Buying a used laptop can save you 30 to 60 percent compared to retail prices, but used laptops do not come with guarantees that everything works. Here are the 5 most important things to check before buying.
Inspect for dents, cracks, and damaged ports. Cosmetic damage can indicate drops that may have caused internal issues.
Test individual key functionality — a single broken key can make a laptop frustrating to use daily. Use UnitCert's keyboard test to verify every key registers correctly.
Use solid color panels to detect dead pixels and backlight issues. UnitCert's screen test displays full-screen color patterns to reveal defects.
A laptop with a dead webcam or non-functional mic is borderline unusable for remote work. On MacBooks, camera, mic, and speaker repairs cost $300 to $800 since components are soldered.
Run a free UnitCert diagnostic to get a certified report with a unique verification ID. If a seller refuses to run a free 60-second diagnostic test, that tells you everything you need to know.
Read our complete laptop testing guide for step-by-step instructions, or check out our refurbished laptop verification guide.