Buying Technology Wisely Needs Before Specs, Consumer Rights and Disposal

Technology marketing is designed to make you feel that you need the latest and best. In practice, most people use a small fraction of the capability of their devices, and the biggest saving is not buying more than you need.

Start by describing what you will use the device for, in plain terms. Browsing, email, video calls, streaming, photographs, documents, gaming, editing video or something specialised? A phone, tablet or laptop for everyday tasks needs far less power than the advertising suggests. List the features you need, such as a screen you can read comfortably, enough storage, good battery life, a decent camera and compatibility with other things you own.

Then set a budget, and consider the total cost. This includes accessories, insurance or warranty, any subscriptions needed to use the product and the cost of replacement in a few years. A slightly more expensive product that lasts five years may cost less per year than a cheap one that lasts two.

Be honest about upgrades. Ask whether your current device really is failing, or whether a battery replacement, extra storage or a clean-up would solve the problem. Repairing or refreshing a device is often cheaper and better for the environment than replacing it.

There is a great deal of information about technology, much of it unreliable. A few habits help you to find good advice.

Use independent sources. Consumer organisations such as Which? test products and publish unbiased reviews, and independent technology publications provide detailed testing. Be wary of sites that earn commission from sales, since their recommendations may be influenced, though many are honest and say so. Read a mix of professional and user reviews, look at the average and the pattern of complaints, and be sceptical of reviews that are suspiciously glowing or generic. Fake reviews are widespread, and the law now prohibits them.

Compare like with like. Specification numbers can be misleading, such as megapixels for cameras, peak performance claims and battery capacity figures. Look for real-world tests of battery life, screen quality and speed. Check how long the manufacturer promises to supply security updates, since this effectively determines how long the device is safe to use. Look at repairability, the availability of spare parts and what the manufacturer charges for battery replacement.

Watch prices over time. Many products are discounted regularly, and some sales prices are not as good as they seem. Price tracking tools show the history of a product's price and help you to judge whether a deal is real. Be wary of pressure from countdown timers and limited stock warnings.

Many people do not know how strong their legal rights are, and believe that the warranty is all that they have. In fact, the law gives you protection that exists independently.

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods you buy from a trader must be of satisfactory quality, fit for their purpose and as described. If a product is faulty, you have a short-term right to reject it and get a full refund within 30 days of purchase. After that, you are entitled to a repair or replacement, and if that fails or is not possible, you can ask for a price reduction or a final right to reject. In the first six months, the law presumes that a fault was present from the beginning, and it is for the seller to prove otherwise. After six months, you may need to show that the fault was there at the time of purchase, but your rights can last up to six years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, depending on the product's expected life.

Your claim is against the seller, not the manufacturer, and you should not be sent away to the manufacturer. For purchases of between £100 and £30,000 on a credit card, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes the card company equally liable. Online purchases also carry a 14-day cancellation right under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, as described in the ebook on safe online shopping and banking.

New is not always better. Refurbished and second-hand devices can offer excellent value, and repair can extend the life of the ones you have.

Refurbished devices from reputable sellers have been tested, repaired where necessary and often come with a warranty. Check the seller's grading system, the condition of the battery, the warranty length and the returns policy. Manufacturers and large retailers offer certified refurbished products. When buying second-hand from a private seller, you have fewer rights, so inspect the item, test it, check the serial number or IMEI on a phone against stolen-device registers, ask for proof of purchase and meet in a safe place. Be wary of prices that seem too low, and of requests for payment by bank transfer or gift cards.

Think about repair. Common failures, such as a cracked screen, a worn battery or a failing drive, can often be repaired for far less than the cost of a new device. Independent repairers and manufacturers' services offer options, and online guides and spare parts allow confident people to do some repairs themselves. Check how repairable a product is before buying, and be wary of products glued shut with no replaceable parts.

Make sure that old devices still receive updates. A second-hand device that no longer gets security updates may be a security risk, so check the support dates.

A little care in the first hour saves problems later.

Check the contents, inspect the product for damage and keep the box and receipt for the period when you could return it. Register the product if it is useful, though you do not need to register for your statutory rights. Install updates before you start using it, and set up a screen lock, a strong password and backups. Switch off unnecessary features and review the privacy settings, as described in the ebooks on privacy and device security.

Transfer your data carefully. Use the manufacturer's migration tools, check that everything has transferred before you wipe the old device and keep the old one for a few weeks as a safety net. Use a case and a screen protector if appropriate, and consider whether insurance is worthwhile for expensive items, perhaps through your home contents policy or bank account.

Keep a record. Store the receipt, serial number and warranty information in a safe place, perhaps digitally, so that you can find them when needed.

What you do with a device at the end of its life matters for your privacy and for the environment.

First, protect your data. Back up anything that you want to keep, sign out of your accounts, switch off find-my-device features, and then restore the device to factory settings, which erases personal data on most modern phones and computers. For old computers with traditional hard drives, a simple delete is not enough, and you may use a secure erase tool or, for extra caution, have the drive physically destroyed. Remove SIM cards and memory cards.

Then reuse or recycle. Phones and laptops in good condition can be sold, traded in or donated to charities and schemes that refurbish devices for people who need them. Waste electrical and electronic equipment, known as WEEE, must not go in the ordinary rubbish. In the UK, retailers that sell electrical items must take back old equipment of a similar type when you buy a new one, and local council recycling centres accept electrical items. Batteries must be recycled separately, and lithium batteries can cause fires if they are damaged or put in the wrong bin, so take them to a proper collection point.

Reduce waste in the first place. Buy fewer, better devices, keep them longer, repair when you can and think carefully before upgrading. Look at the environmental policies of manufacturers, including repairability, recycled materials and take-back schemes. The cheapest and greenest device is usually the one you already own.