Laptops are more affordable in South Africa than they were a few years ago, but they’re still not as cheap as an iPhone. Depending on the model and features you want, expect to pay anything from R900 to R150000 for a new laptop. But there is good news: You can get one at the lower end of this price range if you’re willing to sacrifice some of the latest features or brand names like Apple or Samsung.
What is the cost of a laptop in South Africa?
It can be as little as R900.
The price range for a laptop in South Africa is R500 to R1000. You should be able to buy a laptop for less than R500 and possibly even as low as R100.
But it can be as much as R150000.
- But it can be as much as R150000.* The price you pay depends on the brand and features of your laptop, as well as how big the screen is and how much storage capacity it has. You can buy a cheap laptop for basic internet use for around R900, but if you want to buy a high-quality laptop with lots of features then expect to pay more than that. For example, an HP Chromebook 14 with 4GB RAM and 32GB eMMC flash memory costs about R14000—but there are cheaper Chromebooks available starting at around R4000.
You will pay more for a brand name like Apple, Samsung or Lenovo.
As you will expect, brand names like Apple, Samsung or Lenovo are not cheap. These laptops are usually more expensive than their generic counterparts, but they come with many added benefits. Brand-name computers are more reliable because of their quality of workmanship and design, as well as having better parts installed. They also are more powerful and stylish than generic computers, which may not run some programs as well or look as nice on your desk at home or in the office.
The price also depends on features such as screen size and storage capacity.
The size of the display is measured in inches, with larger screens being easier to use. If you want to watch movies or TV shows, a large screen will be more enjoyable. Larger screens also make it easier to work on your laptop when travelling, as they offer more viewing space.
You can also choose between different storage sizes for your laptop. The smaller the storage capacity, the cheaper it is per gigabyte — but if you like taking lots of photos and videos on your travels (or storing other files), then you’ll need enough space for those documents too!
How much you can expect to spend on brand names
For example, an Apple laptop can cost anything from R11000 to around R36000.
- Apple laptops can cost anything from R11000 to around R36000.
- The more expensive laptops are more powerful and have better build quality. For example, the MacBook Pro range starts at R20 000 and goes up to over R200 000, while the MacBook Air starts at around R19 000 and goes up to over R50 000.
Apple laptops also come with great screens:
- The Retina Display is one of the best on the market—it offers stunning colour accuracy and sharpness (2 million pixels). Plus, there’s no air gap between your screen and display glass, so everything looks bright and crystal clear.
A Samsung laptop costs between R3000 and R28000 – again depending on model and spec.
This is much cheaper than a high-end Lenovo laptop which can cost up to R38000. It’s also cheaper than a mid-range Lenovo laptop (around R30000) or even a low-end Lenovo (R28000).
You can buy a cheap laptop for basic internet use for around R900.
The most affordable laptops are often the cheapest in price and quality as well, so if you’re looking for something that will last you only a few years, then this category is where you should be shopping.
Conclusion
So, what does all this mean for you? Well, if you’re looking to buy a laptop for everyday use or schoolwork, then an average price range of R5000 to R8000 will be fine. For example, an Apple MacBook Air costs around R10500 new and offers features like a 13″ screen size and solid-state drive storage capacity of 512GB which is a great value for money! But if you want something more powerful with more bells and whistles such as gaming capabilities then expect prices upwards of R16000+.
