There is a device kit, without which it is impossible to survive nowadays. Speaking less dramatically, there is a list of gadgets, which make people’s work faster and more effective. It may vary depending on personal preferences, but a laptop is surely included.
The better device you choose, the higher productivity of your work becomes. Logically, devices that are more powerful come at higher prices, sometimes too high to afford. The solution exists, and it is quite simple – to buy a used laptop.
There are a lot of those, who do not trust pre-owned things, but “used” and “pre-owned” does not mean bad or broken. It is an excellent opportunity to become an owner of the high-tech device without spending money you don’t have.
People usually sell devices in a good keep in case they’ve bought something they hoped to use more often or have found something newer and better.
Thus, online marketplaces are filled with dozens of attractive offers you will never find in regular shops. There is no need to be afraid of buying a used device, you just need to know how to do it.
How to check a used laptop?
Everything is clear with buying online now, so the next step is choosing the right laptop.
Every user has to answer one the most important question – what to check when buying a used laptop? Of course, everything depends greatly on personal preferences. Nevertheless, here are the basic steps.
What To Look Out For When Buying A Used Laptop
1. Check the kitting
You are looking for a laptop, and some inventive scammers may be looking for profit. Though the laptop remains the core of the system, it is useless without components kit, which include:
- hardware
- battery
- charging device
- software (optional)
- additional accessories, like mouse or bag
Some of the older models may cause troubles in case they come without a battery or a charging device – they may be simply out of production, which means they are almost impossible to find or do not exist anymore.
Such an item as a computer bag is something you do not think about before you have a laptop in your hands and do not know where to place it and how to come back home.
Sellers always indicate details about kiting in the product description. If not, feel free to ask before making a final decision. Check everything once again during the meeting (before you pay).
2. Check an exterior
It may be not the defining criteria, but objectively the way a laptop looks tells a lot about the way it was used.
Some prefer little white lies as a marketing approach and indicate an incorrect period of exploitation. The general wear is directly related to general productivity. In case of serious damages, significant functions may be affected, and in such cases, a device becomes completely useless. Pay attention to case and chassis – it is the “body”, that protects “mind” and keeps it functioning.
Always try to notice:
- dents, holes, scratches etc. – whether they are absent
- bolts, screws, shirring – whether they are present.
Do not buy a device, which seems unstable and looks more like Lego than a solid device.
3. Check a screen
Change a background picture, look through the photos, open videos, and make sure graphics is okay.
Try to play a little bit with brightness and contrast levels, to adjust the screen to different conditions. If you are not sure any content left on a laptop, bring a USB flash drive, it will be helpful with checking inputs, too.
4. Check battery life
Ask a seller about battery life. After you get the answer and are satisfied, turn on a laptop and leave it working during your conversation. It probably won’t take much time, but if a seller has lied about battery life, it may start going off faster than needed.
To be completely sure about what you are going to buy, take a special device for inspecting a battery, as shown in the video.
You can also try to get a backup – ask a seller for a testing day of use, for replacement or discount. In case you are not sure about battery quality, do not hurry to buy a device.
Weak battery life is actually what you should expect when buying a used laptop. Just decide whether you are ready to use a laptop in such a condition, how weak battery you may stand, and whether you are ready to replace it.
5. Check a motherboard
It would be perfect to ask for proper documentation and test a laptop – how responsive and fast it is, whether it heats to fast, making loud noises, or is somehow disturbing.
6. Check a processor
If it takes a long time for a device to load and carry out a simple operation, there is a reason to be concerned.
Certainly, a laptop will work slower than a new one, maybe a little noisier. This is what a buyer should be ready for, but they do not have to buy a device, which is hardly working, only because the price is attractive.
7. Check RAM
Try to run several programs and applications at once, open many tabs in web browser, and then try to switch between them.
If it takes enough time to make you angry and ready to destroy everything around, this laptop is probably not the best option for you.
To be more serious, take a little test and decide whether a device is fast enough for you. If you feel that it affects your work, look for an option with better RAM – more advanced or less used.
8. Check a keyboard
The first thing you will pay attention to is the visibility of letters. Look whether it will be convenient for you to use what you are offered or not.
While visibility is what you can correct by putting stickers (sold in every store with electronic devices), broken, missing, and keys impossible to press will cause a lot of troubles.
Pay attention to touchpad responsiveness, even if you are operating mostly with the computer mouse.
9. Check ports and inputs
Inspect everything you can, from the USB connection, headphone jacks, power cord input to what you can reach and test. Buying a device, which will cause troubles with simple launching to the network via cable or data transfer is certainly not worth doing.
10. Check a camera
It is probably not the most important feature, but if you like to make video calls, it would be hard to survive without a well-functioning webcam. Run the application or log into Skype to conduct a test.
11. Check software
There are many programs fixed to a specific computer. If there is something special installed, consider a resale. Also, do not forget to ask about software in general, at least about the operating system.
Make sure everything is licensed. Otherwise, it may come with viruses, bugs, or even lead to your personal data leakage in the future.
Remember – no one puts cracked programs into free access just because they have good intentions. In most cases, these intentions are not that good for you.
12. Check whether the device belongs to the seller
Let’s suppose, buying a stolen laptop is okay because:
- you are not the one, who did it
- you have paid, and it is not your trouble that the money didn’t reach a real owner
- an owner should have taken better care of valuable things
However, it is NOT okay because:
- you will be the one, who suffers
Sometimes it happens that police find a lost or stolen device. If your newly acquired laptop becomes the one, it will cause inconvenience and maybe even serious troubles – try to prove you weren’t the one, who stole it.
Anyway, ask a seller for documentation, which is the best (and probably the only) proof that a device you are going to buy always belonged to a person, who is going to sell it to you.
13. Check warranty documentation
Depending on the age of the laptop and manufacturer, it may come with a warranty.
If so, it is an extra bonus and great insurance. In this case, do not forget to ask for proper documents, including a bill and a box, and make a written agreement with a seller. It does not have to be something special and proved by a lawyer – just a note with text about transfer and signatures of buyer and seller below it is enough.
Where to buy used laptops?
If you are still with us, congratulations! You are an attentive and persistent person, who already knows what to look for when buying a used laptop and soon you will get one.
There are a lot of places that offer to buy used laptops, but not all of them are reliable and convenient. You may find a device of your dream in a nearby shop selling second-hand appliances and electronics, or you may open Jiji and a laptop will find you.
Online classifieds websites like Jiji offer a huge selection of items at low prices. Besides affordable prices and items from leading world brands, they provide users with an opportunity to buy a laptop in a few minutes.
Numerous tags and filters allow creating the optimal list of offers to choose from. Then compare several, check the best one, and feel free to contact a seller before someone does it before you.
Thanks to Jiji, the full stock of fairly used laptops in Nigeria is literally placed in your pocket and is always at hand. The installation is quick and effortless, and the App does not consume much traffic or interfere with overall functionality.
If you learned this tips – nobody will not scam you! Use Jiji App safe!
How to buy online?
The main rule is to remain reasonable. Online shopping, even if we are talking about big marketplaces, where users are individuals and can post ads about items they simply do not read, it the same good old shopping.
Step 1 – you find something interesting.
Step 2 – you check it out by reading a description and viewing photos.
Step 3 – you talk to a seller.
Step 4 – you get what you need.
To find a properly used laptop, you should:
- Monitor the prices. Look through available offers on websites and at stores, compare prices, and consider how much a used laptop can cost (based on its wear).
- Consider the balance. If the price seems lowered, ask a seller about the reason and do not buy anything until you are completely sure the deal is real.
- Never pay in advance. You are neither obliged to pay full price nor a deposit. On the contrary – payments like these are better to avoid. Find more related information in the video.
- Arrange a meeting. All online classifieds offer at least basic filters, so users can indicate their city or region, so it will be convenient for you to meet with client in person.
- Think about backup. Arrange a meeting in a safe place, like a café in the downtown or lively spot in the park, not overcrowded but not desolated either. The single offer to meet in a distant unfamiliar location should keep you warned.
The bottom line
So are you still bothered with a question about how to buy used laptops? We hope not, for it is really simple. Besides, it is a brilliant option to become an owner of a great device for those, who still think they cannot afford anything good.
The purchase formula is long but quite easy to remember:
- Check the market and study prices.
- Choose a personal price for quality relations.
- Open Jiji or Jiji App.
- Find a proper device.
- Contact a seller to arrange a meeting.
- Do not pay in advance.
- Meet in a public place to check the device.
- Give your future laptop a quick test drive – inspect kitting, exterior, screen, battery, motherboard, processor, RAM, keyboard, ports and inputs, camera, software – everything you can.
- Make sure a laptop is not stolen.
- Ask about the warranty, it may still be valid.
And the final step – ENJOY your new device!
