Browser agent screens used laptops in 40 minutes
Sad_Throat6619 · reddit · 2026-09-01
The author used a browser agent named Aside to screen the used laptop market in 40 minutes, sharing a stealable recipe for the workflow.
Context: The author needed a 32GB RAM, 2017-era laptop under C$550 to run Arch Linux. Target sites (Kijiji, FB Marketplace, eBay) had no APIs and blocked fetch requests, requiring a browser agent with logged-in tabs.
Execution:
- The agent ran four parallel passes: price research, refurb stores, eBay detail pages, and local classifieds.
- It re-opened top candidates in fresh tabs to verify, catching warranty and GPU spec lies.
Findings:
- The i7-6820HQ out-scores the i7-7820HQ in PassMark due to longer turbo boost.
- Xeon chips add no idle cost at 45W; with GPU off, workstations idle at 12-18W.
- Adding a battery health constraint reshuffled the ranking, favoring an 11th-gen 28W machine.
The Recipe:
- Filter by factory RAM (DDR4 kits cost more than the laptop).
- Verify every listing live in a browser tab; trust no snippets.
- Rank by PassMark per CAD dollar; re-rank when constraints change.
- Ask the seller for battery health before deciding—it flips the pick.
- The agent screens; the human emails and clicks buy.
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