Buying a cheap laptop only for hardware wallet (bitbox02)

[2Pizza410000BTC]

Hey guys,

I am considering to buy a really cheap laptop, its only usecase would be to connect my hardware wallet with it. I do not own a laptop yet but I also don‘t need one because I have an Ipad.
Should it be a new one or is refurbished enough?

Do you think this makes sense?

How do/would you do it?

Thanks for your help!

Best wishes

Whether you buy a new laptop or an old one is entirely up to you. If you have enough money to buy one, then I would say that you should buy a new laptop because nothing compares to a new one. When you install hardware in an old laptop, various problems may arise, due to which you can buy a new laptop if you want and if you have enough money. I do not have a laptop, I am going without a laptop, but I am also trying to buy a good laptop in the future because there are many things to do with a laptop.

[sheenshane]

I would also suggest a Trezor wallet because every time you access it your
login pin 'pattern' is randomised.

I will do the same, and I tend to agree with this.
Instead of searching for a refurbished or brand-new laptop for the DIY hardware wallet,
why not to choose for a ready-to-use hardware wallet like Trezor?
IMO, DIY setups require technical expertise to configure securely before use.

Unlike Trezor, it is purpose-built with an intuitive interface and seamless integration for managing crypto assets, while also keeping your private keys isolated within the device, never exposing them to your internet-connected computer, which can help avoid malware, hacking, or keyloggers.
Plus, it was designed to resist both physical and software tampering.

[philipma1957]

Hey guys,

I am considering to buy a really cheap laptop, its only usecase would be to connect my hardware wallet with it. I do not own a laptop yet but I also don‘t need one because I have an Ipad.
Should it be a new one or is refurbished enough?

Do you think this makes sense?

How do/would you do it?

Thanks for your help!

Best wishes

I think it makes sense. I recommend using a separate PC or laptop to interact with crypto and hardware wallets. Which one to use (new, used or refurbished) is up to you based on your budget and preferences (and level of paranoia ).

I would like to recommend that you pay attention to nettops (like the picture below), which will allow you to have a very small PC (easy to store and transport), but powerful enough for working with hardware wallets. Which you can connect to any TV and use as a monitor.

The only thing is that I would immediately install Linux instead of Windows 11.

This nettop model is not an advertisement and was chosen from the first ones that came into view. This is only an introductory sample.

An eth wired pc with no possibility of wifi is good.

A laptop with the wifi disabled and an eth connection is good.

a lot depends on where the op wants to send coins from his hardware wallet.

I have a laptop with no wifi and fresh linux install .

i only do sends from my hardware wallet while it is in my home.

[Smartvirus]

This is not true, there are sometimes exploits that can be used or manipulations through the software to trick the user. It is better to do things with clean devices. You save little money for a lot of added risk. Why not avoid this if you can?

Used products have always been one way to have an entirely new gadget as regards to your collections without having to spend much but, when you are looking at safe guiding something truly valuable such as your hardware wallet, their isn’t a price that shouldn’t be paid because, the lose in any scenario could be cut throat.
That’s why it’s recommendable that, a brand new device could serve even better. You might consider far less editions with some moderate processing power and storage but, new is much more a better way to go.

[ChicksX]

 if you do end up buying a refurbished computer or laptop, it's crucial to wipe out the current operating system (OS) and reinstall the OS yourself. This will ensure the machine is completely clean and free of any potential issues.

[Outhue]

Hey guys,

I am considering to buy a really cheap laptop, its only usecase would be to connect my hardware wallet with it. I do not own a laptop yet but I also don‘t need one because I have an Ipad.
Should it be a new one or is refurbished enough?

Do you think this makes sense?

How do/would you do it?

Thanks for your help!

Best wishes

How cheap can a laptop be that you can't consider using the money to get a hardware wallet like ledger?  To me I believe you can easily do something stupid on that laptop while trying to do all the important things on it.

If you are trying to avoid connecting your wallet to a laptop there are devices that can do the job well, they come like small or big smartphones, newer open source wallets now have bigger screens where you can operate and send out your coins without connecting to any other devices.

The laptop is still unsafe compared to buying a hardware wallet with screen, like OneKey, newest Ledger, Keystone 3 and so on. A used laptop costs roughly $100 or even more and a hardware wallet costs roughly the same.

[Cricktor]

~~~

What are you talking about? The OP has already a pretty good hardware wallet, a BitBox02, which is much more transparent and less crappy that this closed-source Ledger shit.

This topic isn't about using a (cheap) laptop for a software-only wallet, on the contrary.

[m2017]

I think it makes sense. I recommend using a separate PC or laptop to interact with crypto and hardware wallets. Which one to use (new, used or refurbished) is up to you based on your budget and preferences (and level of paranoia ).

I would like to recommend that you pay attention to nettops (like the picture below), which will allow you to have a very small PC (easy to store and transport), but powerful enough for working with hardware wallets. Which you can connect to any TV and use as a monitor.

The only thing is that I would immediately install Linux instead of Windows 11.

I would advise against purchasing no name computers to use Cryptocurrencies on.  Even the branded ones are really shitty when it comes to bloatware and spyware, it would not be a surprise if these no brand computers had some chip that relays information to a strange Chinese server.

Maybe the ONLY way I would use one is if I planned to turn it into an airgapped computer.  But even then, I rather pick a known name than Chinese crap.

Ok. How about this option: https://www.ubuntu-touch.io/ 

Don't have to buy a laptop; can just take your old phone, install Ubuntu Touch on it (ignoring the fact that the range of phones that support this OS is limited), connect it to a monitor (perhaps wirelessly), and connect the hardware wallet (via micro-USB to micro-USB). OP can get what he need with minimal expense.