Why risk buying a used computer from some random guy on eBay? The answer is simple. New computers cost far too much when compared to the dirt-cheap prices for used but still-useful computers that are being sold every day on eBay. One can easily buy a perfectly functional ten-year-old computer that was top-of-the-line back in its day for ten percent of the price of a new computer of similar quality. Moore's law died a largely-unnoticed death sometime around 2005, so new computers are no longer many times more powerful than used ones. So, why on Earth would the average person who only wants to watch movies, visit Facebook, surf the Internet, and shop online want to buy a new computer when a used one can easily do all of that?

I understand that many people think they are planning for the future when they buy a new computer that is far more powerful than they actually need. In reality, they are only enriching Microsoft and the computer manufacturers. Knowledgeable computer owners understand that buying a used computer every 4 years for $100 is far less expensive and less risky than buying a new computer every ten years for $1200. They understand that the more you know about computers, the less powerful a computer you actually need to accomplish your computing tasks. For example, before I put cheapskatesguide on the Internet in 2018, every article I read about self-hosting a website said I would need a powerful web server. They were all wrong. I learned from personal experience that I could easily get by with a $35 Raspberry Pi 3, and that computer has run this website continuously with something like a 99.9% uptime for six-and-a-half years. Today, it also simultaneously runs Blue Dwarf, and several lesser-traveled websites. While a knowledgeable buyer may choose to purchase a more powerful computer than he needs, he understand that decision has nothing to do with saving money over the life of the computer.

I haven't bothered to count exactly how many used computers I have acquired over the years, but the number is easily more than twenty. I bought a substantial number of them from eBay. With one recent exception, I have always been happy with the used computers and parts of computers I have bought there. The one exception was my fault, and I will talk about it later in this article. I find good deals by following a few basic rules that everyone should know. They aren't hard to learn, and I would like to share them with the readers of cheapskatesguide:

Don't waste your valuable time on eBay auctions.

eBay has two bidding wars occurring simultaneously. The first is its auctions, in which buyers are bidding against each other. The second is its "buy it now" prices, in which sellers are bidding against each other. As a buyer, you want to benefit from the latter bidding war, not participate in the former. Why? I learned all the way back in the early-to-mid 2000's that I could easily waste hours of my time bidding on eBay for something I really wanted, only to be outbid in the last few minutes. This happened essentially every time. Time has value too, so don't waste yours on eBay auctions. The frustration of losing auction after auction also takes its toll on the psyche. That alone kept me off of eBay for years. Additionally, in the the heat of the moment, one can easily lose sight of the reason he is bidding. You want a good deal. You don't simply want to win a contest with the other bidders.

Know your computer needs before you visit eBay.

Be clear about what you are doing on eBay. I am not discounting the value of "window shopping" on eBay, because it is a practice that imparts a general knowledge of prices and types of computers that are generally available. I have also made a couple good spur-of-the-moment buys. But even then, I had a general awareness of my computer needs. Despite this, you ideally want to shop on eBay because you need a computer, you know what you need, and you hope to buy what you already know you need. This focus helps you to avoid wasting money on computers that you don't need or computers that will likely not serve you well. Going to eBay without knowing what you need is little better that walking into Walmart with the idea of buying a computer but without knowing the kind of computer. Any buying decision that is made in this state creates a high probability that you will be disappointed with your purchase later--when you realize your computer either doesn't do everything you need it to do or does significantly more than you actually need it to do, at a substantially higher cost than you needed to pay.

The best way to begin deciding what computer you actually need is to make a list of the software you need to run. Then, find the system requirements for each program on your list. Based on this, you will probably be able to eliminate many expensive computers that you don't actually need. You may also decide you can live without running one particular program that requires an expensive computer. Often, you can find more efficient software with easier-to-meet system requirements. For example, if you can switch from running Office 365 on a Windows 11 computer to running FreeOffice or LibreOffice on a Linux computer, you may not need to run Windows 11 at all. The system requirements for most Linux distributions are far lower than those for Windows 11. So, if you don't need to run Windows 11, why pay extra for a more powerful Windows 11 computer?

Know how to recognize a quality computer when you see one.

Perhaps the most important thing to understand when buying a used computer is that they are not all created equal. Some computers are excellent, but many, perhaps even the majority, are just trash from the moment they leave the assembly line. Learn how to identify which are which before you buy.

Some general rules for identifying quality computers can help. As I have said many times on this website, business computers are almost always superior to consumer-grade computers, because most businesses have IT people who can identify quality equipment, whereas most consumers couldn't identify a quality laptop if it hit them in the head. This means manufacturers must make quality computers for business, but they are free to sell trash to consumers. And that is exactly what they do. Laptops with metal cases are almost always superior to those with plastic cases. Some manufacturers--Apple, Dell, and Lenovo--generally make better business-grade laptops than other manufacturers, but you have no guarantee that any particular model of theirs is good.

One enormous advantage used computer buyers have is that they have years to watch complaints roll in from unsatisfied customers. After ten years, which computers have design flaws like buggy touch pads, weak hinges, inadequately cooled CPU's, and other less common problems will be well known. Those that have died from these flaws will no longer even be in circulation in the used computer market. Check reviews by both professional reviewers (e.g. Notebookcheck.com) and consumers to be alerted to all the problems with any model of computer you are considering buying. Also check forums like thinkpads.com and many others that are dedicated to discussing computers, and watch YouTube channels like Salem Techsperts and Louis Rossmann.

Unfortunately, you can't disassemble a computer and look at its parts before you buy it. For that, you have to rely on online reviews. So, read as many as you can, and attempt to learn about the construction of your prospective computer purchases and the parts in them. Know whether storage drives are hard drives, SATA SSD's, NVMe drives, etc. and understand both the potential and the real-world performance differences associated each type of storage technology. Attempt to find information about the actual USB file transfer rates, as opposed to just the theoretical performance of the different USB bus standards. Look at disassembly pictures and videos to see if hinges are connected to metal frames or to plastic. Read about the brightness of screens and how accurately they reproduce colors. Learn about the idle and full-load temperatures, and found out if a computer is thermally throttled. Know how long batteries last. Learn how much a laptop can be upgraded and to what extent it can be repaired. Learn as much as you can before you buy.

Understand how computers work and how to perform basic maintenance and repairs.

The more you know about computers and how they work, the greater the chance you will recognize a good deal when you see one. For example, many people sell "nonfunctional" laptops on eBay that boot to the BIOS screen but are being sold without a storage drive or operating system. Neglecting a range of secondary problems like nonfunctional USB ports, broken touch pads, bad keyboards, bad screens, overheating CPU's (which can almost always be fixed by cleaning the fan vents and repasting the CPU), etc., a laptop that boots to the BIOS screen is functional. The reason is that booting to the BIOS screen is not possible unless the CPU, motherboard, and BIOS chip are functional. If you see a clear picture of the BIOS screen in the advertisement, you also know the screen works (except for rare cases of intermittent problems when a screen is in the process of dying). So, neglecting other minor issues that are more or less easily repairable with a minimum amount of knowledge, if a laptop boots to the BIOS screen, you are relatively safe in assuming that adding a storage drive and operating system are all you need to make the computer fully functional again. By buying a laptop in this condition and knowing how to deal with other minor issues, you are likely to obtain a working laptop for significantly less money than you would have had to pay for one that is fully functional. This is not always true, but at least you have the option when a good deal comes along.

Make a written list of everything that should come with the computer you want to buy.

Many computers that are sold on eBay are incomplete. A high percentage are sold without power supplies or hard drives. Sometimes, they are sold without RAM or CPU's. The best way to be sure you are buying what you expect is to make a written list of everything that should come with the model of computer you are considering buying. If every item on your list is not explicitly mentioned as being included in the sale, assume it isn't, and factor the cost and effort of buying it separately into your buying decision.

Read eBay advertisements very carefully.

Before buying any computer on eBay, stifle your excitement long enough to read the advertisement from beginning to end several times. Take your time; don't rush. Know what the seller is selling and what does not come with the computer. Know what the seller says works and what is broken. For many used computer sales on eBay, the cost of shipping is higher than the cost of the computer itself. Know how much you will be charged for shipping and mentally include that in your purchase price. Look at the pictures of the outside of the computer. If you don't see good pictures of all six external surfaces of the computer, my recommendation is that you refrain from buying it. Some sellers try to hide the fact that a computer is very old by not showing telling details like serial and parallel ports. If you don't see enough pictures, assume the seller is hiding something and move on to the next advertisement.

Likewise, don't buy a computer without a complete description. If the advertisement says something like "Core i5 CPU" or even "Second Generation Core i5 CPU", don't buy the computer. That is not enough information for you to know what you are buying, because the computing capability of the weakest Core i5 CPU is far, far below that of the most powerful. If you are expecting to buy a working computer, and the seller does not say it works, don't buy it. If you don't know how much RAM is in it or how big the storage drive is, don't buy it. If the seller does not clearly identify the model number of the computer, so you can research it thoroughly, don't buy it. Never buy a computer if any doubt remains in your mind about what you are buying.

Understand exactly what you are buying.

Most consumers are not good at shopping for computers simply because they do not understand what they are buying. They don't understand the technology. They have not researched particular brands or models to know how one is better or worse than another. They have no idea how much RAM and storage are required to run the software they want to use. Often, they don't even know what software they want to use, let alone what alternatives exist. They don't know how to read an advertisement for a computer and identify what is missing or where to find the additional information they need to make a good buying decision. They have no idea what kind of quality or performance to expect from a budget laptop as compared to a top-of-the-line laptop. They are in nearly every way possible clueless about what they are buying with their hard-earned money.

One very common mistake consumers make is buying more computer than they can benefit from. For example, many buy laptops with Intel Core i7 CPU's without realizing that thermal throttling will mean they will have no more actual computing performance than they would have received from a Core i5. So, they frequently spend hundreds of dollars more on a computer that is no faster than a less expensive one they rejected. Others buy computers that are more powerful than they need. For example, many don't realize they will never receive the benefit of a computer with a Core i7 CPU when all they intend to do with it is surf the Internet and watch standard-definition videos. Many also don't understand the negatives of buying an overly powerful computer like a $2000 gaming laptop that will burn up in a year because it is was designed with inadequate cooling. Do you really need the newest PC with an NPU that will likely be obsolete in a year? The answer is very likely, "no".

Another equally common mistake consumers make is buying less computer than they need. Netbooks came on the scene in a big way in 2008, shortly after the Asus EEEPC came out and threw the fear of God into the other computer manufacturers that had been selling very high-priced computers that most consumers didn't need. Netbooks were so stripped down that they were virtually useless to most buyers. But, many had to learn the hard way not to buy Windows 7 or Windows 10 PC's with soldered-on, non-upgradable eMMC chips with only 32 GB of storage space that would likely not have enough room to install operating system updates, much less any application software for which one might actually want to use a computer. Read the horror stories here, here, and here. Why did manufacturers sell these virtually useless laptops? As I said before, many consumers will buy whatever trash they are offered.

Don't be like most consumers. Thoroughly understand what you need, what you are buying, and what price you should be paying before you buy. Research everything until all the puzzle pieces in your mind have been assembled to make a clear and detailed picture.

Understand the details of the specific model of computer you are buying in order to avoid paying for something you cannot use. About a year and a half ago, I bought a "for parts" Dell XPS L321 laptop that was advertised as having a bad RAM chip. Since I had been accustomed to buying older computers, I bought it thinking I could just install another stick of RAM. The thought never occurred to me that the RAM might be soldered to the motherboard. I just wasn't thinking. As a result, this computer was useless to me, so I bought another of the same model. Maybe I can use the first for parts, but given that I don't like the second enough to use it much, that will probably not happen. Most likely, this computer was a total waste of my money. This is the only bad purchase of a used computer that I can recall having made on eBay, and it was simply because I did not think to do more research before buying. Fortunately, it was only about a $45 mistake. It could have been much worse.

Learn to recognize a good price

Please be aware that new and especially used prices often vary widely for the same model of computer. So, never buy the first computer that you see that meets your needs. Shop around on eBay, Amazon, and perhaps other websites to find the best price. Never assume you are getting a good price just because the seller claims he is offering you a substantial price reduction or a "sale price". There is no such thing as a sale price in the computer industry. There is only what the seller can charge and what the buyer is willing pay. When buyers are not willing to pay what sellers ask, sellers lower their prices and call their offers "sales". In order to know what really is a good price, you may have to scan through dozens of advertisements before settling on the computer you want to buy. The more advertisements you read, the more likely you will be to obtain the best price.

Don't buy a "bare bones" computer without a CPU or RAM unless you want it only for parts

You will see many, many computers for sale on eBay that are sold without CPU's or RAM. My feeling is that most of these are non-working computers that have been scavenged for parts. So, do not buy one thinking you will be able to supply the missing parts and end up with a working computer. In fact, don't buy a computer like this at all unless you need a part that comes with it and are certain it has the part you need.

As with an automobile, the cost of re-building a used computer from parts is much, much higher than the cost of buying it fully assembled. So, unless you intend to buy a computer for parts--in which case you probably don't need to be reading this article--pass on computers that are sold without CPU's, RAM, or other important items. The one exception is a missing storage drive. Most used computers bought from companies that no longer have a use for them come without storage drives. Companies remove them to be absolutely certain that anyone why buys them later will not be able to recover the companies' proprietary data. So, if you refuse to buy any computer with a missing storage drive, you are likely passing up many great deals. If you do buy a laptop without a SATA hard drive or SSD, make sure it comes with the hard drive caddy. Otherwise, you will probably have a headache finding one, and your mistake will probably cost you about another $10.

Understand what you have a right to expect from the seller.

Despite what sellers sometimes claim in their advertisements, you have certain rights, at least in the United States. Those include the right to receive the computer that was described in the seller's advertisement and the right to receive it in a timely manner. If the seller doesn't deliver what he promised or doesn't deliver anything and refuses to compensate you fairly, you have options. You can complain to eBay. If that doesn't work, you can call the bank that issued your credit card (assuming you were smart enough to use a credit card) and request that they adjust the payment to the seller.

A couple of years ago, I ordered three touch pad ribbons for my two Dell Latitude E6220 laptops. When only one arrived, I called my bank and asked them to pay only a third of what the seller charged to my credit card. The bank happily agreed to do just that, and that was the end of it. If your bank refuses to do things like that for you, perhaps you should give your business to another bank.

At the time, I was very aware that this was such a small amount of money that most people would not have bothered. I also knew that the seller was likely counting on this fact, and assuming that he could get away with not giving me what I paid for. When buyers do nothing, sellers get bolder with their deceit. Don't let them get away with it, or they will do it to other buyers.

If the seller does not deliver your order in the time specified in the advertisement, you have the right to cancel the order, especially if it has not yet been shipped. But, you have a limited amount of time in which to deal with this problem (usually 45 days after the order date, but it varies). Call your bank a few days after your order does not arrive and ask them how to proceed. Don't wait until a month has passed, and do not pay the credit card bill with the disputed purchase until this has been resolved. If you pay the bill, the bank will probably not allow you to dispute it later.

Final Words

eBay has some of the best deals on used computers that I have seen. But in order to take advantage of them, you must thoroughly understand what the seller is selling and what you actually need. You must be knowledgeable and flexible enough to take advantage of computers for sale with minor problems like cosmetic issues, overheating, no storage drive, or an inadequate amount of RAM (if more can be added). Understand the technology you are buying. Don't buy more or less than you need. And, do all the homework you must to ensure that you are buying just what you need and no more. This will require effort, but it will definitely pay off in monetary savings and in the satisfaction you receive from your computer after its purchase.

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Know What You're Buying Before You Buy a Computer

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