Community Newsletter: Q&A: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers
- 2/29/08 3:23 PM
I had a refurbished system for 5 years
by Felipe Molina - 3/3/08 7:29 AM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Some six years ago, I needed an additional computer for my business. I could have purchased a new machine on credit, but did not want to do that. I receive emails from Tiger Software due to past purchased from them; I still a a refurbished H P Monitor that I purchased from them. They advertised a refurbished eMachine at a fantastic discount. I was a bit leery, not much about the brand. I purchased it, and used it for five years. I replaced it this year, and gave the refurbished machine to a family member. It's still running. I would compare this type of transaction with buying a used car.
Go for it. Refurbished is a great way to save.
by dgreene123 - 3/3/08 9:53 AM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
My last 4 computers and last 2 multifunction laser printers have all been refurbished products from HP, Dell, and Brother. I've had zero problems, still get a warranty, and save a bunch of money. In my case there have been no visual defects (i.e., no scratches or dents) and everything came sealed in plastic/boxes just as if new. Never had a DOA problem with a refurb.
The only thing to check is that sometimes you cannot use a rebate with a refubished item. But then the savings on the refurbised vs. new with rebate is still cheaper to buy refurbished.
I purposely look for refurbished now. Just bought a Garmin GPS refurbished. Saved $$$$ over new and it looks/works just fine.
Spoiled forever by a previously loved Dell..
by SilkHope - 3/3/08 9:57 AM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
166 with 48MB ram, and my own 80GB hard drive.. Bought it for something like $10, *maybe* $20 at a local thrift store..
Won't go into details on the temps it withstood, but, baby, did it ever ("withstood" them).. For the tech savvy among us, ran an Apache home server and all that implies from it to create webpages developed in PHP..
Processed hundreds of thousands of webpages, sometimes 20 and 30 at a time, before it finally crashed basically for good last June.. Sigh.. 
That experience still fresh in mind, in the hunt now for something just slightly "newer" than the 166 processor, grin, but still just as, going to go ahead and say it.........
CHEAP.. :giggle:
Once you've had *that* cheap, it's *really* hard to cough up what the new ones (still) cost these days, even with as far down as they've come since, say, 1998..
When my thrift store resource finally was discovered by others and thus ran dry of stock worthy of cannibalizing, checked in with a local dealer to see about purchasing new parts to get the old Dell back running, and he basically almost laughed me out of the store.. From what he could find, would cost as much for a couple of parts as a new one..
Will say that not being afraid of what is going on under the hood (inside the computer's case) helps *tremendously* if you go the route of something secondhand, refurbished, reconditioned.. Things are going to finally fry on them depending on what you purchase, meaning was anything much replaced internally or is it "as was".. Local tech schools often have hands-on classes involving computer hardware and may even have [scholarships] of one sort or another to cover some if not all of the cost(s)..
Knowing how to swap parts out *sure* comes in quite handy on the if and when one gets that collection going of some six, eight, ten reconditioned skeletons hiding in a back closet.. :wink:
Might as well...lol...
by aberathy - 3/3/08 10:08 AM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
If you think low end HP or Compaq etc is a brand "to go for" then you deserve used returned stuff. Dont complain either. My suggestion is to find a friend [or do it yourself, they are a no brainer nowadays, unless youre a Blonde} to clone a nice setup. I just put together a $275 gamer. [X2 5200 pr/mobo combo{$120}, 2GB ram {$20}, 180GB h/d {$60}, DVD burner {$24}and a quality ATX case w/clear window, 600w p/s and2 case fans. Shop around and get the best price instead of just "buying it". Steve A
Save with refurbished, but don't forget the warranty/support
by yakdude - 3/3/08 11:33 AM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I bought a "refurbished" Dell D600 laptop in May 2006. It was already 2 years old when I got it, and ran well. One of the BIG pluses in buying it was that it still had the Dell On-Site Support contract attached to it that the previous owner purchased. I only used it once during the 8 months it was covered, but that once was for the power supply/cord, which had stopped charging the laptop. Dell overnighted me a new one, no questions asked.
I did have to do some minor upgrades. Doubled the memory to 1GB and replaced the HD with a 60 GB (from 20 GB). But those are both simple to do and cheap insurance to help your laptop last long!
As for brand loyalty? I think it's a good idea to stick with what works for you. My work laptop (typing on it now) is a Dell D630. I've only had it 4 months (new job) but it's been bulletproof, much the way my D600 has been in the 22 months since I bought it. I had previously had a Dell D600 in another job and liked it, which is why I bought one. My desktop at home is an HP Pavilion a1410n. Upon moving for this job, I found the desktop didn't "survive" the trip, I picked up an identical system for $150 locally, and confirmed the system did survive, only the memory was fried. $70 later and both systems are now running nicely, and between them, I have almost 1TB of disk space.
Hope that helps!
Good luck with the other 500+ responses. 
Refurbished and "Recertified" computers?
by jzdnzr - 3/3/08 11:48 AM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi.
I've been UNOFFICIALLY working on computer hardware for the past 16-20 +/- years and presently am SEIROUSLY considering going for my Masters in Computer Engineering.
I CAN build a working complete computer from scratch and cannibalized parts. I all-too-often build "Starter-computers" for many people who know (N) or have a personal computer, because I REGULARLY play-around with mother boards, etc. COMPUTER-HARDWARE. I am a serious supporter of refurbished computer units, and would suggest the same for those who ABSOLUTELY know nothing or want to study computer technology, so I vehemently support their use.
Free Lunch
by cymrojazz - 3/3/08 12:32 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Saving money - spending time researching and installing stuff - you decide what you'd rather.
Research the motherboard - what type of Ram, maximum ram etc and then bump that up. Check how old the board is and whether it will be Vista Comp cause in three years time you'll probabbly want to upgrade to that or to Window 8 or whatever the next version is!!!!!!
Oh and replace the hard drive - I never buy a seond hand hard drive - it's like buying a second hand exhaust system for you car or second hand brake pads. That way you can still get a good system for less than the cost of a new one.
Myself, Ive taken to buying bare bones systems these days.
Refurbished HP
by haslum - 3/3/08 12:50 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I purchased a refurbished HP from Best Buy 2 years ago and have had no problems. Nothing proprietory that I can see and takes generic RAM memory so cheap to upgrade that way.
When looking, ask why it's discounted, sometimes it's just a return and they can't sell it new. There may be some history on it, maybe not.
Wouldn't suggest you buy an extended warranty as it will probably be more expensive than anything you'll need to replace. If the salesman pushes it, walk away as that's probably where they make their money.
Perhaps before you buy, talk to someone that you trust who has some computer knowlegeable, about what you need. Even the cheapest bundled packages have "fast" computers if all you want to do is connect to the internet and use Word. A gamer, where you overclock and push the system to its limits, well you're on your own.
Good luck.
Refurbished may not be so!
by vtgran1 - 3/3/08 4:46 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I am writing on my refurbished Compaq Presario Media Machine. I wasn't sure if I should buy it (for $499.00) but it advertised the hard drive space and ram speed I wanted plus OS(XP)and video and audio capability I also was looking for.I can actually listen to two different things at the same time. I called my brother(recently retired from NASA-Space Program) for advice and he said when things are manufactured you can expect a certain percent of them to be faulty BUT if it is rebuilt or refurbished you can expect that it has passed all the tests before it is sent out and it shouldn't be faulty.
I have had no problems with this one except a faulty power switch which we fixed with the twister seal from a loaf of bread.That was a pain for a day or so until it was fixed but has worked fine ever since. I read an article-I think it was from Worldstart.com that some rebuilt or refurbished items are not-but they were returned after purchase-some not even opened and there was nothing wrong with them but they can't be sold as new again after being sold once so that should be a win/win situation(no pun intended)My experience is a good one. The advice given here about buying from a good seller is also good advice. I bought mine from Overstock.com. They have proved themselves to me through many purchases-Computers to Monitors to Portable DVD players to cosmetics to Jewelry.
Doesn't Matter
by bnlkmtka - 3/3/08 6:05 PM In reply to: Refurbished may not be so! by vtgran1I bought a refurbished EMachines T1100 Celeron for $300 five years ago and was very happy with it. It had a problem with its original RAM chipset after three years which I easily replaced myself for $30. It was getting a little slow so I bought a new EMachines T5062 AMD last Fall for $250. I checked refurbished computers and being I couldn't see any advantage in a dual processor I opted for the fastest 'pre dual processor'. My bottom line- go for the lowest price, used or new.
Buy new not used
by savencash - 3/3/08 9:25 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have bought 2 refurbished systems and several new systems. I like the new systems better because the hardware and software are newer, and I never really saved that much money getting a "used" system. Buying the right equipment comes down to personal choice, but I think you will be happy with an HP or a DELL. I currently own 2 of each and don't have any problems with printers (which are HP) or digital cameras which work with all systems. I have found several sites like xpbargains.com that make finding a bargain on a new computer a breeze. Right now they have a Dell Vostro 400 Mini Tower Desktop Q6600 2.40GHz, 20 inch E207WFP Widescreen LCD, 2GB, 160GB, DVD+-RW, 128MB NVIDIA GeForce 8300GS, 7.1 audio, Vista Home Basic or XP Home, 1yr warranty for only $1119 - $470 off = $649 w/ free shipping. Technically, this is a business computer, but to me that just means that it doesn't come preloaded with all that "bloatware" they install on most computers. I recently bought a system similar to this one and was up and running in under 30 minutes. Using a site like xpbargains.com can help you find the HP or DELL of your dreams at a price your willing to pay.
Refurbished computers
by stahu - 3/4/08 11:36 AM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I've never bought a "refurbished one, per se, but I have purchased a "floor model" from Best Buy, which people could mess with. I had no idea how many hours that thing had ran on the display floor or how many people had "messed" with it, so I purchased an "extended warranty" for about $100, that covered items the manufacturers warranty didn't. That was a good decision because the first thing I found out was the CD burner and the 3-1/2" floppy didn't work. It paid for shipping it back to HP and replacing both drives. Other than that, it was a good computer and I had it for several years.
Slightly out of date, new gives the best of both worlds
by Graupner - 3/4/08 1:23 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I agree with other posters that as long as the purchase is from a reputable dealer, it's probably not a bad deal to go refurbished. However, I have an alternate suggestion. Rather than looking to buy used (albeit refurbished) equipment, or saving to buy new (and more expensive) equipment, I'd suggest buying (slightly) outdated, new equipment - when the electronics stores have sales. (The best time is when technology takes a leap forward - like when the Intel Core 2 duo processor computers came out.) I've built my own computers since the 8088 chip came into dominance and spent 1000's on ensuring I had the best quality in parts. Unfortunately, they were outdated all too soon. I've learned my lesson. Now, I buy new, but older computer systems. My last one, purchased recently, cost under 300, and has more capabilities than any of the previous systems I've built, including the one I built a year or 2 ago.
Moore's law has proven true and technology is rapidly advancing. The result of these leaps forward is some newer software will almost 'require' the newer hardware to function optimally. Some people get caught up in what I call techno-lust: the desire to have the latest and greatest 'stuff' and the willingness to pay almost anything for it. Computer manufacturers and retailers NEED people like that to survive. However, unless you absolutely must have a very new piece of software that requires cutting edge hardware, last year's hardware should work just fine.
As far as systems working well together, I, like some others, have swapped most computer "innards" in an effort to get a working model from several non-working models. Only thing I'd be concerned about is drivers. If you prefer one brand over another, that's fine, but don't thing you have to stick with one brand in order for peripherals like printers, etc. to be compatible with the system you purchase.
- Steve Graupner, MCSE, CCNA,
Refurb's or "Have you had your shafting lately?"
by drs4467 - 3/4/08 3:04 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
As a buyer for a small corporation, I've tried refurbed computers and monitors. One HP monitor lasted 65 days and HP wanted me to send them over $350 for a new one rather than replace it. Out of my 30 some computers I have a half dozen HP desktops and several IBM's. I've increased the memory and changed a couple of drives since they seemed to go after a year. For a short term fix, go for it, but don't plan on a long love afair.
Yes, absolutely! But not an HP!
by moonglie - 3/4/08 5:57 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
In 2000, I bought my first computer, a refurbished NEC desktop, and it is still working perfectly!! I bought it online from my WebTV!
In 2005, I decided I needed more "bells and whistles", so I bought a NEW HP, (and extended warranty). BUMMER!! I have had nothing but problems with it ever since. I'm ready to dump it. As for the extended warranty, every time I ever reported a problem, they replied: "Well...THAT isn't covered under the warranty." And to top it all off, they NEVER even sent me my rebate! I ended up spending $1200 for a piece of absolute JUNK!
I believe that when the original factory refurbishes a machine, they go over it with a fine tooth comb. When they are done, all the "bugs" are gone! DO go with a major brand, and DO get a warranty. With what you'll save, you can well afford a good one!
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