|
What is a refurbished
computer?
A refurbished computer is any computer that has come from a working environment,
be it business or personal, and has been reconditioned to like new condition for
resale. This can include machines that were leased by businesses, schools, or
government organizations and computers that are traded in by home users.
Generally speaking the computers that make the best option for refurbishing and
reselling are business class machines. Business class computers were designed
with corporate users in mind and are developed to be reliable, upgradeable, and
easily maintained. Quite simply these computers are built to work every day and
every time, year after year. Examples of these computers include but are not
limited to the Dell OptiPlex line; including the Dell OptiPlex GX150, GX240,
GX260, GX270 and GX280. Other Dell business variations would include GX50 and
GX60 machines and Dell Precision machines. The Dell OptiPlex and Precision lines
were designed with business in mind and are extraordinarily reliable, easy to
maintain and upgradeable. Computers that were originally designed for the home
user often do not come close to meeting the quality standards set by their
business counterparts and as such should be considered to be a somewhat less
desirable option.
Generally there are two distinct types of refurbished computers available, off
lease and factory refurbished computers. Factory refurbished equipment has been
retuned to the original manufacture, usually by a dissatisfied consumer. This
equipment is then reworked by the manufacturer and sold as such; generally these
computers come with a reasonable warranty, the original manufacturers guarantee,
and a premium price. Off-lease refurbished machines are refurbished by the
seller and not the manufacturer. Off-lease machines generally offer the same
reliability, conditioning, options and warranties as those refurbished by the
manufacturer but can often be found at a significant discount compared to
factory refurbished equipment.
Where do refurbished computers
come from and if they are so reliable why are they available?
Businesses, Government organizations and schools generally lease their computers
and equipment for a period of time ranging from months to a few years. At the
end of a lease many organizations opt to return this completely functional and
useful equipment to comply with their accounting practices. You may ask why
organizations would return completely functional equipment only to spend
millions replacing it. The answer is simultaneously simple and complex, but in
brief; most companies adapt accounting practices that devalue their computer and
office equipment yearly as a tax benefit. Generally, at the end of three years,
companies show that their existing equipment has no value and accept that the
purchase of new equipment is merely a part of their accounting practices and not
a waste of good equipment and money. Refurbished computers almost always come
out of a clean, well maintained corporate environment. These computers are
generally in a working condition, other than perhaps some minor flaws, or
cosmetic damage. Other sources for refurbished computers include customer
returns, floor or testing models.
How to tell if you are good
candidate for a refurbished computer.
Refurbished computers are an excellent choice for virtually all but the most
demanding power users. Many refurbished computers today can offer virtually
identical performance as new equipment and at less than half the cost. It is
important to ask yourself what kind of user you or your organization is. Those
users who only want to work in Microsoft Office applications may have
drastically different computing needs than people who want to play 3D games or
edit video. Those of you who are into the latest and greatest computer games,
video editing or CAD programs may need to invest in a new computer.
If you are purchasing for a business, school or government organization, very
few users on your network will be power users. This gives you a great
opportunity to save your organization thousands, if not tens of thousands of
dollars, by supplying computers to your users that specifically meet their
needs.
Home users generally do not need the latest and greatest in computer technology.
Most home users are looking for solid internet access, the ability to edit
photos, download music and play simple games, all of which can be easily handled
by most refurbished computers. Home users who consider themselves to be power
users can often tweak a refurbished computer to meet their needs and save
hundreds of dollars in the process.
Most major manufactures offer potential customers the illusion that newer is
better. In most instances this simply isn’t true, refurbished computers can meet
the needs of virtually any user and at a fraction of the cost of new.
|
|
