The safest way to buy a used Nintendo Switch, PS4 or 3DS is from a business seller that tests every console before selling it, describes its condition honestly and shows it in real photos. Private sales can look cheaper, but then you do the checking yourself. At tested before you'll find the Switch OLED and Switch Lite, PS4 and PS4 Pro, Nintendo 3DS, New 3DS XL and New 2DS XL, and Meta Quest, all tested, on eBay and Vinted with the platform's protection under its terms.
Where can you buy a used console?
The places differ less in the device itself than in who has checked the console and which rights you have.
| Where to buy | Protection when buying | Check before sale | Risk for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturers and refurbished marketplaces | Statutory rights, right of withdrawal when buying online | Manufacturer or seller, thoroughness varies | Low to medium, choice often limited |
| Business sellers on eBay and Vinted | Statutory rights plus the platform's protection under its terms | Depends on the seller, details in the listing | Low to medium |
| Private sellers on classified ads and marketplaces | Statutory rights usually excluded, protection only when you pay through the platform | By you | Medium to high |
| Local second-hand shops | Statutory rights | Depends on the shop, testing in store possible | Low to medium |
So what matters is who is selling. On eBay and Vinted, private and business sellers sit side by side: pay through the platform and its protection applies under its terms, whereas classified ads paid in cash or by bank transfer usually come without it. Our guide to refurbished vs used explains how the two differ.
What should you check when buying privately?
If you buy privately, test the console in person before you pay:
- PS4 and PS4 Pro: reset with no previous owner's account, a fan that doesn't roar or rattle, the HDMI picture, USB ports, Wi-Fi and the disc drive, and a controller without stick drift.
- Switch OLED and Switch Lite: Nintendo Account removed, sticks without drift, a touchscreen free of dead pixels, the game card and microSD slots, and the battery in handheld mode. On the OLED, also the Joy-Con rails and the TV picture via the dock; the Lite has no TV output.
- 3DS, New 3DS XL and New 2DS XL: both screens, the touchscreen, the hinge, the buttons and the game card slot.
- Meta Quest: lenses free of scratches, tracking and both controllers, and a factory reset with no previous owner's Meta account.
Also ask for photos of the actual device, clarify what is included (power supply, cables, controller, dock) and, online, only pay through the platform. With tested before, that's already done: every console is tested, reset and described in its listing with an honest condition grade and real photos.
Why buy from a business seller that tests its consoles?
If you buy as a consumer from a business seller, your statutory rights apply: the seller is liable for faults the console already had when it was delivered, and online you usually also have a right of withdrawal. Private sellers can usually exclude these rights: if the fan fails after a few weeks, the problem is usually yours. This is general information, not legal advice.
A seller that tests every console before selling it also takes the checking off your hands: problems come to light before shipping, not at your home.
How does buying from tested before work?
- Read the listing: real photos, condition grade, what is included, price, shipping and returns.
- Pay through the platform: on eBay or Vinted, the platform's protection applies under its terms.
- Unpack and play: the console arrives tested and reset, ready to sign in with your own account.
- Help after your purchase: message us on WhatsApp or through the eBay and Vinted messages. Our statutory warranty and returns page explains how returns work.
We test the functions, display, battery on handhelds and headsets, buttons, ports and connectivity. The cosmetic condition sets an honest grade: Like new, Very good, Good or Fair. Many of our consoles have barely been used. Our quality page explains how we test.
Our page for used consoles takes you to the current listings on eBay and Vinted.
