For school boards that need to bulk buy, theoutlook is still bleak.
Many people also prefer to keep their old gear ticking along.
For laptops, a strong majority (58%) prefers to repair rather than replace.
Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
Year-on-year, computers dont really changethatmuch.
Even a five-year-old laptop is capable of anything but the most demanding of video-editing tasks or playing 3D games.
In fact, in a modern laptop, theres not much to go wrong.
iFixit
This machine doesnt have to last forever.
It only has to run until theres a supply of new machines to replace it.
Which Brands Should You Buy Used?
Some brands are better than others.
MacBooks, for example, might be expensive to buy new, but they last forever.
Used Apple Macs are definitely a good option, UK repair serviceMacFixertoldLifewirevia Twitter.
On the PC side, you might want to choose a machine thats easily repairable.
Take a look at iFixitsLaptop Repairability Scores.
The most repairable is the HP EliteBook, with some Dell and Asus models close behind.
On the other hand, Macs tend to be very reliable.
If its already lasted a few years, its likely to keep on truckin.
Upgrades
To make an older laptop more palatable, you might consider upgrading some of its parts.
Maybe its a bit short on storage space.
Or maybe you skimped on RAM and your kid insists she needs more for her music-editing apps.
Its possible to upgrade just those parts and keep using the same machine.
With a Mac, this is all but impossible due to the aforementioned lock-in.
You have to go back to the 2012 model to get swappable options.
HPs EliteBooks are user-upgradeable, as is Dells Inspiron Duo and 2017 Latitude.
Again, you should checkiFixits list.
Be sure to take a knowledgeable friend with you.
Even a short, three-month warranty is enough to know whether the machine is good or bad.
Ideally, buy from someone who offers warranty, as eBay, etc.
is a minefield, says the MacFixer.
And when buying second-hand, theres one important piece of Mac advice you gotta follow.
This is the only way to be sure the machine isnt pre-loaded with malware.
This is a bit of a pain, but the alternative is much worse.
Thats a pretty good result.
