Buying used very cheap laptops isn’t hard. It’s finding a good one that’s the problem. Before you purchase any used or cheap computer parts, do a background check. Why is it being sold? How old is it? Does it have a warranty and for how long? Is it refurbished?
You can buy new cheap laptops too. But that would usually require sacrifice on your part. The cheapest brand-new laptops are small models. You have to ask yourself if you’re wiling to strain your eyes on a tiny Asus Eee PC just to save money.
Where to buy very cheap laptops
The Internet is a great place to go bargain shopping. You can easily compare price lists from among various laptop stores. There are even websites that will do the search and comparison for you. You can also look around in classified ads and auction sites.
Your first stop ought to be a price comparison store like NexTag.com, BestBuy.com and Shopzilla.com. These shopping search sites will fish the web for items on sale at different rates. They won’t be all identical; for example a Dell Inspiron may appear in NexTag for over $600 but go for just under $400 in BestBuy. Of course you have to check to hardware specs for differences.
Pick the models you like and note down their prices and where they’re sold. Compare them with what you find in classified and auction websites.
eBay is the leading auction site. You can sometimes find very cheap laptops here. When you do, check for the item condition, product details, shipping fees and the seller’s reputation. One of the benefits of buying on eBay is there’s a feedback feature. Honest sellers do their best to build a good reputation since this encourages more sales. If a seller has a mostly or 100% positive feedback, you can be sure you’re getting a truthful description of the laptop you want to buy.
Craigslist is another popular choice. It’s easier to use than eBay but offers no buyer protection. You don’t know who you’re dealing with. Nevertheless Craiglist has many satisfied users. Post an ad for the type of laptop you’re looking for, and your price range. You can also look in computer section. The advantage of Craigslist over eBay is it’s a snap to find a seller near you so you don’t need to worry about shipping. Don’t forget to haggle.
Don’t forget to google it. Search for “used laptops” or “cheap laptops.” Try LaptopOutlet.com or UsedLaptops.com.
Now cheap laptops often means used laptops. With used items, you want to be able to inspect the item in person before you buy. You can’t do that if you’re shopping online – unless you can make an arrangement with your Craigslist dealer to let you test the product before buying. For a hands-on quest for an affordable notebook, you need to look around town. Tour the computer hardware stores near you. Check out buy and sell shops. These may be able to sell you a cheap laptop. Even your old computer shop may give you a new one at a discount, if you’re a loyal customer. If you are a student, you may be able to find a classmate who is looking to dispose of an old notebook.
Now while you’re at it, don’t forget what laptop brands to look for. Some have a better reputation for durability and long life than others. IBM, Toshiba, Fujitsu and Panasonic are good. Dell is cheap even when new and Sony is for low end consumers.
