Is Buying a Refurbished Laptop a Good Idea?

At some point of time, all of us decide to migrate from desktop to laptop computers as the need for portability arises. There are a multitude of options to choose from, when shopping for a laptop computer. However, with a low budget, the options are fewer. Brand new laptops like the Apple MacBook Pro cost a fortune and with a low budget, they are simply not in your range; unless you go for the inexpensive refurbished laptop option that is.

You will be amazed to know the amount of discount you can gain on Apple, Dell, HP and other laptop brands if you go for models from their refurbished line. The global electronics market involves the sale of a range of products which can be broadly classified as new, used and refurbished goods. The market for refurbished electronic items ranging from smart phones to computer peripherals is huge and largely untapped. Refurbished laptops shouldn't be directly classified into the category of used laptops.

What are Refurbished Laptops?

Laptop manufacturers mass produce thousands of products every day in their processing lines spread world over. One out of a thousand products, depending on the error margins allowed by the manufacturing process, tend to be manufactured with certain defects. Such products tend to get sold and when the user finds out, they are returned to the manufacturer. In some cases, these defective laptops are separated by the manufacturer before sale, through quality checks and sent back to the assembly line for repair.

So what does a manufacturer like Apple Computers do with this lot of slightly used but defective products? They fix them of course. The defects are removed through repair and part replacement and put back on sale as refurbished laptops. Thus, they are formerly defective laptops, which have now been restored to normal functioning and put back for sale at discounted prices but with same warranty as brand new products. The last point needs to be noted.

Why is Buying a Refurbished Laptop a Good Idea?

So why should you consider buying a refurbished computer? Firstly, the fact that most of these laptops are sold at more than 20% discounted price is one reason why you should consider this option. Secondly, the fact that manufacturers provide warranty on these products, despite their 'used' status, makes them safer investments as in case of breakdown, you can get it replaced and repaired. This reduces the degree of risk involved.

What do I Consider When Buying a Refurbished Laptop?

The first thing that you need to look out for is whether the refurbished product is being sold by the manufacturer itself. Buying refurbished electronic items like laptops from third parties that do not use original spare parts for repair of the product is not recommended. Go ahead, only if the refurbished products come from the manufacturer directly.

Secondly, check out the warranty offered and only consider the deal if it's same as that offered for brand new products. Find out the degree of discount you receive compared to a brand new product. These are the three important points that should be considered.

To conclude, I would like to say that buying refurbished laptops from manufacturers like Dell, HP and Apple is definitely a good idea! The cost discount is the single most important factor that should convince anybody about the soundness of going for such laptops. On that note, I rest my case and suggest that you visit the Apple, HP and Dell websites for the list of refurbished laptops on sale. You may also check out Amazon for such deals.