Testers are those people who take old equipment in order to find out how well it suits them. If the laptop satisfies them, they buy the same one, but a new one. And the old one is simply sold. It turns out to be a whole chain of purchase and sale operations.

When buying a laptop, a person usually thinks about a more economical option - a device that has been previously used. This article will discuss the pros and cons of buying a used laptop.

First, let's list the advantages of used laptops

1. Price. Of course, used laptops cost less. Moreover, the decline in price usually depends on the time that has passed since its acquisition. It is approximately twenty percent per year.
2. Experimental computer. Many people buy a laptop solely for carrying out various risky experiments that they would not risk doing on a main desktop computer or laptop. After all, you don’t really feel sorry for the old technology.
3. Introduction to technology. There are two categories of buyers here: pensioners and testers. Pensioners, as we know, find it relatively difficult to get used to such complex computer technology, which is why they buy them to learn the basics of the Internet, communicate on social networks, or for other purposes.
4. Spare parts. An old laptop may well be suitable for removing spare parts from it. Such a purchase is advisable when there is a similar laptop, but it requires minor repairs in the form of replacing components.
5. Exclusivity. You can buy equipment, for example, to add it to your own collection of laptops. After all, as you know, some old things only increase in price over time. It looks like a kind of antique.

Now let's move on to listing the disadvantages of used laptops

1. No warranty. Typically (but not always) laptops are out of warranty. This means that it will not be possible to hand it over for free repairs.
2. Bad appearance. Scratches, scuffs, dents, cracks - all this and much more are common on used laptops.
3. Internal defects. A laptop may look great on the outside, but sometimes the same cannot be said about its internals. It is quite possible that some liquid was spilled on the laptop, resulting in a slow but sure destruction of the conductive paths on the board due to corrosion. Symptoms of corrosion may not appear immediately, but some time after purchase. Of course, before purchasing, it is advisable to check the condition of the “filling,” but it is unlikely that the seller will allow you to do this. So you have to either not buy at all, or take a pig in a poke, risking money.
4. Wear and tear of parts. Parts tend to age naturally. Aging can manifest itself in different ways. For hard drives, for example, aging can cause problems with parking the recording head, which can lead to the destruction of information stored on it.
5. Outdated hardware. Processor, RAM, video card, sound card - all of them may have outdated technical specifications. Gamers may feel this problem especially acutely, since every day they place increasingly higher demands on laptop resources.

Thus, we have looked at some of the pros and cons of buying a used laptop. Summarizing all of the above, we can say that buying a used laptop is a risky business, and it’s better not to bother with its purchase if you have the money to buy a machine, albeit a less productive one, but a new one with a guarantee .

The information is for reference only and the choice is always yours. We hope that the article was interesting and useful. Thank you for your attention.

A laptop is a versatile and convenient device that you can take with you on a trip, play graphic games, work in programs and simply spend your leisure time on the Internet. This is a mobile gadget that is relatively inexpensive (if you choose based on average technical characteristics). The question remains: where to buy a cheaper laptop?

From advertising platforms

This method accurately answers the popular question: “Where can I buy a cheap laptop?” The main feature of advertising platforms is that ordinary people and companies there sell used devices that have previously been used and may have minor damage. As a rule, even after six months of use, the seller can sell the laptop at a 40% discount.

But there are pitfalls in this method. Firstly, sellers on advertising platforms are not always frank and may hide information about significant damage to the laptop. An inexperienced user will believe beautiful words and purchase an unusable device. Secondly, you should always find out the reason for the sale. A brand new laptop that is sold at a huge discount may work well until one day it burns out. The reason is simple: the gadget could be dropped, filled with water, and then everything could be fixed so skillfully that it is almost impossible to find damage the first time.

Chinese and Korean online stores

Popular Chinese online stores are famous for their low prices, and therefore are quite consistent with the place where you can buy a cheaper laptop very realistically. However, this method also has pitfalls. For example, there is a danger that the seller will send you a Chinese counterfeit, which he issued under a famous brand. In this case, there is no way to check; you can only rely on numerous reviews and the price. Too low a price indicates that you are ready to purchase a product that is far from original.

Choose only popular platforms such as Aliexpress or TaoBao. In online stores, you can dispute a purchase if the goods did not arrive or, conversely, arrived but were damaged. As a rule, site managers always meet the buyer halfway, especially if the purchase was serious.

There is an opinion that it is impossible to buy a laptop with a Russian layout on Chinese sites, but now manufacturers are trying to create adapted devices. In any case, even a schoolchild can replace the keys on the keyboard, and they are relatively inexpensive.

Foreign online stores

If you want to find out where to buy, then you should visit the online store again, but this time a foreign one. Sites such as Ebay are famous for their high-quality original products, which are significantly lower in cost than in domestic stores. However, you won’t be able to save much, because if you want to start using a brand new device in a few days, you will have to pay a hefty sum for express delivery.

There are also disadvantages to this method of saving. Firstly, stores rarely provide a guarantee, and even if they do, the broken product will have to be sent back to the seller (again, at your own expense). Secondly, you will have to purchase a special adapter that is adapted for Russian sockets. Thirdly, the disadvantage is the lack of Russian layout.

Domestic online stores

Many people ask the question: “Where can I buy a laptop cheaper in Moscow or in another city in Russia?” First of all, ad platforms come to the rescue. If you want to purchase a new personal computer, rather than a used one, then you can contact such companies as DNS, MediaMarkt or MVideo. If you are not looking for a gaming device, then you can purchase a fairly powerful and productive PC for under 30,000 rubles. Please note that it is best to buy a laptop during the period when new products are released from the most popular companies. As a rule, then, to sell goods, companies create promotions and discounts that allow you to save up to 50% of the total cost.

And, of course, one more thing should not be forgotten by those who are looking for where to buy a cheaper laptop. You are already overpaying for packaging and shipping to electronics stores, so it is recommended not to purchase accessories offered by consultants. It's simple: such companies use an excellent psychological technique, because a person makes a purchase on emotions, so he easily agrees to additional expenses. And if you do the math, then an operating system in such stores costs at least 3-6 thousand rubles, a laptop bag - 1-3 thousand rubles, a mouse and speakers - another 2-6 thousand rubles.

Defective devices

A small company supplies personal computers and smartphones, purchasing in bulk directly from foreign manufacturers. She does not overpay for delivery and therefore offers a price slightly lower than the market price, however, some devices were damaged during shipment. For example, the box is dented, or a small crack has appeared on the case. Many people are frightened by such damage, but the seller is ready to give away a new product with minor defects for a low price.

Finding an inexpensive laptop is quite simple: you just need to visit an advertising site, specify the exact query in the search and analyze several ads. Please note that many sellers indicate in their profile that they are not an individual, but instead of large chain stores, they have small offices.

Self-assembly

This method is suitable for those who are looking for where to buy cheap. It’s no secret that a device with a powerful video card, processor and RAM will cost you 50-150 thousand rubles. It will be much cheaper to assemble a personal computer yourself, that is, in parts.

When assembling, you need to understand that for the performance and durability of the laptop you need to choose a case that consists of a matrix, motherboard, battery and keyboard. The main role is played by the motherboard, so more powerful parts are purchased for it. The next stage will be the processor. Everything is simple here: the higher the indicators, the more powerful the laptop will be. It is worth purchasing a processor from 2 gigahertz and above, but it will be best if it is multi-core (from two), and each core has at least 2 GHz.

Although this is the most inexpensive way to get a personal computer, it is important to approach this issue responsibly. You need to understand which parts fit together best.

Conclusion

Now you know how and where to buy a laptop cheaply. In Moscow, for example, offline stores such as Mvideo or Svyaznoy are popular - such well-promoted companies offer you a guarantee, a service center, and pleasant bonuses for your purchase.

Choosing a brand or which used laptop is better to buy

If you have decided to buy a used laptop and cannot decide on the model, we suggest that you carefully read the materials presented in this article. We hope that the analysis of reliability, operating features and capabilities of various models given below will help you make the right choice. The analysis was carried out based on our own observations and statistical data published by SquareTrade.

Acer has an affordable price

Perhaps it’s worth starting with laptops produced by the most popular company in Russia, Acer. Many people prefer Acer, primarily because the prices of the Acer model range are among the most affordable. This can also be called the main advantage. Unfortunately, there are also disadvantages that I would like to talk about in more detail. It’s rare, but it happens that Acer’s motherboard malfunctions and the south bridge burns, as a result, some keys will not work. And the most common problem is significant wear and tear on the batteries; sometimes the battery becomes almost completely unusable. Anyone who decides to buy a used Acer laptop should definitely remember this. In one and a half to two years, the battery life during active use will be limited to fifteen to twenty minutes, and sometimes even 30 seconds.

If design is a determining factor in your purchase and you want to buy an elegant used laptop, you should consider models from other brands. Acer cannot be called particularly beautiful; these are rather working devices, designed for an active user who is accustomed to saving money. In order for you to save, the company is also forced to save on everything. The package contents are not extensive; as a rule, they do not contain a disk for restoring the operating system. Therefore, it is better to immediately duplicate the factory software installed on your computer onto a free disk. Otherwise, someone who decides to buy a used Acer laptop may face serious problems if the failure of the licensed operating system renders the device inoperable, and there is no way to restore it. If we talk about reliability, then the savings make themselves felt - among the nine brands present in the rating table, Acer is only in seventh place.

Benq - a stylish option at an affordable price

Our experience in selling Benq laptops has shown that the build quality of this not the most popular and not the most expensive brand has the same problems as Acer. Do not forget that problems may arise primarily with the keyboard - it will work, but the keys may jam or become deformed. Just like Acer, some Benq models are equipped with batteries that cannot hold a charge for long after prolonged active use. However, according to our observations, the performance qualities of Benq are very good and, unlike Acer, the devices look great, so if you decide to save money, you can safely opt for one of the Benq brand models.

Asus - has a high degree of reliability

Our experience allows us to say that more and more often those who want to buy a used laptop are thinking about the possible purchase of an Asus device, although, unlike models from the two above-mentioned brands, Asus is far from cheap. But the manufacturers relied on quality - and they were not mistaken. In the reliability rating, Asus mobile computers confidently hold one of the first positions - hence the growing demand for models of this brand. Today, Asus is the second most popular brand after Acer in our country. Those who decided to go with Asus will be pleased to know that only Asus provides warranty service for its products for two years (other manufacturers usually have a warranty only for a year). Many people are attracted to Asus laptops by the hard drive capacity, which is 20-30% higher than that of models of the same class from other companies. The company made sure to provide the product with a licensed disk with the operating system and drivers used for operation. Therefore, there will be no problems with reinstalling them. Asus laptops are equipped with Windows, an operating system that is quite suitable for most tasks. Among the possible problems, the only thing worth noting is the not very correct advertising campaign carried out by Asus. As a result of cumbersome and not always necessary programs installed for advertising purposes, it is often inconvenient to work on a computer due to a lack of resources or system slowdown. If your tasks are quite resource-intensive, but you cannot optimize the system yourself, you should contact a specialist to optimize the device for your needs.

HP - beautiful and affordable

It happens that the main requirement of the buyer is an exquisite appearance. In our opinion, HP brand models are the most beautiful. Modern, stylish design and impeccable performance make HP unrivaled for those who dream of buying an elegant used laptop. In addition to external elegance, HP equips its models with a modern touch keyboard that allows you to work on your computer with light touches of your fingers. On the other hand, the keyboard is one of the most problematic areas on used HP laptops due to the poor quality of the touch sensors. However, it is worth adding that HP does not come with disks for restoring the operating system and it is not always possible to restore it from a hard drive. Therefore, if the need arises to reinstall the OS, you will have to order a recovery disk through the official website (its price is approximately twenty dollars) and wait patiently for your order to be completed (on average, about two weeks). The main thing that can confuse those who want to buy a used HP laptop is the low level of reliability. In the rating table for this indicator, the brand is in last, ninth place. Well, for the sake of beauty, sometimes it’s worth sacrificing everything else.

IBM - the standard of reliability, but no longer produced

If your future laptop is not a piece of furniture or a way to make a splash, but a device necessary for daily uninterrupted work, then you should think about buying a reliable used laptop from IBM. Apart from its primitive design, IBM has virtually no flaws. The design of many models is undoubtedly spoiled by the iron plate behind the matrix. However, it has the important function of protecting the screen. Also, many IBMs have the ability to replace the optical drive with an additional battery. The feature is useful, sometimes even necessary, but it obviously won’t add any attractiveness to your computer. For those who want to find the IBM brand in the reliability rating table, you need to know that this company is not there for a very simple reason - structural changes are the reason that IBM products are now manufactured under the Lenovo brand.

Lenovo is the current name of IBM, but without its former reliability

What advice can you give to those who decide to buy a used laptop from Lenovo's IBM successor? The authority of IBM allows Lenovo not to worry too much about appearance, while the quality of the products cannot be compared with the quality of IBM. In the reliability rating for this indicator, Lenovo is only one position higher than Acer, but Acer’s cost is much lower and its appearance is much more presentable. By releasing models that are not very reliable, not much different in appearance and functionality from IBM, Lenovo risks losing demand for its products. True, there is hope that Lenovo will soon be beautiful and not expensive - the brand’s latest models are very elegant and have variable prices.

Toshiba - stylish and reliable

If you are leaning towards used Toshiba brand laptops, then this is exactly the option when you can choose almost any combination of functionality, depending on which the price varies significantly. Therefore, Toshiba can be recommended both to those who are looking at cheaper devices, and to those who dream of a beautiful, reliable and powerful modern car. Almost every Toshiba sold through our online store worked and looked good. Toshiba often comes with an installation disk and, if the operating system fails, it can be installed in literally one to two hours using the disk. The Japanese company Toshiba captivates with its elegance, beauty, excellent build quality and reliability, second only to Asus models - the leading brand in the ranking for this indicator. However, despite the two-year warranty period from Asus, we recommend choosing the Toshiba brand for those wishing to buy an elegant used laptop. The only drawback of some Toshiba models can be considered a small RAM, but they can be quite easily improved.

Dell is a worthy American brand

Based on our own sales experience, we want to talk about the advantages and disadvantages of Dell brand devices, a large number of models of which are assembled in Ireland. Dell ones are quite reliable, come with recovery disks and look quite decent, although too simple for a particularly picky buyer. We were unable to identify any other shortcomings in Dell brand models sold through our online store, however, we were also unable to identify any special advantages. It can be noted that Dell brand models are heavier and thicker than their counterparts from competing companies, but in general Dell is a completely suitable option for those who decide to buy a used laptop.

Based on the above, certain conclusions can be drawn:

• Acer - the cheapest
• Asus, IBM (Lenovo) - the most reliable
• HP - The most beautiful
• Toshiba is the so-called golden mean - modern, beautiful, and reliable.

We consider it necessary to bring to your attention the data provided by SquareTrade, obtained by analyzing the condition of laptops from various brands over a three-year lifespan. According to SquareTrade, during this time about thirty percent of the devices sold by the company fell out of service. At the same time, a little more than 10% of laptop computers became unusable due to improper use or careless behavior of users. The malfunctions that occurred in the rest (about 20% of the total number of devices under study) were not the fault of their owners.

Before deciding which used laptop model is worth buying, check out the statistics obtained as a result of SquareTrade's analysis of more than thirty thousand messages from users who purchased new portable devices through the company in the last three years. Considering that the specific nature of using laptops leads to fairly frequent breakdowns, these statistics will be useful to you. Reliability is the main quality that you need to pay attention to. Among the nine most popular brands among buyers, ASUS is confidently in the lead in this indicator, Toshiba is almost not inferior to it, while Gateway, Acer, and most of all Hewlett-Packard cannot please with reliability.

Of the total number of laptops that malfunctioned during the three years of research without the fault of their owners, only 5% broke down in the first year of use. Most computers failed later - during the second or third year of operation. If we analyze the total number of failed devices, then it (31%) is quite large compared to similar indicators for any other consumer electronics. Therefore, before you buy a used laptop, you will need to very carefully check the device you are purchasing, especially those parts that are subject to the heaviest load during operation: the keyboard, optical drive and hard drive. The high percentage of breakdowns is due to their not very high strength under mechanical stress; the consequence of this is a fairly large number of devices that do not withstand a long service life.

Summing up, we can say that a rough three-year forecast allowed us to come to the following conclusions:

- A quarter of the new devices purchased during this period cannot be avoided under warranty repair;

It is safer to buy a used budget laptop than a small netbook - only every fifth device breaks down during its 3-year lifespan.

The most reliable devices are premium ones, the price of new models starting from $1000. Such devices are the most durable, as one would expect. This mainly includes models from Sony and Apple brands. Only 18% of premium devices failed during the three years of research.

It happens that a person buys a laptop “just to have it.” This is not very reasonable. Unless you have a clear reason for purchasing it, a brand new laptop will most likely be collecting dust somewhere on a table or a distant shelf.

A versatile laptop for every day

Dell XPS 13

This category includes laptops from the middle and high price categories. Productive and balanced hardware allows such laptops to cope with a wide range of tasks, including not too demanding games at medium and even high settings. Thus, gamers who do not prioritize graphics can save themselves from significant expenses on a full-fledged gaming laptop with a powerful discrete graphics card.

The best laptops of 2017 according to TechRadar:

1. Dell XPS 13.
2. Asus ZenBook UX305.
3. Razer Blade Stealth.
4. Asus Chromebook Flip.
5. HP Specter x360.
6. Razer Blade.
7. Samsung Notebook 7 Spin.
8. Acer Aspire S 13.
9. Samsung Notebook 9.
10. Surface Book.
11. HP Specter x360 15.
12. MacBook.
13. Asus ZenBook Flip UX360.
14. Apple MacBook Pro 15.
15. Lenovo Yoga 910.

The rating of the best laptop manufacturers was compiled by Laptop Mag based on a combination of six key criteria: reviewers’ ratings, design, quality of technical support and support, innovation, range of laptops offered, and loyalty of warranty conditions.

1. Lenovo.
2. Asus.
3. Dell.
4. Acer.
5. Apple.
6. Razer.
7. Samsung.
8. Microsoft.

For serious games

Razer Blade

Gaming laptops are very powerful and very expensive. This feature allows you to use gaming laptops for any work, including design, video editing, 3D graphics and engineering.

The video card is the most important part. In 2016, Nvidia introduced the tenth series of GeForce GTX video cards, which are not only much more productive than previous generations, but are also great for installation in laptops because they do not require a bulky cooling system.

If Nvidia previously released heavily stripped-down mobile GeForce GTXs with the letter M in the name for laptops, now you can install a full-fledged video card in a laptop: like in a desktop PC, but with slightly lower frequencies.

That is, if you buy a gaming laptop with a GeForce GTX 1050, 1050 Ti, 1060, 1070, 1080 or 1080 Ti, you will get the performance of a desktop gaming PC with a similar graphics card.

The problem is that there are still a lot of outdated gaming laptops in electronics stores, and they cost as good as new, and sometimes are even more expensive. The consultant may try to sell you such a laptop. Don't give in to persuasion and choose a gaming laptop only with GeForce GTX tenth series.

The older models of Intel Core i5 (for GTX 1050 and 1060), base Core i7 (for GTX 1070) and older Core i7 (for GTX 1080) are traditionally chosen as a processor for a gaming laptop. The amount of RAM usually ranges from 8 to 32 GB.

Top 10 gaming laptops according to TechRadar:

1. Razer Blade.
2. Asus ROG Strix GL502.
3. Alienware 13 R3.
4. Razer Blade Pro.
5. Gigabyte Aero 14.
6. Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming.
7. HP Omen 17.
8. Origin EVO15-S.
9. Gigabyte Aero 15.
10. Origin EON17-X.

For maximum mobility

If your lifestyle or the nature of your work forces you to constantly move, then mobility comes to the fore when choosing a laptop. The smaller, lighter and thinner the better. Such laptops are often called ultrabooks.

Top 10 ultrabooks according to TechRadar:

1. Dell XPS 13.
2. Asus ZenBook UX30.
3. Razer Blade Stealth.
4. HP Specter x360.
5. Samsung Notebook 9.
6. Acer Aspire S 13.
7. Surface Book.
8. Acer Swift 7.
9. Lenovo Yoga 910.
10. HP Spectre.

For maximum autonomy

If you spend most of your time away from a power outlet, then the determining factor when choosing a laptop is the battery life.

We bring to your attention the rating of the most “long-lasting” laptops according to Laptop Mag. The indicated operating time is valid for constant web surfing in a browser via Wi-Fi without using other resource-intensive applications.

1. Lenovo ThinkPad T470 - 17 hours.
2. MacBook Air 13 - 14 hours.
3. Microsoft Surface Book - 12 hours.
4. Dell Latitude 7280 - 12 hours.
5. Lenovo Miix 310 - 12 hours.
6. Dell Latitude 5280 - 12 hours.
7. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon - 12 hours.
8. Dell XPS 13 - 11 hours.
9. Dell Latitude 5480 - 11 hours.
10. Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming - 11 hours.
11. Acer ChromeBook R 13 - 11 hours.
12. Lenovo Yoga 910 - 10 hours.
13. Apple MacBook Pro 15 - 10 hours.
14. Asus ZenBook UX330UA - 10 hours.
15. HP Specter x360 - 10 hours.

Instead of a tablet

HP Specter x360

Nowadays, transformers that combine a laptop and a tablet are very popular. The design of this hybrid allows you to unfasten the keyboard, rotate the top cover, or literally turn the device inside out so that the screen is on top. A mandatory attribute of the transformer is a touch display. “2 in 1” laptops are very compact, lightweight and can completely replace a tablet.

Top 10 convertible laptops according to TechRadar:

1. HP Specter x360.
2. Microsoft Surface Book i7.
3. Samsung Notebook 7 Spin.
4. Microsoft Surface Book.
5. Asus ZenBook Flip UX360.
6. HP Specter x360 15.
7. Dell Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1.
8. Lenovo Yoga 910.
9. Lenovo Yoga 900S.
10. HP Elite x2 1012 G1.

To work on the Internet

If you only use a browser, then pay attention to Chromebooks - more affordable laptops designed for working on the Internet.

1. Asus Chromebook Flip.
2. Samsung Chromebook Pro.
3. Dell Chromebook 11.
4. Acer Chromebook 15.
5. Acer Chromebook R11.
6. HP Chromebook 14.
7. HP Chromebook 13.

As a more compact and aesthetic replacement for a desktop computer

A large system unit, monitor, mouse, keyboard, speakers and a bunch of tangled wires do not add beauty to the interior and take up a lot of space. The laptop solves the problem easily and gracefully.

Undrey/Shutterstock.com

The configuration and cost of such a laptop will depend on what you usually did on the old desktop computer and what you plan to do on the new one.

For special work

This includes design, video editing, sound work, 3D graphics, engineering and other specialized activities.

The configurations of such laptops greatly depend on the tasks being solved and the software used, and the cost ranges from tens to several hundred thousand rubles.

If you need just such a professional laptop, then this guide is unlikely to be useful to you. It is better to look for information about the correct configurations for narrow-profile laptops on the relevant sites and forums. Only there you will find experienced specialists ready to help with advice.

What's worth paying extra for?

Now you will learn about really useful things that justify every ruble invested in them.

Latest generation processor from Intel

There are no good laptop processors from AMD yet. Perhaps the situation will change with the advent of the Ryzen mobile line, but now the only reasonable solution is to buy a laptop with Intel Kaby Lake on board (Core i5 7xxx or Core i7 7xxx).

You can buy a laptop with a previous generation Core i5 or Core i7 (fifth or sixth) and get slightly less performance, but the trick is that the cost difference between them is minimal or non-existent. Accordingly, it is better to choose the latest technology.

A powerful processor turns the laptop into a multitasking machine that not only works quickly, but also allows you to play not too demanding games, do video editing, graphics, and so on.

SSD instead of HDD

In order not to burden you with unnecessary words, we will simply leave here the indicators of the time required to launch some applications on a laptop with an HDD and SSD, all other characteristics being equal.

8 GB RAM

You've probably heard how memory-hungry the Chrome browser is, and it's not the only program that requires a lot of resources to run quickly.

RAM is cheap and greatly affects the performance of the computer. Don't skimp on it.

Full HD screen

A laptop with a Full HD screen at a standard distance from it makes the pixels invisible to the human eye. Thanks to this, the picture becomes much better. Full HD accommodates more content, making working with desktop applications and the Internet more comfortable and convenient. High-resolution matrices, as a rule, are manufactured using more advanced technologies and have better characteristics than their younger HD counterparts.

GeForce GTX tenth series video card

If you are buying a laptop with an eye on new games, then choose a model with a discrete graphics card GeForce GTX 1050, 1050 Ti, 1060, 1070, 1080 or 1080 Ti - depending on your budget.

Do not under any circumstances purchase laptops with GeForce GTX series nine or earlier. Saving just a little money will get you a much less powerful laptop with no power reserves for the future and no proper VR support.

Wi-Fi 5 GHz

Now Wi-Fi points are everywhere, but a side effect of such a ubiquitous presence is a drop in the quality and speed of communication. Roughly speaking, wireless routers jam each other.

The solution may be to move to the 5-gigahertz Wi-Fi band, known as 802.11ac.

Unfortunately, to use 5 GHz Wi-Fi you also need a router that supports this technology, but as a reward for spending extra money you will get super-fast and stable wireless Internet.

By the way, 5 GHz Wi-Fi support is useful not only for a laptop, but also for a smartphone.

USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 connectors

USB-C is the inevitable future, coming sooner than you think. In the next few years, this standard will become the only universal interface for charging and connecting any peripherals to a laptop.

The symmetrical design allows you to connect USB-C from either side, and therefore the familiar problem of “doesn’t fit, turned it upside down - doesn’t fit” will become a thing of the past.

The famous USB paradox

Advanced Thunderbolt 3, in addition to being compatible with USB-C, has sufficient bandwidth to connect a 4K monitor, an external drive with read and write speeds comparable to an SSD, as well as a full-fledged external video card.

What you shouldn't overpay for

Not all manufacturers are distinguished by their ability to create balanced laptops. In addition, some of the features found in laptops are often downright useless.

Backlit keyboard

The laptop is a complete device, and its screen always illuminates the keyboard. Accordingly, additional backlighting of the keys is not needed.

The only reason to choose a backlit model or to pay extra for this modification is the habit of working in complete darkness with minimum screen brightness.

Screen with resolution higher than Full HD

The capabilities of the human eye are limited. With sufficient pixel density, we will not see them from a distance typical for working with a specific device. Such screens are best known as those used in Apple products.

For a laptop with a 13-inch screen diagonal and Full HD resolution, the distance from which the pixels cease to be distinguishable is 51 centimeters. Our eyes are approximately at this distance when working on a laptop. Thus, increasing the screen resolution, and therefore the pixel density, does not make sense.

If someone persistently tries to prove to you that QHD and even more so Ultra HD (almost the same as 4K) are cool and necessary, then either you are dealing with a consultant in an electronics store, or you are faced with a victim of marketing.

In addition to being pointless in terms of picture quality, displays with excessive resolution consume more battery power and require much more resources to render the picture, which negatively affects performance.

Mandatory Intel Core i7

The latest generation Intel Core i7 is a really cool processor, but there is such a thing as sufficient performance.

Simply put, you don't need a Nissan GTR if you use the car for commuting to Auchan and on congested roads.

Core i7 is good for heavy computing, video editing, graphics work and top-end gaming computers. The average user will not use even a fifth of its performance, but will pay the full price.

Required discrete graphics card

A separate video card is needed for hardcore gamers who want to play new games with cool graphics, as well as for individual specialists. For web surfing, office work and watching movies, the power offered by the integrated graphics is sufficient.

32 GB RAM or more

If you don't know why you need so much RAM, then you don't need that much RAM.

If you are not a gamer, then 8 GB of RAM is enough for you, and if you play heavy games, then 16 GB is enough.

Fingerprint's scanner

It is now fashionable to install fingerprint scanners in laptops as a more convenient alternative to entering a password. It may save you an extra second, but is it worth the money that manufacturers are asking for this feature?

Touch screen in an ordinary laptop

A touch screen is required for transformers - hybrid devices with a removable keyboard that combine a tablet and a laptop.

For an ordinary laptop, a touchscreen is not only useless, but also a downright harmful excess, increasing the cost of the device, battery consumption and sometimes worsening the quality characteristics of the screen itself.

Other guides to choosing equipment from Lifehacker.

Used laptops have only one advantage over new devices - lower price. But this only advantage often decides the main question - to be or not to buy at all. The cost of a used laptop in some cases can reach only a third of the cost of a new device model with similar power parameters on store shelves. This refers to the acceptable condition of the used laptop. How to choose a laptop on the secondary computer market and not make a bad choice? We will look into the nuances of buying used laptops below.

1. Approximate purchase amount

The first question that you need to decide on, whether purchasing a new laptop or choosing a used device, is the approximate purchase amount. The purchase amount will determine the hardware power required to perform certain user tasks. So, to buy a used gaming laptop you need to have an amount of $400-500 (at least). Having $200-300, you can start looking for a good productive business or multimedia device. And for $100 or less you can buy antiques, unsuccessful results of manufacturers’ experiments to create a budget laptop niche, as well as good devices, but with defects.

Based on the performance of the laptop, you can usually count on an amount cheaper than the indicated prices only if you are considering the possibility of purchasing a device with the prospect of repair or upgrade.

2. Secondary market for computer equipment

Where to buy a used laptop? It is most profitable to purchase used laptops, naturally, from their direct owners. The reasons why primary owners of computer devices may sell them do not necessarily have to do with their shortcomings. Some people urgently need money, others have grown up to purchase a more productive laptop, and others simply do not need the device. But when purchasing a laptop from its primary owner, the buyer must be more or less computer savvy. Primary owners do not always clearly know the characteristics, pros and cons of the product being sold. Therefore, in such cases, the rule “the eyes saw what they took” often works.

You can buy a used laptop profitably if you look for it in pawn shops for a long time. Naturally, you have a better chance of stumbling upon a successful model at a good price in big cities. Prices for used equipment, of course, depend on the pricing policy of each individual pawnshop network. But often prices in pawnshops are acceptable for buyers, since such establishments ensure their benefits through enslaving transactions with the primary owners of the equipment. When purchasing a laptop from a pawnshop, it is also advisable to have at least basic knowledge in the computer field. You won't meet a computer genius behind a pawn shop counter. As a rule, sellers of such establishments understand a little about everything, but nothing in particular. And they often make contact with customers reluctantly, with caution, suspecting each of them is an operational employee.

Neither in the case of the primary buyer, nor in the case of the pawnshop, you should not rely on the manufacturer’s warranty obligations. The former rarely sell a computer device within the warranty period, which is usually 1 year, less often 2 years. And if they do sell them, they are used laptops with a small percentage of wear and tear, and, as a rule, are not much cheaper than new devices. Pawnshops are not required to provide guarantees for equipment, but individual chains can set their own rules for allocating a certain deadline for buyers to test the purchase and make claims regarding its technical condition. For used laptops with a warranty from the seller, you need to go to specialized consignment stores.

Thrift stores where you can buy a used laptop are often located at computer service centers. At such points, computer equipment from the primary owners may be sent to the commission in as-is condition. But equipment that has been restored after a breakdown can also be sold. Thrift stores at service centers, as a rule, give their guarantee - from 1 to 3 months. In most cases, points of sale of used computer equipment at service centers employ professionals who can provide competent advice. But the price for used laptops at such points is, accordingly, too high.

On Internet trading platforms - auctions and online bulletin boards - you can find various sellers of used laptops. These can be the primary owners, private resellers, and the same consignment stores. With Internet advertisements, the picture is the same as with pawnshops: if you are patient and monitor offers in your city for a long time, sooner or later a profitable option will surely appear. The larger the city, the correspondingly more offers. Contacting sellers from other cities that are so geographically distant that, along with the travel costs, the purchase becomes unprofitable is a risky business. General rules for purchasing goods online will help reduce risks in such cases:

• Demonstration of the laptop and its technical condition via Skype;
• Studying the ratings and reviews of the seller on the trading platform;
• Careful study of the ad (sellers who are more expensive in their ratings, as a rule, list all the shortcomings of the product);
• Application of various transaction protection mechanisms offered by trading platforms;
• Payment by cash on delivery after inspection and testing of the laptop upon receipt of the parcel at the post office.

3. Hardware specifications

The hardware characteristics that you need to keep in mind when choosing a laptop are the screen, processor, amount of RAM, hard drive and video card if you are purchasing a gaming device.

3.1. Screen

When buying a used device, you should focus on the size and integrity of the screen. All other screen parameters should be preferred to the internal filling of the device.

3.2. CPU

Whether a powerful processor is needed is a question for each individual case. If long battery life is a priority, you may want to look at a laptop with a low-voltage processor. If you need a productive device, you need to focus on full-fledged processors, starting with Intel Core i3 (without the addition of the letter “U” in the model name).

Processors from Intel should be preferred to those from AMD. Many people are moving away from this rule, since AMD has learned to make competitive processors for desktop computers. But, alas, in the market for processors for portable devices, AMD still has a lot to learn from Intel. AMD's energy efficient laptop processors are beastly.

The approximate starting frequency of the processor is at least 2 GHz. The number of cores is at least 2. Everything else is considered based on the market situation.

If you are satisfied with the laptop in many respects, but it is the processor that is in doubt, you can consider replacing it with a more productive one. To do this, the processor must be removable. But this kind of operation must be carefully calculated for the upgrade to be financially profitable.

3.3. RAM

The minimum RAM is 4 GB, the optimal option is 8 GB; for gaming laptops more is possible, if the other hardware characteristics meet the requirements of resource-intensive games. The RAM of modern laptop models is usually subject to upgrade. But this point still needs to be clarified and, again, calculated.

3.4. HDD

Regarding the disk space of a laptop, the guideline should be the total volume, the presence of an SSD, or at least the possibility of installing one.

3.5. Video card

Modern high-performance laptops are equipped with two video cards - an integrated one for non-resource-intensive tasks and a discrete one for performing complex graphics processing operations. But, alas, the presence of two video cards does not mean that the device is gaming, as many believe. Discrete video cards can have a 64-bit memory bus and, accordingly, are much more productive than integrated video cards. It only makes sense to overpay for video cards from Nvidia when purchasing a device for specific purposes. The best price-quality option is ATI Radeon video cards with a 128-bit bus (at least).

3.6. Where to check laptop hardware specifications

Using this service, you can check whether the seller is lying when indicating certain characteristics of components in the ad. But with the names of laptop models the situation is more complicated. The fact is that the same laptop models can have different configurations and differ only in additions in the name, for which it is not always possible to find help on the Internet. If the dialogue with the seller goes well, you can ask him for detailed characteristics determined using the programs AIDA64, CPU-Z and their analogues in the form of a screenshot or text format.

4. Battery

Failure of non-removable laptop batteries, such as those found in, for example, manufacturers Apple and Dell, can become a real headache. While you can replace a removable battery yourself, to replace a non-removable laptop you will have to take it to a specialized service center and pay not only for a new battery, but also for replacement services.

Used laptops are often sold with batteries that do not hold a charge. In such cases, it is necessary to add the cost of replacing the battery to the cost of the device and draw a conclusion about the profitability of the purchase, starting from the overall figure.

5. Operating system and drivers

For those who have experience installing Windows, the laptop operating system may be of interest only in terms of the availability of a license key. And only if we are talking about the required version of Windows. In fact, the disk with the driver package is not of particular value. Drivers for individual components can be downloaded from the official website of the laptop or component manufacturer, as well as using special programs - driver managers. It makes sense to be interested in the topic of laptop drivers except in the context of adapting them to current versions of Windows or other desktop operating systems. However, when buying a rare device or from a little-known manufacturer, the issue of the availability of drivers on the disk and their compatibility with the desired version of Windows (or another operating system) must be taken seriously.

6. Age

Modern laptop models, with careful handling and regular hygiene, can last 10 years. In many ways, physical wear and tear determines the attitude of its owner towards the device. By the way, asking how long ago the laptop was cleaned from dust and when the thermal paste was replaced will clarify a lot about the seller if it is the primary owner. The seller’s bewilderment in response can be turned to your advantage by trying to reduce the price of the device by at least the amount of the cost of this service at the service center.

But with obsolescence, things are more complicated. Therefore, even to perform simple operations, you should not take a laptop from the budget segment. The best option would be a device with the possibility of an upgrade, and ideally from a popular manufacturer and a top-end model.

7. Surface inspection

The first thing you need to do is inspect the case to see if there are any cracks, chips, abrasions, or deep scratches. If the seller did not indicate these points in the ad, they may be grounds for reducing the price. Clear signs that the device has been dropped or otherwise mechanically damaged may indicate possible damage to the internal hardware, in particular such a serious problem as cracks on the motherboard. You need to carefully check the keyboard - are all the keys in place, are they working, are there any signs of liquid spillage (keys sticking). It is also necessary to inspect all external ports (charging, USB, audio and video output, network, etc.).

Illustrations for the article taken from wikihow.com

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