With the prices of most of the new high-end and flagship phones going over $1000, buying a used phone is usually a good deal in today’s world. This way you may get your hands on a pretty decent smartphone with all the specs you’re looking for without even breaking the bank.
However, it is important for you to make sure that everything is working fine on the device you’re about to own and it all comes down to the way you inspect it. So, to help you out in this regard, here we have prepared a check of things you should check before buying a used phone.
Perform a Quick Visible Inspection
The very first thing you need to do before even turning on the used phone you’re buying is a quick visual inspection. If the phone has a screen protector or body protector, get it removed to have a good look at its screen as well as body to make sure there are no visible damages. Check for any scratches or even dents that are noticeable. Press all the physical and touch-sensitive buttons on the phone to check whether they are functional or not.
Voice Calling and Telecommunication Network Support
Voice calling is the basic purpose of any phone, without which a phone is almost useless. This is why it is one of the most important things you should check before buying a used phone. Also, check if the phone you’re intending to purchase supports the network of your sim or carrier provider. Try to make a few calls and listen closely to check the quality of the phone’s earpiece audio reception and make sure the network signals aren’t dropping during the call.
Touchscreen, Display Quality and Sensors
Now, turn on the phone. Once its operating system boots up. Touch different areas on the screen to make sure the entire touchscreen of the smartphone is responding well. In this way, you’ll also figure out the dead spots on the screen, if there are any. Also, don’t forget to test the screen brightness, especially on a white background. It will also show if there is any off-color tinting, splotching, or screen burn-in, which is a pretty common issue with OLED panels. A defective screen could easily ruin your browsing, social media, or movie-watching experience.
Along with checking the touchscreen, you should also carefully check the phone’s sensor. Yes, smartphones of today’s world may have many different sensors to detect your movement and positioning. For example, you can title the phone to check its rotational vector sensors or bring your phone close to your ear during a call and see if its light turns off to make sure its proximity sensor is working. You can also find plenty of other techniques on the internet to check sensors on your phone.
Check the Phone’s Battery Health and Charger
If you are buying a used phone, the battery is one of the most primary things you should be concerned about. During your inspection, plug the phone into the charger, charge it for a while and observe how quickly its battery is discharging. It will give you an idea of the phone’s battery health. However, with iPhones, things are a bit easier. You can go to settings and check the battery health of the iPhone, which is shown in percentage. Don’t forget to test the power brick as well, if you’re getting it with your used phone.
Microphone, Speaker and Other Audio Equipment
These are among the most important things you should check before buying a used phone. Wondering how to check the microphone? Well, the answer is very simple. You can use the built-in voice recording app to do so. A short voice recording would be enough to check the performance of a microphone. To check the sound of the speakers, you can try any playback audio. If the phone you are buying comes with stereo speakers, make sure both of them are working by hearing closely. Plug in the headphones and listen to the playback audio through them to check whether the headphone port is working properly or not.
Cameras at the Front and Back
Of course, smartphone cameras have made a lot of progress in recent years. Many smartphones are now used for astrophotography and they capture crisp HD-quality pictures of celestial bodies due to their advanced camera setups.
To make sure everything is in order, load the camera application on the phone and take a few shots from both front and back cameras. The same goes for video recording.
If it is a triple or a quad-camera setup, switch photo and video modes through the camera apps to check whether your phone’s wide, ultra-wide, macro and other cameras are working fine or not. The picture quality should not contain any visual anomalies, which could be a result of any unnoticeable cracks on camera lenses.
USB and Wireless Connectivity
It is important to check the USB port of your phone. You’ll be using it to connect your phone to your computer to transfer files or plugging it in to get the battery of your phone charged. Along with checking USB port components, run and test all modes of wireless connectivity including WiFi, Bluetooth, infrared, and 3G/4G/5G connections, just to make sure everything is fully functional.
These were some of the most important things you should check when buying a used phone. It is important to purchase a used phone from a trusted seller, especially the one who allows you to test and inspect your phone full-fledgedly. Along with exploring the used phones market, you should also check the mid-range section that has some really good smartphones that you can buy for under $500 in 2021.
