and XB1 at 100 EUR off, while stocks last. So thats a PS4 for 300 and an XB1 for 400.

As an aside, on the US sales tax, aren't electronics exempt from that? I thought there was some rule in relation to that.

SolvableKnave

sugarman wrote: »

Sales tax differs state to state, I know it applies in new york tho. As I posted above it works out about $435 which is €315 with today's rate. And thats within the €400 limit customs set out too.

On a side note, hmv have any other offers? Games or controllers?

From their website:

HMV to officially open this Easter weekend

HMV and Xtra-vision owners Hilco Capital today announced that the new HMV Grafton Street store will officially open its doors on next Saturday 19th April at 8.00am

HMV will mark the opening of the new store, located on Grafton Street, with a massive Record Store Celebration, with exclusive offers available throughout the day, including 40% off all vinyl. There will also be amazing one day only deals across movie, music, games and technology including Blu-ray players for €9.99 and €100 off Xbox One and PS4 consoles. Stock is limited so get down early.

The store will be giving away HMV goodies throughout the day.

The opening will also feature live performances by some of Ireland’s top acts, as well as live sets by Ministry of Sound DJs. HMV Ireland’s Facebook and Twitter pages will announce the live line-up early next week.

Oafley Jones

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

The Pal/Ntsc thing isn't an issue now.
Region locking is though
The PS3 by and large was region free but the 360 was mixed bag of region specific titles.
Apparently the XB1 and PS4 are region free though.
Meaning Nintendo are the only ones making a region locked console, both home and handheld,

Isn't blu-ray playback region locked? Definitely remember some people having issues with their Xbox ones being bought with the incorrect region coding.

Retr0gamer

The best way to avoid customs is to take it out of the box and put it in with your luggage. If Customs ask (which more than likely they won't) tell them you are a pro gamer and brought your console with you for a tournament.

It's not really worth doing to be honest unless you are going to a sales tax free state like Oregon. New York has pretty high sales tax.

C14N

Oafley Jones wrote: »

Isn't blu-ray playback region locked? Definitely remember some people having issues with their Xbox ones being bought with the incorrect region coding.

It depends on the movie but yes, a lot of them are, there's a comprehensive database here: http://regionfreemovies.com/

However I have found with the PS3 at least that this is not an issue. I've played loads of US and Canadian movies on my EU PS3. Not sure if this is the same with PS4 though, it sounds like its not for XBO.

johnny_ultimate

Criterion - the best film distributor of them all - have all their Blu-Rays region locked to Region A, I believe, and many of the best UK distributors (Masters of Cinema etc...) also lock their stuff to B. So you do have to make a call there, and multi-region Blu-Ray players are hard to come by.

One big thing to point out is that North America is the same Blu-Ray region (A) as most major Asian countries. So if you're big into importing films or a collector then it would actually be hugely beneficial to have an American PS4, especially if you already have an EU PS3 or Blu-Ray player.

2Mad2BeMad

SolvableKnave wrote: »

Just to throw something out there - HMV are re-opening on Grafton Street next weekend. As part of the launch day bonanza, they have both PS4 and XB1 at 100 EUR off, while stocks last. So thats a PS4 for 300 and an XB1 for 400.

As an aside, on the US sales tax, aren't electronics exempt from that? I thought there was some rule in relation to that.

good deal
but can't imagin too many in stock

xbox can be got for 420e now with titanfall on amazon
ps4 though thats a great deal, but again I can't see much stock.
Probably 5items for each console just too make a queue at the door

CiDeRmAn

Oafley Jones wrote: »

Isn't blu-ray playback region locked? Definitely remember some people having issues with their Xbox ones being bought with the incorrect region coding.

The region locking is on the disks, and there are resources online to help determine which movies are region free.
Their dvd players remain region encoded, and it's also up to the magnets of the dvd to determine the region or region free nature of the product.

Lemlin

I'd prefer to buy over here and have a warranty if the difference is only €85 tbh. I thought it might be a bit more. Friends had told me you can save a bit on an iPad so I thought consoles might be the same.

Are games cheaper over there?

For example, should we buy the console here but get the misses to pick up games over there?

Retr0gamer

Games are a hell of a lot cheaper. I get my US games from playasia and videogamesplus.ca and a few from ebay. PS4 is region free so even if you get a PAL european machine I'd still get most of my games from the states.

MadYaker

2Mad2BeMad wrote: »

don't forget the different volts levels
you'd need an adaptor for that
you also have to declare the console too customs which could add more
its dearer too be honest

You don't need to declare anything in my experience. I've brought back loads of clothes and electronics over the years, I just go through the nothing to declare channel. Yeah they might stop you but I've never seen it happen.

2Mad2BeMad

MadYaker wrote: »

You don't need to declare anything in my experience. I've brought back loads of clothes and electronics over the years, I just go through the nothing to declare channel. Yeah they might stop you but I've never seen it happen.

forgot to mention warrenty
unless the console prices where a BIG difference
I wouldn't risk it, unless you take multiple trips too the US every year

MiskyBoyy

You can get an Xbox ONE with Titanfall (digital code) for €420 off Amazon.co.uk Could easily sell Titanfall for €40 if you
didn't want it. That brings the price down to €380. Bargain!

As for the games. They work out a good bit cheaper there with the exchange rate. Or you could buy them digitally from the Xbox
market for €42 each compared to about €65 on the Irish Xbox market simply by switching your region to United States in system
settngs.

MadYaker

Will that still work if you have an irish IP address? Surely you'd need to use a VPN.

MiskyBoyy

MadYaker wrote: »

Will that still work if you have an irish IP address? Surely you'd need to use a VPN.

Nope nothing. Just switch region to United States and create a fake U.S billing address at https://commerce.microsoft.com
I used New Hampshire as it has 1 of the lowest sales tax rates.

Retr0gamer

Better off using Oregon. 0% tax.

MiskyBoyy

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Better off using Oregon. 0% tax.

No I'm not

...New Hampshire also has no sales tax.

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/05/the-5-states-with-no-sales-tax/

Lemlin

Would a DS or PS Vita for my son be much cheaper over there folks?

C14N

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Better off using Oregon. 0% tax.

Oregon isn't too close by though.