Should I buy a display secondhand?

[Tomppi]

Hey,

I'm currently in the process of buying a new PC monitor. What I'm looking for is something around 24"-27", FHD, preferably 120-144Hz and a 1-2ms response time. After conducting a reasonable amount of research I came to the conclusion that the specs above would be accompanied by a rather hefty price tag (for me), and I was ready to lower my standards were it not for the fact that I found a secondhand Acer Predator XB270H 27 (http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MO-066-AC) for a reasonable price, which would be the perfect pick in my opinion.

I called the guy selling the above screen and went over to his place to check it out. He wanted to sell it because he was upgrading to a 4k setup. He said he had used the screen for less than 6 months, and that he had tried to get rid of it for a while (his ad for the screen had been up for several weeks without him getting any calls - I live in a VERY small town). In the ad it said he wanted 200€ for it (it costs about 360€ new), but once I commented on this he quickly added that he could sell it for 150€. I didn't really know what to look for on the screen once he gave me a demonstration - I couldn't see anything out of the ordinary, nothing obvious like dead pixels or dents or whatever could be seen. I was really close to buying it but decided to sleep on it and ask you guys for advice. I Said I would call him once I made up my mind. So here are my questions:


Is buying a display secondhand a good or bad idea? Seems to me 150€ for that monitor is a bargain. Then again the low price could mean there is something seriously wrong with it.

What should I look for when buying a monitor secondhand? Dead pixels? Dents? What else?

Any general tips on buying electronics second hand?

Should I buy it?


Sorry for the Wall of Text, lol!

Hope you guys can help me! Thanks in advance!

 

[Eximo]

If he showed the monitor in operation I don't really understand your concerns? Maybe the factory warranty isn't transferable, but aside from that I don't see any issue with buying a second hand monitor.

 

[Ubrales]

I read your post in detail. You have done a good job of evaluating the monitor by checking for dead pixels, dents, overall appearance.

One thing I suggest is to check the date of manufacture through the Serial number. This will confirm the age of the monitor and the usage it has seen.

I have 10 monitors in use in my home; 9 used, and 1 new. The oldest one (refurbished) has been in use for over five years. All monitors work very well.

The one drawback in all electronics is that they could fail (rare) at any time. So do components in my computers, cars, home, etc. - This is true for new products as well. Don't let this stop you from purchasing used or refurbished items after a thorough inspection.

Go ahead, check out the Serial number, and proceed. Good luck!

 

[Tomppi]

Thanks to both of you for your answers.

I will inspect it more thoroughly before making my final decision. Thanks for the tip regarding the serial number, I will try to find it and confirm its usage.

One more thing: unfortunately the seller did not have the receipt from when he bought the screen - I told him to try look for it as I suspect there might be several months worth of warranty left on the screen and in case he did find the receipt, I'd find it easier to decide to buy it.

 

[Ubrales]

Cannot find the receipt? Is that an indication that the monitor has been used for over six months? All the more reason to verify the date of manufacture through the Serial number.

 

[Tomppi]

Yeah, I don't know.

By the way, in what way do I use the serial number to verify how old the screen is? Through some kind of website, like acer's website?

 

[Ubrales]

Yeah, I don't know.

By the way, in what way do I use the serial number to verify how old the screen is? Through some kind of website, like acer's website?

The Serial number will tell you the date of manufacture - If you do not find it through internet searches, contact the manufacturer. You can also verify whether there are any recalls on the product.