Refurbished Computers

Katholic

Does anyone have any experiences buying one? I am looking for a very speedy machine on the cheap. Are they reliable? What site is the best to get one? Can I get one with a warranty?

Thanks for the recommendations.

Figgy

Katholic wrote: »

Does anyone have any experiences buying one? I am looking for a very speedy machine on the cheap. Are they reliable? What site is the best to get one? Can I get one with a warranty?

Thanks for the recommendations.

The answers to your questions differ depending on from where you purchase. Usually, there is a very limited warranty. Sometimes, companies give full warranties on their refurbished computers.

Dell adds refurbished computers to this site all the time.

From what I've seen though, you never really save a whole lot buying refurbs. I would just buy new, because that piece of mind is worth the extra cost to me.

If you're thinking that buying refurb will get you a powerful laptop at 50-75% of the cost of a new one, you're going to be disappointed.

Katholic

Figgy wrote: »

Katholic wrote: »

Does anyone have any experiences buying one? I am looking for a very speedy machine on the cheap. Are they reliable? What site is the best to get one? Can I get one with a warranty?

Thanks for the recommendations.

The answers to your questions differ depending on from where you purchase. Usually, there is a very limited warranty. Sometimes, companies give full warranties on their refurbished computers.

Dell adds refurbished computers to this site all the time.

From what I've seen though, you never really save a whole lot buying refurbs. I would just buy new, because that piece of mind is worth the extra cost to me.

If you're thinking that buying refurb will get you a powerful laptop at 50-75% of the cost of a new one, you're going to be disappointed.

I am looking for a desktop and I am in the continental United States.

matt has a problem

You're really not going to find high-end PCs on the cheap as refurbs. Most people who drop that much money into their machine initially configure it to be upgradeable for a while, and then cannibalize it for parts once they actually buy another computer. Your best bet would be like Figgy said, the official Dell refurb/return site, since you'll see the occasional higher-end XPS system show up on there with a few hundred $$$ knocked off the price.

theclam

Fast desktop on the cheap = self-build.

Sentry

I bought an open-box computer from Newegg. It worked out pretty well.

illig

Geeks.com sells refurbs (and de-branded models, or white box models)

You typically get 90-day manufacturer warranty, and then you're on your own.

Refurbs tend to be a good deal if you like your OS to be of the Windows, and of the Legal variety, since they're almost always pre-installed, so you don't have to shell out money for the OS as you would in a hand-built.

PeregrineFalcon

theclam wrote: »

Fast desktop on the cheap = self-build.

This. Unlike sifting through refurbs, you can get a nice powerful machine for 50-75% of the "retail box" cost - and then you'll also have the advantage of knowing how to mix most common maladies if/when the thing breaks.

japan

I got a refurb Thinkpad a few years ago for dirt cheap with a two year manufacturer warranty.

It recently died with a failed motherboard (a year and a bit out of warranty).

Take that as you will.

LoveIsUnity

All of the people suggesting you build your own have the right idea. Have you ever built a computer, Katholic? If not, do you have any friends who have? Not only will you get the satisfaction of building something awesome, you'll know how to replace hardware if it starts to become a problem in the future, which, at some point in time, it will.

Chanus

Agree.

Refurbs aren't worth the savings if you know how to build one yourself. Most of the money you pay for a pre-packaged computer is for the software junk they install on them -- most of which you don't need (and the OS, but you'll probably need to buy that if you're not keeping your old hard drive).