Shopping at Hong Kong's Mongkok Computer Centre, also known as MCC - Travel gear & technology

AsiaBizTraveller

Saturday, 15 Dec 2018, 02:36:12 pm

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If you're visiting Hong Kong and looking for some technology or accessories I would strongly suggest visiting the Mongkok Computer Centre, also known as the MCC. Here is a report I've put together for AusBT readers.

How to get to the Mongkok Computer Centre

Take the MTR subway to Mongkok station, this is on the red Tsuen Wan Line which crosses the harbour to Central, and the green Kwun Tong Line whicb covers the eastern side of Kowloon. Take Exit E2 which comes out onto Nelson Street and walk two blocks straight ahead. The entrance to the MCC is opposite the Apex footwear store with the large Nike logo. This block is also known as Sneaker Street because it's where you can find all the big brands in sporting footwear.

Shopping at the Mongkok Computer Centre

There are three floors, the first is actually upstairs. The layout of the floors is a bit of a rabbit warren at times but take your time and walk around and browse. The top floor doesn't have much at the moment, many of the shops are vacant. Most of the good stuff is on the first and second floors. If a shop doesn't have what you want the owners will often direct you to another store in the MCC which might carry what you're after. This is not like some street market, there is no haggling, all prices are displayed and pretty firm. If a few shops in the MCC have the same product their prices will be either the same or pretty close. In either event I would always suggest you check prices at home, the MCC has free Wi-Fi so you don't need roaming, and compare because if there is not a lot of difference between buying something at the MCC and from home you might want to wait until you get home and take advantage of local warranty, ability to return etc.

What to buy at the Mongkok Computer Centre

I always suggest the best things to buy are accessories and any items you can't get from home, as well as popular things like SSDs where there is a lot of competition so the prices are lower. Big brand name products might be cheaper here or might be cheaper at home. Laptops can be much cheaper but they will come with a UK style AC plug so you will need to replace that or always have an adaptor, and also you might not get service under warranty back home if the laptop was bought overseas because sometimes there are different models for different countries.

djtech

Saturday, 15 Dec 2018, 08:42:12 pm

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djtech

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 02 Sep 2018

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My personal suggestion as a Hong Kong-er is to try and stay away from big brands such as broadway if you are looking for the best prices, but of course for reassurance it would be ideal to buy from them. Given the lack of GST on items, almost everything will be at least slightly cheaper in Hong Kong.

auew

Monday, 17 Dec 2018, 12:46:12 pm

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auew

Member since 24 May 2018

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If you want the best price in smaller shops like those in MCC or Sham Shui Po, tell them you'll be paying by cash instead of credit cards (which they will have to pay 2 to 3% to the card issuing company).

David

Monday, 17 Dec 2018, 02:44:12 pm

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David

Member since 24 Oct 2010

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Good breakdown, AsiaBizTraveller, and thanks for sharing it here! I've picked up a few nice tech accessories from the Mongkok Computer Centre: an iPhone battery case, some wireless charging pads plus a space USB-C cable, and a MacBook power adaptor which comes with four worldwide plugs plus a pair of USB sockets. Got them all from shops on the first floor (mostly from Golden Computer Accessories, Shop 123A which is on the corner of the first floor near where you walk up the stairs, WhatsApp 61259064). I priced some hard drives for my NAS and discovered they were almost the same as my regular supplier here in Sydney, so I definitely recommend a price check before you buy at MCC, just in case...

Ian_from_HKG

Monday, 24 Dec 2018, 03:53:12 pm

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Ian_from_HKG

CX

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I would add that for those based on Hong Kong Island, you can achieve much the same by going to the Wanchai Computer Centre, at 130 Hennessy Road, Wanchai, which is right next to Wanchai MTR Exit A4. Although a little smaller than MCC, anecdotally it offers just as much choice. It covers two floors - as you come out of the MTR exit look to your left and you will see an escalator up into the building, which brings you out onto the lower of those two floors. It is very crowded, it is worth going to more than one shop since prices do vary, and for higher-priced items a certain amount of haggling is permitted (but don't expect very large discounts, you are really tinkering at the margins).

A few personal recommendations, with navigation starting at the point where you come up to the top of the escalator (at this point you are in the northwest corner of the building on the lower of the two floors). Immediately across the aisle to your left as you come off the escalator is a fairly open-fronted store selling accessories - they are great for leads, adaptors and certain other accessories and if you want a quick in-and-out are the place to go for. Prices are comparable to the best and if you are in a hurry it saves a lot of shopping around. If you want a greater range, head to the accessory shop more or less at the southeast (ie diagonally opposite) corner on the same floor (which occupies the space of two normal stores and has two long glass counterss, but you can also go inside - it is somewhat distinctive because it is so much larger than the others) as it has a very large range and very knowledgeable staff (although they won't give you a lot of time, it is very busy). For printers, head to the southwest corner on the same floor, the store on the inner corner has a wide range. There are stairs to the upper floor near the printer shop. As you go up, double back to your right for projectors, they have one of the best ranges in Hong Kong. The upper floor is a little quieter.

Having said all of that, a word of caution - this is a place for buying, not repairing. There are many repair shops, and having been stupid enough to try this a few times, I can tell you that although the prices are good, the quality isn't.

PS If you are able to cross the border into Shenzhen, there are amazing bargains to be had. Counter-intuitive though it may be, it is better when there to shop for Chinese brands since they are likely to be better than the knock-offs of Western brands - so for instance, on my last trip there a few weeks ago, I picked up some superb Chinese-branded bluetooth stereo speakers - dinky-sized little ones that are magnetic and can attach my the metal shelves in my office, and were far better than the "Bose" or "Beats" versions on offer. I took my time to compare the various "brands" they had and the non-rip-off Chinese brand I chose were excellent, even managing to do a decent rendition (despite their modest size) of Saint-Saens' 3rd symphony with all the loud bass bits. I managed to get a few other decent bits of kit too, including a very natty multi-country USB charger (including a USB-C port, great for my Macbook) which is the same size as the (conventional) one in use in my office but incorporates a battery pack and has wireless charging function built in!