HUGE price differences in consumer electronics sold here and in the US continue, with local retailers appearing not to pass on the advantage of our surging dollar.
Australians who buy locally still pay through the nose for some desktops, laptops, tablets, computer games and consoles and music bought at online stores, compared with consumers in the US.
Computer firms are still setting their recommended retail prices often up to 50 per cent higher in Australia compared with the US.
The base model of the popular Lenovo X1, for example, is reduced on Lenovo's Australian site from $3428 to $1979, but a similar reduction on its US parent site lists it at $US1191 ($1130).
The 16GB model of the ASUS Transformer without keyboard sells at Harvey Norman for $598, but in the US it can be bought for $US400.
While Apple's Australian mark-ups on iMacs, MacBook Pros and iPads are not as severe, they were significant, as Apple can control the distribution and cost of its goods.
The discrepancy in costs between a US and Australian iPad 2 is $80-$120, while a new iMac in Australia can cost up to $250 more.
Despite the Australian dollar's value at about $US1.05 last weekend, music bought through iTunes in Australia typically costs 30 per cent more than when bought through iTunes in the US
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