Start by checking your order for the seller’s exact return deadline, then inspect and test the laptop in a documented sequence. Return periods and pixel policies vary by seller, product, and location, so do not assume a general deadline applies to your purchase. The steps below help you spot common physical and functional problems while there is still time to report them.
Find your return deadline before you begin
Open the order details or receipt and note the last eligible return date, the seller of record, and how to start a return. Check whether the order is sold directly by the retailer or by a marketplace seller, and whether the policy requires the original packaging, charger, paperwork, or other included items. Terms can vary between sellers on the same marketplace.
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For U.S. purchases, Best Buy’s policy lists 15 days for most products, with category and membership exceptions; Walmart’s policy lists 30 days for consumer electronics and a 90-day general return period subject to exceptions. These are examples of those retailers’ policies, not universal return rights or a guarantee that every laptop order qualifies. Confirm your own order terms and check the seller’s current policy. Best Buy’s U.S. return policy · Walmart’s U.S. return policy · FTC guidance on online shopping
Inspect the laptop before changing its condition
Before setup or use obscures the evidence, take photos of the packaging and closed laptop in good light. Compare the model and included items with the order, then inspect the display surface, case corners, hinges, feet, keyboard, touchpad, ports, charger, cable, and connector.
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- Look for cracks, dents, loose parts, missing keys, bent port contacts, or damaged cables.
- Check that the hinges open smoothly and the case sits evenly on a flat surface.
- Keep the packaging and accessories together until you know whether you will keep the laptop.
Physical-damage examples can include issues with the screen, keyboard, battery, charger, cooling parts, and ports; ASUS’s criteria are specific to its support context and do not define every manufacturer’s policy. ASUS physical-damage criteria
Test the display, keyboard, and touchpad
Check the screen
Set the display to a comfortable high brightness and show full-screen black, white, red, green, and blue backgrounds. Look for bright or dark pixels, flicker, bands, color patches, cracks, and uneven backlighting. Then move brightness through its range and check that the image responds consistently.
Pixel-defect policies depend on the exact model and region. LG describes dark and bright pixel symptoms but says its policy varies by model; do not assume a particular number of pixels is acceptable or qualifies for replacement without checking your laptop’s policy. LG monitor pixel policy information · Acer Hong Kong pixel policy
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Check keys and touchpad actions
Open a text field or the maker’s diagnostic and press each key once, including function keys and the space bar. Confirm each press registers. On the touchpad, test movement, clicking, scrolling, and the gestures you expect to use. Microsoft’s Surface diagnostic workflow includes colored screen checks, brightness changes, a key-by-key test, and touchpad actions; it applies to Surface devices, not every laptop. Microsoft Surface repair and diagnostic tools
Exercise ports and connected features
Use a known-working cable or peripheral to check each port the laptop has. For USB, confirm the device appears in the operating system. If it does not, try another port and connect directly rather than through a hub before concluding that the laptop’s port is faulty. A compatible USB flash drive is one option, but testing does not require buying one if you already have a suitable working device.
Also check headphone output, speakers, microphone, webcam, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Microsoft’s basic USB troubleshooting recommends trying another port and removing a hub; the Surface diagnostic can check USB-device detection on Surface models. Microsoft USB troubleshooting · Surface Diagnostic Toolkit information
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Check charging and battery behavior
Connect the included charger and confirm the operating system reports that the laptop is charging. Briefly disconnect it to confirm the laptop remains on battery, then reconnect it. If the manufacturer offers a battery diagnostic, run it and save the result. HP Battery Check can identify battery problems and provide a failure ID; Microsoft’s Surface diagnostic checks charging and discharging behavior. These tools are brand-specific. HP Battery Check · Microsoft Surface diagnostic tools
A short check can reveal that charging is not recognized or that a diagnostic flags a problem, but it cannot establish full battery capacity or predict long-term runtime.
Run the manufacturer’s diagnostic and preserve the result
Use the laptop maker’s preinstalled or official diagnostic utility where available. Save a screenshot, report, or failure code, and write down symptoms the tool does not capture, including when they happen. A passing diagnostic does not rule out every intermittent or cosmetic issue.
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Microsoft’s Surface Diagnostic Toolkit covers multiple Surface components; HP Battery Check focuses on battery problems. Use the instructions for your own model rather than treating either tool as a universal laptop test. Surface repair and diagnostic tools · HP Battery Check
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Stop testing if you see a possible safety problem
If the battery appears swollen, the laptop smokes, you notice a burning smell, parts are melted, or there are other signs of overheating, stop using and charging it and contact the seller or manufacturer’s support. Do not open a new laptop as part of a basic inspection. Microsoft’s support guidance recommends providing device identification, a description of the damage, and clear photos when seeking help. Microsoft Surface battery and power guidance
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsReport a suspected defect while the applicable period is open
Contact the seller through the order’s return or support process as soon as you identify a problem. Keep a concise record of the purchase date and order number, seller name, laptop model and serial number, symptom and when it occurs, photos or video, and diagnostic result or failure ID. Follow the transaction-specific instructions if a marketplace seller fulfilled the order.
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Best Buy’s U.S. policy tells customers who receive an item that is damaged in shipping, defective, or not the item ordered to return it during the applicable return and exchange period. That policy applies only to covered purchases; check the terms for your own order. Do not assume manufacturer warranty service extends or replaces the seller’s return period. Best Buy’s U.S. return policy · Walmart’s U.S. return policy
When a seller offers return, exchange, or repair, weigh how much time remains, whether the order was sold directly or through a marketplace, what evidence supports the fault, whether a diagnostic produced a failure code, and which remedy is most likely to get you a working laptop promptly.
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