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Used Computers

Nowadays computers are significantly improved in every 6 months. Anyone who always wants to have the latest computer hardware has to spend a few thousand dollars after every 6 months. More rational people change their computer in every few years, buying new, but somewhat outdated components that are sold at the fraction of their launch price. There are also a large number of people who can’t afford new computers, not even every few years, so they choose to buy used computers. I would separate these users in two groups. Users in the first group could afford new computers, but they want to get a faster computer for the same money, so they search for used computers for sale that may still be under warranty. Users in the second group can’t afford even the cheapest new computer, so they buy something really used and outdated that barely meets their needs.
The best place for buying used computers still under warranty is at local stores that sell only well-known brands like Dell, HP, NEC, Apple …etc. Stores like this in many countries are bound by law to give at least one year warranty period for any type of used computer. These stores (if they are not too greedy) offer factory or just locally refurbished/certified computers for only 50% of the price of a new one. These computers are usually “thrown out” by big companies like banks, all 100% functional and sometimes include models that are still available in retail stores, however most of them are Pentium 4 systems that barely meet the minimum requirements for the latest operating systems. While standard configurations come with 512MB or 1GB of memory, upgrading to 2GB or 3GB is a wise investment, because that’s what most programs and operating systems need. A 40GB hard drive, 2GHz processor and a simple 64MB graphics card may run even Windows 7 smoothly if an adequate quantity of memory is installed.

Another way to go is to risk it, and search for people who are selling their own systems. This however may complicate things, because you never know where that computer has been, whether it was acquired legally or not. Nowadays it’s very easy for police to trace stolen laptops and desktops because of the Internet. Every computer, when it’s connected to the Internet, has a unique identifier called MAC or hardware address that looks like this: 00-00-A1-E4-45-56. Although it can be changed, most thieves don’t know how to do it and sooner or later they get caught. Let’s say that there were no complications, and you bought the best used computer you could afford. The most important thing to do is to clean it from top to bottom physically and also logically (the hard drive). If the computer case is not sealed with a warranty sticker it’s best to carefully remove the dust from inside using a soft brush and a vacuum cleaner. Although it’s recommended to use compressed air to clean electronic products, nowadays there is practically no risk in using a vacuum cleaner if you’re careful enough not to touch any component with it that might fall off.

It’s better if you buy a new keyboard and mouse, because these two input devices carry the most bacteria, and are not easy to clean. Also they are very cheap, a new simple PS2/USB keyboard should cost around $4 and an optical mouse about $3 anywhere on Earth. Another recommendation is to verify all fans, and replace them if they don’t spin as fast as they should or make a weird noise.