Used laptop computers are everywhere these days. How can you shift through the mass of available used laptop computers to narrow your search down to the right laptop for you? Here are a few suggestions to keep in mind.

Buy from a reputable dealer

It can be tempting to pick up your local classifieds and simply choose the lowest price laptop in the newspaper and buy it from whomever. This is a mistake. Less headache and aggravation will result by buying from a reputable dealer. If something goes wrong with it right after you buy it, you'll at least have some recourse.

Quick Visual Inspection: Looking for signs of damage

One of the most common ways a laptop is damaged is by dropping it on a hard surface. Look for cracks around the corners of the laptop. You should also look for any chipped plastic around the LCD Screen.

Make sure the hinges of the LCD Screen are in good shape and aren't cracked or separating from the body of the laptop. This damage can result when someone opens the screen too far. It can also be the result of being dropped.

Examine the power supply that comes with the laptop to make sure there are no signs of overheating like a melted cord or power box. Be sure that the power cord itself is not frayed or damaged in any way. Take a look at the end that plugs into the laptop, make sure it isn't damaged. Plug it into the laptop and wiggle it around to make sure it isn't loose in the laptop. This can also indicate that the laptop has suffered internal damage.

Laptop Operating System

Does the laptop you're looking at come with an operating system? If not, it could be difficult for you to fully test the operation of the laptop. One good alternative to a built in operating system is to download and burn a copy of  operating system that runs off the CD-ROM drive instead of the hard drive. This allows you to test the laptop even if it doesn't have an operating system installed.

Quick Power Up Inspection

Power up the laptop if it already isn't on. Make sure to open the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive that comes with the laptop. Look for USB ports and make sure they are in good repair. Locate the vent for the CPU fan (if it has one – most do) and listen to the sound it makes. If you hear any whining or grinding sounds, beware. This may be an indication that the CPU inside has not been getting proper cooling which can definitely lead to problems down the road like random crashes, shut downs, etc...

Examine the LCD Screen

Chances are, you're going to be staring at that screen an awful lot. Make sure the colors are stable and that there are no parts of the LCD screen that are washed out or discolored. Replacing an LCD screen is expensive. Better to find a problem with it before you buy it then afterwards.

Is the LCD screen bright enough for your needs? Some used laptops will have LCD screens that are too dim to be practical. Keep in mind that older laptops will often not be very bright in direct sunlight. They should all be bright in normal lighting conditions however.

Test the Keyboard and Built-in Mouse

When you get an operating system up and running, open a text file like notepad and start typing on the keyboard. How do the keys feel? If they are sticking, this may indicate coffee or another liquid having been dropped on the computer. A definite red flag.

Is the built-in mouse functioning properly? If it isn't, understand that this could seriously hamper the portability of the laptop. Using an external mouse when you are on the go can be very inconvenient.

Laptop Battery: Don't expect much

Laptop batteries generally don't maintain a full charge for more than a year or two at most. The manufacture date of the laptop is often found on its underside. If the manufacture date is more than two years and it has an original battery, consider yourself lucky with any battery life you get. Most used computer dealers will not give you any warranty for the battery. An extra battery is always a wise purchase when buying a used laptop. Consider asking the dealer what it would cost to get another one.

Laptop multimedia: Testing the sound and video.

Sound and video are both things that are important to some people and not to others. If you see yourself listening to music using the laptop speakers, try to play some music on them to see how they sound. Have realistic expectations though. Laptop speakers rarely sound full. They usually have a tinny sound with lots of treble and little bass.

If you plan on watching movies on the laptop, you may want to consider choosing a used laptop computer with a DVD-ROM drive in it. If that is important to you, I would suggest you carry a DVD movie with you to evaluate how well the laptop plays back video. If it pauses and labors with the DVD, you may want to consider another laptop.

Wireless Connectivity

Built-in wireless used to be a luxury. More and more now though, it really should be seen as a necessity. If the laptop you're considering doesn't have built-in wireless, you should at least have an external wireless card thrown in. Connecting to the internet and your local home network is something you'll find yourself doing a lot of in the future. If you have a choice between 802.1b and 802.1g, make sure you choose the 802.1g as it has more range and greater speed.

USB Ports

How many USB ports come with the laptop? Older laptops may not have any. Some have only one. The more USB ports you can get, the more convenient it is. You should also ask if the laptop comes with USB 2.0 or the older original version 1.

Hard Drive: Choose a large one

In this day and age, anything less than 20GB is way too small. In fact, you should always choose a laptop with as large a hard drive as possible. Storage space fills up fast especially when you consider all the songs and movies people store on their laptops these days. Go as large as your budget allows.

User Computer Laptop Warranty

If you are looking to buy from a reputable dealer, what kind of warranty do they offer? Don't buy a used laptop from someone that offers you no warranty of any kind. At the very least, you want to get a 30 day warranty. The more the better. You never know if the hard drive is near failure or some other catastrophic problem in near. Reputable dealers offer warranties. Stay away from anyone that doesn't offer one.

While I haven't gone over every possible thing you need to look for when purchasing a laptop, I have covered the main things that should make sure you make a used computer laptop purchase you're happy with.

By Joe Duchesne

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