Refurbished tech offers a more reliable and secure option compared to simply buying used. Here's why: Used technology: Buying “used” or “secondhand” devices means you're buying the device in “as-is” condition.
Reliability: Refurbished products are generally more reliable than used products due to the inspection and repair processes they undergo. Consideration: If you prioritize reliability and warranty options, refurbished products are typically the better choice.
Preowned have been sold and returned but need no repairs. Refurbished are phones that have some blemish and or malfunctions that required some repair to bring them back to functional and salable phones.
When you buy a refurbished item you don't get the history of the device. You don't know how the person before you treated the device, and you don't know when it was purchased.
Amazon Renewed is your trusted destination for pre-owned, refurbished products. Products sold on Amazon Renewed are professionally inspected and tested to work as expected by an Amazon qualified and performance-managed supplier.
One of the easiest ways to verify if a laptop is refurbished is by checking its serial number and model details. Most manufacturers allow users to enter the serial number on their website to see the device's warranty status and whether it was sold as new or refurbished.
In the case of second-hand refurbishments, the body of the gadget could've acquired dents from its previous owner. Some buyers are not comfortable purchasing a “damaged” product, no matter how minor and irrelevant it is to the performance of the item.
In terms of pricing, both options provide significant savings compared to buying new. Open-box phones may be a bit more expensive due to their near-new status, while refurbished phones offer the security of a comprehensive inspection, making them a more reliable long-term choice.
Amazon Renewed is your trusted destination for pre-owned, refurbished, and open-box products. Products sold on Amazon Renewed are professionally inspected and tested to meet quality standards by an Amazon qualified and performance-managed supplier.
Refurbished refers to a product that has been restored to a like-new condition after being returned or used. It goes through a comprehensive inspection, repair, and testing process to ensure it meets the original manufacturer's specifications.
Compared to used vehicles, certified pre-owned models are generally newer, with fewer miles. They're generally priced significantly higher than older used models, but they're always more affordable than comparable new vehicles.
Pre-Owned means its been used and is in good enough condition to sell, refurbished models mean they are models which have been traded in for issues and are fixed to re-sell.
In general, it's typically between 2 and 8 years, and big-name brands often last longer than smaller brands. Refurbished iPhones that are less than 4 years old can generally get another 2-3 years out of them before you notice a drop in speed. They become noticeably slower by the 6-year point.
“Certified Pre-Owned” is also potentially more accurate than “used” or “refurbished” — some smartphones are returned in full working order after only a few days. While these devices are definitely pre-owned and cannot be sold as new, some may not have been used at all by previous owners.
“Grade A refurbished” is the product that is often graded as the gold standard with the devices that fall under this category without any signs of usage. These are the products that operate flawlessly and come in as good as perfect condition.
They are in 100% working condition, and are then sold as refurbished product. As these refurbished products have been unpacked and manipulated, they might however exhibit some minor cosmetic imperfection, such as scratches, marks or discolorations.
Refurbished products are repaired and restored to a like-new state (may have minor scratches), either by one of Best Buy's in-house repair centers, the manufacturer or a third-party refurbishment company.
What is the difference between refurbished and original?
Aside from price, a possible difference between new and refurbished products is their cosmetic condition. Note that this solely concerns the cosmetic appearance of the device since a refurb is thoroughly cleaned.
Inconsistent Quality. The quality of refurbished phones can vary depending on the seller. If you purchase from an unreliable source, you could end up with a device that hasn't been properly tested or repaired. That's why we always recommend purchasing your phone from a reliable shop or dealer that offers a warranty.
Refurbished tech gets a professional makeover and functions like new, while used tech is sold "as-is" with no guarantees. Refurbished provides peace of mind and quality, while used offers potentially lower upfront costs but a higher risk of problems.
On the other hand, mid-range and budget Android phones may not enjoy the same level of support, with shorter software update cycles and less durable components. This discrepancy means that while some Android phones can last four to five years, others may struggle to reach even three.
“Pre-owned phones can be indistinguishable from brand-new ones if they're properly refurbished,” says Rich Fisco, head of CR's electronics testing. The devices are often thoroughly inspected by certified technicians, reset to factory settings, and given a fresh battery.
By buying a phone outright, you will usually save yourself money and have the freedom to switch tariffs and networks as many times as you like. However, this isn't always the case. There are times where a phone contract can actually work out cheaper compared to buying a phone outright.
