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Community Newsletter: Q&A: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers
- 2/29/08 3:23 PM
Consider your source!!
by tony4life - 2/24/08 3:05 AM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I'm all for buying refurbished computers and most major manufacturers offer refurbished equipment from their websites. For example, HP, the one Julianne prefers, consistently has several excellent models always offered for a reasonable discount and with many of the benefits of purchasing a new unit. Most of the time the main perks include a full warranty as if the computer was new. Think about it, who should you purchase a refurbished computer from? The factory using factory trained technicians and factory parts or a reseller who’s putting in parts from who knows what source and who knows where their people come from? Buy from the manufacturer.
Not all Brands get refurb by the originator.
by Albertv - 4/18/09 10:34 AM In reply to: Consider your source!! by tony4lifeI venture to say none do. All new HP laptops come out of China. They do get refurbed there, by companies under contract to HP. I had a brand new HP laptop which had a faulty MB. It was replaced in Texas by a company which does warenty work for HP. It came back still not working right plus now there were rotational fibrations in the unit, since a Motherboard swap requires a total disassembly of the unit. HP replaced the unit with an new upgrade Model, because it had taken a while to come back. My new unit came directly from China and after 2 years it still is doing well. My old unit was sent to a referb outfit in the South East. I bought the unit originally at Best Buy. For warrenty work I went directly to HP. I can fill more space than I have describing the ordeals of general consumer tech support. My issue was resolved by a corperate HP business manager. My advice deal only through the business unit for purchase and warenty work.
Refurb is my middle name
by Carol816 - 2/24/08 4:47 AM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have purchased many, many refurbished computers in the last 15 years. I am currently using a Gateway laptop, and a Sony Vaio desktop, both refurbished. Computers generally fail in the infant stage and once they have run for a while it is a good bet that they will continue, especially the non moving parts. Refurbs generally have been ones that had some part that failed and replaced, they have been tested and repaired better than new. Shop carefully - Computers have come down so much in price that you have to be careful about choosing one that is a true savings. If you check the refurbs on the Dell site you will find computers that are the same price or higher than ones that are on "special" do shop carefully. I have had good luck with Ubid, TigerDirect, and Ecost but one more warning - avoid the rebates - I always regret buying anything when I have to meet all the requirements of a rebate.
Opinions of refurbished or "recertified" PC
by KatB9 - 2/24/08 6:57 AM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
We have bought two (2) HP refurbished laptops, the first one is the item I'm typing this letter on. We have had no terrible with the purchase or in the use of this unit.
Our second one also an HP laptop, what a nightmare. It arrived DOA (dead on arrival) it took me over 15 hours of telephone conversations over two days. Several different departments (each one has you repeat what the last one had you do) and it still never booted up.
To make things worse we were in a very short time frame in need of the new laptop. The DOA unit arrived as promised two (2) days, but it took a week to get the "live" replacemant. All in all the "live" one was a very good buy (as was the DOA unit).
Our only problem with the new unit is Vista, but after having the extra installs remove it has speeded up.
If and when we need another computer we would get a refurbished unit.
Hope this helps.
Hello
by strosino - 2/24/08 8:00 AM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Am glad to give you an answer.Well even though you have Hp printers and scanners does not mean you have to use an HP computer at all cost.I use Hp too and I know it is a very good product.You can try other products too.It will depend on the module you require because some new modules made by other companies are also expensive so my advice is no matter the product just by what u can afford.
NB:You can also by computer accessories and assemble yourself;that's less expensive
Refurbished Computers
by grayesghost - 2/24/08 8:43 AM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I can highly recommed purchasing refurbs, especially if you are looking to get a little more bang for the buck, or are looking for a somewhat older model that may no longer be in production.
I currently own a refurbished Toshiba Qosmio Laptop that is a clone to a previously owned model. This particular model has several features that I like which are no longer available except on the very high end Qosmios and the cost of the refurbished unit was about one third the current going price for a new, still-in-the box unit -- when and where you can find one.
There are a couple of caveats however, mostly pertaining to the dealer you are buying from.
There are several different definitions of refurbished units, but most are customer returns (not necessairly defective) that have been sent back to the factory (or factory authorized service center) to be checked out and put back in "like new" condition. You will probably not be able to find out why the unit had to be reconditioned, or what was actually repaired/replaced on it because some units are simply inspected (usually very thoroughly), repackaged and relabled as having been refurbished or reconditioned - or there may have been major problems that had to be corrected. Either way, the units are USUALLY in good working order when they are resold.
However, as with new units, there are going to be some that still have problems - and that is when dealer support (or lack there of) can become very critical.
Most factory refurbished units come with a limited warranty in effect, ranging roughly from six months to one year and you can purchase extended warranties, either through the factory authorized seller; or from on-line third party vendors. These extended warranties are usually not very expensive ($50 - $100) and are well worth the money if you do end up having problems somewhere on down the road.
Most factory refurbished units do carry a factory warranty. I am not sure about other manufacturers but, you can go to Toshiba's web site and enter the model and serial number of your unit, and find out how much (if any) of the factory warranty is still in effect.
My unit is covered by a warranty issued by CompUSA, now in the process of closing down. However, because it was issued by a third party, the warranty is still in effect.
Now - back to the dealer. You have to make absolutely sure that you understand the dealer's return policy - and that applies doubly if you are purchasing on line. If there is any question what-so-ever as to the return policy; of if there is anything that you do not like about the policy - look else where.
Most reputable dealers will give you ample time to test the unit and, if it proves to be defective, will allow you to return it. In some cases they will allow returns for a limited amount of time (satisfaction guaranteed) whether the unit is defective or not - but make absolutely sure you are aware of any restocking fees that will be charged for the return.
Above all - If you have ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL - don't hesitate to ask. If the dealer is on the up and up, he/she/they won't hesitate to answer any questions you might have. If he/she/they do - look elsewhere.
One final thing - shipping costs. If you order on line, you are going to have to pay shipping costs in most cases. However, in my humble opinion, if you order a unit that proves to be defective right out of the box, return shipping should be free. In my case, this was not the case. I purchased another unit just like the one I have now which did indeed prove to be defective right out of the box. I notifed the vendor of same within hours of receiving the unit but, even then, they were very heistant about taking the unit back (even though they did appear to have a very liberal return policy). At first they wanted to argue that there was nothing wrong with the computer, that I must be doing something wrong and insisted that I send it to a service center to have it checked out - shipping at my expense of course.
I am PC Technician by trade and was finally able to convince them that the unit was indeed defective. However I still ended up having to pay for return shipping.
There is nothing wrong with refurbished/reconditioned units per sae - most are just as good as their newly manufactured counter parts, come with a reasonable warranty, and will generally come with a price tag that is considerably less than the new units. However, if you decide to go this route, just make sure you try to find out as much about the vendor and his/her/their policies as possible before laying down any cash.
Brand Names Not Significant
by thephiladelphiakid - 2/24/08 10:45 AM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I've come to the firm conclusion that the brand name has no bearing on whether a system is "good" or not these days. In fact, some of the lesser known brands and custom builds have sturdier parts [ex. 3rd Party CPU fans and motherboards made by established motherboard companies] then their HP/Dell, etc. counterparts. The motherboards in particular are usually better because the big boys usually buy from whatever supplier offers the cheapest bid that month. For years now, companies like HP and Dell have not made their real money from consumer desktops [sometimes they even take a loss]. They make it from Servers and major contracts. That having been stated, the bottom-line is that, no matter what the brand name, most of the parts are made by the usual companies [Sony, Intel, Kingston, Western Digital, et all]. Even the desktop cases are usually made by a third party like Foxconn. About the only thing you might get out of buying an HP [and I have nothing against HP] system is that - as you mentioned - you MAY have a little less work installing drivers for your HP printer, camera, etc. But those drivers are relatively easy to find on their website. Even in that regard there is a trade-off, because along with the drivers, HP - and the like - usually load up a bunch of extra software that you’ll never use. Again, I have no prejudice against any manufacture, but so long as you get an Intel Processor and the right specs [ex. AT LEAST 1GB of RAM with Vista], the logo on the front of the case doesn’t matter.
LOL. I almost forgot!
by thephiladelphiakid - 2/24/08 11:00 AM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I addressed one side of your question, but not the main one which prompted me to post. I actually used to do the recertifying for a major PC manufacture, and I can tell you that it is pretty much a crap shoot. Here's how it generally works: Someone buys a PC. Something craps out - usually the motherboard or processor now that most companies have the end-user acting like a technician to save money on smaller easier to replace parts - and they are under warranty. They send the computer back in exchange for a new one. It starts by getting a preliminary inspection that any monkey could do, because its almost all automated by software. If it passes those tests it goes straight down the line for software re-imaging. If it makes it through the re-image, it is boxed up and deemed "recertified". The system only needs to go through this cycle once. So naturally if there is something wrong that didn't show up on the first pass, or human error [or ignorance] is involved, it might make it that far and still have a problem. In fact, from time to time I saw a unit that wasn't passing its original tests, you let it sit and go to lunch. When you come back and start over from step one, they make it all the way through. You didn't do anything except start over. On the other hand, if there is something wrong with the system it goes to a higher level tech that repairs the system. If it is a good tech they can sometimes make it better then new. The bottom line is that - like anything else - there are a lot of factors - mostly human - that affects each individual unit. You could buy two identical systems and one could be better then new, and the other a piece of crap. Luck of the draw.
recert electronics?
by gene daniels - 2/24/08 11:28 AM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
electronics are fairly stable. Dell sells used equipment online.
Refurbished Computer Systems Opinions
by Darellean - 2/24/08 11:41 AM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I happen to have a refurbished system that I bought before Compaq was purchased by HP (Compaq Presario 2.6G 5100NX, early DDR memory, no PCIE or AGP). I was pleasantly surprised at what I got for the price, all things considered. The system came with XP on it and Office Pro. My only problem with the system was getting it to recognize me as the new administrator over the previous owner to whom the Office Pro was registered. After that, it was smooth sailing. I use an HP 7410 wireless printer with no issues whatsoever. My network software and hardware have no issues either. Granted, many refurbs are older machines with very limited upgrade capabilities. Please check carefully if you intend to do any upgrades on the system. Also, some companies but not all, I have found, will reinitialize the machine warranty for a factory refurb so if there is a problem, you can get help from the company. Again, check if that issue is important to you. Overall, I have had a good impression of factory refurbished machines.
refurbished?
by anna3333 - 2/24/08 12:52 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi Julianne, I was so fed up with HP and their crapware, plus my HP machine burned up because they put in no case fans - not one! that I decided to try and build my own. I had never done anything like this before so I had a local pc shop agree to let me build it on their bench and answer my questions. My main concern was getting the BIOS set up right and I needed help clamping the processor onto the board.
I researched every pc part on the internet. There are sites that tell you what you need and step-by-step how to do it. Newegg.com is one site that has user reviews on a wide variety of parts from major vendors. If you buy the parts over a few/couple of months, you can usually get them on sale - at really good prices. I like newegg because they stand by what they sell. I usually contact the manufacturer too (to see if I can and if they respond) before buying from them.
I didn't go with the "latest & greatest" for a couple of reasons. 1. I preferred the "best" from the "best" manufacturer instead of the "latest" or "fastest" (any modern pc is plenty fast for me - and that changes monthly anyway as the "latest/fastest" comes out). 2. I wanted to read reviews that were from people who had USED the part for at least 6 months rather than from someone who had just opened the box and installed it.
So I bought the very best and most/best reviewed of last year's technology. I bought a Lian-Li aluminum case with two 120m (large) case fans plus top and side vents - a larger case than I needed and I spaced the parts inside as far apart as possible and fixed the cables out of the way of the airflow - all to ensure the case and contents stayed COLD. Heat is the enemy of the computer. Some of my parts are not the most mainstream, but the have the best features, warrantees, service, and reviews. And they have worked flawlessly for over a year - I'm very happy with it.
I got an adequate, but not excessive power supply (InWin 460W) with its own 120m fan. Two hard drives: 120GB Seagate as working drive and 320GB Western Digital Caviar for backups. 1GB (twin 512 chips)- there are a number of considerations with every part - you need to be willing to do internet research on EACH one - Video card (again, unless you are playing lightening fast "killer" games you don't need the latest & greatest - just the best of last years). Most important item - motherboard - after a LOT of research, I chose an EpOX SLI board and an AMD (not Intel) processor. I don't need dual processors for my pc use and I don't need RAID or even SATA drives (the IDE ATA are fine) - I have a fantastic backup system that works perfectly for me.
You might consider this rather than getting a "pig-in-a-poke" - if you don't think you can do it, then get a local pc shop to do it (by do it, I mean put it together and let you watch. Your best bet is always to research your own parts - you can price them and let the shop order them if their prices are reasonably comparable, but don't let them talk you into some other parts that they have "on-hand" ie "leftover" without researching the exact model numbers and coming to your own decision.
You have to buy your own retail OS (XP, for heavens sake - NOT VISTA! - that's a whole other essay), BUT you will have it forever and you can just replace parts on your pc - if you do it right - intead of having to get another one in three years.
I've had good luck with refurbs
by etord - 2/24/08 7:49 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
In general, I've had good luck with refurbished electronics (as opposed to "remainder" electronics.) Do make sure that you know what the return possibilities or warranties are, often they are shorter than a "new" device. And do test things when you get them. But usually a refurb has been better tested at the factory end than a new device! They've probably had to replace a component and don't want the expense of the thing coming back again.
I already regret writing this much, boring i know
by yozzy1 - 2/24/08 8:17 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi.
First, Let me get your compatibility concerns out of the way.
Short answer:
Don't worry about it.
Very long answer:
When you buy a pereferal, you get the driver on a CD or the driver is already included with windows, a driver is software developed by someone who knows how this hardware works and knows how to speak its language, and translates everything the operating system says to the "Gadget/Pereferal's language, and the other way round.
For example, to scan an image, some driver+software has to be there to send the commands to Scan, and it has to be there to receive the answer, once the input (To the computer) is there, it is a file, usually something windows/Linux can deal with like a JPEG or a Bitmap image.
When you want to print something, Windows or whatever OS you are using spools that thing, then the driver picks it up and translates it to the printer's language then it is no longer any of window's business, So the OS is the boss, the driver is the secretary.
Your Ipod on the other hand is an external mass storage device that stores MP3 files along with XML data etc... the software (Itunes) has to know how to store the MP3 and how to compose the XML file that tells your ipod everything about the file, On your computer it's just another MP3.
Every gadget you buy comes with One or more device IDs (You can see those if you go to device manager, then you chose to see the properties of the Hardware, then Details Tab, then hardware IDs), Each and every one of them needs a driver, Sometimes and in very rare cases, one driver manages more than one (2+ instances of the same software). so your HP things do not really talk to each other much.
Your hardware, having the drivers that came with them do the talking, they no longer need (And do not) care what PC is there, as long as it is there running those drivers, USB works the same no matter the brand, Same goes for Serial port, Parallel port, PS2, Ethernet, etc...
Please excuse me for elaborating this much, Let me conclude this one with the bottom line.
I personally prefer Intel main boards, There are other chip-set manufacturers who are Just as good, (NOTE: HP or Dell do manufacture chips, but not the main ones for the PC) HP assembles 3rd party chips in a very organized way, They do make better computers than the one you assemble from a cheap casing where ventilation and air circulation are not so well designed, and may be inferior in terms of vibration, Cooling, even looks, But they do the Job fine, and i use them all the time with no problems.
Now since HP or Dell or any other leading PC manufacturer does not manufacture the main chips, the can not control how the chips function, and those chips are available in many other brands (They are not tailored for HP or Dell or gateway).
Conclusion: See short answer
Now, to is refurbished computer worth the money.
As a software developer who's job is somewhat close to the hardware (Programmers don't all do the same thing), i would say you need to inspect the computer you buy, The hard drive's S.M.A.R.T. attributes, the monitor's brightness/color, Also check what problems others are having with this particular model on the internet, BIOS incompatibility with some of your cards, The Fans etc...
Case scenario: When the previous owner decided to clean the CPU heatsink, he/she took it off, used a blower or vacuum cleaner, Put it back exactly how it was, then started the computer, all seems fine, but if you press the computer to the limits, it will probably overheat since the thermal grease between the Heatsink and the CPU is no longer efficient.
Conclusion: If a used HP computer costs as much as a new (DIY) computer, go DIY, There are plenty of good mainboard manufacturers, and you get choices for hard disk, DVD (Lightscibe or not), What VGA card you need and what is an overkill, etc..
If you don't know how to do it yourself, get the neighbors son to do it for 10 bucks.
I highly recommend you do consider a HP Refurbished computer
by purple_reading_giraffe - 2/24/08 8:18 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I bought a refurbished tc4400 at a substantial savings last September, and some accessories at 50% off (up to 5 with an order of a computer - may or may not be still in effect), one of which was a 3-yr Accidental Damage Warranty at a very low price.
I have been very happy with my computer, and with the service from HP when a soda was spilled on my tablet; though it did take some repeated tries to get it completely fixed, I was able to speak to a real person each time (there is room for improvement, but they don't charge to talk to you as some companies did for a while). I highly recommend this tablet, as well.
You can go to this link to find out more:
http://www.hp.com/sbso/buspurchase_refurbished_faq.html
I found this resource accidentally while googling my tablet's model, and I still get a regular email with their current stock - there are a LOT of choices available, so look carefully for exactly what you want and they will probably have it.
Good Luck!!
Refurbished or recertified desktops can be good
by tar27ter - 2/24/08 8:20 PM In reply to: Your thoughts on refurbished or "recertified" computers by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
As a general rule, refurbished desktop computers can be a lot cheaper than their new counterparts and usually run just as good. If you buy a factory refurbished or factory reconditioned computer, they usually go through the same extensive testing as a new PC. You can either go directly to the manufacturers web sites or you can go to a dependable, honest reseller like Tigerdirect.com to purchase one. I personally got my eMachine for just over $200 from Tigerdirect and there is nothing wrong with it. It's a model that came out about 3 months ago and i got it about a month ago. Odds are that someone just didn't like the operating system (Windows Vista) or that something minor went wrong with it that they fixed, or they just changed their minds about it. Either way, I got a great PC that is practically new for a fraction of the price of a new PC. As far as the question about compatability goes, I have an HP, a Gateway, an eMachine and 2 home built PCs in my house, all networked and they all play very nicely together as well as with my Kodak digital camera, 2 HP printers, Cannon printer, and other various brands of paraphernalia attached to the PCs and network. With a mix of various Windows 32 and 64 bit operating systems, I still have never had any compatability issues with my computers and their attachments. So far the only compatability issues I have had are software issues with the 64 bit Vista which is due largely to the fact that 64 bit is so new to the software developers.
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