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    How has your XPS 15 2013/2014 held up?

    Discussion in 'Dell XPS and Studio XPS' started by Chris9446, Sep 30, 2015.

  1. Chris9446

    Chris9446 Notebook Consultant

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    I'm looking at maybe buying one from craigslist that has no warranty and the person says they barely used it so I'm wondering how durable this laptop is and how it has held up for you over the past 1-2 years.

    In a worst case scenario, what could go wrong with this laptop?
    How much would it cost to repair various things like the screen, motherboard, battery, etc? What problems have you had with it in the past?
     
    Chris9446, Sep 30, 2015
    #1
  2. Ben REIMEU

    Ben REIMEU Notebook Guru

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    forget it, wrong thread
     
    Ben REIMEU, Oct 1, 2015
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  3. kent1146

    kent1146 Notebook Prophet

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    To be quite honest, any answer you get will be absolutely useless anecdotal stories. Just because someone has a Dell that lasts 8 years, doesn't mean yours will. Just because someone has a Dell that breaks down after 2 days, doesn't mean yours will. Any laptop you ever buy, from any manufacturer, will have laptops that both last forever and die the moment you try to turn it on.

    The only hard fact(s) that you have to make a buying decision is the condition of the laptop when you buy it. If it looks to be on good cosmetic shape, and turns on, then that's pretty much all the reassurance that you can get when you buy any used laptop. You may want to ask the seller to sign a letter offering a refund if the laptop dies in the first 7 days.

    Worst case, what could go wrong? Major components on the laptop fail. Motherboard, screen, CPU, etc. Replacing any part in a laptop isn't cheap. OEM batteries will be about $80. Motherboards and screens will cost several $100's. Anytime a major component on a laptop fails, you need to decide between the cost of repairing the defective laptop vs. buying a replacement laptop.

    So if you buy a laptop off of Craigslist, you're taking on the risk of maintenance and repairs of a used laptop. Some people aren't bothered by out-of-warranty laptops in exchange for a good deal, whereas other people absolutely do want a warranty for peace-of-mind. If you fall into the 2nd camp where you must get a warranty, your only alternative to this is to buy a used laptop with a warranty still attached to it... either from another seller, or a refurbished laptop off of Dell Outlet.
     
    kent1146, Oct 1, 2015
    #3