How We Test
1. Intake and lock check
We record each laptop’s serial number and check that it isn’t locked or tracked: no BIOS or firmware password, no company device-management enrolment and no anti-theft tracking. We also check that it isn’t reported stolen or fraudulently sourced. If a lock ever surfaces after you buy, we refund you.
2. Component-by-component function test
- Display: dead pixels, backlight, hinges
- Keyboard: every key and the backlight
- Trackpad and buttons
- Every USB-A port
- Every USB-C / Thunderbolt port
- HDMI / display output
- Headphone jack
- Webcam
- Microphones
- Speakers
- Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth
- Storage health (SMART readout)
- Full memory test
- Stress test with temperature monitoring
- Charging and battery
- Touchscreen, where fitted
- Fingerprint or face sign-in, where fitted
3. Battery measurement
We record battery health and cycle count, then run the same video-loop test on every laptop to measure real runtime. Every laptop ships with at least 80% battery health. See our Battery Standard.
4. Data wipe and clean install
Every drive is wiped before resale using the [TBC] standard, and the operating system is reinstalled with drivers.
5. Grade, notes and photos
We grade the cosmetic condition (see the Grading Guide), write plain notes for every mark and photograph the actual unit.
What happens when something fails
We repair it and test again. Core functions (screen, keyboard, trackpad, storage, memory, charging, Wi-Fi) must work on every laptop we sell. If a minor feature, such as a fingerprint reader, can’t be repaired, we say so on the listing and in the test report, and price it accordingly.
Your test report
The results for each laptop are on its product page, in the Test Report tab, with the date it was tested. Any disclosed fault is also printed on your invoice.