Laptops are expensive, there’s no doubt about that.  In fact, some of the cheapest laptops are still more expensive than cheap desktops.  While laptops are certainly cheaper now than they were a few years ago, many people still don’t want to spend the money to purchase a new one.  Instead, they often purchase refurbished or used laptops.  There are some pluses to this, but there are also some negatives.

The main reason to buy a used laptop is, obviously, the price.  If you find the right deal, you might get your used laptop for half the price it originally cost, maybe even more if it’s an older model.  You might also have the option of buying a printer, external mouse, and carrying bag also, especially if you’re purchasing your used laptop from an individual and not from a company or store.  Getting all of those accessories for next to nothing is a great price-saver.

However, that’s about the only good thing about buying a used laptop.  Let’s face it: buying anything used is a risk.  You have no idea how hard the item was used or what kind of abuse it took.  While this doesn’t matter as much with some items, when you’re talking about a laptop, it certainly is something to take into consideration.  What if the laptop has been dropped or had something spilt on it?  Maybe it has been running slowly or has had many different viruses on it.  If the person selling you the laptop isn’t totally upfront about things like this, you may never know until the laptop stops working.

Another thing to consider is that you may not get everything that originally came with the laptop.  CDs, books, and other items get lost over time, and you often simply have to take the laptop as is, even if that means you don’t get everything.  On the flip side, the seller may leave programs installed on the laptop that you wouldn’t get otherwise.  Of course, this means you may find programs you don’t want, or you might find that the person has left personal files or other things (like their website browsing history) that you have no use for.

In the long run, it’s probably better to buy a new laptop if you can.  There’s just so much that can go wrong with buying a used laptop, especially if it’s from someone you don’t know.  Why pay good money, even if it’s just a little money, for something that could only last a few years when you can invest in a laptop you know will work?