When you are choosing the right
used laptop or
refurbished laptop for your application, you'll want to think about not only the size of the LCD screen but also about the condition in which you are getting it.
Choosing your display size will depend on several factors. First, you'll want to consider cost because usually, the bigger the display the more expensive the laptop, whether pre-owned or not. You'll also want to consider your application. Do you need to see a lot on a large screen? Do you like to run multiple applications side by side? If so, you may very well need a larger display. Additionally if you require fonts to be at a larger resolution and bigger laptop display may come in handy. Another thing to consider is how much weight you want to be carrying around. The larger the display, the larger the laptop, the heavier it will be.
Laptops may come in the following LCD screen sizes:
· 10.4 inches
· 10.6 inches
· 11.3 inches
· 12.1 inches
· 13.0 inches
· 13.3 inches
· 14.1 inches
· 15.0 inches
· 15.2 inches
· 15.4 inches
· 15.7 inches
· 16.0 inches
· 16.1 inches
· 17.1 inches.
Some of the latest lightest units have 12.1" displays and many of the newer ones still have 14.1" displays.
Once you have decided how large you would like your display to be, you'll want to review the policies of the site from which you plan to buy your used or refurbished laptop. In many cases, used laptop displays can have condition issues. Laptop displays can have lines in them, dead or missing pixels, they can be dim, there can be spots or sometimes they can be cracked. In the case of dead or missing pixels, a few won't even be noticeable but ten or more will cause a problem for you.
An all too common annoyance to users of computers with Active Matrix Thin Film Transistor (TFT) Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screens is the dreaded "dead pixel" phenomenon. This is because it is impossible to guarantee 100 percent perfection in all those millions of tiny transistors while keeping the price of the product affordable. Even with new laptops, you'll find that each laptop manufacturer has a different standard of what is acceptable regarding a certain number of sub-pixel anomalies (a pixel stuck on or off). Dell's policy, for example, is that a screen is defective if it has six or more faulty pixels.
The presence of lines in your display could indicate a problem with the screen, the video cable or the video card. If the issue is the level of brightness, you may or may not need a new LCD screen. If your LCD screen is dim it may be as a result of either a faulty backlight or a faulty inverter (usually the cause). The backlight is basically the light bulb in the laptop LCD screen which as one would suspect has an average useful life. The inverter, though, is a separate piece from the LCD screen. The inverter essentially takes AC power from the outlet and converts it to DC power to charge your battery which in turn powers the laptop. The inverter also steps-up the voltage to light up the cold cathode fluorescent backlight so if it's faulty, your screen may be dim. Both of these issues are still somewhat complex to troubleshoot and resolve but will be easier than replacing the entire display.
It is important to note that replacing a used laptop display is usually not cost effective although today with people selling them on Ebay (www.ebay.com) you can find one for $100 or perhaps $150 for a used laptop display. It is not a trivial or simple task to replace the display, so if you buy one and have someone replace it for you expect to pay $50 to $100 or more for the labor unless you are a whiz with electronics and have all the necessary tools.
So, before buying a
refurbished laptop be sure to check the vendor's policy regarding displays to insure that they actually test the displays and include them in the warranty. You don't want to spend your hard earned money on something that won't work and that you can't return to your vendor if you are unhappy.
Blair Stephens is an experienced writer and proud member of the http://www.UsedLaptops.com team. Used Laptops specializes in providing customers with the best possible used laptops and refurbished laptops at bargain prices. If you need computing power at bargain prices, Used Laptops is the place to go!
