Buying a used laptop that lasts, not one you regret.
An SSD, enough RAM, and a healthy battery matter more than a shiny lid. Here is the short list we run through with you before you buy a used laptop.
A used laptop is a great value when the storage is an SSD, the RAM is enough for your work, and the battery and hinges are sound. We sell used laptops at seven Lehigh Valley stores, and you can boot and test any one of them at the counter before you decide to buy.
Written by the technicians at Quick Cellphone Repair. This is how we handle this job at our seven Lehigh Valley stores — not a generic web article.
We have sold and serviced used laptops in the Lehigh Valley since 2015, from seven stores open 10 AM to 8 PM every day. Here is the order we check things in with you. Storage first, because an SSD is the single biggest speed difference; a machine on a spinning hard drive feels a decade old no matter the sticker. RAM next, where 8 GB is a sane floor and 16 GB is comfortable. The battery, which we charge and watch at the counter. The hinges, the keyboard, every port, and the screen for dead pixels or backlight bleed. Then the operating system, so it boots clean with no account lock. The condition grade, Brand New, Like New, Good, or Fair, is on the tag. The device sales policy is the warranty for the laptop. We also repair laptops, so a cheap flaw is often a quick fix.
SSD and RAM decide how it feels
The single biggest difference between a laptop that feels fast and one that feels broken is the storage. An SSD boots in seconds; a spinning hard drive makes even a newer machine crawl. Check which one is inside before anything else.
RAM is the second number. Eight gigabytes handles browsing, email, and documents. Sixteen is comfortable for lots of tabs, photos, or light video. A used laptop with an SSD and 16 GB often beats a newer one that shipped with a slow drive.
If a machine you like runs slow on a good drive, our laptop running slow guide covers what else to look at. Often the fix is cheap, and we can do it here.
Battery, hinges, keyboard, ports
Charge the laptop at the counter and watch the percentage climb, then unplug it and see how fast it falls. A used laptop battery that drains in under two hours is worth a battery replacement, which is a fair-priced fix.
Open and close the lid a few times. A loose or stiff hinge is a known weak point and worth knowing about. Press every key and plug something into each port. A dead key or port is a repair, and our laptop keyboard repair guide explains that one.
Look at the screen on a white page for dead pixels or uneven backlight. A cracked panel is fixable; our laptop screen repair guide covers glass versus panel. We test all of this with you before you pay.
Clean boot, grade, and price
A used laptop should boot straight to a clean setup with no previous owner's account or password lock. We confirm that at the counter so the machine is yours from the first start.
The condition grade, Brand New through Fair, is on the tag and it is honest. A Good-grade laptop with a scuff and a strong SSD is often the best deal in the case. Compare what is listed on shop laptops.
The device sales policy is the warranty for the laptop you buy, separate from repair warranty. Because we repair laptops too, a small flaw on a cheap machine is often a quick, affordable fix rather than a reason to walk away.
The other guide
A used iPad or Android tablet is a great buy when the battery, the account lock, and the glass all check out. We run those checks with you at the counter.
Buy a Used Tablet: What to CheckFrequently asked questions
Answers about used laptop at our seven Lehigh Valley stores.
An SSD, without question. It is the single biggest reason one laptop feels fast and another feels ancient. A machine on a spinning hard drive will frustrate you no matter how new it looks. We tell you which one is inside, and many laptops can be upgraded to an SSD cheaply.
Walk in with the phone. We quote before we start.
Seven Lehigh Valley stores, 10 AM to 8 PM. Most in-stock screen and battery jobs finish in 30 to 60 minutes.