Community Newsletter: Q&A: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers
- 2/29/08 3:23 PM
Refurbished PC
by mark2588 - 2/29/08 7:59 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
First I want to say good luck. I am a computer tech, have owned my own pc shop. I have bought several refurbished laptops from ubid.com, every one has been in new condition, I have not had a single problem. I have not purchased a desktop from them. I generally always buy the parts from Newegg.com & build my own desktop computers. In December I was pricing parts to build a new system for one of my customers, I found that I could buy a complete computer from www.3btech.net for cheaper than the cost of the parts. They have really good prices and free shipping on everything on their web site. If anybody is looking for a great laptop and does not want to pay Dell's steep price, check out the line of ASUS notebooks from Newegg. I bought myself one 2 months ago & this is the best laptop I have ever used, I paid under $1200 for an awesome laptop that would have run over $2000 from Dell.
Refurbished/recertified PC's
by dickers97 - 2/29/08 8:00 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Over the past 5 years, I have purchased 8 refurbished PC'for my kids and grand kids. Many of my neighbors,friends,etc. have done the same.
All of us have had little to no problems with the reconditioned PC's.
A few folks I know that purchased new ones from the local PC stores have spent twice what we spent for a new PC and got lots less for their money.I would stick with emachines or HP,which offer great support and good machines[all of ours are still working].Would suggest you have XP media on your purchased machine,not Vista.I purchased all my PC's on the internet after price checking each one out.
The question is what are you?
by ejoeeb - 2/29/08 8:01 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
If you are a good sized corporation a proprietory system like Hp, Gateway, or Dell might be the way to go. They charge corporations "UP THE GILLS" for anything. If you don't have that kind of budget then it's not for you. In case you haven't noticed your company's computer works quite well, not the same can be said of your perssonel computer at home. Corporations have "Business class" operating systems(Windows XP Corporatin Version etc.). You can not buy these things in your local computer store.
You most likely don't even know how to begin to purchase such items.
My position on these things is very simple. When you see a computer all you see is an enclosure that contains some rudimentary items. If the rudimentary items inside is of a high caliber.. Name Brand motherboard, memory, video card, etc, etc, you will have a trouble free system to a degree. You don't have corporation class support that seems to lock you into "Purchasing Only from them" All of todays computers are susceptable to the non standardization of software, drivers, hardware and their inability to interact with each other correctly, compounded by spam attacks, virus attacks, Data Mining of your personnel information, all of which degrades your system performance and sometimes making it "just plain crash". No one has achieved making a computer system "regular people freindly" If you're not a computer WIZ, spending hour after hour learning about the incompatablities, your GOING to Have Personnel Computer Problems.
What you need to concern yourself with is.. Is the computer able to handle what you need it to do. No one needs a computer that's capable of 3 billion calculations a second just to do word processing. If you purchase an operating system that has "BLOAT" (overhead) it needs that kind of processing power just to read the disk even when you just want to start a program. The sales people at the computer stores I've experienced are some sort of kids looking for their paycheck at the end of the week and don't know a damn thing about computers much less how to advise anyone else. The outside case of a computer is meaningless, the quality inside is everything. I have purchased good cheap computers on eBay BUT you have to know how to make it operate correctly with what "YOU" install on it. So to answer your question, if the the refurbished or recertified computer is not too much of yesterdays model, then it probably will work for you.
Yes, but only from the manufacturer or auth reseller
by toddtee - 2/29/08 8:04 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I've bought many refurbs from these two sources and had nothing but good products and reduced costs. Who needs the latest and greatest???
Using a "refurbished" laptop right now!
by kyramama - 2/29/08 8:05 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I don't agree with the statement that "refurbished" or "reconditioned" means that something went wrong with it. Before purchasing, I did some research on "off-lease" laptops. If you search for it on the Web, you will find quite a few companies who acquire off-lease latops from a corporate setting. I bought mine from just such a place and it has a 6-month warranty, which I did not expect but was pleased with.
I, too, did NOT want to spend the $$$ for a NEW laptop. I WANTED a laptop, but did not NEED a new computer - my desktop works fine - I have just wanted a latop for about 8 years now.... However, I have equally had problems with NEW desktops in the past, so you are never immune from having problems with new equipment.
I looked at new ones to get an idea of the brand I wanted, researched different models and reviews, and made my selection and decision based on this and my BUDGET. I purchased an IBM ThinkPad, and I LOVE it! I have had NO problems, and it DOES work better/faster than my desktop, which is maybe only a couple years old.
I use my laptop almost exclusively now. I rarely touch my desktop anymore. I don't regret my decision, and would buy another reconditioned laptop!
computers computers every where
by beyondtoday - 2/29/08 8:06 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
first before you worry about what brand of computer you want eg hp dell ect you should ask yourself what you weant to do with the computer do you want to just surf the net or are you wanting a fully worked multimedia center to run all your home enteraintment needs. second hand computers can be just as costly to buy as a new one only problem is you don't know what problems you will get just like buying a secondhand car really may work great or it maybe a lemon. Brand names mean nothing they all buy their parts from the same places in the world to build them only thing here is you pay more just to have someone say "Oh it's a HP" big deal my system I built myself for under $700 including a 19" TFT LCD High def combo monitor and it holds it place proudly among any name brand in fact it probably does more considering it can play movie via a projector and recieve and record TV plus play all the high end games ect. my answer to you is ask yourself what you want to use your computer for then you will know what you want not a fashion label and do ask about what type of warntey they are offering before you buy and have them give it in writting
I hope this helped you understand more about makiing your choice.
refurbished or "recertified" computers
by Sexyprince54 - 2/29/08 8:07 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
When I am strapped for cash refurbished is the way to go.The quality is still there without the price tag.
You get what you (choose and) pay for
by bigkahones51 - 2/29/08 8:08 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Julianne,
I believe it depends on how you feel about computers. I find that refurbished computers are used and reseller companies know the market price and don't give a bargain compared to a pc owner who wants to update to a newer one. A higher-priced purchase in a 'low brand' usually gets you more 'bang' than a low-priced 'high brand'. I feel most pc parts are basically good. From what I just said one generally gets more in a NEW cheap low-brand or 'budget' pc than an older (technology) pc, and at a better cost/price. Unless you know specifically what refurbished pc (its parts) you are buying, spend less or the same and buy the cheap(er) new pc with warranty already included.
Kevin
REFURBISHED COMPUTERS
by MYVISTA - 2/29/08 8:10 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I HAVE BEEN BUYING REFURBISHED FOR OVER 10 YEARS, 4 DESKTOPS AND 1 LAPTOPS, SONY VAIO, COMPUTERS WITH NO PROBLEMS. BEFORE THAT I HAD 3 HP REFURBISHED WITH NO PROBLEMS. THIS MONTH I GOT MY FIRST NEW LAPTOP WITH XP PRO SINCE 1995. I USE UBID.
e Machine
by marymm - 2/29/08 8:15 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I bought a refurbished eMachine two years ago from Tiger Direct and it is still running beautifully. I added a bit of memory and that was it. In reality, I would have thought it was new. If it had ever been used before, it didn't look it. I don't do any gaming--I use it for business and photos and Internet access.
I have never had any luck with HP--went through four of them in a few years; hopefully, they have improved but I wouldn't own one. I have an Epson printer and a Fuji camera and they all get along just fine.
Pleased with refurbished
by dalfowler - 2/29/08 8:17 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have owned three different refurbs (which appear to be reboxed returns without blemishes) in the last eight years. IBM, eMachine, and Gateway (pre-merger). All came from TigerDirect.com at very good prices. The Gateway Media Edition has by far been the most well-equipped and best performing. It is three years old and running strong. I add the extended warranty and still come out ahead on the money. CompUSA appears to be reinventing itself to sell online like TigerDirect. Aveerage savings for a reboxed/refurbished has been about $300 off of retail.
refurbished computers
by jthompson10 - 2/29/08 8:17 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have gotten used computers before (Desktops) without any real issues. I would however, suggest what a previous user said, and that is make sure the computer has been totally cleaned, and the system has been freshly installed, or at least comes with a cd to do it yourself.
And if you can put back $20.00 or so every week, or every other, and want a pretty good computer for the money (which isn't much compared to the others), go get yourself an Acer Computer. A newer name in complete computers, but been around a long time in components.(moniters, ect.) You get a fast computer with pretty much what you need for most gaming, and as long as you keep it cleaned up, it will zip right along!! We have had ours for about 7 months now, and really like it a lot.
Just a thought and suggestion!
Good luck!!
Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers
by tismeinaz - 2/29/08 8:21 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Ditch HP. I used to be a die hard HP fan until I had them bto my last windows desktop. They do not stand behind their product and after a year of fighting with them and them not honoring their extended service contract, I spent $120 (it was bad ram) and fixed it myself and told them I would never buy another one of their products again. I was so tired of the 'it's the software' from the hardware people and 'it's the hardware' from the software people and all the pointing fingers because no one wants to deal with the issue that I switched to Apple. I would buy one of their refurbs as they provide the same warranty on those as you get with a new machine and you can go to the store and talk to them face to face instead of someone half way around the world reading a script. With the new intel chips - you can run windows on a mac (vista actually runs faster on a mac) for any windows programs you can't live without.
refurbished or "recertified" computers
by dipinj - 2/29/08 8:22 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
My dad bought one of these computers and it was nothing but trouble. There was something wrong with the power supply, which caused it to not work off of direct home power. We ended up having to buy one of those APC back up power units just to provide this thing the conditioned power that it required. All in all it was and has been a nightmare. Stay away.
Refurbished_PC's
by rover_3 - 2/29/08 8:24 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I can't speak for Hp's but I have purchased several refurbished Dell Pc" and laptops....I did this for the same reasons. In order to up-grade and go"fast" and get more tech for my buck. I won't turn this into a Dell commercial but they sell used (refurbished) and Pc's that are just out from being leased. the ones I bought were in great shape and ready to be upgraded. these are usually stripped down business desktops etc. Check out the Dell site and compare it to HP maybe it might be worth it to you.
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