Refurbished Notebook Computer
A refurbished notebook computer is a used notebook that has been cleaned, fixed, possibly upgraded, and is ready for reuse. Refurbished notebooks are popular because they offer a less expensive way to buy a like-new notebook computer. When a laptop is listed as refurbished, it implies it is better than a used notebook because it has been restored to the original condition with replacement parts and cleaning.
Best Places to Buy Refurbished Notebooks
All the major manufacturers, including Dell, Gateway, HP, IBM, and Compaq, offer refurbished notebook computers. Some of these systems have been returned by customers using the 30-day return policy all vendors have. Sometimes customers trade in their old system when buying a new one. And many times there are store models, scratch and dent notebooks, and even notebooks that were never powered on but returned by the customer, or essentially brand new.
Certified Refurbished
If a notebook states its "Certified refurbished", that means its been fully refurbished, visually inspected or retested, and repackaged to meet original factory specifications. Certified Refurbished systems may have noticeable cosmetic imperfections, but they will not affect performance.
Scratch and Dent
Some manufacturers or retail stores will mark notebook prices down because they have some cosmetic blemishes that do not affect performance of the system. Sometimes store displays may have some scratches but it has been tested and the unit operates as new.
Advantages of Refurbished Notebooks
Sometimes you can get a perfectly good refurbished notebook computer for less money than a new computer without any hassles. If you don't care about cosmetics, scratch and dent items are a real steal. The return policies on refurbished notebooks are similar to new computers, usually 30 days, while some allow only two weeks.
Disadvantages of Refurbished Notebooks
The warranties on refurbished notebook computers are usually 90 days, while new laptops are typically one year. Another disadvantage of buying a refurb notebook is you are getting someone else's problem. You can't tell how the system was taken care of. You also can't customize a refurbished notebook like you can at Dell or Gateway on a new purchase. So, finding a notebook that has all the hardware you're looking for can be challenging.
To get a decent refurbished notebook computer you'll sacrifice a little on customization, warranty, and possibly age of the system in exchange for about a 30% discount. So is it really worth it? That's going to have to be your call, but if you can find a good deal on a refurb, it's a smarter purchase than a used notebook from someone on eBay. At least with refurbished notebooks you'll get the piece of mind that the unit has been restored to it original working condition.
I prefer to go for the new notebook computers because of the warranty, the customization I can add, and the knowledge that no one else has touched it (except for the Dell technicians perhaps). And, remember that you can always research comments from customers who bought a refurbished notebook. Maybe you'll find that one brand is better to deal with than others when it comes to refurbished computers.