Community Newsletter: Q&A: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers
- 2/29/08 3:23 PM
I bought a "used" laptop
by Micky2 - 3/2/08 3:47 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Back in '03, I bought a refurbished laptop on Dell's eBay store. It cost a fraction of what I would have paid for a new one. It still works fine after having traveled all over the world.
Given that U.S. Customs has from time to time confiscated laptops in the name of security(and doesn't tell you why), I'm going to hang onto this old guy for as long as I can.
Sometimes, companies that buy lots of laptops return them to the manufacturer unused or lightly used when their needs change or were overestimated. I suspect my laptop was one of those.
if you buy refurbished
by gamer73 - 3/2/08 5:17 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Its not a bad thing to do I have bought alot of stuff refurbished xbox360 cameras so on so forth I have bought these from tigerdirect.com since yes I have had to send some back since they didnt work or wasnt up to my standards tiger was very good about this and sent me a new one same day as for HP I have worked on them I have worked on dell and gateways also I prefer the hp over dell and gateway if I had to buy a prebuilt I build my own pc's but yes you can get any printer you like the only thing you really need to look at is the operating system on the pc some are not compatible with printers so on so forth I like cannon printers better myself since you can replace each ink as needed hp printer ink is way high in price also hope this helped ya.
refurbished or "recertified" computers
by rjmat80 - 3/2/08 5:53 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi,
If your facing these kind of problem nd also if you're not able to afford to buy a new pc. all you have to do is either format your pc save all important files and .exe files in \e: or but a high compatability hard disk which will resolve all the problems that you facing
Best deal is a refurb or recertified
by parkpro - 3/2/08 6:06 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi, I bought a Dell GX260 on EBay for less than a c note. It was a 2.4g It had a burner,sound blaster card. 256 ram. I uped to ram to 756 for less than 40 bucks. It came with xp pro. I opened it up to install the ram. I could not beleive how well build it was. I have owned 2 Gateways, 2 Acers, 6 HP,s and build 4 or 5 of my own. Dell is where it is at. Now my girl friend bought the small case dell with 2.8g for less than a c note. How can you go wrong when an entire puter costs less than XP OEM software? You can buy 17" flat screen crt monitors here for $5 to $20 I bought a new Compaq Model 7550 17" in the box for $5 at a thrift store. I paid 5 or 10 for a 17" ViewSonic. I bought a couple 850 Athlons in 2000 for $2000 Now worth $50 if you lucky. Take care, ParkPro
refurbished computer'
by carlosarce - 3/2/08 6:32 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
hi' hope you're having a great day'first, let me assure you that there is nothing wrong with buying a refurbished desktop, Only, there are some matters you should consider before buying so you may avoid making mistakes and later end up with a bad impression with refubished desktops. Number One is the model, it should not be on the brink of extinction(meaning the unit should not be a phased-out model.)otherwise you'll be facing greater trouble looking for spare parts by the time you need your desktop to be repaired or upgraded. another is the durability, since refurbished units comes with shorter warranty, you should also consider its durability. if youre living in asia or in a tropical country, i suggest you buy a "game pc" type because they are more durable to heat and have better cooling system. i wish i could mention brands like the one im using now on my Internet Cafe' they are really really durable, considering the fact they are used and abused by the costumers everyday. yet i dont get any trouble from them at all. And most of all, you must have at least a little know-how with trouble shooting, since your desktop is not a brand new,otherwise you'll be seeing a lot of computer technicians.
i hope this would give you enough idea of what to desktop suits you best. Have a good day'
Carlos
Manila, Philippines
Refurbished or Recertified Computers....
by Klass Klown - 3/2/08 6:44 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hello Jules,
I use to work at computer giant that is four letters long and starts with the letter following "C" in the alphabet. This is what I learned from working there: Refurbished or Recertified is a situation that involves a company ordering too many computers and the overstock comes back to the manufacturer. Sometimes these computers are pre-packaged with software the ordinary Josephine might not want. The computers fine just not the quantity was fine for the company that ordered it. Dell will go through and redo the figs on the software, check out the system to "certify" it works properly and then re-stock it for re-sale as "refurbished. This isn't always the situation on refurbished but just for your FYI to use for the future.
Klass
A good but risky option
by 4kumu - 3/2/08 7:15 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
In spite of my normal advice to go out and build your own computer, refurbished computers are a great way for a general user to get a cheap computer while keeping the environment relatively clean, but there are a few catches if you aren't trained in computer maintenance. Unless you are prepared to gamble on the possibility of getting a computer that will fail after a week of use, you should only buy from a certified oem, a computer technician (A+ certification is important), or a trusted retail store that regularly deals with such items. Support and warrenty are very important and never buy "as is", or you'll end spending more money maintaining the the computer than you would have had you bought a brand new one. Don't expect a fast machine or you'll be disappointed. Your buying a recycled computer, usually out dated and functioning on electronic components that have been broken in, resulting in a loss of performance. While it is possible you will get a fast computer, it is just as likely, if not more, that you will get a slow one. Most often this can be avoided if proper research on the refurbished computer's hardware is investigated and analyzed.
As far as HP and compatibility go, HP has no compatibility with any other products outside that of the included operating system that i know of. It is only compatible with other devices (printers and scanners) because of the drivers provided by their manufacturer, or Microsoft general drivers. Dell, Gateway, Emachines, Toshiba, etc. are all equally compatible with peripheral devices as a HP (assuming their all running a windows operating system).
You take a chance
by rsanchez - 3/2/08 7:40 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I bought a dell refurbished lap top for a "few hundred" dollars cheaper. It was OK, but it had quirks. It didn't run as fast as my other computer. It had older parts. The drives didn't work that well. I had constant trouble with the drivers as well on the computer. I think you take a chance, but you do get a decent deal if you are willing to get computers that aren't as new. Customer service is lousy. I got a few other things with it refurbished as well, with not instructions, directions wareentees etc.
Refurbished Hewlett Packard Computers/Printers
by Rhea Bell - 3/2/08 8:25 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
In the past 7 years, I have purchased two Refurbished "All in One" (printer,fax,scanner, copier) Hewlett Packard Printers with full
quarantees from Fry's Electronics which I have been very pleased with.
For Hewlett Packard/Compaq Laptop/Notebooks (or desktops) I have purchased directly from Hewlett Packard, tailored to my specific
specifications much cheaper than cost in Stores. They also have
Refurbished Computers & Printers. You can reach them at 1-877-801-5561 or 1-888-999-4747. Shipping is Free.
You can also review and compare all items at www.shopping.hp.com
Hope this helps.
Rhea Bell
New versus refurbished
by elimbah44 - 3/3/08 2:04 AM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The replies regarding 'School replacements' is good advice, as they are usually fairly new.. Otherwise do a little research and build a new system yourself. It really is very easy to do..I know relativly little about computers and built my own excellent system..
Refurbs are a good deal under the right circumstances
by ralphmace - 3/3/08 2:51 AM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I work for a custom software developer and do most of the computer purchasing. I purchase 98 per cent of all our acquisitions as refurb or recertified, but only from the manufacturer (Dell)...at some substantial savings.
We rely heaviliy on our systems and the we feel any outage more than most companies because we have dealines to meet and customers to support.
As I said before, the refurb approach that I follow saves us a lot of money and we get exacttly the same warranty as if we had purchased new. Seems to me likes its a win for both my company and for the manufacturer.
If you're intending to purchase for yourself, you can follow the same path as we do. For example, check out the Dell outlet. But I would avoid any of the resellers that attempt to palm off refurbs at bargain basement prices with slim warranties; you get what you pay for.
It's a definitive buy
by parcarv - 3/3/08 4:39 AM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi Julianne,
If it is the machine you WANT, and if has the price tag you CAN, it's like joining the two most improbable things in life. WANT and CAN.
So the thing you have to be aware is where you buy it from.
Regarding the brand, I have had a good mix of Brand and OEM computers so far, and it always goes to the cost/benefit relation. If financially it pays out to forget the brand you should. Otherwise stick with it but broaden your scope (similar offers from other brands are just as good as HP).
Regards and happy shopping.
Pedro
Buying a referbished or recertified computer.
by picton - 3/3/08 5:13 AM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Don't. Any computer produducts that I have purchased that were referbished didn't last, just about the end of the one or two month warranty, spend the extra money and get a new product.
I've had good luck
by DenyP - 3/3/08 6:36 AM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
For years I have build my own computers. I just bought a referbished Compaq from Tiger for much less then the price of componants and operating system. Worked right out of the box, is fast. Extended 1 year exchange warrantee for a few bucks more...
Deny
New or refurbished computers, your results will be unique
by dougwills - 3/3/08 6:42 AM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
As a computer retailer, I purchase both new and refurbished computers. There are usually two concerns when making this decision - cost and reliability. You obviously will be choosing a computer that has the right spec's, so these two issues are the ones to be concerned about.
What have I found out? Simple. As far as cost is concerned, it's a no-brainer. You will almost always get a deep percentage discount on a refurb/reman product. If you like saving cash and can live with the fact that someone else has "used" (sometimes it's only an open box or display unit) your computer, you can end up with a like new computer cheap.
So that leaves reliability. Are refurbished or remanufactured computers inherently less reliable? Based on my experience the answer is no. We have found, after purchasing, selling and servicing thousands of computers over the last few years, that the service rate of remanufactured computers is exactly the same as new. We do purchase and resell both, because some people feel put off by the idea of purchasing a refurb, but our history says that is simply isn't a problem. And yes, we even sometimes use refurbed computers in our operations (19 retail stores and a corporate office).
So why are some people so concerned with a refurb? Simple again. It's personal experience, or the recommendation of someone with personal experience. If you get a good refurb computer, you extol the virtues of getting a good quality item at a discount. If you get a bad one, you scream about the shoddy deal you got and "I'll never do that again!"
Of course, this is the same situation that leads many people to choose one brand name over another. "That E-Machine gave me nothing but headaches but the Dell I bought has worked perfectly since I opened the box." This is true even when the parts involved in building these system are frequently the same. Ultimately, any purchasing decision you make may give you a great deal, or lead to problems. Good luck in whatever you decide.
And yes, I personally own 2 E-Machines, a Dell, 2 HP's and three systems I have built myself. Three of the retail units were refurbs and have worked great for me.
-Doug
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