Avoid Buying a Lemon: The Ultimate Guide Before Buying the Used Laptop (With 9 Steps)
BEFORE BUYING A USED LAPTOP, TEST THESE THINGS: 1. LAPTOPS’ BODY 2. BATTERY & SCREEN 3. KEYBOARD & TRACKPAD 4. FEATURES OF RAM & PROCESSORS 5. PORTS.
Table of Contents
- From Scratches to Screws: A Deep Dive into Laptop’s Body
- Health Check for Power: Determining the Battery’s Life
- Diagnosing the Laptop’s Screen Issues
- Testing the Keyboard and Trackpad
- Complete Examination of Ports and CD/DVD Drive
- Look for These Features in the RAM
- Choosing between HDD and SDD
- Understanding Processor Features for Peak Performance
- Web Cam, Speakers, and Wireless connectivity
Introduction
Is it not getting challenging to buy a new laptop due to rising prices and run-away inflation in 2023?
Yes, it is.
Purchasing a second-hand laptop can be a solution and answer to this question.
The global market for second-hand computers and laptops reached $5.12 billion in 2023. It is estimated to expand by $ 9.27 billion in the next five years at a CAGR (compounded annual growth rate) of 10.24%.
These are the stats of Mordor Intelligence.
As digitalization is expanding, millions of people, students, and professionals now need laptops to do their everyday tasks.
With such growing demands, new laptops appear scarce and quite pricey.
A cost-effective solution to this issue is acquiring a second-hand laptop with the same features and performance as a new one.
It will also be readily available beside being environment friendly.
However, purchasing a used laptop is difficult and can be full of risks and complications.
A used laptop with hidden damaged parts may stop working after some time and may lead to a waste of your money.
If you’re considering buying a used laptop, this article will share 9 checklists for buying the used dream laptop.
1. From Scratches to Screws: A Deep Dive into Laptop’s Body
Inspecting the casing and body is important when purchasing a second-hand laptop.
Scratches, cracks, dents, worn-out rubber feet, and loose or damaged laptop hinges can waste your investment.
Therefore, a laptop with these defects and damages will likely work for a short time.
Moreover, you also need to see the broken corner of the laptop’s body and the missing screws.
You must be aware of (out-of-normal) decorative stickers on the laptop’s frame.
Because the stickers may be there to hide any damage or crack.
Cracks come on the laptop’s frame due to drops. These drops may lead to hidden internal damages.
Also, look if the seller is communicating with you about the defects in the laptop. If not, then the laptop can be a lemon.
Hence, properly inspecting the used laptop’s casing from front and back can make investment fruitful.
2. Health Check for Power: Determining the Battery’s Life
Imagine sitting before your laptop, working or watching a movie, and its battery runs out entirely.
Of course, having a laptop whose battery does not survive long after a single charge is painful.
Indeed, second-hand laptops do not provide 100% battery performance.
This is one of the most typical problems and happens because using a laptop over a while reduces the battery’s backup time.
Determining the health status of a used laptop’s battery can be difficult.
But, you can have a rough idea about its life and health.
For this, you can ask a seller about its battery’s health or see how long it lasts when entirely charged for a single time.
You can also download software to test the battery’s health, life, and status by clicking on the provided link.
If a battery charges completely and discharges quickly, this can add trouble to your life.
It can also affect its portability and reliability when you are without power and away from home and the workplace.
If this is the case, negotiate a discount to get a new battery for your laptop.
3. Diagnosing the Laptop’s Screen Issues
We cannot work on the laptop without watching its screen. That is why having a good working screen on a pre-used laptop plays the most crucial role.
Many people sell their laptops due to display issues.
Before purchasing a machine, it is important to conduct a thorough inspection.
An acceptable screen should not have cracks, scratches, bumps, lines, or dead spots.
Dealing with brightness problems, display discoloration, and defective pixels can be challenging.
You can identify all screen irregularities by watching a video on a laptop, touching the screen gently, or opening a white window background through an MS Word document.
Go ahead! Click on the link for a Dead Pixels Test of the laptop’s screen.
Thus, all these steps can help you identify the right working screen without blurs, faulty pixels, and cracks.
4. Testing the Keyboard and Trackpad
What if you get a laptop whose keys are hard to press? What if its trackpad is not smooth enough to make you work efficiently or play games?
Before buying a used laptop, it is a must for you to check every key of your keyboard. You can open a text editor like Microsoft Word and type all keys individually to see if they are easy to press and work correctly.
Test the keyboard and trackpad of the machine by clicking on the provided link.
Keys are hard to press when dust accumulates under the keys.
Avoid purchasing a laptop if any of the keys are not functioning properly.
There is no option of changing one key, and you have to change the entire keyboard of the laptop.
For the best experience during the night, choose a laptop with a backlit option.
The touchpad or trackpad controls the mouse pointer and selects items on screens.
To see the working of the touchpad, hover your finger on it and look at the screen. If it follows your gesture on the screen, it is good to go for it.
Furthermore, you can also check the other functionality the trackpad performs, like a two-finger scroll and a three-finger swipe.
5. Complete Examination of Ports and CD/DVD Drive
The laptop relies on ports like USB, Ethernet, and HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) for proper functioning.
These ports are crucial components.
USB ports allow external devices like keyboard, mouse, printer, and external hard drive to connect to the laptop.
Do you know that Ethernet ports offer a super-fast wired network connection?
They’re less common than Wi-Fi, but they can be beneficial if you need a reliable and speedy internet connection.
Similarly, checking the audio jack port or headphone jack that connects to speakers or wired headphones is good.
The ports must not be physically broken from outward.
These small ports expand the laptop’s functionality by connecting it to external devices and networks.
Hence, test these ports through USB and headphones when shopping for a perfect used laptop.
Laptops with built-in CD/DVD drives have become obsolete.
Modern-day computers are slim and cannot afford to give much space to CD/DVD drives. These days, Windows is also installed via USB, denying the need for CD/DVD drives.
6. Look for These Features in the RAM
RAM stands for random access memory and stores the processor’s current data.
RAM’s capacity and efficient working are essential for the full speed of the laptop.
What capacity it should have depends upon the use of the laptop.
Laptops with 4 GB RAM capacity are good at watching movies, browsing information, and replying to emails.
If you’re looking for a laptop with 4GB memory, check out its memory upgrade options.
The upgradability option can enhance the machine’s performance and make multitasking efficient.
Many people aim to increase their productivity by multitasking. For multitasking, video editing, and gaming, 8 GB of RAM will be the best option for a second-hand laptop.
You also need to check different types of RAM. This include DDR2, DDR3, DD4, and DDR5. It is good to go for DDR4 RAM. while DDR2 and DDR3 RAMs are bit slower than DDR4 and DDR5.
7. Choosing between HDD and SDD
The used laptop may have an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive) installed.
A hard drive is the most typical form of secondary storage
with a spinning disk to read and write data.
This device can be as small as 2.5 inches, while its capacity can vary from 160 GB to 2 TB.
Thus, when purchasing a laptop with an HDD, consider its capacity and rotational speed.
A 500 GB HDD has ample space to store a large amount of data on your laptop. While fast rotational speed of it can help the laptop exhibit better performance.
It is advisable to consider a second-hand laptop with an SSD rather than an HDD.
SDD is replacing HDD that has been the standard storage for laptops for over 50 years.
The SSD gives excellent performance and fast data access. Its less weight and battery consumption make it superior to HDD.
Solid State Drives (SSDs) are typically more expensive and have less storage capacity than Hard Disk Drives (HDDs).
Both of them have their pros and cons. While shopping for a used machine, check what suits your budget.
8. Understanding Processor Features for Peak Performance
Processor stands for Central Processing Unit (CPU).
Your laptop’s performance is connected with the performance and speed of the processor.
It can make your laptop either go fast or freeze its working.
Intel, AMD, Apple, and Qualcomm are the famous brands that make laptop processors.
Pricing of laptops is also connected with performance CPU offers. The faster the processor, the better the experience you will enjoy.
Intel offers Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, and Core i9 processors. For everyday browsing, such as watching movies and low-end tasks, you can opt for an Intel Core i3 processor.
You can look at different Cores and their performance on Intel’s website.
Intel’s Core i7 and Core i9 are used for high-purpose tasks such as gaming, video editing, and graphic design.
While they may offer superior performance, these devices tend to drain the battery quickly.
Therefore, inspecting the laptop’s generation, core, and speed is vital.
9. Web Cam, Speakers, and Wireless connectivity
You cannot buy a laptop with a dull webcam, wired internet connections, and dull speakers.
Always check the webcam. Web conferences, online classes, and seminars have become the norm of the day. You can check its video quality by recording a video of yours.
The laptop’s built-in speakers and microphones play a crucial role.
To check the speakers, play video at high and low volume. This will help you know the quality of the sound the speakers have.
As part of your inspection strategy, remember to use the built-in microphone to record your voice.
Always buy a laptop with wireless options. No one takes pain to connect to the internet through wired Ethernet.
The same works for the wireless ear pods.
Therefore, you need to check if the laptop you intend to purchase can connect to Wi-Fi and wireless ear pods through Bluetooth.
Having wireless connectivity in the laptop will give you reliability and portability.
Conclusion
It is universally recognized that brand-new laptops carry a hefty price tag, while second-hand laptops are more affordable.
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These pre-owned laptops can provide you with the same performance and functionality as a new laptop while adding enjoyment to your computing experience.
For a used laptop to be perfect one, it should be free from cracks and scratches.
RAM, SSD, HDD (Secondary Storage), and laptop Processors are also crucial in performance and multitasking.
A laptop with good performance can do your chores quickly and make your day productive.
Similarly, you cannot ignore other parts.
A laptop with good RAM, SSD, and a fast Processor is not worth buying.
Yes, you have read it right!
If the used hand laptop has dysfunctional ports, displays, battery health, webcam, speakers, and wireless connectivity.
This article steals some great insights about all these important parts.
Do you have any questions regarding buying the guide?
I’d love to hear from you in the comments! And don’t forget to keep reading my articles to boost your productivity in all aspects of your life.
Thanks a bunch!
