The Ultimate Guide to Buying UK-Used Laptops in Nigeria

You need to get a laptop as soon as possible but the prices you’ve been seeing are on the expensive side.

I’ve been there. But what if I tell you that you don’t have to overspend on new laptops? You can get UK-used laptops that look almost as new for half the price.

There’s one problem, however. How and where do you get a reliable one in Nigeria?

I recognise that no matter how small, it’s not easy to part away with our hard-earned money or savings. And it can be disappointing to get a rickety over-used laptop at the end of the day.

But, you don’t need to worry because, in this buyer’s guide, I will walk you through a 7-step process that will help you navigate Nigeria’s vast UK-used laptop market so you can get the best one.

(Hakuna Matata!)

• Identify your Ideal Laptop
• Search through Laptop Stores
• Pick your Best Laptop Choice
• Watch a YouTube Laptop Review
• Verify the Laptop Store
• Contact the Store

6 Steps to Buying a UK-used Laptop in Nigeria

The following highlighted steps show you how to get more value out of your money by buying a fairly used laptop in Nigeria:

Step 1: Identify your Ideal Laptop

This is the first and one of the most crucial steps towards getting a befitting laptop. Your ideal laptop would be determined by your needs and preferences. To find out, you have to identify why you want a laptop in the first place.

What is your primary goal of purchasing a fairly used laptop? Is it so that you can learn skills like data science or programming? Is it for gaming? Or is it so you can surf the web and binge-watch YouTube videos?

Once you know your purpose, you can then go on to research laptops that would fit your preference. If you’re a gamer, for instance, you can get gaming laptops built with crazy graphics cards and OLED screens. But, if you’re a copywriter or blogger, getting a touchscreen laptop with a sleek, ergonomic keyboard is a much better option.

Identifying your ideal laptop will save you tons of time you’d have otherwise spent wandering around laptop shops aimlessly.

Step 2: Search through Laptop Stores

I suppose that having identified your ideal laptop, you now have a direction. All you have to do now is search through stores to find the laptops that are very close to your ideal laptop and within your budget. 

There are two ways to go about it.

The first option is the most reliable. And that is to visit a laptop seller and inform them of the specifications you want. The laptop seller MUST be someone you trust or someone highly recommended by a friend you trust. You can say:

“I need an HP laptop with 16 GB of RAM and 256 SSD. Touchscreen is not necessary but keypad light is.” The laptop seller is in a good position to guide you through available options that best fit your taste alongside their prices.

The second option is the fastest. And that is by using the internet. Pasting the specifications of the laptop you want in your Google or Instagram search bar will give you a list of similar laptops. You can filter from there and pick one.

However, there are some Nigerian devils on the internet whose sole aim is to scam you of your hard-earned money. So, I suggest you visit reliable UK-used laptop websites like ShopInverse and go through their laptop catalogue.

Step 3: Pick your Best Laptop Choice

This is where it gets tricky. If you’ve followed through step 1 and step 2, you should now have your eyes on a few laptops. Let’s say it’s the HP Elitebook 840 G5 versus the Dell Latitude 5580. Yes, both laptops are extremely similar.

But, what should determine your choice?

You can look at the brands: do you have a special interest in Hewlett-Packard (HP) laptops? Also, taking a closer look at both laptops will let you conclude on a clear winner. This leads us to step 4.

Step 4: Watch a YouTube Laptop Review

After confirming the availability of your desired laptop from the store (whether via their online store or from the owner), you need to do good and extensive research on the laptop. 

There are reviews of almost every laptop on the internet. Ensure that the review you read is from someone who has had a hands-on experience of what it feels like using the laptop. PC Mag, Trusted Reviews, CNET, The Verge and Laptop Mag are a few examples of review websites you should check out.

On top of that, I strongly recommend that you watch at least a YouTube video review of the laptop. How this helps is that it helps you see the laptop from different angles and get a fresh perspective of it. Aside from that, you can be sure that the YouTuber has tried and tested the laptop.

Step 5: Verify the Laptop Store

Because the laptop you are looking to buy is a fairly used one, you need to take extra steps to verify the authenticity of the laptop store. Nobody wants to get a ramshackle laptop that’s been passed down from generation to generation. You want a UK-used laptop, not Nigerian-used.

No doubt, there are a lot of Instagram vendors that sell amazing products. But, you have to be careful. If they have any track record of delivery issues or people are speaking ill of them, don’t patronize them!

You can try ShopInverse (I recommend them). They have a solid footing online, a large customer base, a 30-day limited warranty and great customer support. All these are hallmarks of a legitimate laptop store.

Step 6: Contact the Store

Quite a number of UK-used laptop stores in Nigeria usually have a website where you can directly place your orders. If it’s an Instagram vendor, they often put their WhatsApp link in their bio. You should ask needful questions before proceeding with the order.

Ask whether they run deliveries and agree on a price. Also, when the laptop is delivered ensure you inspect it before the delivery man leaves. 

ALSO READ

11 Things to Consider When Buying a UK-Used Laptop in Nigeria (Coming soon)

However, if the store is nearby, it’s better to visit the store to be able to inspect the laptop’s body for any scratches or dents. You should also test all the keyboard keys and the trackpad to detect any malfunction.

A perfect laptop? Congratulations!!!

Conclusion

Getting your ideal UK-used laptop in Nigeria is actually possible. I wrote about how I got mine in August 2023 at an AWUF price here. I hope this comprehensive post will serve as a guide for you in getting yours too.

Let me know if you found this post helpful by dropping a comment below.