Buying Used and Refurbished Netbooks – Great Deal?

The popularity of netbooks has resulted in a large market of used and refurbished netbooks available from both retailers and from private individuals. Because netbooks are electronics, they don’t keep their resell value well when new models arrive. This means that there are some great deals to be had.

Or are there? Computers are not always the most durable items in the world, and repairs range from expensive to impossible. Refurbished and used products are usually sold without a warranty and they often cannot be returned. There is always a certain amount of risk involved in buying them.

In this guide I will look over the disadvantages and advantages of purchasing a refurbished or used netbook and discover if the lower cost out-weights the potential risks.

Used and Refurbished Netbook Risk Factors

Dings and Scratches

The most common, and least severe, problem with refurbished and used product are aesthetic imperfects like smudges, damaged trim, and scratches. Netbooks are mobile products, which is short way of saying that netbook owners tend to throw them into their bags with complete disregard for their poor, tiny PC.

Fortunately, these problems are not an issue when it comes to performance. The only way a bump, dent, or scratch might become an issue is if it causes a port, like a USB or Ethernet connection, to become inaccessible. This is only an issue with used netbooks, as the refurbish programs offered by various retailers wouldn’t allow for such a serious problem to pass through quality control.

Bad Batteries

The battery is one component of a netbook which is guaranteed to wear out over time. A netbook battery which has been treated poorly or used extensively can become nearly useless within a year, while one that is treated well can last for four or five.

The battery usually isn’t an issue with refurbished netbooks, as refurbished netbooks tend to be relatively new and also tend to have been used lightly. That said, be sure to ask the seller what their policy is regarding batteries. A reputable company should tell you that they test the batteries or supply new ones. The only time where this wouldn’t be the case is when the refurbished item is actually just an opened item that was returned without being used.

On used netbooks the battery is a serious concern. There is no quick-and-easy test that will make the condition of a netbook’s battery obvious. If possible, ask the seller how they used the netbook. Ideally it should be used lightly and it should not be fully discharged frequently. Stay away from netbooks used for business and from netbooks that might have otherwise have been abused.

Dead Pixels

An issue that is common with both refurbished and used netbooks is the infamous dead pixel. A dead pixel is simply a pixel on an LCD screen which has become stuck displaying one color. Dead pixels don’t reduce functionality (unless there are tens or hundreds of them), but they are extremely annoying. Dead pixels are also troublesome because in most cases they can only be repaired by replacing the entire screen.

Even with used and refurbished products, dead pixels are uncommon, but it is a risk that must be accepted. Most manufacturers will not replace a netbook because of dead pixels unless there are numerous pixels malfunctioning.

When buying a refurbished netbook be sure to read the dead pixel policy of the company the netbook is being purchased through. It can vary quite a bit, and many will not allow a return even if there are numerous dead pixels. If buying a used netbook, be sure to ask the seller or, if buying one from a local seller, inspect the netbook yourself.

Used and Refurbished Netbook Advantages

Just Enough Performance

Netbooks aren’t exactly new anymore. There have been many revisions of them, each of which made improvements over previous versions. Performance, however, as remained largerly the same. Although there are a few exceptions, the majority of 10 inch netbooks are powered by Atom processors, have 1GB of RAM, and one low-performance 160GB hard drive. Larger netbooks have more variance, and there are now CULV powered netbooks coming down the pipe, but netbook performance has remained static enough that buying an older one isn’t going to leave you with a computer which is radically out of date.

That’s good news for those buying used and refurbished netbooks. Old stars like the and are still good netbooks today.

That is not to say new netbooks don’t have their advantages. Newer netbooks continue to reduce power consumption, which results in better battery life. Newer netbooks also tend to have better screens and provide more stylish design. But these differences are not night-and-day. From the perspective of functionality, a used or refurbished netbook is a good choice.

Simplicity Breeds Durability

KISS. To some, it is a band known for absurdly long tongues. To others, it is an acronym for a philosophy that fits netbooks well. Keep It Simple, Stupid.

Patronizing tone aside, Keep It Simple, Stupid means that things should always been kept as simple as possible while still achieving the goals required. When translated to the PC, this means that a computer should simply have what is adequate.

This is simply a phrase, not an exact science, but there is a measure of truth to it. Netbooks are simple. They have a small, low-power chipset and processor which generates a minimal amount of heat. The hard drives are small and spin at low speeds. They are light and rigid, making them durable. There isn’t a lot on a netbook to break, so longevity should not be a concern that keeps you from buying a refurbished or used netbook. They are among the most durable and reliable PCs ever built, and they should be able to run for years without much problem.

Disposable PCs

Part of the reason that netbooks have become popular is the price. In the past, PCs have been considered a bit of an investment. People often bought high-end PCs because they knew that purchasing something older would limit the way the PC could be used. Prices have dropped, as well. At a price of between $150 and $300 for many models, buying a refurbished or used netbook is not going to break the bank.

As a result, the risk that comes with buying a used or refurbished product is mostly negated. Even if the netbook only lasts for six months – and as stated in the above point, I believe they will generally last much longer – a fair amount of use has been had for the money, and a new netbook will also be a small investment.

So, Should You Buy One?

So, considering the pros and cons, is a used or refurbished netbook worth your money?

Yes, I think it is.

It is ultimately the cost of netbooks, combined with their simplicity, which makes it easy to recommend buying one which isn’t new. When buying a high-end computer or notebook, it is hard to recommend buying refurbished and used products because they quickly feel out of date and because there are many things that can break. Netbooks, however, aren’t meant to be cutting edge. Buying a used or refurbished netbook is not going to result in a machine that feels old, and it also isn’t going to result in a high chance of failure.

That is not, of course, to say that buying a used or refurbished netbook is risk-free. Used netbooks are certainly a risk, as they don’t come with warranties. Refurbished netbooks usually come with a warranty, but it is often short and limited in what it will cover.

Overall, the benefits out-weight the risks. Netbooks are reliable, stable machines that are not as vulnerable to becoming out of date as other PCs. Buying them used or refurbished is a good way of making an inexpensive PC even cheaper.