Where to buy a laptop in Australia: which store is cheapest?
JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, The Good Guys, the PC stores, or direct from Apple, HP, Dell and Lenovo? Which store has the lowest price on the same laptop most often, updated daily.
In this guide
Laptops are hard to compare because the same model name hides dozens of configurations. A "MacBook Air 13" or an "HP OmniBook 5" can differ in chip, memory and storage, and stores rarely list the same configurations. We match each laptop by its exact processor, memory and storage, so when we say two stores sell the same laptop, they really do.
Which store is cheapest for laptops
| Store | Prices compared | Cheapest (or equal cheapest) | Typical gap when not |
|---|---|---|---|
| digiDirect | 23 | 87% | +8% |
| PLE Computers | 29 | 79% | +12% |
| HP Store | 19 | 74% | +39% |
| MSY / Umart | 36 | 61% | +8% |
| Harvey Norman | 51 | 51% | +13% |
| JB Hi-Fi | 19 | 42% | +2% |
| The Good Guys | 44 | 41% | +6% |
| Apple Store | 16 | 25% | +15% |
Every product variant at least two of these stores had in stock today, at its outright price. Recalculated every morning.
When we wrote this (October 2026), the PC specialists (MSY / Umart and digiDirect) had the lowest price most often on the laptops they share with other stores, and HP's own store was competitive on HP models. The big chains were closer on popular consumer laptops and MacBooks.
The most compared laptops today
- 1
Apple MacBook Air 15" (M5) 16GB RAM · 512GB6 stores · cheapest at digiDirectfrom$2,047 - 2
Apple MacBook Pro 14" (M5) 16GB RAM · 1TB6 stores · cheapest at digiDirectfrom$3,097 - 3
Apple MacBook Pro 16" (M5 Pro) 24GB RAM · 1TB5 stores · cheapest at digiDirectfrom$4,646 - 4
Apple MacBook Pro 16" (M5 Pro) 48GB RAM · 1TB5 stores · cheapest at digiDirectfrom$5,526 - 5
Apple MacBook Pro 16" (M5 Max) 36GB RAM · 2TB5 stores · cheapest at digiDirectfrom$6,796 - 6
Apple MacBook Pro 16" (M5 Max) 48GB RAM · 2TB5 stores · cheapest at digiDirectfrom$7,796 - 7
Apple MacBook Air 15" (M5) 16GB RAM · 1TB5 stores · cheapest at digiDirectfrom$2,373.27 - 8
Apple MacBook Air 15" (M5) 24GB RAM · 1TB5 stores · cheapest at digiDirectfrom$2,797 - 9
Apple MacBook Pro 14" (M5 Pro) 24GB RAM · 1TB5 stores · cheapest at digiDirectfrom$3,876 - 10
Apple MacBook Pro 14" (M5 Max) 36GB RAM · 2TB5 stores · cheapest at digiDirectfrom$6,196
Buying direct from the brand
Apple, HP, Dell, Lenovo and Microsoft all sell laptops directly in Australia. Buying direct gets you configurations retailers don't stock (more memory, a different keyboard, a particular colour) and sometimes education or business pricing. But on the configurations retailers do stock, a retailer is often cheaper. Our buy direct or from a retailer guide has the numbers.
What to check before you buy
- The exact configuration. Compare the processor model (for example Core Ultra 7 255U vs 255H), memory and storage, not the series name.
- Memory you can't upgrade. Most thin laptops have soldered memory, so buy at least 16GB. Our how to choose a laptop guide covers the rest.
- Student and business discounts. Apple's and the PC makers' education stores, and business accounts at some retailers, can beat a normal retail price.
- Returns. Change-of-mind returns on laptops vary a lot by store, and opened software or accessories may not be returnable.
Ready to choose?
See the best laptops for students, the best laptops under $1,000, the best gaming laptops and MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro. Every laptop and every store's price is on the laptops page.
