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There is a huge difference between used and refurbished, although
these terms are frequently used
interchangeably. When you say refurbished, it means that the product or item
has been returned to its manufacturer due
to a reported or identified defect. This
defect will then be resolved by the vendor before it goes back to the market.
Used Vs. Refurbished
Refurbished items often come with a warranty which won’t likely be available for used ones. It’s also considered nearly brand new since
it only involves a replacement of parts such as buttons, memory, keypad, touch bar, etc.
Is it wise to Buy Refurbished electronics such as laptops?
If you’re a bit on the frugal
side or savings is difficult for you, buying refurbished notebooks may be a
wise option. Some refurbished laptops have minimal issues which are addressed
properly by the manufacturer, meaning when you buy it, it functions as a new one does, and the defect is untraceable. It’s a good deal, in fact,
since you’re buying an item less than its original price.
Things to Consider Before
Buying a Refurbished Laptop
Before you start hunting for
a refurbished notebook, it is important the review policies
and buying guides to avoid later regretting
your decision. You need to determine what you need a laptop for to get a sense of things like if you are using it for school, always run a Google
search for the best laptops for students; it’s the easiest way to help
you find a notebook that will fit your needs.
Moreover, it is essential
to buy from legit or authorized refurbishers. If you can, avoid buying items
from third party vendors to prevent problems or security issues in the long
run. Lastly, ALWAYS check for the warranty. Do not buy a refurbished item if it
doesn’t include a measure of insurance.
What to Expect when buying
a Refurbished Laptop
Physical appearance
Most refurbished laptops
show signs of wear and tear since they’re not
newly manufactured and may have been
previously mishandled The most common would be minor marks on the casing
such as scratches caused by handling and a few dents here and there. If you are
lucky, there may be no marks at all.
Manage your expectations
when buying refurbished, nevertheless, do not accept a refurbished notebook
that has cracks on the screen or components that are not working as they
should.
Hardware
Everything should be
working fine as if it is brand new. The concept of refurbishing stuff is to get
rid of issues or problems, meaning, there’s no reason to become worried whether
or not your hardware would work as expected. Perform a test run and carefully
inspect the hardware and software of the laptop such as the RAM, motherboard,
SD slot, DVD port, keyboard, screen, modem, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.
Warranty
The laptop should come
with a warranty of at least 30 days to 90 days, depending on the age of the
refurbished item. If you need a longer warranty period, you can negotiate with
the provider and ask for an extension; even if you have to pay for it.
Customer Support
The seller should have a
reliable customer support hotline. Hence, you’ll have someone to talk to in
case you encounter problems with your laptop. The customer or technical support team are in charge of answering inquiries, addressing customer
concerns and issues and can walk you
through the process of fixing your hardware or software issues, in case the
need arises.
