When a laptop is sold as refurbished, it would mean a couple of things. To begin with, one possibility is that a customer may have bought the laptop and returned it to the company later. Now the company cannot package it as brand new, so they resell it as refurbished. Another possibility is that the laptop did not meet the quality test of the manufacturer. But that does not mean it is sold to the same standards. The manufacturer rebuilt it up to the standards and re-released it as a refurbished laptop.
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Things You Should Consider Before Buying A Refurbished Laptop
If you want to purchase a refurbished laptop, and want to be sure how to go about it, we are here to help you. Before you start though, you might want to sell your laptop to get some cash for buying your refurbished laptop.
Following are some of the factors that you should consider before buying a refurbished laptop:
Read Through Reviews Online
A lot of consumers generally provide honest and insightful feedback when they write an online review. Prior to purchasing any refurbished laptop or pre-owned device, read through the review section. Consider the patterns in the reviews for positives as well as negatives of the laptop. Focus on reviews that address:
- RAM and processing speed
- Purposes
- Programs you intend on using.
- Issues that may occur when using the laptop
- Build quality
- Storage space
- User experience
- Quality of the refurbishing and quality rating
Consider the Warranty You Get with The Refurbished Laptop
Most new laptops come with at least a minimum one-year warranty. Additionally, there are also options for an extended warranty. When you are buying refurbished laptops, it becomes more important to consider the warranty. This is because there may be the possibility of hidden issues or faulty repair that may not have been discovered. Search for sellers who provide a comprehensive coverage warranty for a minimum of six months for all devices. You will find some manufacturers selling refurbished laptops for up to 2 years.
Look for The Discount Options on The Product
Simply because a refurbished laptop is on sale on a reputed site nowhere means that’s the only deal you will get. When there is a sale price on a refurbished laptop, do a little research to find out the original cost of the product. A good deal will be the one that saves you between 40% and 65% on the actual cost of the laptop. With the older model, you will get more discount whereas the newly refurbished model will offer a lesser discount.
Check the Year the Laptop Was Released
The year the laptop was released is an important factor to consider. You should pay less for a device that is older than five years. Moreover, the year is also important as it will tell you the generation processor the laptop integrated.
Check Whether the Batteries Have Been Refurbished
The kind of battery life a refurbished laptop has can make or break the deal. Generally, a battery loses its longevity with use, which decreases duration till it is able to hold the charge. If the battery of the new laptop lasts for around 12 hours, based on the usage, over time, it can decrease to last merely four hours. When you buy a refurbished battery, ensure to ask the manufacturer whether or not he/she has replaced the old batteries.
Busting the Myths About Refurbished Laptops
Buying a refurbished laptop can be great, but people avoid it mainly because of the myths surrounding it. In this section, we are busting the myths associated with refurbished laptops.
Myth 1: Refurbished laptops don’t last as the new ones.
It is true that you pay less for refurbished laptops. However, that does not mean that you will have to compromise on the quality of the product. If you have made a well-researched refurbished laptop and use it properly, it will last you as long as the new one.
Myth 2: Refurbished laptop offer poor performance
During the quality testing, the laptops may detect some issues. But before they are sold as refurbished laptops, the manufacturer fixes the errors. Additionally, there may be some light scratches, but it’s highly unlikely that you’ll experience a performance issue if you have bought it from a reputed seller.
Myth 3: Refurbished laptops have greater chances of breaking than a new system.
While some may break, it is not the case with all the refurbished laptops. This is because these devices go through more tests as opposed to new ones. So when they were returned, the issues were fixed before reselling.
Conclusion
Whether you buy new laptops or refurbished laptops. The latter can be a great way to save money rather than buying newer models. And, refurbished laptops don’t mean that you have to compromise on the quality. If you do your research well and buy from a reputable manufacturer, you can get a pretty good deal. Above, we have listed some caveats that you should consider before buying refurbished laptops.
