How to Buy Used Laptop Computers

You are searching for a laptop but lack the funds to purchase a new one outright. You can always look for a used one. As quickly as computer technology is advancing, you can purchase an almost new laptop for a fraction of the price of a new one, and in most cases, it will have enough power to satisfy your computing needs for at least a year or so. Problem is, where do you look for such an item. This article will give you food for thought on how and where to search for a used laptop.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer with internet access
• Specifications on the type of laptop you are searching for
• The amount of money you are hoping to spend

1. Do research on laptops. Know what you want before you start searching for a used computer. Know what size monitor you want, what the minimum size hard drive space and RAM you need to have and what special devices and features you need to have. Also figure out an approximate price you wish to spend. Look at some new equipment and its cost so you can search for something of a reasonable price that is still going to get you the power and specifics you need to have.

2. Search on Ebay for your laptop. Search by typing the word "laptop" and some of the specifications you decided on in the search bar. Otherwise, everything under the sun will come up when you search.

3. Look on Craig's List. A lot of people who want to sell high-tech items on their own and do not wish to pay for shipping use this site. To avoid scams or problems, only search your local area or areas you are willing to travel to.

4. See if your area hosts any computer shows. Computer shows often have vendors who purchase surplus merchandise at a really good price.

5. Check out the actual manufacturer's website for a used system. Sometimes, they have returns and are willing to sell almost new merchandise at a fraction of the cost of a new system, and what's great with this is the item still have a full manufacturer's warranty.

Tips & Warnings

• Because you are searching for a used system, make sure to ask the seller, no matter where you go, what their return policy is and whether the system is still under manufacturer's warranty. You don't want to take the laptop home, have it be dead on arrival, and then not be able to work with the seller to replace or refund it.
• When purchasing used laptops, especially on eBay, be sure the laptop has official software installed on it. Many eBay sellers sell laptops with hijacked copies of Windows and other software.