Published 17 August 2015 ● Last Updated on 8 October 2020
Is your laptop on the fritz again? It’s a real nuisance seeing as laptops are usually a lot costlier and more complicated to fix than regular PCs. If you’re really unlucky, repairing costs may work out to be just as much as buying a new laptop! How the hell is that fair, you ask? Well, it’s not but that’s just the way it goes in the world of technology.
Fortunately, you can now find good used electronics online rather easily and at great prices, but there are things you must look out for. Here are some helpful tips to find a used laptop that lasts!
Know What You Want to Use it For
If you’re just looking to work on that manuscript you’ve been meaning to finish for the past three years or so, you won’t need a powerful, fancy laptop. If you want to spend hours playing the latest on/offline video game however, you’re going to need a big graphic card to meet the latest game requirements. If the memory is lower than 8GB, make sure that the laptop’s video card and RAM is replaceable. The go-to brand for gaming laptops is Alienware. A lot of people seem to be under the impression that they need a built in Intel i7 processor for serious gaming habits, but an Intel i3 or i5 will do the trick just fine. Gamers should avoid buying a MacBook seeing as most games are made for Windows.
Read through available information
Given the popularity of auction sites and used goods portals, you will definitely find a large number of second-hand laptops for sale. You will need to create a shortlist on the basis of your requirements. – and the product description is the starting point. Scan for listings that give detailed descriptions, warts and all. A classified post that includes real pictures of the laptop with manufacturing details is probably a better lead than a post that mentions only the laptop model with company stock photos. A headline like “DELL Latitude E6320 2nd Generation Intel Core i5 2.5GHz Laptop (No Webcam!)” gives you much more information to judge the product than just a basic “Macbook Pro 15.4″.
When purchasing expensive items online, what you also need to assess is the seller. Read through user reviews and make sure that the seller’s reputation is solid.
Check the Laptop Thoroughly
Just because the laptop you are looking at has a raving description, it doesn’t mean that this is an actual reality. Make sure you assess the laptop personally before committing to buy. Whether you are buying your used laptop in an actual shop or from a private seller, take your time in checking it out thoroughly.
- Turn it on and make sure that there’s been no damage to the screen. The colours should be of good quality and stable and there should be no discolouring anywhere, nor cracks.
- Check the specifications of the various components in the laptop such as graphics card make/memory, hard disk type, processor and motherboard details.
- Check the resolution of the laptop screen and ensure it meets the expected use and requirements.
- Hard disk crashes / bad sectors are not uncommon on laptops so you may want to download a good diagnostic tool from the internet which can check the hard disk health.
- Check all the input ports (headphones, USB, power cord, etc.) to make sure they are all functioning properly. Take a close look at the keyboard and touchpad to check for any hick-ups and test both while the laptop is on.
Know the laptop’s history
Ask the seller to provide you the original proof of purchase, as well as guarantee papers if it is still under the coverage period. Ask if any repairs have been made, or upgrades done, or any parts replaced – and if so, were these through an authorised dealer and with a compatible product? Knowing the electronic history will help you avoid unwelcome surprises later on!
Happy laptop hunting!
– Roxanne
Roxanne is a German/British Journalist/Author based in Spain who shares our passion for all things old and quirky.
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