We all like brand spanking new things, especially computers, but in these shaky economic times, why not shop for a bargain? Some of the lowest prices these days are for refurbished computers and while there is some risk, why not investigate? If you don’t need the most current technology, then purchasing a refurbished system could make sense for you.

Refurbished computers have been rebuilt by the manufacturer, generally work well and are quite easy to find. The major manufacturers like Apple, Dell and IBM sell them online with money-back guarantees and warranties. You can also find them at local computer dealers and online auction sites.

The Drawbacks

Before you hand over your hard-earned cash though, there are some important factors to consider before purchasing a used system. For starters, you will never find out why the merchandise was returned. Maybe it was dropped, spilled on or kept shutting down spontaneously. You just don’t know. Sometimes the computers are returned unopened, but most of the time they are returned by the customer because there was a problem. Some manufacturers repair and update these systems but you can never be truly sure what you are getting. This means before making any purchase, you need a solid warranty. You should have no problem finding a 30-day money back guarantee and a one year warranty for parts, labor and tech support with the big companies. Be wary of anything less, especially when dealing with of private sellers and online auction sites.

Also, you can’t customize a refurbished system the way you can a new computer. You have to settle for what is available and it’s never the current technology. Keep in mind that sometimes the seller can even leave things out like monitors, keyboards, software, etc. so it’s important to decide what you need and know exactly what you are buying in order to calculate if you are, in fact, saving money. It would be a shame to buy a used CPU and parts and find out later that it cost more in the end than a new system.

And last, but definitely not least, is the fact that refurbished systems are slower. But the fastest processors available today are incredibly fast, so if you can sacrifice a few features and some speed, then a reconditioned machine may work out well for you. However, you need to decide how fast is fast enough for you. If you are just sending emails, surfing the internet, paying bills and creating the occasional presentation then a 1.2 to 1.7 GHz processor would be sufficient. On the other hand, if you run lots of applications or have a demanding operating system like Windows XP, then you should spend some money on a faster chip.

Are You Ready?

So the bottom line is - weigh your options. Do the research. If you’re on a tight budget, aren’t fussy about components, don’t need tons of speed and want to save 30-50% off the price of a new computer, then buying a refurbished computer may be a great solution.