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Know Your Buy
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Buyer's guide: the 15-minute meeting

A simple plan for checking a used laptop in person. Know Your Buy runs the hardware tests; you check the things it can't, then use the results to decide and negotiate.

Before the meeting

  • KnowYourBuy.exe on a USB stick
  • Ask the seller to bring the charger
  • Plan for about 15 minutes with the laptop
  • Know the listing: model, RAM, storage and asking price
  • A pair of earphones, to test the audio jack
  • Your phone, to test Bluetooth and as a Wi-Fi hotspot

Tell the seller first

A message like this avoids surprises: “I'll run a free health check from a USB stick when we meet. It takes about 10 minutes, installs nothing and doesn't touch your files.” You can send them the Is it safe? page.

At the meeting

  1. 1

    Plug in the charger and the USB stick

    Let the laptop start up normally.
  2. 2

    Open KnowYourBuy.exe from the stick

    Click Yes when Windows asks for permission. If a blue SmartScreen message appears, see how to get past it.
  3. 3

    Allow the temperature driver if offered

    It gives exact processor temperatures. It's optional and removed when you finish.
  4. 4

    Press Run All

    It takes about 8 minutes. Unplug the charger when Know Your Buy asks, for the battery test, then plug it back in.
  5. 5

    If you have time, run Stress All

    1 to 5 minutes at full power. It finds cooling problems that only show up under long, heavy use.

While it runs: check these by hand

Know Your Buy doesn't test these yet. They take a couple of minutes.

Screen
Open a plain white page, then a black one. Look for dead pixels, lines, patches or light leaking at the edges.
Keyboard
Open Notepad and press every key. Check the backlight if it has one.
Touchpad
Move, click, right-click and two-finger scroll.
Speakers
Play a video. Listen for crackling and check both left and right.
Webcam and mic
Open the Camera app and record a few seconds of video.
Ports
Plug the USB stick into each USB port. Try the audio jack with earphones.
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Connect to your phone's hotspot. Pair your phone over Bluetooth.
Hinge and body
Open and close the lid. It should hold its angle. Look for cracks and missing screws.
Charging
Plug the charger back in. The battery icon should show charging.

Avoid running heavy apps during the tests, so they don't affect the results.

Reading the result

Buy

No faults found. Still check the screen and keyboard by hand.

Negotiate

Something will cost money. The report says what and roughly how much.

Walk away

A core part is failing. A discount rarely makes this worth it.

Look at the confidence next to each result. A Low result means the laptop didn't report enough; check that part another way. How the verdict is decided

Negotiating with the results

Show the seller the result on screen. Numbers are easier to agree on than opinions.

Battery is worn
Know Your Buy shows a typical replacement price for the battery. Ask for that amount off.
Processor runs hot or slows down
Usually a cleaning and fresh thermal paste, roughly ₹500–1,500 at a local shop. Ask for that off, or ask the seller to get it done.
Drive is worn or slow
Price in a replacement SSD, and back up anything important as soon as you buy.
Old or low-end hardware overall
It may still be fine for your use. Check the Good for ratings and offer a price that reflects the age.

Finishing up

  1. 1

    Save the PDF report

    It goes to the KnowYourBuy-Reports folder on your USB stick. Useful if you buy, and for comparing laptops.
  2. 2

    Press Clean up & Exit

    It removes everything Know Your Buy created on the laptop, including the temperature driver if Know Your Buy installed it.
  3. 3

    Unplug your USB stick

    The seller's laptop is as you found it.

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