Cheap Refurbished Computers

By Author: Marcus Wellington
Total Articles: 10
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Thankfully though, there is another option: to buy refurbished computers. Whilst purchasing used refurbished computers has somewhat of a negative stigma attached (There's always someone saying "But it is used. How do you know it won't break down really easily?"!), thankfully these negative fears are not true.
As we discuss in more depth later on, purchasing refurbished systems are safe because they are thoroughly tested before being sold. And so you can be fairly sure that the system you are buying is stable and won't easily break down
There are two main types of refurbished computer systems:
1. Certified Refurbished: The system was either sold and then later found to be faulty by the customer, or it failed pre-sales testing. As a result it got taken away and completely fixed (replacing numerous components if needed), before being tested a lot. Once the retailer is convinced the system is in a fully working condition, it is then resold as a refurbished system.
2. Stratch and Dent: This is where - before selling the computer - the retailer notices that the exterior of the computer case is either scratched, ...
... dented or has some other sort of aesthetic blemish.
In the case of 1) above, the thing to remember is that the retailer replaced all the faulty components and then completely tested the system (usually in more detail than they test newly built systems) to ensure it works fine. As a result, a factory refurbished system in this case will work absolutely fine since it is essentially like new and then has been tested extensively.
2) is even better: because there is a (usually minor) fault with the look of the computer system, it is marked as a refurbished system and sold at a big discount! Hence even though nothing is wrong with it apart from a couple of scratches and/or dents, you can sometimes get a brand new system for a good discount via this route.
Having said that, when buying a cheap refurbished computer be sure to remember the following tips and pieces of advice:
• Sometimes you might find that individuals or small local companies refurbish computers before selling them on. This is known as 'amateur refurbishment'. And whilst this might be a completely safe option (especially if the company or person has a great reputation in your community), be aware that larger retailers will probably test their systems a lot more than local sellers hence if you buy a local refurbished computer it might have more of a chance of breaking down.
• Following on from the above point, larger retailers will typically run more tests on their factory fixed systems because they would want to ensure that the customer is happy with their purchase. Since the last thing they would want is to sell a system as new, have it returned as faulty, replace its components and test it loads, then have it returned yet again as faulty!
• It's worth pointing out that some retailers will sell their factory systems with warranties. And whilst they might only be 30 day warranties, this is better than a second hand purchase (which usually comes with no warranty at all!)
• A minor disadvantage of buying refurbished systems is that they usually won't have the latest computer hardware in them (due to the time it takes for a system to be sold as new, returned, fully fixed and tested, and resold as refurbished). This is fine for the vast majority of computer buyers, but some computer enthusiasts might be looking only for systems with the newest components in them.
• Finally if you do decide to purchase a refurbished computer, be sure to read the description carefully. This is because sometimes (especially in the case of 'scratch and dent' systems), the original fault with the computer was very minor and so you could get a perfectly working system at a heavily discounted price!
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