An used laptop in some way is like second hand clothing in the sense that it’s a personal object so when thinking about buying one you should think to yourself if you’d buy second hand clothing. If you wouldn’t this is not for you, you most probably couldn’t put up with other people’s fingerprints or hair between keys.

However there is more to used laptops than human residue. There is a fat chance when looking at the average second hand laptop that it’s going to be a bit outdated. That obviously isn’t true for all laptops, some people sell their 2 months old MacBooks for 2/3rd of normal price just to get the latest model, but that’s not the norm and you should be very careful when buying anything from another person.

Always make sure to be on top of the situation. If you have the chance, test the laptop before purchase, if you’re buying on an auction site, choose a seller with reasonably good reputation, 99.5% positive feedback is something worth considering as good. It doesn’t mean the laptop will be perfect, just that you will get proper information on the auction page or to any of your questions.

When buying a used laptop you can always opt for companies dealing with them, and I would advise you to do so, because a company has to ‘put its face’ to the deal whereas a normal person could easily disappear or state that there is no contract therefore he isn’t accountable for any problems you may have with the notebook you just have bought.

Things to check before purchase:
-Is every accessory available(adapter, leather bag for the mouse if it was default etc)
-Are there scratches, cracks or any clue of tinkering?
-Is the laptop in good general condition, do hinges hold the screen?
-Does the screen stay in closed position?
-Are the buttons on the keyboard loose, does it feel awkward to use them?
-Are there funny noises coming from the laptop during operation?

Is the model too old? If so, can you upgrade it in a way you can use it later? Make sure it has all the network connectivities you use at your office or home. Make sure it has at least one or two USB ports so you can add an external device if sound card, network adapter goes bonkers or you simply want to add an external hard drive.
Make sure you also read reviews, articles and forum threads about the model to educate yourself as that is always a good thing to do, more information is good, right?

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