Important Tips on Buying A Used Notebook
Not all of us are being lucky to afford new laptop. Nowadays, the price range of medium - powered laptop is around RM 2,000 to RM 3,000.
Buying a Used Notebook will be one of the best ways to save money if you know how.
1. Make sure it is legal.
Make very sure that what you are buying is legal.
Unless you are buying from a shop, always ask for their IC and the bill. Make sure the name on the bill matches their IC.
You could also check the user name in the Systems Configuration to make sure the unit belongs to them.
If in doubt, do not buy it as it’s against the law to own a stolen item!
2. Determine the right price.
My rule of thumb is to always check the current market price.
Do not look at the old price on the bill. The old price on the bill does not reflect the current market price and it is still very expensive if your got it for half the old price.
What is important is it must be at least half the current market price unless you are willing to pay for it.
3. Check for warranty.
It would be best if the unit is still under warranty as then you do not have to worry when it breaks down.
4. Always buy branded.
It is always wise to buy a branded service.
5. Always buy with original operating systems(OS)
Otherwise, you could be breaching the copyright law and also it might not work properly with a pirated OS.
6. Check for Cracks.
Make sure the unit has no cracks on it because units which have cracks have usually been dropped and might not function properly
7. Check the battery.
Make sure the battery is working as battery is one of the most expensive parts to replace.
8. Check the LCD screen.
Is the LCD working properly as the LCD is the second most expensive parts of the notebook.
Don’t buy if you see stationary lines on the screen when you on it. Try opening and closing the screen cover. If the screen shakes a lot don’t buy it.
9. Check the hard disk.
Make sure the HDD has got no bad sectors. Having bad sectors might mean that your Hard Disk life is almost over.
10. Test all the I/O ports.
Make sure all IO ports like CD/DVD drive, USB ports, Serial Port, Parallel Port, Wi-Fi, Blue Tooth is working.
Hope you can save your budget by using these tips when considering used laptops.
