On Reconditioned or Refurbished Notebooks

By: Richard Keir

Copyright 2005 Richard Keir

What exactly is a reconditioned or refurbished notebook
computer? Depending on where you are buying, it normally should
be a used - or possibly a returned notebook - that has been
factory rebuilt. A refurbished notebook computer is basically a
cheap, used (maybe) and renovated computer that satisfies all
your performance and portability needs and provides all the
advantages you would get on buying a new notebook - such as
warranty and technical support. This is critical - do not buy a
so-called reconditioned or refurbished notebook computer if it
does not have the same warranty or guarantee as a new machine.

I'm writing this article right now on a factory reconditioned
notebook that I purchased well over two years ago at a very
substantial savings over the same machine "new". It came with a
full factory warranty and it has performed like a champ.
Granted, I was nervous when I first bought it, but I'm now
convinced that if you can find a reconditioned or refurbished
notebook that has the features you're looking for, you'd be
foolish to pay full price -- the discounts are incredible, and
the products are functionally identical.

If you just need a computer that is portable, one that you can
use to perform simple computing tasks, why spend a fortune in
buying a new notebook from some well-known brand? Look for a
refurbished notebook computer instead. You will get a notebook
that will give you the required performance at a much lower
price - and it will still be covered by a warranty.

There is normally a difference between "refurbished" and
"reconditioned" (or factory reconditioned). Refurbished usually
means that this is an older notebook that has been used and then
reconditioned - often by a third party. Depending on the
warranty being offered by the refurbisher, this could be an
excellent deal. As always, it depends on whether the refurbished
notebook meets your specifications. If so, and the price - and
guarantee - are good, then you have nothing to lose.

Reconditioned machines, when you find them in a retail outlet,
usually are returns that had some problem, went back to the
manufacturer, were fixed and now are available at a very
substantial discount but have the full 'new' machine
factory/manufacturer guarantee. This can be a huge savings and
an incredible deal. Often these reconditioned notebooks sell at
a discount of 50% or more - and they may even be current models.

Maybe I've just been lucky, but my experience with factory
reconditioned notebooks has convinced me that it's foolish to
dump a bunch of dollars into a new machine if an equally capable
refurbished notebook is available. After all, every
reconditioned notebook was once a new notebook that had some
kind of problem causing its return. If the factory did its job,
then the reconditioned notebook is less likely to have a problem
than a new model. And if it does have a problem, you will still
have the warranty that new notebooks have.

Students, and of course their parents, who are on the look out
for a low-priced notebook to meet school needs, should
definitely consider buying a refurbished notebook computer.
Education is expensive enough without throwing away money by
paying top dollar for a notebook when an equivalent refurbished
or reconditioned notebook would serve as well. Check out the
computer shops in the local area - or even check online sites
like Amazon.com that may showcase a good refurbished notebook
computer on sale.

So before you spend - possibly waste - a lot of money buying a
brand new notebook that might have features you will never need
and accessories you never asked for, look into the possibilities
of a suitable and low-priced reconditioned or refurbished
notebook computer.

About the author:
Richard, a computer professional and writer, has a strong
interest in software and computer hardware. Visit Completely
Notebooks at http://Completely-Notebooks.net to learn more about
all kinds of notebook computers and accessories.