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How to buy a used Laptop |
It finally happened, didn't it? For whatever reason you finally decided that you absolutely must have a laptop computer. And being the frugal sort you really don't want to have to sell various body parts in order to afford a brand new one, no matter how nice they are. This leaves buying a used computer from somewhere. But how to go about finding and buying one? What's a body to do? Where to start? What to look for? What to buy?
This article should help the first-time used laptop buyer with making just such a purchase.
First of all, think about how much money you are willing to spend. And be honest with yourself about the cost of computer gear. While computers over 2+ years old are fairly inexpensive and prices continue to go down, laptops are always pricier than desktops. You aren't likely to find a pentium3 at 500Mhz for 200$ without visiting "Freddie the Fence" in some dark back alley. Put down a broad range of what price ranges are acceptable to you. This is your starting point.
Second, make a list of what programs you need to run on the computer. If you already have the software, great. If not, you will need to budget some cash to purchase it. Also consider what you are likely to be doing in the next 2 years and what sort of software you can reasonably expect to need in that timeframe. This is to give you an idea about how much 'horsepower' your computer will need which narrows your search. For example, I really only needed web-browsing and word processing for my laptop - so a Pentium running from 100mhz up to 233mhz was all I needed to look for. If you are going to run the newest games or get into raytracing then you will need something considerably faster. Remember that the slower and older computers cost less, so don't buy more than what you reasonably need.
Now think about what sort of other hardware you will need. Do you need to connect to a LAN at home or work? If so, then you'll need a computer that has an Ethernet connector or can accept one in a PCCard slot. Does the computer come with Windows installed? In my opinion, it had better if they want to sell it. Is the hard drive bigger than 1.5 gig? These days any hard drive smaller than that will fill up pretty fast. Does the computer come with either an internal or external CDRom of at least 8X speed? Most software now comes on CD and buying a laptop without one is like buying a car without a steering wheel. Do you need external VGA out to go to an external monitor? IRDA to connect to infrared devices? What about a Modem? External Keyboards? External mice? Which to you prefer; trackpad, trackball, or eraser type of mouse? Built-in video capture and playback? Sure it would be nice to have it all, but having it all jacks the price up. Give up the things you don't really need and press on.
Next, find what used computers you can on the web. This will take the lion's share of time as there are a number of used-computer stores online, not to mention the person-to-person deals through Ebay or the classifieds both online and in the newspapers. But looking online will give you a good idea about what is available and what the prices run. Write your favorite 3 or 4 machines on a piece of paper along with where you saw them. If you see a price that is WAY too good to be true, be wary, especially when dealing through auctions or classifieds. Look to get an average price for the models you've chosen.
Once you've picked out a list of candidates, take a look around and see what kind of customer reports you can find on the web. One nice thing about purchasing older gear is that lots of people have already placed their stories about the model online and any search through Yahoo or Lycos will turn them up. Some laptops are more reliable than others; a fact you don't want to learn when you are relying on it sometime in the future.
For example, I found that there were lots of Toshiba Tecra laptops for sale at low prices. I found out why; based on what I learned from dozens of webpages they are horribly unreliable and the support from Toshiba is practically useless. I scratched that model from my list. Sure, I want to save some money. But I also want a machine that works in exchange for my hard-earned cash. (If only learning about used-cars were this easy.)
When you've chosen what you feel is the best machine for you at the price you are willing to pay, you then have to decide whether you want to buy it online, at a store, or person-to-person. Stores will be more expensive as they have a building and staff to pay for. Any store on or offline will give the laptop at least some kind of warranty though. And purchasing the computer with a credit card offers you more protection against fraud and misrepresentation than buying with cash or check. If you decide to buy in an auction or from a classified ad, then you are pretty much on your own and if the machine doesn't work then it is -your- paperweight. Be wary; there ARE untrustworthy souls out there.
For myself, I needed something between $400 and $700 that would run win95, word, and explorer. I also wanted a computer with above-average customer satisfaction and support without the hassle of bidding on an auction or the worry about whether or not the machine would work when I got it. I chose an IBM 760EL from www.compute2000.com and saved even more money by getting a model with "cosmetic defects." The unit was factory refurbished and the "defect" was two missing flecks of paint not even a centimeter long. It also came with a 90 day warranty, which my credit card extends to a year (the joy of membership.) I found almost no bad press for the model and a probe into IBM's support page was eye-opening! It took only 5 days for the package to arrive at my door. Total price: $520!
All in all, a great deal. But I had to do lots of homework first.
Hopefully this little article will help you to find a similarly great deal for yourself. There are plenty of older laptops out there that are still servicable and quite economical. So don't sell that kidney just yet; you may not need a brand-new machine after all.  |
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