Let’s take an explore today of Plaza Lowyat Shopping Center. The IT mall is tad a one-stop venue to shop for the latest gadgets, electronics, and IT products in Kuala Lumpur. It is situated in the heart of Bukit Bintang, Lowyat is Malaysia’s premier IT lifestyle mall. It is said to boast over 350 shops across seven floors. Whether you need a new laptop, smartphone, camera, or drone, you should be able to find it here. Prices are competitive, and the service is generally friendly with the exception of touts.
On some history, Lowyat Shopping Center was established in 1999 and quickly became popular among locals as a go-to destination for digital products in KL. In 2009, it was notably crowned Malaysia’s Largest IT Lifestyle Mall, a title it retains to this day. Despite store closures during the pandemic, Lowyat has bounced back and remains a buzzing hub of activity. Today, the IT mall hosts various events, promotions, and activities year-round, contributing to its vibrant atmosphere.
What to Expect at Plaza Lowyat
Lowyat Shopping Center spans seven floors, each with a distinct theme dedicated to specific product categories or services. Most shops open late morning and close around 8 pm.
The ground floor serves as the main entrance and houses a spacious atrium for mall event and sale shows. This floor is largely occupied by big name players with posh boutiques. Here, you’ll find major brands like Samsung, Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi. This floor is primarily focused on finished goods and mobile phones. Accessories of the trade here include power banks, charging cables, earphones, and phone cases of popular and mainstream brands.
The first floor (also known as the second storey in Singapore’s floor numbering) focuses on cameras and photography equipment. Here, you can find good representation of major brands like Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, and GoPro in the various camera shops here. You can often find their wares like lenses, tripods, bags, and memory cards prominently displayed at shopfronts. You can also print photos or get your equipment repaired here, if you can put up with the customer touting quite prevalent on this floor.
Furthermore, this floor also has numerous handphone repair shops and touts trying to lure you into their stores. Simply wave them off if uninterested. Besides IT stores, you’ll find a hobby shop, toy store, and a large stationery shop called Sin Sin Stationary, which also offers printing services on top of stationery supplies.
Computer Hardware Shops
The second and third floors are a haven for computer enthusiasts. Also, these floors feature hardware and PC repair shops offering processors, motherboards, graphics cards, RAM, SSDs, HDDs, and cooling systems. It is pretty everything you need to build a Desktop computer PC here. You will also find computer cases, power supplies, and peripherals like keyboards, mice, and monitors.
One standout store is Sri Computer, located on the second floor, which offers everything from pre-built systems to quirky IT accessories, keyboards and mice. It is tad a treasure trove for tech lovers and a must-visit for its extensive collection which I feel no visit to Lowyat should be complete without checking it out.
While prices for big-ticket items like GPUs and CPUs may not be cheaper than Singapore, peripherals and accessories are often good deals. Also, the stores here also offer traditional parts pricelist in paper form for your price research.
For those who prefer finished products, larger boutique stores on these floors offer ready-made computers and laptops. You’ll also find the latest gaming hardware, including RGB lighting, liquid cooling, and high-end rigs. This is similar to the Syntrend creative park we checkout previously in Taipei, Taiwan, where the offerings are more lifestyle than DIY.
The third floor is home to brand kiosks like AMD, Acer, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. Specialty shops here also sell gaming chairs, VR headsets, projectors, and printers.
IT Megastores and More
The fourth floor features IT megastores like Brightstar IT Megastore, one of Malaysia’s largest retailers. This floor store offerings includes laptops, tablets, smartphones, cameras, and drones, along with accessories and gadgets. Discounts and deals are common, so it’s worth browsing.
The fifth floor of Plaza Lowyat caters to niche interests, with shops selling anime merchandise, comics, toys, and collectibles. You’ll also find stores offering musical instruments, audio equipment, and karaoke systems.
The sixth floor, the mall’s top level, has dining options and OEM service centers. It’s quieter than the lower levels, with beauty and wellness centers also present. Pop-up cafes here are popular lunch spots for staff and visitors. Most shops on this floor start winding down by early evening.
Bargaining and Tips
Lastly, if you’re hunting for bargains, try negotiating with shop owners or salespeople. They are often willing to offer discounts or freebies if you buy multiple items in bulk. Also, it does pays to do your homework by researching online and compare prices and specifications across shops to find the best deal for your needs and budget.
Also, while most of the shops here at Low yat are reputable, it also pays to be cautious, as some shops may sell counterfeit or faulty products or charge hidden fees. It is always prudent to always do your research before making purchases, and check product warranties and return policies. Always keep receipts and invoices for future reference.
Wrapping Up
All in all, if you are an IT or PC DIY enthusiast, Lowyat Shopping Center is tad a no-brainer to visit whenever you are in the KL city area. The selection here tad offers an unparalleled shopping experience for IT enthusiasts and bargain hunters, with items from the latest gadgets to niche collectibles, there’s something for everyone here. It keeps to DIY traditions while still retaining fresh, whether you’re upgrading your tech or simply exploring IT deals, Lowyat is a must-visit destination in when you are checking out the sights and food in Kuala Lumpur.
