Best Used & Upgradeable Laptops to Buy in Central Alberta (2026)

(All models chosen because they appear frequently on Kijiji/Facebook in Alberta, are cheap, and have real upgrade paths.)

Top Tier (Best Value + Most Upgradeable)

Lenovo ThinkPad T480 / T490 / T14 Gen 1
Why it’s perfect:

Dell Latitude 5490 / 5400 / 5410
Why it’s great:

• RAM upgradeable
• NVMe SSD upgradeable
• Excellent keyboards
• Very cheap on the used market
  Price:
• $150–$300

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HP EliteBook 840 G5 / G6 / G7
Why it’s solid:

• RAM upgradeable
• NVMe SSD upgradeable
• Aluminum chassis
• Very reliable
  Price:
• $180–$320

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Mid Tier (Still Good, Slightly Less Upgradeable)

Lenovo ThinkPad L480 / L490 / L14

• Cheaper than T-series
• RAM + SSD upgradeable
• Plastic chassis but durable
  Price:
• $120–$250

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Dell Latitude 7390 / 7400

• RAM upgradeable (7390)
• SSD upgradeable
• Very portable
  Price:
• $150–$300

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Special Cases (Good but with Caveats)

Acer Nitro 5 (2018–2021)

• Fully upgradeable (RAM + SSD + sometimes 2nd drive)
• Good for light gaming
• Bulkier, louder
  Price:
• $250–$450

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Older MSI or ASUS gaming laptops (2017–2020)

• Very upgradeable
• Cheap because of battery wear and heat issues
• Good if you need GPU power
  Price:
• $250–$500

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Models to Avoid in 2026 (Not Upgradeable)

These appear in 2026 “best laptop” lists but are terrible used buys because they are not upgradeable or too new/expensive:

• Microsoft Surface Laptop (all generations) – RAM & SSD soldered
• Dell XPS 13/14 (2024–2026) – RAM soldered
• MacBooks (all) – RAM & SSD soldered
• Any Copilot+ PC – soldered memory, sealed designs
• Ultrabooks under 3 lbs – almost always soldered

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What to Look For When Buying Used in 2026
Minimum Specs for Longevity

• CPU: 8th–11th gen Intel or Ryzen 4000/5000
• RAM: 8GB minimum, 16GB ideal
• Storage: NVMe SSD
• Upgradeability: At least 1 RAM slot + NVMe slot
• Battery: Replaceable or cheap aftermarket options

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