If you are considering buying an Apple laptop, then I would really recommend that you take a close look at the used market.

Apple computers have always been excellent machines, beautifully designed with software to match. Its iLife software offers seamless integration with your iPod and iTunes, and if you have a camcorder, simply plug it in, download your footage, edit it, and burn it to DVD. Try doing it on a PC. You would have to buy a lot of software, but everything is standard on a Mac.

There are many different models of laptops to choose from, each designed for a specific purpose. If you’re a home user, I’d recommend checking out the iBook series, while a business user should aim for the iBook Pro series. Both were discontinued in 2006, to be replaced by the macBook and macBook Pro respectively, but still offer excellent value for money, and a top-spec machine can be bought for as little as $300, up from its original price of $1500+.

There are also cheaper models on the market, specifically the ‘clamshell’ iBook G3 models, but these are the first to be discontinued in 2001. Good sellers in their day, they are a bit old now and will win. It is not compatible with many of the new applications. However, if you were looking for a first computer for your child, or a computer just for browsing the Internet and doing some basic work, this might be for you.

If your budget stretches to a bit more, then the aforementioned MacBooks or even the new ultra-thin MacBook Air are worth considering. You can get these on the used market, too, and while there are significant savings over list price, they’re still expensive.

So where do you get your used Apple laptop from? Personally, I’ve had great success with eBay – I’m now on my third Mac laptop from them. There are some pretty good deals here, including plenty of accessories, and as long as you’re careful, you can’t go too far wrong. Once you’ve decided on the best machine, look carefully at the seller’s details – look at the feedback they’ve gotten, make sure they seem trustworthy. You are looking for about 99% positive feedback from 200 comments or more. You might even consider buying only from a Power Seller.

Wherever you shop online, you should always email the seller, asking questions about the product and their service. Here’s a quick guide to some of the main points for you.

Look at the job you want your laptop to do, research the available machines, and then make your pick. Don’t settle for anything else once you’ve made up your mind. Don’t fall into the trap of buying a better machine with fewer specs for the same price, thinking you can fix it. Most of the time it’s not that simple, so don’t take chances.

Don’t pay more than $35 for shipping, unless it’s ultra-fast delivery.

Make sure it came with an adapter and that the battery works.

Please do not purchase ‘untested’ or ‘as is’ items, unless you are purchasing parts.

Get the correct OS (OS) – If you’re going to do serious work and need to add new apps, make sure it’s at least OS 10.3 (this will be very slow on a G3 ‘clambook’, so be careful if the vendor says it is installed, this is not the original operating system the machine was designed for).

Just pay with PayPal; otherwise, some unscrupulous salesperson might take your check, protest that they never received it, and then keep the check and the computer for themselves.

By following these guidelines, it’s possible to get a great used Apple laptop at a bargain price. Good luck.