Pre-loved laptops

A short guide to finding a dirt-cheap laptop and save the planet while you are at it

Investing in the latest laptop can be costly, especially if you want the best of the best. If you aren’t as picky and need something to do simple computer things, even a computer from nine to ten years ago can perform well. I have used the same home computer since 2013, a 4th Generation i7 Intel. I also recently acquired a MacBook Pro 2011 to use on the go. Being thrifty is also great for the environment. Reducing e-waste by reusing things is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and save the planet.

However, navigating the second-hand market can be tricky if you don’t know what you are looking for. This simple guide should give you an idea of how to go about finding and validating your dream machine.

What will you use the machine for?

You first need to ask yourself what you will use the machine for. If it is anything that requires raw computing power, second-hand might not be the way to go. Gaming, 3D rendering, and video/music production needs are usually significantly resource hungry. If you are lucky, you can score a gaming laptop, but they are rare. Even the older gaming laptops should be able to hobble along with heavy computing tasks. However, second-hand machines are best used for low-intensity computing tasks like watching videos, surfing and doing office work.

What to look out for

Here are the things you need to look for when buying a second-hand laptop. 
Turn it on: The laptop must turn on. Do not buy the laptop if you cannot verify in person that a computer can start and boot up.
Check the battery: Lithium-ion batteries degrade over time. The older the laptop, the higher the chance of it being degraded. If there are any signs of a puffy battery, drop that laptop. If the battery doesn’t hold a charge again, don’t consider it. Also, read up or watch tear-down videos for the computer you intend to buy to see how hard it is to replace the battery and other components. For example, specific MacBook Pros had their batteries glued down, making it complicated to replace them. Worse, some machines have RAM and other as a permanent part of the motherboard, making upgrades impossible.Intact screen: There should be no signs of wear on your laptop screen. Screens are one of the most expensive things to replace in a laptop. Sometimes they are more expensive than the chip and mainboard
Check all bumps and scratches: Bumps and scrapes are inevitable on any second-hand laptop, but look for deep gashes or hard dents where the impact could have shaken or damaged components inside.

Read up: Read up all you can about the second-hand laptop you plan to buy. Old reviews, Reddit posts complaining about issues, and even web pages that list all the specs are excellent sources of information. Find out if you can upgrade critical things like RAM, Hard drive and even the WiFi and Bluetooth modules. The ability to upgrade extends the life of your machine. 

Check System information: Boot up the OS and check if all the specs are as described.

Reality check: If something is too good to be true, it probably is. Try and avoid scammers. Look for reliable sources and for realistic deals.

Bargain: If something is out of your budget, bargain. See if the other party is willing to part with the device at a rate you are comfortable with. Have some wiggle room in your budget if you find something perfect but a little expensive. 

Which laptops age well?

Not all laptops are cut from the same cloth. Look for well-known brands and anything built to last. Look for metal construction or at least a durability rating. The easiest to buy is an Apple. The construction usually lasts far beyond the official support. The shoddy light plastic construction in low-cost brands of laptops doesn’t last well. MacBook Air/Pro, Lenovo ThinkPad, Dell Latitude, ASUS TUF Gaming Laptops and Microsoft Surface are some of the machines that last long.

Where to find it

Finding an excellent second-hand laptop can be challenging. Look for stores like CEX that test out second-hand laptops and give you a warranty on them. They are a little bit more expensive than the street price, but you don’t have to do the technical testing yourself. Several stores on Lamington Road also have second-hand laptops and computers.

Websites like OLX and Quikr are good places to find a deal. However, there are many scammers on these sites. So, try to deal with people who have been members for longer than a year with a good rating. Always buy the goods in person after testing. You can also check electronicsbazaar.com, lapshop.in, xfurbish.com and techyuga.com for refurbished laptops. Even searching for “Refurbished” on Amazon can draw up some interesting results.

Another great source is an office selling depreciated machines. Most of those machines will be something built to last. If you are lucky, you might score a ThinkPad or MacBook. You can only find this type of deal if you work in that office or know someone working there. Sometimes these machines are sold in bulk to second-hand dealers, eventually ending up on Lamington Road.

MacBook Air/Pro, Lenovo ThinkPad, Dell Latitude,  Microsoft Surface, and ASUS TUF Gaming Laptops are machines that last long

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