These days, buying a new computer can be an awfully expensive proposition. If you can cut the cost and still get all of the computing power you need, that’s a huge plus for the frugal and tech-savvy buyer. As previously discussed on this site, it’s common for people to overestimate the amount of computer they really need and end up paying too much. If your computing needs are more middle-of-the-road than high-end, there are great deals available. And this is where buying refurbished PCs can be an extremely attractive option.
One of the most common and popular sources for refurbished PCs is, of course, Amazon. Refurbished PCs on Amazon are offered by a large number of different sellers, and your experience may vary depending on what you buy and who you buy from.
Best Practices For Buying Amazon Refurbished PCs:
- Really know what the computer will be used for and how much power you need: what CPU, how much RAM, and what your graphics requirements are. Passmark Software is a great site for comparing the relative performance of different CPUs.
- Check the reviews from the different refurbished PC vendors to ensure they are offering quality products and that you won’t have unhappy surprises when your shiny “new-for-you” PC arrives at your door.
- Make sure you understand the return policy of the vendor, and you are satisfied that you will have a no-hassle return experience if you decide for any reason your purchase is not going to work for you.
- When your refurbished PC arrives, open it up to inspect it. Make sure it’s clean inside, all the equipment is there that was promised (optical and hard drives, graphics cards and wireless adapters, etc.), and the cooling fans are functional. If it’s a bit dusty inside, a quick cleaning with a can of compressed air will make things as good as new in no time.
- On starting up your machine, go to “Settings – System – About” (in Windows 10) and verify the machine has the correct CPU, RAM and operating system as was promised by the refurbisher.
- If anything is amiss, or if for any reason you aren’t satisfied, and you purchased from a vendor in the “Amazon Renewed” program, you should have no problem shipping the PC back for a quick and painless refund.
To see how I made out on my own recent Amazon-refurbished PC purchase, and for more tips on getting a good deal, check out the video below!
