Buy Used Laptops - 5 Keys to Saving Big

Buying a used laptop is a great way to save money. Since laptops, much like cars, tend to depreciate quite rapidly after their purchase, those willing to put up with a little less performance and a little more risk can walk away with some spectacular deals. In order to help you get the best deals possible, I've put together this list of five tips that can help you save on a used laptop.

1. Know Your Requirements

This is huge. You're not going to be able to save any money if you don't know exactly what you need first. Be honest about your needs. If you're just looking for a portable notebook to write, e-mail, and browse the web with, your requirements aren't that steep. No need to spring for the ultra powerful gaming laptop. On the other hand, if you're looking to do some serious graphics and development work with your laptop, you'll need to spend a little more to get what you need.

2. Know Your Pricing

Once you have your requirements laid out, its time to start looking at specific models. Learn to recognize what certain models usually sell for on the used market, and bargain hun accordingly. If you don't know how much a specific model costs, you're not going to be able to save much money. Study prices carefully, and you'll save big.

3. Take Full Advantage of the Internet

This may seem obvious, but make sure you're using every possible resource the internet has to offer. Check eBay, check Craigslist, check specific computer forums. The more you look, the better chance you have of scoring a great deal.

4. Be Willing to Upgrade

If you've found a used laptop that's almost, but not quite, perfect for your needs, consider taking it all the way there with some upgrades. Of course, you'll have to factor this into the pricing, but you'd be surprised at how $35 worth of RAM can transform an unusable machine into a decent system. Just something to think about.

5. Buy Quality

As with anything else, quality used computers tend to last longer. Since buying a used computer entails a certain amount of risk, you want to minimize this as much as possible, and one of the best ways of doing this is to buy a system known for its quality. Thinkpads may be the classic example of this, but many other manufacturers offer high quality items. Buy these, and you won't be disappointed with your used laptop purchase.

Hopefully this has given you some idea of how you can get a great deal on a used laptop. If you shop well, and do your homework, you'll wonder why anyone goes through the expense of buying new. Good luck with your hunt.