Laptops have fast become the computer of choice for people all over the world, not only are laptops more compact when compared to a desktop computer, they also have the added advantage of mobility that a regular desktop computer does not offer. Laptops have been around for quite some time now, and the refurbished laptops market is flourishing as people don’t mind buying a refurbished laptop rather than buy a new computer. If you are also looking to be the proud owner of a laptop by buying a refurbished laptop then here are few tips that should help you make a more informed choice:
1) Always check to see the date of purchase of the laptop, it is important to know how long ago the laptop was purchased. Usually as rule of thumb hardware becomes obsolete every 5 years, so if you are looking for a laptop make sure it’s not older than 5 years. A laptop more than 5 years old will probably have obsolete hardware, and will be prone to more problems. Not to mention it might not even support newer software. Ideally a refurbished laptop should be no older than a few years.
2) Make sure that you know exactly how many owners a laptop has had, just like used cars, a refurbished laptop which is more than 2 owners old is not going to do you any good. Just like all other computing equipment, laptops are also prone to hardware failure. In fact just like used cars many people actually prefer buying refurbished laptops that have been owned by women; however not every one is as lucky, as usually there is not way to know who the previous owner of the laptop was, but you can find out how many owners the laptop has had.
3) Like all things in life, it’s important to shop around and look for the right deal. Today there are specialized websites on the internet that allow you to buy refurbished laptops, always look for a laptop vendor that is located in the same country as you are. For example if you are located in the UK then websites like www.portableuniverse.co.uk are a great place to start looking for refurbished laptops.
4) Another thing to remember is to try and buy refurbished laptops that come with some type of warranty; if the manufacturer warranty has expired you should consider a vendor that is offering warranty on the laptop from his side. So even if you don’t have warranty from the manufacturer you have some kind of warranty, and you can always approach the vendor who sold you the laptop for any problems that you face.
Refurbished laptops are a great way to start using laptops if you are on a tight budget, not only do refurbished laptops allow you the added advantage of mobility, but they are also much easier to transport from one place to another. If you are considering buying a refurbished laptop then make sure you keep the above mentioned points in mind. Also make sure you are dealing with a reputable seller.
Choosing a refurbished laptop based on hardware
Apart from the microprocessor installed on the laptop another important factor to keep in mind is the memory installed on the laptop, ideally the laptop you are going for should have around 512 MB of memory. It does not really make that big a difference if the laptop has DDR or DDR2 memory, but if possible you should always try and get a refurbished laptop that has the latest memory technology installed, so given the option a DDR2 based memory chip is a better idea. If you are getting a really good deal on a laptop that has less than 512 MB RAM, then make sure that the memory can be upgraded, so you can upgrade the memory at a later time.
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