Is It A Good Idea To Buy A Refurbished Laptop?

 To buy a brand-new laptop, you could end up paying anything between £200 to £2,000 for the top-spec of the latest model. One way to avoid the high price tags is to purchase a refurbished laptop; an option many people are starting to use. A refurbished laptop essentially looks and works like a new laptop, but it will have been used and then sent back to the manufacturer where it would be repaired (if necessary) and restored. In this blog, we take a look at whether it is worth buying a refurbished laptop, discuss the pros and cons and provide useful tips on what to look out for when purchasing one.

Advantages of Buying A Refurbished Laptop

Save Money: It is not surprising that if you buy a refurbished laptop, you will save money compared to purchasing it brand-new. Big laptop companies, such as Dell, make it easy to find refurbished laptops by having a dedicated section on their website to send you in the right direction. Although the variety of brands and models will be limited in comparison to those that are new, it is an excellent way to save some money when purchasing a work, study or general use laptop.

Help the Environment: By purchasing a refurbished laptop, you are preventing the electronic device from being discarded and thrown away. When they are disposed of, they end up in landfills, and this is harmful to the environment because laptops contain lead, chromium, cadmium, and brominated flame-retardants. Furthermore, when manufacturing, there are many harmful by-products such as waste, air pollution and water pollution. By purchasing refurbished laptops, you can reduce the amount of manufacturing that takes place, thus helping the environment. Not only can laptops harm the environment, but so can mobile phones. Take a look at our previous blog to find out if upgrading your phone is bad for the environment.

Disadvantages of Buying A Refurbished Laptop

Limited Options: If you are after a specific brand and model, you may find it challenging to find it refurbished, especially if it is new. Due to the nature of a refurbished laptop, only the ones that are sent to the manufacturer with default or are merely unwanted are going to be on offer. Furthermore, even if you find the laptop you are looking for, there will be a limited amount that are refurbished; therefore, you aren’t guaranteed to bag that bargain price.

Lack of Support: When you purchase a new laptop, you will almost always receive free perks such as warranty and a support team. Should anything go wrong with your device; maybe the battery is failing, or it won’t start up, you can go to the support team, and they will help free of charge. Unfortunately, with refurbished laptops, this is rarely the case. If perks like this are a big selling point for you, you might want to opt for a new laptop rather than refurbished.

Refurbished Laptop Checklist

When buying a refurbished laptop, especially if it is from an independent person as opposed to a retailer, there are a few things you want to look out for, so that you don’t get a duff device.

Check for Any Defects: You want to ensure that the device doesn’t have any faults that weren’t already listed.

Check for Warranty: You want to ensure that you aren’t buying a laptop with no warranty and aim for at least a year.

 

Read the Fine Print: Make sure you read the fine print of the warranty so that you aren’t caught out. It is a lengthy and dull process, but it can save you later on down the line, should any issues arise.

 

Check the Return Policy: Should you feel unhappy with the refurbished laptop you purchase, you want to make sure that you can send it back to the supplier. Furthermore, some suppliers will cover the cost of the return, whereas others won’t. So, if you see that they do offer returns, make sure you check who they expect to pay for the return; otherwise, you may land yourself with a hefty postage price.

Now that you have more information about refurbished laptops, you should have a better understanding of whether it is a good option for you or not. Here at Viascreens, we believe that no matter your device, old or new, it should be protected. We offer a range of screen protectors so that your device is safe from damage. Our matte screen protector is a brilliant option if you are someone who travels a lot with their laptop or if you just hate annoying glares on your display. The screen protector not only works as a shield from scratches and marks, but it also mattifies the screen, therefore, preventing glares from lights or the sun.