|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Used laptop computers are everywhere these days. How can you sift through the mass of available used laptop computers to narrow your search down to the right laptop for you? This is the third part of a series of articles designed to give you a few suggestions for your next purchase.
Test the Keyboard and Built-in Mouse
When you get an operating system up and running, open a text file like notepad and start typing on the keyboard. How do the keys feel? If they are sticking, this may indicate coffee or another liquid having been dropped on the computer. A definite red flag.
Is the built-in mouse functioning properly? If it isn't, understand that this could seriously hamper the portability of the laptop. Using an external mouse when you are on the go can be very inconvenient.
Laptop Battery: Don't expect much
Laptop batteries generally don't maintain a full charge for more than a year or two at most. The manufacture date of the laptop is often found on its underside. If the manufacture date is more than two years and it has an original battery, consider yourself lucky with any battery life you get. Most used computer dealers will not give you any warranty for the battery. An extra battery is always a wise purchase when buying a used laptop. Consider asking the dealer what it would cost to get another one.
Laptop multimedia: Testing the sound and video.
Sound and video are both things that are important to some people and not to others. If you see yourself listening to music using the laptop speakers, try to play some music on them to see how they sound. You may want to cart a music CD with you along with your Knoppix CD. Have realistic expectations though. Laptop speakers rarely sound full. They usually have a tinny sound with lots of treble and little bass.
If you plan on watching movies on the laptop, you may want to consider choosing a used laptop computer with a DVD-ROM drive in it. If that is important to you, I would suggest you carry a DVD movie with you to evaluate how well the laptop plays back video. If it pauses and labors with the DVD, you may want to consider another laptop.
Stay tuned for our fourth and final article on tips you should follow when purchasing a used laptop computer.
Joe Duchesne is the President of Gotocompare.com a site that specializes in Computer Hardware related information. Gotocompare helps owners find the device drivers, manuals and tech support they need to keep their equipment in tip top shape. Reprint freely as long as the links in this resource box are live and point back to Gotocompare.
Wind Chimes and more... You really enjoy those dvd movies and games and the... Read More A laptop computer certainly provides you with an unprecedented level... Read More Today, small form factor computers demolish the myth that bigger... Read More A Good Notebook BagForget those that are bundled with your... Read More OK I confess I've bought at least 10 inkjet printers... Read More As 2005 begins, there are a number of products on... Read More Interestingly, ergonomics though sounds to be a modern and trendy... Read More Samsung laser toner is just as popular as its Hewlett-Packard... Read More It is a given fact that buying wholesale would make... Read More The Inkjet printer industry is booming. Office supply companies report... Read More Used laptop computers are everywhere these days. How can you... Read More Plug and play equipment or hardware solves the problem of... Read More Things to Consider When Choosing a Computer CaseIn the past,... Read More The Power Supply convert's your regular household current into low... Read More Even with the popularity of digital technology, and the availability... Read More Why are there faint areas or gaps in my print... Read More So you finally have that new laptop you have been... Read More As we study the issues associated with teaching kids in... Read More Toshiba offers a few of their refurbished laptops in the... Read More Soon the human brain will be completely interfaced with the... Read More Q : What is over clocking?Overclocking is when you make... Read More It's most peoples worst computing nightmare. You wake up in... Read More What to do once your PC is infected with spyware,... Read More This is the first step to servicing, upgrading or removing... Read More Blu ray is a next generation optical media format developed... Read More
Windchimes
for great gifts!
How To Troubleshoot DVD Drives Fast
Laptop Computer Extras for the Mobile Traveler
Small Computers
Two Essential Accessories For Notebook Computers
How To Buy A Printer That Won?t Break The Bank
Emergency Response VSAT Internet Communications
The Importance of Ergonomic Products
A Review of Samsung Laser Toners
Discover Everything About Wholesale Bar Code Reader And Software!
A Look Inside The Elusive Inkjet Industry
Used Laptop Computer: Your Quick Purchase Inspection Guide ? Part 2
Easy to Execute!
How To Choose A Computer Case
Learn How To Diagnose Power Supply Problems
When Good Color Goes Bad...
Ink Cartridges & Printing - Poor Print Quality Solutions
How To Purchase A Quality Laptop Computers Case
Pixel Disruption To Cause Nausea From User of Computer Screen
A Review of Refurbished Toshiba Laptops
The Merging of Humans and Computers
What is Over-clocking a Processor?
Your Hard Drive is Going to Explode ? Why a UPS is Essential
What to Do Once You Are Infected with Spyware, Ad-ware or Viruses
How to Get the Case Off Your PC!
A Short Introduction to Blu Ray
It is extremely important not to make or write any... Read More
Inkjet printers were born in the 1980s, replacing the popular... Read More
Printer cartridge overheads can be a major expense for any... Read More
Now you can more easily access the Internet wherever mobile... Read More
In the first two installments of this series of Tech... Read More
For Video cards - Most PC video cards these days... Read More
TiVo will change your life... for the better. Plain and... Read More
Hewlett-Packard is, along with Brother and Samsung, one of the... Read More
Whether you are crunching figures at a front office job... Read More
Moving the office network? How hard could it be? Anybody... Read More
All in one printers, also known as multifunction printers (MFPs),... Read More
How To Choose the Best Student Laptop?Merchants are singing those... Read More
Rear Projection Television - An Affordable OptionA great deal of... Read More
To Wire or Not to Wire Wireless networks... Read More
Are you tired of laying wires through your house, creeping... Read More
1. Pocket DVD Wizard http://www.deprice.com/pocketdvdwizard.htmThe Pocket DVD Wizard allows you... Read More
From throwing our unnecessary files, to defragmenting, from partitions to... Read More
A Good Notebook BagForget those that are bundled with your... Read More
Should you buy an extended warranty with your laptop? You... Read More
All capacitors have a certain amount of resistance to the... Read More
There are many fancy add-ons for computers, but the basic... Read More
High definition DVD, also known as HD-DVD (which actually stands... Read More
This is the step takes the most time and consideration.... Read More
As we study the issues associated with teaching kids in... Read More
When you're studying for your CCNA exams, you're going to... Read More
Computer Hardware |