Buying a used phone is not as easy as getting a new one. It’s difficult to ascertain its true condition and sellers oftentimes conceal the issues. In addition, it’s usually no longer covered by warranty, giving you no recourse should there be a problem. This is why you should check it thoroughly and never rely on the outside physical condition alone. Here are the things you shouldn’t overlook when buying a used phone.

Battery Health

The usual wear and tear can be hidden with the use of a case and a screen protector, making the phone look smooth and brand new for a longer time. However, the battery health will not lie and it could tell you how long it has been around. Of course, the lower the health, the faster it will drain. So, make sure to get one with good battery health.

Dead Pixels

Another thing that should be checked thoroughly is the screen. There are sometimes dead pixels that are very hard to notice. The best way to check this is to download a dead pixel test app which will flash random colors on the screen, exposing dead pixels easily. This test will also expose uneven colors on the screen, known as screen tinting.

Signs of repair

This is important for many reasons. If the seller didn’t disclose this issue, then you cannot expect him to be fully honest with you. The reason why we don’t like signs of repair in your unit is because it implies that something has been replaced already, whether with original parts or not, and for unknown reasons–water damage, drop damage, and the like.

Vibration

Unlike other features, the vibrate function is often overlooked. Some might not even know they have this feature. Although you may not like it,  it’s important that you check its functionality as they still come handy sometimes.