In the most effective of occasions, it’s arduous to discover a low-cost laptop with a display that’s good to take a look at, a keyboard and trackpad which might be comfy to make use of—or simply not horrible—and fast-enough efficiency that gained’t depart you ready for apps and tabs to open. Amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic and a worldwide silicon chip shortage, the duty is sort of unimaginable.
One answer? A used PC.
Shopping for an excellent used PC entails somewhat extra work than getting one thing new, however a laptop computer or desktop from a couple of years in the past ought to nonetheless be adequate so that you can browse the web, hop on video calls, edit paperwork and different college initiatives, and chat with academics and buddies. And shops like Amazon, Finest Purchase, Newegg, and others all have a wide array of used PCs, saving you from riskier websites like Craigslist and eBay.
Whether or not you’re making ready for one more semester of distant education or nonetheless adapting to working from dwelling, selecting a used PC may be a cheap method to purchase a pc you don’t hate.
Why you would possibly wish to purchase used devices?
In getting a used PC, it can save you a couple of hundred {dollars} on a pc that may do many of the identical stuff a brand new one can. For the issues most individuals do on their computer systems—shopping the online, enhancing paperwork and spreadsheets, or and enhancing footage and movies out of your cellphone—a brand new laptop and one from a couple of years in the past don’t carry out that in another way from each other.
In the event you’re on a strict price range, shopping for used could will let you purchase one thing that’s nicer than a contemporary price range laptop computer for a similar cash. A high-end Lenovo ThinkPad that bought for $1,400 two or three years in the past, for instance, can have an as-fast-or-faster processor and a greater display, and will likely be fabricated from nicer supplies, than a brand new laptop computer that’s promoting for $500.
Plus, shopping for a used PC cuts down on electronic waste. You rescue an previous however purposeful laptop from getting thrown within the trash, and also you keep away from shopping for an inexpensive PC that can put on out and be disposed of in a couple of years.
Causes to not purchase used devices
In the event you’re seeking to play high-end games or do skilled 3D drafting work, a used PC won’t be your best option for you. Graphics processors are nonetheless advancing extra rapidly than different laptop elements, and the brand new sport consoles which might be due out within the fall will immediate increased system necessities for PC video games, too.
A used laptop computer would possibly nonetheless be an excellent match for photo and video editing, although, since these apps don’t demand as a lot graphics efficiency.
At many on-line shops, “refurbished” is normally only a fancy phrase for “used.”
A used laptop computer normally doesn’t include a top-tier degree of customer support or guarantee assist, the sort you may get with an AppleCare Protection Plan or an prolonged producer guarantee. You’ll find used PCs with a yr or two left on their unique warranties, and people warranties usually switch to new homeowners with out issues.
However it’s extra frequent to seek out restricted 30- or 90-day warranties that can cowl you if the pc is useless on arrival however not a lot else. Third-party prolonged warranties from firms like Asurion, Geek Squad, or SquareTrade (relying on the place you purchase from) can supply some peace of thought.
However the customer support these firms present may be hit and miss, and it is best to learn the fantastic print rigorously to examine what’s and isn’t coated. The very best assist comes with a manufacturer-refurbished PC, which carries a like-new guarantee from the corporate that made the pc.
What to search for
The three most essential issues to search for in a used PC are its bodily situation (particularly for laptops, which transfer round extra and take extra punishment), its make and mannequin quantity, and its specs.
Some used-PC sellers put up footage of the particular computer systems they’re promoting, which makes it simpler so that you can assess a pc’s situation. Others would possibly assign it a letter grade—persist with methods with an A or B score to cut back the chance of seen injury or put on. The one strategy to assure you’ll get one thing that appears really new is to purchase a manufacturer-refurbished system.
Most individuals can get by with a pc that meets our minimal necessities.
Usually, we recommend sticking to desktops and laptops made by Dell, HP, or Lenovo (or Apple, if you happen to’re shopping for a Mac). It’s okay to purchase used computer systems made by smaller outfits like Acer or Asus, but it surely’s normally simpler to seek out components and assist for older computer systems made by the larger firms.
Specifically, we like enterprise desktops and laptops reminiscent of these within the Dell Optiplex and Latitude collection, the Lenovo ThinkCentre and ThinkPad household, and the HP Professional and Elite lineup.
These sorts of PCs are chunkier than fashionable ultrabooks like Dell’s XPS 13 or Apple’s MacBook Air, however they’re simpler to improve and restore, and so they’re constructed out of sturdier supplies extra prone to maintain up beneath stress.
Minimal Necessities
Most individuals can get by with a pc that meets our minimal necessities. In the event you simply must do primary duties like net shopping, doc enhancing, and video chatting, right here’s what it is best to search for:
Processor: Select a seventh-generation or newer Intel Core processor (search for a mannequin quantity that begins with Core i3, i5, or i7, adopted by a quantity within the 7000s or increased).
Reminiscence: For primary net shopping and app utilization, 4 GB is absolutely the minimal. However if you happen to purchase a pc with 4 GB, examine to see if you can upgrade the memory yourself—you’ll be able to nearly all the time improve a desktop, however a lot of laptops don’t permit it.
- Storage: A 128 GB or bigger solid-state drive is preferable to a bigger however slower mechanical arduous disk drive, in each reliability and responsiveness. However shopping for a pc with a tough drive and upgrading it to an SSD yourself can will let you avoid wasting cash.
- Display kind: For notebooks, search for IPS shows, which offer higher colour replica and viewing angles than low-cost TN shows (WVA shows, though rarer and inferior to IPS, additionally normally look okay). Used-computer listings don’t all the time specify the show expertise, however 1080p screens are extra possible (albeit not assured) to be IPS.
- Display decision: We favor laptop computer screens with a 1920×1080-pixel decision, additionally referred to as 1080p or Full HD, however some older laptops would possibly get by with 1440×900 or 1600×900 screens. Keep away from 1366×768 (additionally referred to as HD) screens, which look worse and have a tendency to make use of inferior TN expertise.
Most Popular Necessities
If you need a pc that appears and feels a bit quicker and extra fashionable—and may run higher-end skilled apps if you want them—search for a system that meets our most well-liked necessities as an alternative:
Processor: Search for a tenth-generation or newer Intel Core i5 or i7 processor (Core i5, or i7, adopted by a quantity within the 10000s or increased) or a 3000-, 4000-, or 5000-series AMD Ryzen processor (Ryzen 3, 5, or 7, adopted by a type of numbers).
These processors are an excellent baseline if you happen to’re enjoying 4K video or connecting to 4K displays, and so they have further processor cores that assist if you’re opening a lot of tabs or switching between a number of apps directly.
Reminiscence: Most individuals can get by simply fantastic with 8 GB of reminiscence. The largest purpose to purchase greater than that’s if you happen to’ll be enjoying video games or utilizing skilled apps like Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, or Premiere.
- Storage: Whenever you’re shopping for a brand new PC, we suggest an SSD that’s 256 GB or bigger, which is sufficient to your working system, your most essential software program, and your images and paperwork. In the event you want extra space, contemplate a cloud storage service or an external drive.
- Display kind: Similar as above—IPS shows are the most effective factor to intention for in a pocket book, and so they’re extra frequent in newer computer systems.
- Display decision: We predict 1080p screens supply laptops the most effective mixture of sharpness and battery life. You could possibly discover laptops with 4K shows, however such a display provides to the laptop computer’s value and reduces battery life with out including advantages most individuals are prone to discover. In Macs, search for a Retina Show.
- USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 ports: These aren’t a necessity, however a USB-C port that may cost a laptop computer and hook up with newer displays is very handy (these ports should not as huge a deal for desktops). Replacement USB-C chargers are additionally simpler to seek out and cheaper to purchase.
Issues to keep away from with used PCs
Previous or sluggish processors: This record contains Intel Celerons and Pentiums, Intel Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad processors, first- by sixth-generation Intel Core processors, in addition to AMD A-series processors.
These are older or slower processors that can all really feel their age as you employ them. Some could even have hassle supporting primary options of Home windows 10 or working fashionable variations of macOS.
- 1366×768 screens: These low-resolution screens, typically referred to as HD or WXGA shows, can’t match as a lot info and don’t look as sharp as higher-resolution screens. They’re additionally extra possible to make use of low-cost, washed-out TN show panels.
- Spinning arduous drives (HDD): A standard arduous drive is the slowest a part of any older or cheaper laptop. In the event you purchase a pc with an HDD, contemplate changing that storage with an SSD.
- Lower than 64 GB of storage: That isn’t sufficient area so that you can comfortably set up Home windows and your most essential apps whereas leaving sufficient room for Home windows Replace to work correctly. Computer systems with such tiny SSDs additionally have a tendency to make use of a less expensive sort of storage referred to as eMMC, which is slower than a typical SSD and never upgradable.
- 11n Wi-Fi (aka Wi-Fi 4): A pc with an older Wi-Fi adapter can nonetheless hook up with a Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6 community, so if an 802.11n Wi-Fi adapter is the one factor improper with a pc you want, that shouldn’t be a dealbreaker. However Wi-Fi 5 (or 802.11ac) has been customary in most computer systems for the previous 5 – 6 years, so it is best to keep away from Wi-Fi 4 if you happen to can.
Issues to keep away from with used Macs
Pre-2013 Macs: These computer systems nonetheless run okay, however they gained’t be supported by the newest macOS launch, Big Sur, or any future releases of macOS. This implies you’ll cease getting safety updates sooner, and apps will turn out to be incompatible sooner.
MacBooks launched between 2016 and 2019: 13- and 15-inch MacBook Execs launched between 2016 and 2019, 13-inch MacBook Airs launched in 2018 and 2019, and all fashions of the 12-inch MacBook all make use of a shallow, unsatisfying “butterfly” keyboard with well-documented reliability problems.
Apple remains to be providing free repairs for these keyboards even once they’re out of guarantee, however it is best to keep away from such fashions solely if you happen to might help it.
The place to look
Relating to shopping for used PCs, it’s greatest to keep away from websites like Craigslist, eBay, or Reddit—it’s doable to seek out good offers there, however if you happen to don’t know precisely what you’re searching for, you’ll be able to simply get tripped up by faux or deceptive listings or perhaps a PC preloaded with malware.
In the event you’re shopping for your first used laptop, you’ll be able to keep away from scams and heartbreak by sticking to main retailers. Computer systems from these sellers are additionally extra prone to be professionally cleaned and restored.
Finest Purchase has a wide array of preowned, refurbished, and open-box laptops and desktops. The location’s filters make it pretty simple to slender down the specs by our suggestions above, and the desktops particularly are good offers if you happen to’re capable of improve the reminiscence or set up an SSD your self.
When shopping for from Amazon, persist with fashions with the Amazon Renewed tag, which Amazon says “have been inspected and examined by certified suppliers to look and work like new” and include a 90-day replacement-or-refund coverage.
Whenever you’re looking out Newegg, limiting your search to methods shipped and bought by Newegg can return higher-quality outcomes.
Newegg, a well-liked website for individuals who wish to construct or improve their very own PCs, additionally has loads of used laptop and desktop PC listings, although the search operate isn’t as good. A few of Newegg’s listings are for a lot older computer systems than you’ll discover at Amazon or Finest Purchase, so be particularly cautious about checking the choices for our minimal and most well-liked necessities.
Utilizing the “bought/shipped by Newegg” search filters limits the fashions accessible however makes it simpler so that you can discover one thing in good situation bought by the positioning itself slightly than a doubtlessly sketchy third get together.
In the event you’re trying particularly for Macs, OWC has a fantastic repute for used and refurbished merchandise and provides fairly a couple of MacBook Air, MacBook Professional, and iMac fashions, amongst others.
These computer systems have 90-day warranties out of the field, however you’ll be able to add as much as two years of further guarantee protection if you need it.
Verify the listings for laptops to ensure that the charger is included.
Native laptop shops can also be an excellent place to examine for used {hardware}. Micro Heart retains an honest collection of refurbished desktops and laptops available—a few of these can be found on-line, however many can be found provided that you can also make it to an precise retailer.
You may need different respectable choices native to you—within the San Francisco Bay Space, for instance, Central Computer systems is a well-regarded native chain. Some research and checking Yelp and the BBB would possibly reveal good, fairly priced choices close to you, and calling forward with our beneficial specs in hand might help you determine if any of the shop’s in-stock methods will be just right for you.
In the event you do take your probabilities on a website like eBay, it’s particularly essential to verify the images within the itemizing are of the particular laptop you’ll be shopping for—not one laptop computer amongst a number of, or footage that declare to be “consultant” of what you’re shopping for.
Keep away from shopping for computer systems from outdoors the US, since they’ll take a number of weeks to ship and such listings usually tend to be scams. Verify the listings for laptops to ensure that the charger is included. And don’t purchase from sellers with little to no suggestions or loads of unfavourable suggestions.
Nearly like new: Producer-refurbished PCs
Apple’s refurbished website nearly all the time has a wide variety of latest MacBook Air, MacBook Professional, and iMac fashions.
If you wish to avoid wasting cash however don’t wish to take the dangers that include shopping for used, you is perhaps pleased with a manufacturer-refurbished laptop. These are methods which might be returned to the corporate that made them, repaired with new components, and resold in like-new situation with the identical warranties you get with new laptops and desktops.
Word the distinction between a manufacturer-refurbished PC and one listed as “refurbished” on the websites of Finest Purchase, Newegg, and elsewhere—at many on-line shops, “refurbished” is normally only a fancy phrase for “used.”
The businesses with the most effective pages for refurbished PCs are Apple and Dell. Each have incessantly up to date inventories of near-new desktops and laptops; each supply the identical warranties you get with their new merchandise, together with the chance to increase these warranties from one to a few or 4 years; and each make it simple to kind computer systems by specs so you should purchase precisely what you need.
HP offers some refurbished items, however you might want to search for what you need on its web site after which name to order, whereas Lenovo’s refurbished site is sparsely stocked and arduous to look.
In the event you’re shopping for a refurbished MacBook, we recommend sticking to 2020 and later fashions of the 13-inch Professional and MacBook Air so that you don’t find yourself with the oft-maligned (and justly so) butterfly-switch keyboard.
The 16-inch MacBook Professional can be fantastic. You may additionally contemplate holding out for a model with Apple’s M1 chip slightly than Intel processors, since these carry out higher, get higher battery life, and are likely to get new macOS updates for longer.
For a refurbished Dell laptop, search for 8 GB or extra of RAM, 256 GB or extra of storage, and a Tenth- or Eleventh-generation Core i3, i5, or i7 processor—steer away from Celerons and Pentiums, significantly these with a mannequin quantity that begins with N.
In the event you’re shopping for a laptop computer, search for a 1080p display. I favor Latitudes as a result of they’re normally constructed higher than Inspiron fashions, and it’s normally simpler to improve their storage or reminiscence; you might additionally search for latest XPS 13 fashions, since that collection has been our favorite ultrabook for years now.
As you buy, take a look at Dell’s coupon codes to see if there are any fashions with significantly good reductions; these codes refresh each week or so.
Upgrades and repairs
Whenever you purchase a used PC, you would possibly discover that it wants upkeep extra rapidly or extra frequently than a brand-new laptop. Or it would want some further reminiscence or quicker storage to assist it cope higher with fashionable web sites and apps.
You may improve almost all desktops and lots of laptops with a little bit of time, analysis, and a few tools. We are able to’t advise you on each doable restore to each doable system—iFixit has some PC repair guides, although not for all fashions—however we will cowl the fundamentals. And we’ve got some extra recommendation for repairing and resuscitating an old laptop.
- SSD: In the event you purchase a used PC with a spinning arduous drive, that part will likely be by far the slowest factor in the complete laptop. Upgrading to a solid-state drive will dramatically pace issues up. We’ve SSD suggestions for older and newer computer systems—Crucial’s System Advisor page can provide you some info on the sort of drive you want. If the pc you purchased already has a small, 128 GB or 256 GB SSD and also you need extra space, 500 GB and 1 TB drives are far more reasonably priced than they have been a couple of years in the past.
- Reminiscence: A Home windows PC with 4 GB of reminiscence or much less will wrestle when you’ve opened greater than a few apps and some browser tabs. We suggest 8 GB for basic use and 16 GB for individuals who plan to frequently play high-end video games or use high-end apps like Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom. Once more, the Crucial System Advisor page can let you know what sort of reminiscence to purchase to your system—although many laptops, together with all MacBooks made after 2012, don’t permit reminiscence upgrades in any respect.
- Chargers: Some used laptops are bought with out chargers, and older MacBook energy provides particularly are liable to fraying. It’s most secure to purchase a substitute immediately out of your laptop’s producer, and Acer, Apple, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo all have shops you’ll be able to strive. Keep away from low-cost knock-off chargers, which don’t final as lengthy and may be hearth hazards, and don’t purchase Apple chargers from eBay, the place counterfeits are nearly unavoidable. OWC sells genuine Apple chargers for older MacBooks for lower than Apple’s costs. For newer USB-C laptops, any certified USB-C charger ought to work fantastic.
- Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi adapters won’t be included in your used PC, particularly in older desktops. That’s fantastic if you happen to can join the pc to your router with a wire, however if you happen to can’t, reliable USB Wi-Fi adapters can be found for as little as $20.
Software program updates
Home windows 10 and 11: In case your used PC got here with Home windows 10 already put in, you would possibly have the ability to improve to Home windows 11. Sometimes, PCs produced after 2016 or 2017 can have a brand new sufficient processor and the required security chip to run this newest model of Home windows.
But when it got here with Home windows 7 (which is not receiving safety updates) or Home windows 8 (which is awkward and fewer acquainted than different variations of Home windows), it is best to contemplate upgrading.
A brand new Home windows 10 license normally costs around $130, but when your PC shipped with Home windows 8 or has a Home windows 7 product key, you could possibly activate Home windows 10 for no further value. In the event you want recommendation, see our directions on how to install Windows from scratch.
And even when your PC got here with Home windows 10, a contemporary set up that you simply carry out your self can eliminate any bloatware that got here put in on the pc.
- macOS: Apple makes it fairly simple to improve to the newest model of macOS that your explicit Mac is able to working—this page might help you establish whether or not you’ll be able to set up the newest model (macOS Monterey as of this writing) and what you might want to do. Most Macs launched in or after 2012 can run Catalina, which is still being supported with security updates, however will possible cease being supported after this yr. Macs older than 2012 can not formally run any model of macOS that’s nonetheless receiving safety updates, and so they’re fairly sluggish at this level, anyway—contemplate upgrading if you happen to personal one, and positively don’t purchase a pre-2013 Mac at this level.
We’ve up to date the beneficial specs for this information, and clarified which used PCs is perhaps eligible for a Home windows 11 improve.
