Come on…you would love a laptop at a low price!
When buying a laptop, the battle between price points and features is quite confusing.
That is okay. This dilemma is everyone’s problem. Buying a laptop makes sense when it is gotten at a low price with all the specs intact.
But, truly speaking, such laptops generally do not exist. Either you settle down for a device with low-end specs, or you get an expensive one that has got all the features you have been looking for.
There are no other ways than these two options!
Wait!
Is it so?
There is a way. It is the reason this post has been made.
And the way is buying a used or a refurbished laptop. Yes, it might not appear as shiny as a new and expensive laptop. But it might come with specs that a new but cheap laptop might not contain.
So, are you buying a used laptop?
Yes!
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How to Check a Used or Refurbished Laptop before Buying It
A purchase is a purchase.
Whether or not you use your money from your personal savings or take out a short-term loan for unemployed, you need to check your product and learn about it before investing a single penny for it.
It’s like taking a test drive before you buy a car (What better example there is than this instance?)
So, if it is an old or refurbished laptop that you have decided to buy, then check the device with the following points:
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Is It an Old Laptop or a Refurbished One?
An old or used laptop is a device that has been purchased and used by an owner. An organisation may decide to sell its old laptops too.
However, the difference in price points appears in the case of used/ old laptops vs. refurbished laptops.
An old or used device is given or sold at a retail store or an offline forum> You do not get upgrades in them. But you are welcome to do so yourself.
A refurbished one is also called a seller refurbished laptop, which means the sellers have upgraded or repaired it.
Naturally speaking, a refurbished laptop costs a bit higher than a used laptop. However, you get a warranty with it for a few days or months (such as a 90 day period).
On the other hand, purchasing an old laptop from sites such as eBay or Amazon is a good idea. But you might miss the warranty.
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Test How Long the Battery Might Run
Any old or used laptop (even if it is seller refurbished or is done so by you) is not going to give as long battery backup time as you want.
The battery’s decaying.
But if it still gets the job done, giving you a standard running time with moderate apps running in the background, you can go for it.
To learn about battery health, you can tap into the BIOS system.
Some commands can be used in the command prompt to get battery information. A retailer might help you. You can also talk to a person with technical knowledge.
Or use an app to learn more about battery health. You may use BatteryInfoView.
Another sign to look out for is a SWOLLEN BATTERY. If the battery is damaged, then it will bulge up. It is potentially DANGEROUS to use a laptop in that way because there is a chance of EXPLOSION THAT CAN BE FATAL TOO. So, do examine the battery case and DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS TO YOUR SELLER.
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Inspect Its Body
The laptop you are going to buy is going to give you a long run. But, since it is a used laptop, it might be sold as it has some sort of issues.
While it is impossible to find the problem right away, you can still inspect the device and look for certain anomalies such as broken or damaged ports, hinges, damaged screws, and a sort of ‘misfit’ feeling about a component; loose or damaged keyboard and trackpad etc.
Speaking of ports, it will take us to the next point.
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Find out If the Ports Are Okay and Are Working
Ports are important for a device such as a laptop. When you are taking out a short term loan for the unemployed to buy an old laptop, you have got to be careful with ports.
Find out if the ports are not damaged even a bit. A faulty port may also damage the unit (like a dongle or a pen drive) you insert into them.
Check the USB Types in the ports also.
Test all the ports. Take a pen drive or a USB dongle for examining USB drives. If the laptop comes with a CD/ DVD drive, then check it too with a CD or a DVD. Use a memory card to have a look at the memory card slot definitely.
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Does Your Laptop’s Wireless Connectivity Work Fine?
The presence of wireless connectivity is more or less expected in old or refurbished laptops.
But you need to find out if it is working fine.
So, check its Wi-Fi settings. Connect it to the seller’s Internet. Find out if the device performs decently under a Wi-Fi connection. Also, take a look at USB RF (Radio Frequency) connections (You can try out plugging in a wireless mouse).
Carry a wireless Bluetooth device with you, too and consider the laptop’s Bluetooth connectivity.
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Check Some More Hardware
There are many hardware options that you cannot check within a short period of time. But there are some vital components of a laptop, which almost all buyers check even if they buy a new one.
- Go through the RAM and Hard disk properties. Find out if they are still expandable.
- Check the keyboards, key travel and trackpad sensitivity.
- You need a good webcam. It may not be as good as you want in a used laptop. But if it gets the job done, then you need not worry.
- Do check the speakers. Play an audio track. Find out if the sound is okay. Also, record a very short audio clip to learn about the quality of the microphone.
- Play a video. If the screen is flickering too much, or you see discolouration or pixel errors, then it is good to go with another model.
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To Conclude: Is Your Used Laptop Infected?
Well, you have done all the necessary checks.
Except one!
Your laptop needs to be completely free from viruses and malware.
Again, you should not hesitate to ask your retailer about this matter. Find out if the device already has an Antivirus and if that serves you rightly. You need to get the account information of the previous user to continue the subscription or to get started with your preferred one. You may also switch accounts. For doing all of this, you do require the account information for the Antivirus software from the previous owner.
Oh yes, you might also need to borrow a few more pounds because Antivirus premium costs are a bit high these days. Talk to your direct lender for an unemployed loan for bad credit with no guarantor about this case.
Time to buy your laptop, be it an old or a refurbished one!
Just stay happy with the device. You’ll see you are getting a lot of work done by it.
