Keeping up with the latest smartphones, tablets, cameras, laptops, and TVs can be a very expensive business and it can not be the best way to spend your money. One way to stretch that dollar and to extract more value is to consider buying refurbished electronics instead. They are not new anymore, but products that have been officially refurbished or refurbished can be found in as new for a fraction of the price.
The Benefits of Buying Refurbished Electronics
The main advantage of buying refurbished electronics instead of brand new, as described by PC Advisor in the context of buying a laptop, is that you can get "better specifications for the same price." Given the same budget, you will be able to get a product that has upgraded higher specifications and more robust features like that product compared to the new price. Instead of a Core i5 processor in this laptop, you can get a Core i7 for the same price. Conversely, you can get the same type of product for less money. The renovated model may be 15-30% cheaper than when it was new.
Better Than Used
Renovated is better than used. You would save a lot of money by buying used products through sites like eBay and Craigslist, but there are no guarantees about the reliability and working condition of the product if you use these channels. The guarantee may or may not convey to you as a new owner.
On the other hand, the factory-refurbished electronics will usually come with a factory warranty. As Lifehacker describes, this is different from third-party products, so shop carefully. If the manufacturer declares the product, this means that it has been "carefully tested and brought to the original standards," working in a new one.
Extensive testing
Renovated maybe even better than new. Most people would assume that the new product in a new box will take place at the highest possible level, but not always at all. Apple Certified Refurbished Products are reportedly "tested three times more intensively than a new tire board." This is according to TechnologyTell, which says you might get something better than a new product. "As these products are tested more vigorously, they are less likely to contain defects or other problems than the new counterparts.
A Green Choice
Purchasing revised products is good for the environment as electronic waste is reduced. A customer can use the product, instead of a fully functional email to a landfill.
The reverse side of Reconditioned products
As PC Mag points out, you may want to avoid revised products if you want to be "seen with the latest and best." This is because the products that are sold as being renovated are not necessarily new and as such are probably not the latest models on the market. This is especially true when it comes to the fast product cycles for electronics that have been updated so often.
It also means that you can have fewer customization and personalization options, as you can not configure the upgraded product to fit your specifications in the same way you can make a new computer or similar product.
Shortened Warranty
It would have trouble. Even if a product is refurbished at the factory, it may be returned for a repair under warranty. If something has already gone wrong with the product, it is very possible that other defects or problems occur at some point in the near future. This is in addition to any cosmetic damage that the new product may already have.
A shorter or less robust guarantee could mean that while you initially covered if there was something wrong with your purchase, you can not have the same level of coverage as you would if you purchased the brand.
Warning Emptor
Certain electronics can give unique problems. CNET Rick Broida says you should never buy a refurbished hard drive, printer or television. Hard drives can have mechanical problems and it's not really possible to restore a hard disk to a factory-new condition. Printers may also run similar to ink or toner issues inside the printer. Broida says that Refurbished TV can be "terrible" capable, not receiving "the same loving treatment that laptops, tablets, and the like."
Misty Jhones