LAPTOP QUESTIONNAIRE

• Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US: $400. The cheaper the better.

• Are you open to refurbs/used? Yes, exclusively looking for refurbished.

• How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life? Performance, build quality, and battery life.

• How important is weight and thinness to you? Pretty important, looking for something easy to carry around my university.

• Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A. 14 inches or smaller

• Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run. I don't do any intensive gaming or programming at all. I just need something that I can use to browse the internet with multiple tabs open and won't cause the laptop to heat up.

• If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want? N/A

• Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)? I would prefer something with a matte screen. Touchscreen and fingerprint readers are a must.

• Leave any finishing thoughts here that you may feel are and beneficial to the discussion. From what I've heard, business laptops like HP elitebooks, Thinkpads, and Dell Latitudes tend to be a good bet in terms of quality. I'm not particularly tech savvy, so I'm not sure what sort of processor to look for. A lot of refurbished models on ebay have Intel i5 and i7 8th, 9th, and 10th gen processors. Not sure which of these would still hold up in 2024.

A lot of people looking for a new computer don't always have the money to shill out for a high-end one, and buy lower-priced models like HP Streams and cheap Chromebooks with Celeron processors and 64 GB of eMMC storage. These are absolutely horrific devices created solely to hit the lowest price point possible in order to fly off a shelf, that'll more than likely die within a year and/or become unusably slow in months.

Instead of a brand-new cheap laptop, go with an old business computer. These are Lenovo ThinkPads, Dell Latitudes, and HP Pavilions for the most part. Used business computers often are able to be sold so cheap simply because of stock; large offices and corporations will often bulk order dozens or even hundreds at a time, and when it comes time for them to upgrade, those dozens or hundreds of laptops they bought end up flooding the used market for an affordable price.

You'll find lots of them on eBay, Amazon, BackMarket, or other stores with very respectable specs for even under $200 at times.

In the current year, I'd personally recommend searching for a used ThinkPad T490S or Latitude 7400, considering these both are new enough to support Windows 11. I've seen 16 GB + 256 GB ThinkPad T490S laptops going for $190 with 8th gen Core i5 processors. Depending on store they can go up to $300, but still, an extremely solid deal.

Why YSK: If you're in need of a computer and can't spend too much, a used ThinkPad or Latitude will be a much faster and longer-lasting computer for the same price, compared to the cheap brand-new models you find on store shelves.

Does it still make sense to buy used business laptops in 2025 even if they can be had for 15% to 20% of their original retail price brand new?

I am asking given that RAM are now soldered to motherboard and batteries are installed internally. To replace used batteries, we have to dismantle the laptop, risking damage to it.

Laptop batteries after 3 to 4 years of use would probably only give 2 to 3 hours of use in the worst case. AFAIK, most used laptop sellers do not replace the worn batteries as they add to their cost.

Any thoughts?

I’ve asked my employer if they’d sell me a retired work decide. The answer was no. They send it to tech recycling where they either shred them, or recycle the metal, or wipe them and sell them to charities!!

But buying it from them is not an option.

I’ve been searching and can’t find anywhere selling such devices, other than the usual refurbished sales websites that are very expensive.

Do you know anywhere to buy the ex company machines?

P. S. I’m looking for a Macbook Pro or Air with an M chip. 2021 or later.

Some will find this a silly question, but I've been so uncertain and uneasy about it. I know renewed/refurbed is cheaper and better for the environment, but I'm kind of terrified of the gamble. Are they really okay to buy? And what should I specifically look for to be most secure?

Hi all, I'm looking to learn about business/commercial grade laptops. I'm wanting to buy a used one, and I've been looking at the Dell Precision series. Specifically the Dell 5520. You can get them with an i7 and a 4k screen which is pretty nice. The only problem is that they're circa 2018, and that only leaves 2 or 3 years before they're starting to get a bit long in the tooth. Perhaps something newer can be had for roughly the same price?

I've heard that HP and a few others also have business grade laptops. Who makes the best one? Any insight into this niche would be greatly appreciated!

As per the recommendation of the bot, here's their form filled out for anything that's relevant to my situation:

LAPTOP QUESTIONNAIRE

• Total budget is $1,000 but I'd really like to spend less if possible. That's why I'm going used.

• I am open to refurbished as long as it's in good/very good cosmetic condition.

• The form factor isn't all that important, but I'm not looking for a tablet. Just a traditional laptop. Also I am only looking for the 15" screen versions. They're typically 15.6" iirc.

• Weight and thickness aren't really important. But obviously it would be nice if it wasn't a thick heavy brick.

• The only real requirement is that it must be able to run Linux OS. However, as long as it's an intel or AMD laptop, that won't be a problem.

• I will not be gaming on this machine.

• The only specific requirement is that it be business/commercial grade. These are built to a somewhat higher standard and are tougher/sturdier than average consumer laptops. They're also made to be worked on which is necessary for me.

I know as a student, or just a regular living being in the modern world. Computer nowdays is a necessity, not a luxury. I personally prefer laptops than desktops for mobility. That said, I recently found out about the wonderful world of refurbished/used business laptops. Before I knew about them decent laptops I found for actual work always costed at least $600 minimum, but recently on ebay, I've been finding very functional refurbished business laptops like thinkpads for sub $300 that don't need any extra work!

If you're handy and good at troubleshooting and fixing, I've seen people from thinkpad communities buy them sub $100 and fix/upgrade them for another sub $100 and make prefectly capable machines. If you like to use macbook, it seems that there are plenty of refurbished macbook pros as well (and honestly, that would probably be the only apple computer I'd be willing to buy, I'll never shell out more than 1k for computer for simple tasks), and I've seen very functional macbook pros run sub $500 give or take.

It seems that for PC laptop, the major refurbished/used business laptops are thinkpads (like T series for actual work or x series for mobility), and for apple, macbook pros. Most people buy them on ebay, and you can set the filter to look for only refurbished computers if you don't want to do any work, or used ones for cheaper price.

Just thought I'd share this information!

I keep seeing refurbished laptops online but not sure how they compare to buying new or used. Which option gives the best value?

Does it makes sense to buy one used? Which Thinkpads are good and which to avoid? I need something well built and fast max around 1000 eur. Also wanna do maintenance myself. So prefer not soldered ram.

My friend says unlike Mobile phones laptops are not durable. So buying a refurbished laptop is not worth it unlike a refurbished phone. Right now I need a laptop to learn coding and try hackathons so I'm considering i5 8th gen 16 gb ram 512 SSD Refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad l480 from Amazon. Also is buying a refurbished laptop from Offline store better than Amazon? I really wish to get opinion of people who are trying or have tried a refurbished laptop before.

https://amzn.in/d/04TjeB9O

I’m looking for a new laptop, but the prices for brand new ones are out of my budget, and a lot of models are out of stock. So now I’m thinking about buying refurbished ones.

Has anyone here bought refurbished laptops before? How was the quality? And does it actually make a noticeable difference environmentally?

I'm so overwhelmed by all the options on eBay and really just need some guidance. I know I want at least 16GB RAM and 500ssd memory but everything on there is listed as having those things. What else should I be looking for? Links are definitely appreciated!

I see a lot of “certified refurbished” laptops online for way cheaper than retail.

Curious if it’s a smart buy or if they tend to break down faster than new ones.

My company offloads 5–8 year old business machines for cheap, and I grabbed one. After swapping the battery and adding more RAM + SSD, it turned into a powerhouse for school and daily work. These business-grade models (ThinkPad, EliteBook, Latitude) are built tougher than consumer laptops, so even older ones hold up well.

If you don’t want to do upgrades yourself, certified refurbished programs like eBay refurb often include new batteries, fresh SSDs and warranties. You end up with a laptop that performs like new for a fraction of the price.

Hey, guys! Posting here to avoid bias from both the ones who swear by ThinkPads and Latitudes (for good reasons!).

I am thinking to buy a refurbished laptop, here are my options with their displayed specs:

Dell Latitude 5300 Business Laptop, Intel Core i5-8th Generation CPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, 13 inch Display, Windows 10 Pro --> for around 160 USD.

Dell Latitude 5400 14 Inch Laptop PC, Intel Core i5-8265U Quad Core 1.6Ghz to 3.9Ghz, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 256 GB SSD, Webcam, Windows 11 Pro --> for around 200 USD

Lenovo ThinkPad T480s Business Laptop, Intel Core i7-8th Generation CPU, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB Hard, 14.1 inch Display, Windows 10 Pro --> for around 190 USD

Dell 2020 Latitude 7410 Laptop 14" - Intel Core i5 10th Gen - i5-10310U - Quad Core 4.4Ghz - 128GB SSD - 8GB RAM - 1920x1080 FHD - Windows 10 Pro ---> for around 217 USD

My budget is around 150 - 200 USD

So which one is best for value? I looked at the 5300, with its 16 GB ram, which was a bit too good to be true? Or am I wrong?

I have recently seen business grade laptops in similar ballpark to that of consumer grade.

But they offer- upgradability, repairability, more reliable and all while having similar price and specs.

So why aren't people buying them as much?

Hey! I'd like to buy a refurbished laptop, but (yeah, I'm not making it easy on myself) I want the chances of needing the warranty to be super low, because I need it every day.
Any tips? I don't mind if it has some scratches; the most important thing is that the battery and drivers work properly.
I get that you can never give guarantees, but are there any people here who have been happy with a laptop costing less than 300 euros for at least 3 years?
Any tips or experiences are super welcome, thanks in advance!

I’ve always bought laptops brand new, but prices have been getting ridiculous.

Thinking about going the refurbished route this time.

I’ve seen sites like Amazon Renewed, eBay, and manufacturer “certified refurb” programs.

How’s the reliability? Any horror stories or good experiences?

And how much does the “condition” rating (A, B, etc.) really matter in daily use?

So I'm on the hunt to get a new laptop under my $700 budget, and I find that refurbished items are way cheaper than purchasing a factory new version of the product.

But since these are often (correct me if I'm wrong) used and repaired electronics, should I only purchase refurbished products from the manufacturer? Or is a reseller company trustable?

I have my eye in particular on a Dell Inspiron that is being sold by a reseller called Blinq, and while the reviews I have found so far are mostly favorable, I'd like to hear about experiences that others have had from them before I make that purchase.

Thanks!

EDIT - Thank you guys for sharing your advice. I managed to snag a HP EliteBook (14" Laptop i7 2.6GHz 8GB 500GB, running on Windows 7) for barely over $400, and I'll see if it operates good as new, or good enough.

https://www.bestbuy.com/product/refurbished-dell-latitude-5420-14-intel-i5-1145g7-16gb-256gb-ssd-windows-11-pro-grey/J39WY9HFHP

mostly asking to know if this laptop is good to buy