Buying a Used m11x, what do I need to know?

Okay guys here's the scoop. Today I am going to purchase a used m11x.

Its less than 1 year old (1 year in march).

The specs are ;

gt335m
intel core 2 duo 1.3ghz
500gig hd
4g memory

Is there anything I should know of/look for when inspecting the unit?
I'm going to get batterybar on my usb so I can check the battery wear, but any other information would be great guys!

I would really like to make an informed decision.

BTW, I know a lot of you would probably want to know, the price is $550 CAN

 

Have them transfer over the warranty if it is less than 1 year old. Do this on spot because you will not be able to contact them and have them do it at a later time -.-

 

I know this is a newbie question, but how do I figure out if it has the su7300 or the su4100?

 

down load cpu-z, it will tell you.

CPUID - System & hardware benchmark, monitoring, reporting

 

I usually get the service tag and check the warranty & specs at dell.com. Also, make sure it's not a refurb if it's being sold to you as "bought new." May want to check the left hinge for irregularities like clicking, alignment, etc. If you're so inclined, I might also check to make sure both graphics cards at least can be enabled (switched to) using Fn+F6 and that sound/speakers works. If you can, check the headphone ports as well (two on the right side)-- they should both work.

I think that would cover the type of things I've heard over the past few months and with my own pre-owned purchase m11x. And as a bonus, if you do all those things, the seller will think you're crazy paranoid and will blurt out anything else that might be wrong with the machine before you can check it out.

 

Haha perfect!

Thanks for all the help everyone! Im super excited!

 

Brilliant.

 

Things you need to know starting with the CONS

Do you have good eyesight? Screen is going to be too small and you will most likely squint a lot unless you are really close to the m11x screen or if you decide to get an external monitor. Some people are fine with the small screen but not everyone.

Will you use it outdoors? It is a super glossy screen so it is pretty much unreadable outdoors especially on a sunny day. Otherwise indoors at home or indoors inside buildings in school or at work it should be adequate

2 more things you should know are the Bad Hinge Design and Screen Touching the Keyboard when Closing the Lid which causes some kind of vertical markings on the screen itself which can be easily wipe by a microfiber cloth but in worst case scenario, it can permanently scratch the screen.

PROS

Powerful machine that is portable with more than 6 hours of battery life
Cool lights and backlit keyboard that you can customize
R1 base model can be obtain at a good price of $550 (after discount and coupon) that is on the same price range in today's latest powerful netbook but m11x kicks their butt with the gt 335m and core2duo>d525 atom

 

The most important thing to know is the hinge problem this laptop has.

Examine the hinges, the hinge gaps, the display lid alignment and the hinge movement very very closely. Try opening and closing the lid several times, listen if it creaks or not.

Even if everything seems perfectly stable - be prepared for a nasty surprise, e.g. my hinges seemed okay - yet my left hinge broke down all of a sudden after 3,5 month of desktop usage.

So, following the idea of benchmade42, the major cons of m11x would be:

Hinges. There is quite a bit of information on the problem already.
The display. Yes it is small and glossy, moreover its quality is mediocre to say the very least (I'd say abysmal, but that would be a bit prejudiced). See for yourself, the pic of my m11x vs my vaio-tx (the latter released in 2006):​

The major pros are:

I'd say great cooling, but since mine is an R1 I've no idea how good it is with the R2.
The build/design (apart from the hinges).
The keyboard (yes, it touches the screen, yet otherwise it is very nice).
Good battery life.
The power/portability ratio (portability is successfully ruined by the breaking hinges though).​