A good used laptop can cost far less than a new one and work just as well. A bad one costs you twice. These are the checks we do on the laptops we sell, and the ones worth doing wherever you buy.
What the words mean
- Open box: the box has been opened, usually for a return or a display, with little or no use.
- Refurbished: repaired or restored to full working order, often with replaced parts or a fresh battery.
- Used: owned and used before, in the condition described.
On Bytesline, every laptop's page says which one it is.
Before you pay: the checklist
Body and screen
- Open and close the lid a few times. The hinges should feel firm, with no cracks around them.
- Look at a plain white, then a plain black screen at full brightness. Watch for dead pixels, bright patches and lines.
Keyboard, touchpad and ports
- Press every key once, in a text box or an online key tester.
- Try every USB port, the headphone jack, the charger port and the HDMI port if there is one.
- Check the webcam, microphone and speakers.
Battery health
- Windows: open Command Prompt and run
powercfg /batteryreport. Compare "Full charge capacity" with "Design capacity". Above 80% is healthy. - MacBook: System Settings, Battery, Battery Health; System Information also shows the cycle count.
Storage and heat
- Check the drive's health with a free tool such as CrystalDiskInfo (Windows). It should say "Good".
- Run something heavy for a few minutes, a game or a video export. The fans should spin up and the laptop shouldn't shut down.
Locks and paperwork
- There should be no BIOS password, and no account lock: on a MacBook, Find My must be turned off; on Windows, it should start without someone else's account.
- The serial number on the bottom should match the one in the system and on the box or invoice.
- The charger should be the right wattage for the laptop, ideally the original.
Red flags
- A price far below everyone else's for the same model.
- No invoice, or a serial number that doesn't match.
- The seller won't let you test it, or switches it on only briefly.
Ask about the warranty
Used and open-box laptops often come with a shop warranty rather than the brand's. Our guide to official, local and shop warranties explains the difference, and we are happy to answer questions about any laptop before you order.
