Should I Buy a Refurbished Laptop or Computer?

Posted by Team Recompute on 24th Aug 2018

Let us guess: you're reading this article from your phone because your laptop is kaput. You need a reliable replacement but you don't have much of a budget for it. So now the question is, "Should I buy a refurbished laptop or save up for a new one?"

Because they are technically previously owned, refurbished laptops automatically get a bad wrap. Most of us label refurbished laptops as "used" and, therefore, "inferior." But that's not a very accurate assessment.

There's a big difference between "old and used" and "recently maintained and optimised." And there are a lot of benefits to buying a refurbished computer that you've probably never considered. Read all about them below.

1. It's Cheaper

That's it. It's cheaper to buy refurbished than new. you'll save you anywhere from 20-80% of the full price.

Plus, you can use the money you'll save on upgrades. That brings us to...

2. It's Customisable

Some people are under the impression that you can't customise your refurbished PC order. But here's the good news: it's a computer.

All computers are designed to expand and upgrade. And with the money you'll save, you can buy all the upgrades you want.

3. The Hardware is Replaceable

All appliances get worn out after a while.

The most common computer problems can be fixed good as new cheaply and easily.

Most computer hardware is designed to be replaced easily. If faulty hardware is the problem, the refurbisher simply replaces it.

4. The Software is a New Installation

When a computer is refurbished, the hard drive is completely erased and a new operating system is installed. Any bugs, viruses or other software problems are instantly fixed.

And there are no weird files, settings or shady internet history left hanging around, either.

The software is literally brand new.

5. It's Tested

After refurbishing, the PC is thoroughly tested before being resold. If there are still any problems, they are fixed good as new and tested again. If anything, refurbished PCs can be more reliable than new because they are more carefully tested.

6. It's as "Safe" as Buying New

All of the above is, of course, assuming you are buying a refurbished computer from an actual store or manufacturer. Such companies should also have a decent return policy/manufacturer warranty if you do discover a problem.

Buying from a store such as Recompute gets you the same, full warranty that you'd get with a new PC.

If it wasn't good as new, the company wouldn't sell it to you. Especially because, if you have a problem with it, they're the ones who'll have to deal with it.

7. It Wasn't Broken Anyway

There was never a problem with the computer in the first place. Most refurbished computers are ex-lease and come out of a working environment.