|
To Buy Refurbished, Or Not To Buy Refurbished...
|
19-Dec-2008
|
|
Refurbished electronics has become an explosively popular offering by tech companies and suppliers. Though they aren't particularly anything new, they're certainly being pushed now more so than some new models of various devices. Nonetheless, is that really a good thing?
A refurbished device is a device that was either returned to the manufacturer because of the buyer simply regretting the purchase (which is no reflection on the device itself, rather simply the buyer's intent), a serious problem occurred resulting in the device not meeting the desired utilization and/or end result, or anything in between. And yes, that's a pretty broad spectrum.
In this light, refurbished devices can almost be like playing with the lottery. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but it is something of a zero sum game and for every 'find', there is certainly a lemon, or two, or twenty million. So the question becomes, when is it 'safe' (and I use the term lightly as, again, no matter what, there's always that chance...) to purchase refurbished equipment? Here is a guide, that I hope helps.
Laptops.
Never. This has Tech Pope Zach's stamp of infallibility. And yes, you must follow it on blind faith. There might be one or two good refurbished laptops out there, but these devices new out of the box are somewhat quirky at best, so your ideal scenario is getting a slightly more than usual quirky device. It's a bad idea, it will be a big regret, and that is why you can never do it.
Desktops.
Almost always. Other than the issue of mobility (which some desktops are surprisingly making inroads with...), the real chief difference between laptops and desktops is that desktops offer interchangeable parts; laptops do not. This means that if your power supply goes, go out and get a new one from the shop on the corner (or 10 miles away, it's still within a day's journey). If the motherboard goes, it's a Microsoft Word Bandit's surgical maneuver that we all could master. Upgrading? No problem! More memory? A piece of cake!
This of course leads to the question of why anyone would send a desktop back. The answer: laziness. Not necessarily, after all, if you can have a brand new device for zero cost, it's probably better than replacing the parts yourself. Nonetheless, there really is no technical or operational reason to send a desktop back as a refurbishment. Likewise, any theoretical problem you might have with a refurbed device would easily (and probably cheaply) be solved for less than the difference of a newer model with similar specifications. I currently run a refurbed desktop that I customized up, and not a single problem (knock on silicon).
Televisions & Monitors
There really is no difference today between televisions and monitors, nonetheless, they are two separate categories. I would almost always go with a refurbed TV or monitor, simply because there really aren't any “moving parts”. To qualify as a refurbished device, the company must send the product out in the same condition as it originally left the factory. As these devices are not likely to degrade, so long as it is in working order, you should be completely fine. Someone else's dead pixel can be your treasure.
Mobile Phones
With respect to mobile phones, the jury is still out. Yes, they have much in common with the infallibly heretical refurbished laptop, however, there is also is the very popular case of the busted screen (which itself is a very easy fix and doesn't really hinder the device so much). With mobile phones you may proceed at your own peril, and I personally would give you a 50/50 shot.
Other Devices
There are many other refurbished devices, such as cameras, printers, et cetera. These, too, proceed at your own peril as they tend to rely on moving parts, and if the device broke down because of wear and tear, it's probably not a good idea to purchase it because the one broken part was fixed and/or replaced.
With these guidelines (and don't forget about the laptops!!!) you should be well on your way to some thrifty savings, and hopefully avoiding some miserly pitfalls. Good shopping. |
|
