refurbished computers

[ahopeter]

are they trustworthy... cause ive noticed they are quite a bit cheaper.   or should i stay clear of them and just pay the extra for a new system? thanks

[Chandler]

That depends on where from.  If they're on eBay for example, then steer clear.

If it's direct from the manufacturer, then they may be a good buy.  Avoid ex-demos if you can.  Some refurbs may be returned from customers due to a fault, which has been corrected.  Chances are that these will be reliable computers since they've gone through double the amount of testing as a brand new one would.

Just check the terms and conditions and warranty before buying.

[Whizbang]

Some refurbs may be returned from customers due to a fault,
Just check the terms and conditions and warranty before buying.

That really created a headache for us when my son was in college.  We bought a returned HP with 533 CPU that had very sporadic but annoying bootup problems.  HP never did fix it.  If you buy refurb, buy locally with a good warranty.