Whether you’ve decided to buy a used smartphone online or physically from a dealer, you need to have some accessories on hand. It is important to perform your own in-depth inspection of your new investment.
Surplus.Net inspect their used phones however for peace of mind here is how you can perform your own inspection.
Things you’ll need:
-A cable compatible with the phone in question.
-A working laptop.
-A SIM card you can insert into the phone. Make sure you know what type the phone needs i.e. microSIM or nanoSIM.
-If a slot is present, a microSD card.
Once you have the phone in your hands, one way or another, you need to inspect, troubleshoot, and run the necessary tests.
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Check for scratches, dings, and dents: Look over the body of the phone and mentally note any signs of damage you may see such as nicks, dings, or deep scratches. Especially pay attention to the screen and the camera lens on the back. This is something you should take your time with as you also need to inspect for potential water damage.
Check for water damage: If possible, make sure to expose the back of the phone and look at the battery labels. Most phones that have a solid body and the backs aren’t removable will have a water damage indicator in the SIM card slot. When in doubt, Google where the indicator is on your chosen model.
Double-check all ports: Whatever you can push, pull, or open on the phone, check for signs of use or damage. SD slots and the SIM card reader should all remain intact. Other ports such as the headphone plug require you to plug in a headphone for a listen. Lastly, check to see if the phone takes a charger and properly charges without fail.
Run some tests: You need to make sure you can send texts, make calls, and browse your favorite sites, so pop in your SIM card and dedicate a few minutes to preliminary testing. Your used phone should have the capability to do all of the things you would require from a new phone. If the phone is signed to a different carrier or locked, you can still gain access to it using a different method described in the next step.
Use the service code test: All smartphones have something referred to as a service code that you can enter in order to bring up a hidden menu and check the phone to ensure all parts are functioning. Every phone has a different code that helps you get access to this menu, so make you know the make and model of the phone so you can look it up online.
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Conclusion
For example, if you were to type the code, *#0*# into a Samsung Galaxy S3 phone, it would help you gain access to the LCD Test. It will allow you to check every detail such as the touchscreen, vibration, speakers, dimmer, etc.
Editorial Staff of the TechnoRoll, are a bunch of Tech Writers, who are writing on the trending topics related to technology news and gadgets reviews.