Should You Repair Your Computer or Buy a New One?

Americans throw away 80 to 85% of electronic products into landfills or incinerators every year. Before you think about throwing away that old, broken laptop that you believe is worthless, think again. Some companies or sites like http://www.gadgetsalvation.com are willing to purchase old, broken laptops to repair them; however, if your laptop is quite ancient, you can still take it apart and sell the parts separately. Here are 3 parts that you can sell to get some of your money back.

LCD Screen

If the LCD screen of your laptop is not cracked nor broken, you may be able to take the LCD screen off to sell. The value of the LCD screen will be dependent on its size, resolution and manufacturer. You can easily sell the LCD screen for anywhere from $50 to $250. To remove the LCD screen, you will need to:

• turn off the laptop, remove the battery and make sure to disconnect any power supply to prevent electrocution.
• remove the screen bezel. The screen bezel is held into place by screws. 
• use a thin metal blade to pop loose one of the corners.
• pop off the frame holding the LCD screen in place.
• remove the LCD screen by disconnecting the cables attached.

The LCD screen can be quite fragile. Once you have removed it, you will want to package it with proper cushioning to prevent it from getting damaged if it bumps into other objects or gets dropped.

RAM

Memory technology for laptops does not change frequently, and you may be able to sell the RAM in your old and broken laptops. The value of the RAM is dependent on its storage capacity, which is measured in GBs, clock speed, which is measured in MHz, and shape, which can be deterred from its name. Almost all laptops have an access panel at the bottom of the laptop that stores the RAM. You can easily unscrew any fastener holding the panel in place using a Phillips-head screwdriver to access the RAM.

DDR3 ECC Registered and DDR2 Fully Buffered RAM have the most value to them, and are in high demand. Even if the RAM in your old laptop cannot be transferred to your new one, this type of RAM is still compatible with many laptops that are being released by multiple manufacturers. 

CMOS Battery

All laptops have a CMOS battery that can be found on top of the motherboard. The CMOS battery is responsible for powering low-level system functions, like the internal clock, while the laptop is turned off. The value of the CMOS battery will be dependent on its voltage and chemical composition. To remove the CMOS battery, you will need to open the laptop case. The CMOS battery looks like a coin and is found by the motherboard. 

Although you will not be able to sell the CMOS battery for much, you will find that selling it will be a piece of cake since almost all laptops use the same CMOS battery. Once you have removed the CMOS battery, you should store it in a cool, dark and dry place to prevent it from getting damaged. 

Conclusion

Save the environment by recycling and get some money back into your pockets by taking your old, broken laptops apart and selling the various parts separately. Taking the laptop off can be a piece of cake; however, if you are having difficulties, you should consider contacting a laptop repair technician for some help. Some companies will take into account the value of the different parts that your laptop has, be willing to purchase the laptop as a whole, and take it apart themselves. If you are not confident in being able to take your laptop apart, you should consider this option as well.