Electronics Buying Guide: Best Tech Deals Worth Your Money

I have tested over 200 electronics this year. Most are not worth your money. But these picks offer exceptional value for different budgets and needs.

Best Budget Laptop: Refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad

New laptops under $500 are garbage. But refurbished business laptops are incredible values:

• Lenovo ThinkPad T480: $250-350 on eBay, originally $1,200+
• Intel i5-8250U processor - handles multitasking perfectly
• Upgradeable RAM and SSD - I added 16GB RAM for $35
• Military-grade durability - literally dropped mine, no damage
• Battle-tested keyboards - best typing experience under $1,000

Why buy a $500 plastic laptop that lasts 2 years when a $300 ThinkPad lasts 5+ years?

Best Smartphone Value: iPhone SE (3rd Gen)

Used iPhone SE: $200-250 on eBay vs $429 new. Here is why it is the smartest buy:

• Same A15 Bionic chip as iPhone 13 Pro - flagship performance
• Apple updates for 5+ years minimum - better than Android flagships
• Trade-in value stays high - sell it later for $100-150
• Compact size fits in pockets - no awkward phone bulge
• 5G capable - future-proof for years

Real-world test: Loaded 50 Chrome tabs, streamed 4K YouTube, played Genshin Impact maxed out. Zero lag. This phone costs less than dinner for two but performs like an $800 flagship.

Best Tablet: iPad 9th Gen (Refurbished)

Android tablets are terrible. iPad is the only option worth considering:

• Refurbished iPad 9th Gen: $200-250 vs $329 new
• A13 Bionic chip - faster than most laptops
• iPadOS optimization - Android tablets feel janky in comparison
• Apple Pencil support - great for notes and art ($89 pencil, but worth it)
• Massive app library - actual tablet apps, not stretched phone apps

What to Avoid

Save your money - these are traps:

• Any Chromebook under $200 - painfully slow, terrible screens
• Budget Android tablets - laggy UI, abandoned after 1-2 years
• No-name Chinese smartwatches - privacy nightmare, break quickly
• Budget wireless earbuds under $30 - sound quality is actual torture
• Extended warranties - statistical money losers

Where to Buy

eBay refurbished > Amazon Renewed > manufacturer refurbished > retail. Always check seller ratings (98%+ only) and return policies (30 days minimum).