A used laptop can save you a lot of money. Ex-office models like HP EliteBooks, Dell Latitudes and Lenovo ThinkPads are built to last and are everywhere in Ghana, from Circle in Accra to Adum in Kumasi. But a tired battery, a locked BIOS or a hidden fault can turn a bargain into a paperweight. These checks take about fifteen minutes. Do them all before you pay.
Before you meet
Get the exact model
"HP laptop, core i5" isn't enough. Ask for the full model name, such as EliteBook 840 G8, plus the processor generation, RAM and storage. Then compare prices for the same model on Wujibaba Electronics.
Ask about the charger and battery
An original charger matters. Cheap replacements can damage the battery or simply not work. Ask how long the battery lasts on a normal day.
When you have it in your hands
Check the body
Look for cracks near the hinges, a bent lid, missing screws and swollen areas under the keyboard or trackpad. A trackpad that bulges upwards can mean a swollen battery, which is a safety risk. Walk away.
Confirm the specs yourself
On Windows, open Settings, then System, then About to see the processor and RAM, and check storage in File Explorer. On a Mac, use About This Mac. The specs should match what the seller advertised.
Test battery health
On Windows, open Command Prompt and run "powercfg /batteryreport". It saves a report showing the design capacity and the current full charge capacity. If the full charge is well under 70% of the design capacity, budget for a new battery. On a Mac, check the battery condition in System Settings under Battery.
Look for company locks
Ex-office laptops are sometimes still managed by the company that owned them. If Windows says "Some settings are managed by your organization", or the laptop asks for a BIOS or startup password, don't buy it until it's removed in front of you.
Check Mac Activation Lock
On a MacBook, the previous owner must sign out of their Apple ID and turn off Find My. A Mac that's still locked to someone else's account can be locked remotely and is often stolen.
Test the screen
Open a plain white page and a plain black page at full screen and look for dead pixels, lines or dark patches. Tilt the lid back and forth and watch for flickering.
Test every key and port
Type every key in a text document. Plug a flash drive or mouse into each USB port, test the headphone jack and the charging port, and connect to Wi-Fi.
Listen to it work
Play a video for a few minutes. Listen for fans that roar at idle and feel for heat building quickly. Both can mean a cooling problem.
Check the camera and microphone
Open the camera app and record a short clip. Online classes and video calls depend on both.
Ask where it came from
Ask for the original receipt, or at least the seller's story. A laptop with no history, offered cheaply by someone in a hurry, may be stolen.
Paying safely
Meet somewhere public with power and Wi-Fi, like a mall or café, so you can run every test. Pay only once you're satisfied, and keep your WhatsApp chat with the seller as a record of what was agreed.
Find a laptop near you
Browse laptops and accessories by area on Wujibaba: electronics around Circle, in Kumasi, in Madina and Adenta or in Takoradi. A quick note: to keep everyone safe, Wujibaba doesn't allow phones, tablets or game consoles, but laptops, cameras, TVs and most other electronics are welcome.