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Laptop check

This laptop, as the browser sees it

System
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Browser
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Screen
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Refresh rate
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Processor threads
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Memory
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Graphics
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Touchscreen
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Battery now
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Read on this page, kept on this device. Blank lines are ones this browser does not report. Run it on the laptop for sale, not on your phone.

0 of 9 checks done

Start with the screen, or anywhere you like. Progress is kept in this browser.

  1. 1.Screen: dead pixels and bleed

    Go fullscreen, step through every colour and look for dots that stay black or stay lit. Check black in a dark room for light leaking at the edges.

    Open the dead pixel test (new tab)

  2. 2.Keyboard: every key

    Press every key once. Any key that stays dark is not reaching the computer; a key that lights twice from one press is chattering.

    Open the keyboard test (new tab)

  3. 3.Trackpad and clicks

    Click left and right, scroll both ways, and single-click for a minute. A button that sends two clicks from one press is wearing out.

    Open the mouse test (new tab)

  4. 4.Webcam

    Turn the camera on and check the picture, the resolution and the frame rate the test reports.

    Open the webcam test (new tab)

  5. 5.Microphone

    Record a sentence and play it back. The test says whether it is too quiet, noisy or distorted.

    Open the mic test (new tab)

  6. 6.Speakers, left and right

    Play each side in turn and the sweep. Listen for a dead side, rattle or a crackle at high volume.

    Open the speaker test (new tab)

  7. 7.Ports and chargingBy hand

    Plug a phone or USB stick into every port, a pair of earphones into the audio jack, and the charger in. Each should be recognised; the charger light or icon should come on.

  8. 8.Battery healthBy hand

    Windows: open Command Prompt and run powercfg /batteryreport, then compare Full charge capacity with Design capacity. Mac: hold Option, Apple menu, System Information, Power, and read Cycle count and Condition.

  9. 9.Hinges, body and Wi-FiBy hand

    Open and close the lid: it should hold its angle. Look for cracks near the hinges, missing screws and swollen panels (a swollen battery lifts the trackpad). Join a Wi-Fi network and load a page.

What this cannot check

  • Battery health and cycle count (read them from the system, as step 8 says)
  • Hard drive or SSD health
  • Temperatures, fans and throttling under load
  • Whether the laptop is locked to the seller's account or BIOS password
  • Water damage or anything else inside the case
Nothing uploaded

Laptop test: check a used laptop before buying

Open this page on the laptop you are thinking of buying. It reads what the browser can see, walks you through each test, and gives you a one-page record to keep.

Nothing uploadedNo sign-upFree

The short answer

To check a used laptop, test the parts that fail most and cost most to fix: run a dead pixel test on the screen, press every key, check the trackpad clicks, turn on the webcam and record from the mic, play both speakers, plug something into every port, and read the battery's full charge capacity against its design capacity. Do it on the laptop itself, with the seller there, before you pay.

How to use it

Four steps, about fifteen minutes

  1. Step 1: Open this page on the laptop for sale

    Use Chrome or Edge on the laptop itself, not your phone. The specs card fills in from that machine: screen, processor cores, graphics, refresh rate and the battery's charge.

  2. Step 2: Run each test and mark it

    Each step opens the matching test in a new tab. Come back and mark it passed or failed. Progress is kept in this browser, so nothing is lost between tabs.

  3. Step 3: Do the manual checks

    Ports, battery health and the body need your hands and the laptop's own settings. The steps say exactly where to look on Windows and macOS.

  4. Step 4: Print or save the result

    Press Print or save as PDF. One page lists every check, the specs and your notes, with the date. Keep it with the receipt.

Before you pay

Four things sellers hope you skip

  • Check the battery before anything else

    A battery at 60% of its design capacity runs for about 60% as long as it did new. On Windows, powercfg /batteryreport writes the figures to a web page; on a Mac, System Information shows the cycle count and condition.

  • Make sure the laptop is not locked

    Ask the seller to sign out of their Microsoft or Apple account and reset the laptop in front of you. A Mac with the seller's Find My still on asks for their Apple ID password after a reset (Activation Lock).

  • Bring a charger, a USB stick and earphones

    You need something to plug into every port. A port that does not see a USB stick, or an audio jack with one side silent, is a repair.

  • Test with the charger out too

    Unplug the charger and watch the battery percentage for a few minutes of use. A laptop that drops several percent a minute, or shuts down when unplugged, needs a new battery.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Anything we've missed?

Tell us

Can a website check battery health?

No. A browser can read the battery's current charge and whether it is charging, in Chrome and Edge, but not its health. For health, run powercfg /batteryreport in Command Prompt on Windows, or open System Information > Power on a Mac, and compare full charge capacity with design capacity. The battery step tells you how.

Does this check the hard drive or SSD?

No. A browser cannot read a disk's health. On Windows, the manufacturer's diagnostics (Dell SupportAssist, HP PC Hardware Diagnostics, Lenovo Vantage) can; on a Mac, Disk Utility's First Aid checks the file system. Say so to the seller and ask for a short return window.

Is my information sent anywhere?

No. The specs are read by the page in your browser, the marks and notes stay in this browser's storage, and the tests it opens run the same way. Nothing is uploaded, and the Clear button removes it all.

Which browser should I use?

Chrome or Edge on Windows, macOS or ChromeOS. They report the most: battery charge and memory are only shown in those two. Safari and Firefox still run every test; the specs card just has a few blanks.

How long does the whole check take?

About ten minutes for the tests, plus a few for the battery report. The keyboard takes longest, because every key needs one press.

Can I share the result with a buyer or seller?

Yes. Press Copy a share link and send it. The marks, the specs and your notes travel inside the link itself, so nothing is stored on a server, and whoever opens it sees the result read-only. It is the tester's own record, not a certificate: anyone buying should still run the check on the laptop.

Can I use this for a new laptop too?

Yes. A new laptop can arrive with a dead pixel, a stuck key or a quiet speaker, and the return window is the time to find out. The battery should read close to its design capacity.

Related reading

Guides worth reading

Each test on its own

The checklist opens these. Each one also works by itself, and nothing you test leaves your device.