Buying Used Electronics: What to Check

40 guides to buying electronics second hand — what to check, what a fair price looks like, and the questions to ask before you pay.

What goes wrong buying electronics used

An account lock is the single biggest one — a device still signed in to an iCloud, Google or Microsoft account cannot be reset and is effectively unusable. After that, battery health and undisclosed third-party repairs.

Misrepresentation and fakes

Outright counterfeits are rare outside accessories, where fake chargers and cables are a genuine fire risk. The commoner problem is a device described as working that has a fault the seller knows about.

How to verify before you pay

Ask the seller to factory reset and remove their account BEFORE you pay, and to send a photograph of the settings screen showing it signed out. Ask for the exact model identifier and, on anything with a battery, the battery health figure.

WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or grade anything, and does not hold funds. You are buying on the seller’s description and photographs, so ask directly — a seller who has the item will answer in minutes.

What you should expect to pay

Across this category, guide prices run from about £8 to £900 (approximately $11 to $1,199) depending on the item and its condition. Grades run New with Tags, Like New, Good, Fair and For Parts — what each one means.

Sterling guide ranges with an approximate US dollar equivalent at £1 ≈ $1.33 (July 2026).

What each one typically costs

The most-searched items in this category, with the guide range a buyer should expect:

Item	Good condition	Full range
MacBook	£130–£585	£200–£900 (~$266–$1,199)
Gaming Laptop	£162–£585	£250–£900 (~$333–$1,199)
Laptop	£78–£455	£120–£700 (~$160–$932)
iPhone	£52–£390	£80–£600 (~$107–$799)
Graphics Card	£52–£325	£80–£500 (~$107–$666)
Samsung Galaxy	£39–£292	£60–£450 (~$80–$599)
iPad	£58–£292	£90–£450 (~$120–$599)
Smart TV	£58–£292	£90–£450 (~$120–$599)

Every electronics buying guide

Frequently asked questions

What should I check before buying electronics second hand?

What goes wrong most often?

Does WishThrift check the item for me?

No. WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or grade anything, and does not hold funds or offer buyer protection. Condition is described by the seller against five grades and the photographs are what you are buying on — which is why these 40 guides exist.