Talking specifically about the Wii U, but general/broader suggestions are also very welcome!
Preowned Consoles! Tests That Need to Be Run Immediately upon Receiving The Unit/Peripherals!
yomn on 02/06/2019 - 00:13
Comments
Building a checklist here, so presumably step one is to give it a full charge and then check how long it takes to drain. Cheers!
Switches on?
All buttons work.
Stays on for at least an hour without issue?
Check fans/heat doesn't go too loud when playing a game (issue with some consoles).
Plays a game disk (and blu ray if you're buying CFW)
USB ports work
Connects to wifi/controller
Possibly allows latest update/save files (in case hard drive issues with some consoles)
and of course HDMI displays on screenSpeaking of CFW, does installing that void the store (EB Games) pre-owned warranty? If so, I'll wait until I'm sure I want to keep the unit before trying any of that.
check if it can connect to online services, if console is not banned
Thanks! This is the kind of single-point-of-failure I'm looking for!
If it has a DVD drive, make sure it actually reads discs and isn’t noisy when operating.
Make sure if the unit has cooling fans that the fans work, or make sure the cooling vents are not clogged with dust.
It comes with a one year warranty anyway so I am not too concerned. Mine is a bit grubby and has quite a few scratches + a dent in the screen which is a little distracting, but everything seems to work and I've already hacked it.
About the scratches, my new Black Wii U has been looked after unbelievably but still shows fine scratches under downlights. It has always been stored in foam and looked after but Nintendo went through a phase of finishes that scratched even with cleaning cloths. They included special cleaning cloths with Wii because the surface is so fussy. Just gently putting a red Wii in the stand left a mark.
Make sure you launch a game that supports Amiibos as that will check that the NFC reader on the controller works properly. The preowned Wii U I got from EB would crash when I launched Legend of Zelda so I had to exchange it.
Like a dummy, I got mine from their eBay store delivered (ETA 11th June). Would they let me pop into a store and test a few games? My momentary laziness is going to haunt me, I just know it
I also got mine online and then took it back to my local EB for the exchange. I got lucky and picked up a replacement in mint condition.Not sure if you can test in store as they don't really keep Wii U games nowadays.
Console arrived today and lo and behold… THE WHOLE SCREEN IS A DEADZONE! Can't even enter the symbols to sync it with the console.
@RossiBG: So it turns out that was more an exercise in confirmation bias than an actual fault. For whatever reason, the touchscreen didn't respond for about 10 minutes of trying, so I went to make a coffee and look up who to call. Thought I'd give it one last shot before hitting dial and it worked.
The console is already super hot, so I had a look at the device and the vents are literally (and I can't stress this enough) caked with what I can only assume is hair and dead skin, held together with a generous dollop of oil from cigarette smoke. I don't think that's grounds for a replacement though haha!
@yomn: Mate, just go and get it replaced. they usually let you choose one you are happy with in store as long as they have stock. I planned to open and clean my first Wii U until I discovered the faulty gamepad.
@RossiBG: Hey bud! Not sure how I missed the notification for this comment, but that's exactly what customer service told me to do after 30 minutes on the phone listening to their hold music.
Black light test?
I think that would be a case of "Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answers to."
Battery self drains badly.