THINKING OF BUYING USED LAPTOP OR REFURBISHED LAPTOP?
Many people, when considering a rather large purchase like a new laptop, will consider buying a refurbished one. Although purchasing a refurbished laptop is a wise and viable option, you may be rather leary. You may fear that the drastically discounted price of the refurbished laptop over the price of a new one must mean that you are going to get a lemon. The possibility that a refurbished laptop will malfunction shortly after one’s purchase is the number one fear that causes buyers to be hesitant about choosing a refurbished laptop over a new laptop. You may think that the unbelievably low price means that the deal is just too good to be true. But that is generally not the case at all.
The belief that pre-owned products are defective is a myth. A cost-benefit analysis by the majority of people who have purchased refurbished computers or laptops reveals that they are satisfied with their decision and they would do it again. For anyone trying to save a little cash, buying a pre-owned refurbished laptop is the way to go. refurbished laptops may not be the latest and greatest, but they usually provide more than enough capability and functionality than the average user needs. Even the most common computer can create spreadsheets, produce word processing documents, store photos, and access the internet.
WEIGHING THE BENEFITS OF BUYING A USED LAPTOP OR REFURBISHED LAPTOP
Price – The traditional motivating factor that steers most people in the direction of buying pre-owned refurbished products over a new one is definitely the cost. Because of the slow economy, most individuals and businesses are searching for used laptops as a means for saving money. You are probably no exception, and you found this article as a result of your desire to save money.
Convenience – Buying a refurbished laptop from a local company is extremely convenient. Any issues that arise can be remedied easily when you have the convenience of local service at your refurbished computer dealer. Repairs on older laptops are usually simple. If you brought a new PC or laptop to the computer shop for repairs, you would likely be instructed to box it up and ship it off to the manufacturer. Even new computers need repairs but they are much more inconvenient to have repaired then pre-owned ones. Most computer repair shops are not capable of repairing a new computer in house. Would you be able to put everything on hold while waiting for your laptop to be shipped off, repaired, then shipped back again?
Paying only for computer features that you need – The main difference between the newest computers and three year old computers is that the new ones have faster processing speeds, better graphics, and more RAM. 75% of laptop users do not need these upgrades. They are performing simple tasks on their laptops. So when buyers think they need the latest and greatest computer just because it is the most up-to-date model, they are not considering that they are paying a lot of money for bells and whistles on their laptop that they will never need or use. Also, used and refurbished computers already come with expensive antivirus software that was installed by the previous owner or the refurbishing company.
Trade-offs – It is obvious that you will have trade-offs when you make the decision to purchase a pre-owned laptop over buying a new one. You will not be able to get the most recent model of laptop when you buy a refurbished one. You will lose out on the improved battery life of the new computers and also on the performance enhancements of graphics, RAM and processing speed mentioned above.
Latest versions of products are almost always better than older models, but that is a trade-off you may be willing to make when trying to save money. You also will be sacrificing a solid warranty on an older model laptop. You will have a warranty, but it will not have the coverage of a brand new computer warranty. Another trade-off is that a refurbished pre-owned computer will likely have signs of visible wear such as scratches, dents, and chips. As good as any refurbished laptop can be, it is important to keep in mind that it is not new and will never be new no matter how many repairs have been done to it.
You need to take all of these trade-offs into consideration when you are trying to balance the savings your getting against the actual product you are buying.There are two kinds of refurbished laptops: new/nearly-new and older laptops.
New and nearly-new laptops are refurbished for resale because of a few reasons. One is that it was built for a particular order that got canceled, and another reason would be that the buyer returned it for whatever reason, and sometimes no reason, during the return period. Older refurbished laptops were usually leased out by a company and just simply returned when the lease was up. Both kinds of used laptops can provide you or your company with the information technology it requires at a greatly reduced price that is much less than the cost of brand new models of laptops.
Savings – If you decide to buy a newer model used computer, you will definitely reap a savings but there a lot of factors that will influence the actual amount you will save. However, purchasing an older off- lease refurbished laptop will give you a substantial discount off of the original purchase price. An older laptop will also usually be much less expensive than most basic brand new laptops, with many refurbished laptops being sold for only a few hundred dollars.
Extra Testing – Both newer used laptops and older models go through extensive testing. So, no matter which you choose to buy you can be assured that your computer will have been examined and tested thoroughly. The process of reinstalling the software and operating system requires that all of the parts of that system are tested as well. Not only does the refurbishing company put the pre-owned laptop through testing, most retailers test the product again before they actually resell it to the consumer. Also, the system has in most cases been used by another consumer who would be aware of any problems or malfunctions and there would be a record of any of those repairs.
Business Class Equipment – End users, the individual persons who actually end up using the laptop, rarely lease out their laptops. Most off-lease used computers are business oriented brands or models. This allows you to get a high class computer with features like enterprise-class tools for system management as well as business class internal parts while paying a measurably lower price than that of a new and less well-built laptop.
Previous Generation Business and Technology – Previous generation business laptops that are just coming out of a lease are just that – from the previous generation, which means that they are in some capacity outdated. While most three-year refurbished computers and used laptops are more than capable to run any typical business app, they will not have cutting-edge technology. This can be challenging if you have to access the highest speed internet, use a high-speed graphic processor or have other advanced requirements.
Reduced Failure Time – Computer components have finite lives. Whether you are considering the fluorescent tubes, light-emitting diodes at the back of the screen or the computer’s different drives, most computer components have lives rated to last hundreds of hours. This may not be a problem with a brand new laptop that is refurbished after a consumer return, but cheap laptops coming out of a four-year lease that were made use of 250 days a year for about 8 hours a day have clocked 6,000 usage hours already.
Cost – The lower cost of purchasing a used laptop is the main selling point. Simply browsing the selection of refurbished computers for both Apple computers and other popular brands will reveal prices that are dramatically reduced. For the home user, you may find a refurbished laptop with a mark-down of up to 80%.
No useless add-ons – When laptop manufacturers market their computers, they advertise an abundance of features and upgrade options. For the average computer user, many of these features are just simply not needed or used. You may end up paying for applications that you do not need. The extras on most computers are just a marketing gimmick. If you are planning on watching videos, writing up documents and email, and using the internet for general browsing, shopping, or research, a used or refurbished computer is an ideal choice.
No one really knows why every person who gets rid of their used laptop does so, especially once it gets to the retailer. Some people really do have plenty of money and just may not need it anymore. Or they always get the newest models as soon as they come out. But that doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with the old one. The majority of refurbished laptops mostly come from those businesses that are having all their systems upgraded. This implies that these refurbished computers are highly performing machines that might not have any issues at all.
When it concerns consumer electronics, there are several people that like to stay ahead of these curves and always get the latest available laptop. Most times people throw away their laptop whenever there is a little problem that can be fixed easily by manufacturers. Whenever you purchase a used laptop from good vendors you can be sure that they have gone through a serious inspection process to ensure they are all in working order.
Zero Compatibility Problems – Most people fear that if they purchase a cheap laptop, everything will be out of date and there may be several compatibility issues for different programs. The change rate in the computer industry is very high, but most software companies usually decide to stay with software that will be compatible with new as well as older programs. The large majority of applications and programs that the average laptop user needs are fully compatible with the older models.
Other benefits when investing in Used Laptops or Refurbished Laptops
It Doesn’t Mean They’re Old – The terms “refurbished” and “used” are not interchangeable terms. refurbished computers normally come from companies such as Dell, as we have covered above, and are restored by experts to the absolute best condition possible. Some steps taken in the refurbishing process might include things like taking components apart to check for different components, such as the internal storage, battery, ports, or power supply. When shopping for a refurbished laptop, you will want to explore what different manufacturers have to offer and choose a trustworthy retailer.
Be sure that you are determining whether the laptop you are considering for purchase is refurbished and not just used. It could also very well be refurbished but not used if it was just a quick return as the result of the buyer’s remorse of the first purchaser. Laptops which are classified as “refurbished” are normally sold by consumers after they have upgraded to a higher model, decided the computer was not quite what they require, or they simply have to raise some cash. Some refurbished laptops are not checked in-depth, and for that reason, there may potentially be a problem with a part, and this is why you must buy from a trusted and verified seller. Retailers such as Amazon is a prime example of one.
You can search for a cheap laptop and come up with many options. However it is also very possible to locate a certified refurbished computer which comes with a limited warranty, just the 30 day and 1 year warranty that we offer.. It is essential that you spend ample time researching. Below are some valuable tips for purchasing a used laptop or refurbished laptop: Check the computer straight away for any defects that were not listed by the vendor. This may include opening up the devices to have a quick peek inside.
Check the warranty. Read through the fine print to discover exactly what is covered by the warranty. Consider purchasing your refurbished laptop or desktop with a credit card in order to take advantage of the buyer’s protection offered by your credit card company. Check the return policies for details of what is necessary to make a return during the specified time after date of purchase.
Eco-Friendly – One major thing that can greatly reduce our consumption of greenhouse gas and minimize our carbon footprint from those products we consume, is to reuse products instead of buy new. Like purchasing any refurbished product, purchasing a refurbished laptop makes use of valuable resources that might otherwise end up in a landfill. The more people buy new products, the more the demand for computers increase, and the manufacturers increase supply. Operating under a higher demand generates more waste and fossil fuels burning. It is, therefore, reasonable to reuse something which is salvageable, and why not your electronics?
IT BOILS DOWN TO PREFERENCE WHEN DECIDING ON WHEN PURCHASING NEW OR REFURBISHED LAPTOPS
Purchasing a brand new laptop is just like buying a car as it boils down to your personal preference. You might not have any need to own a new laptop, and if you are also searching for a way to save some cash, refurbished or used laptops options are surely the right way to go. With that said, there is seriously nothing better than just receiving sealed, original packaging, understanding you are the first individual to use the computer. That is just like a brand new vehicle whenever you sit in the car for the very first time at your dealership, but is that temporary good feeling really worth all of the extra money spent?
While shopping for your new-to-you laptop, keep a very close eye for sales, especially on Amazon who periodically offers discounts across a large range of computers. Purchasing a new laptop is a great option for those who can afford it who are looking for highly upgraded hardware, the latest professional applications and notable gaming capabilities, but buying a used or refurbished laptop may be a your best option when considering all the benefits we have discussed in this article.