Here's a situation: You seriously need to buy a laptop. If you buy a used laptop, you could save some cash. Yet a new laptop will ensure quality and guarantee proper functioning. This is a difficult toss-up. What should you do?

Laptops

"I would buy a laptop new because I wouldn't have to worry about erasing any software from the previous owner," said sophomore Maria Ramos. "If I'm buying it new, I have the liberty to purchase the laptop that's going to fit my needs."

This is one benefit of buying a new laptop instead of a used one. When purchasing a new laptop, the owner can be more picky and choosy about the specific essential functions. With used laptops, program options can be limited because functions such as a dependable hard drive, high ram memory and processor may be hard to find.

"I bought a new laptop and was looking out for a good hard drive and ram memory above 160 gigabits per second," Ramos said. "I was aware of finding a laptop with a processor higher than 2 gigahertz. I listen to a lot of music, watch movies and need specific software for certain classes. A laptop with a high-capacity memory is better for me."

The choice to purchase a used or new laptop is essentially up to the consumer. When buying a laptop, be aware of its condition up front.

There are also less obvious factors that should be taken into account when buying a new or used laptop.

"The benefits of buying new are a warranty and, later, features such as integrated Bluetooth and faster wireless technology," said professor Scott Rose, of the computer science and engineering department.

Rose said a typical laptop battery lasts about a year, so don't forget to factor in the cost of a replacement battery.

Battery life is vital for a laptop; take into consideration how long the laptop will last. Used laptops will most likely need to be replaced before a new laptop.

"Used laptops wear out, and a lot of used ones are stolen," he said. "You would hate to support the black market. But you also hate to pay more than you need to for technology. If you are hard on your electronic equipment or inclined to lose things, it might be better to go cheap."

Digital Cameras

Getting a digital camera helps capture sacred college moments. Here's a heads up on what to look out for when buying a new or used digital camera.

"If the lens is scratched, the camera may have been dropped several times and you wouldn't know it," said sophomore Chris Heygood, a former Best Buy employee. "This may have a damaging effect on the camera's liquid crystal display (LCD). The colors on the LCD might not display properly."

Luckily, if the camera is new, issues with a scratched lens or damaged LCD can be avoided.

Like laptops, most digital cameras have warranties. According to Bestbuy.com, a warranty for a Kodak brand digital camera typically lasts one year, with some exceptions.

Video Games

Attention video game lovers: Wondering if it's safe to buy used media games?

"I've bought used games before and they all work fine," Heygood said. "It's okay to buy used, as long as you make sure the CD isn't scratched too bad."

Typically, scratches, smudges and other marks can be spotted by the naked eye. In addition, the quality of the game itself may be a factor to consider.

"Chances are if the game is used, it's not a great game because they turned it back in and sold it," junior Michael Williams said. "It probably wasn't a fun game. It's cheaper, though."

Underpants, socks and comforters

Why is it that socks and underwear always seem to get lost, no matter how many pairs you own? A trip to Target will be needed to stock up. It may sound obvious that buying used socks and underwear is a big no-no, but varied opinions exist about reusing socks and undergarments.

As for socks, there seems to be a similar outlook for what condition to buy them in.

"No way — I would not buy used socks," Williams said.

The chilly fall weather creeps through your comforter at night, making it hard to warm up. With fall in our midst and winter on the way, why not think about getting a set of sheets and a cozy comforter? More importantly, is it okay to buy used sheets and comforters?

"I would buy these things used if they were relatively new," senior Kirsten Laulainen said. "If they had some weird kind of stain I could not readily identify, I would not buy them."

This seems like common sense, as bleach can only remove so much.

Books

Some of the most popular reused items arrive in the form of books, and the Ave has several new and used bookstores.

Some nearby stores where used textbooks and novels can be purchased include the University Book Store, Twice Sold Tales, Magus Books and Half Price Books. Are all textbooks okay to buy used? To start, check with the professor or instructor of the class.

"If the professor requires you to get a specific text and you cannot find a used edition, you should probably buy it new," said Kirsten Clauson, an employee at the U-Book Store. "We keep track of the sales of used books occurring each year. We base how much we should buy [on that]. We can't buy back books that are too used."

Shopping online can be a solution to avoiding the outrageous price of buying new textbooks from the U-Book Store. The only disadvantage is the inability to view the condition of the book from the computer screen.

Ultimately, buying new or reused books is up to the consumer's needs for the book.

"A story is a story, and the only thing that really changes is the price you have to pay," Laulainen said. "If the story does not change by the type of book or the version you're getting, then why bother forking out extra money that you don't have to?"

[Reach reporter Chenelle Tyack at features@thedaily.washington.edu.]