Used Laptop Computer


When shopping for a used Laptop computer.  Here are some guidelines for what type of things to look for.  Remember you do not need the latest and greatest to run Word processing (WP), Calculator and spreadsheets.

What to look for:

HARDWARE:

The memory is very important, for the operating system and software:
Windows XP Home/Professional minimum 128 MB RAM (recommended 512 MB RAM)
Windows 2000 min. 128 MB RAM (recommended 512 MB RAM)
Windows ME min. 64MB RAM (recommended 256 MB RAM)
Windows 98 min.  32 MB RAM (recommended 256 MB RAM)
Windows 95 min. 16 MB RAM
Windows 3.1 min.  8 MB RAM
The processor min. is 75 MHZ (that's on the low end),
The newer microprocessor are Pentium's (P-III to P-IV - (MHZ 850 - GHZ 2.7).

The hard drive, is now much you can store on this PC.
min. around 500 MB  -  120 GB
(500 MB a 1/2 of GB, and systems are coming with 30 GB drives and larger).

The older screen size were 10" - 12" getting larger all the time.
Do you need color (SVGA)? (not for WP, spread sheets)

If you want to access the internet, you need modem.
You want 52K or greater for dailup, now most laptops have wireless modems.

Added features:
A Laptop carrying case
Mouse, seperate plug in (so your don't have your the laptop cursor control (i.e. Trackpad, Eraser-joystick-thingy)
Floppy drive or CD-ROM drive
car DC adapter ($70.)

The two most likely things to die on an older laptops:

1) hard drive (that why you want the CD/diskettes of the Operatoring System (Windows) and Word Processing (WP).
2) battery (add the $90 - $120 to your cost.)
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Add the cost of the AC adapter, if not included (cost around $70.).

SOFTWARE:
Operating System (OS).
Here the list as they came out:
WIN 3.0, 3.1, 95, 98, 2000, ME, and now XP (home and Professional).
If you want internet access you would want WIN 95 or higher.

If you are going with an older OS you want to make sure you are going to get System CD or diskettes.
It would be nice to know what level of DOS is coming with the system.
(The previous release was 6.0).

<>Applications:
You would want those CD/diskettes for (OS, Word, Netscape, etc.), so
If the hard disk crashes, or you have a problem you can reload the program again.
If you get the CD/diskettes the manual are usually in them.


 

Last updated October 27, 2006
By Melody Orfei
o.mel@verizon.net