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The Age Old Question: Should I Buy a New or Referbished Computer?

This is one of “those” questions, I believe.  If you’re looking at buying a computer, you may be asking yourself this question: new or used?  I know there are many people with strong opinions that fall into both sides.  I think this question can actually have a different answer depending on what your need is.  Does that sound wishy-washy?  Let me know AFTER reading the rest of the article!

I think there are two questions you can ask yourself to help you determine which direction you should go.

(1) How much experience do you have with computers?

I see this as an important question for several reasons.  First of all, if you need a computer in order to learn some of the basics, such as surfing the web, doing email, writing papers, and perhaps uploading and sharing photos, then you may want to begin with something a little less expensive, at least until you learn enough and are able to use it to its fullest potential.

The trick here is to find someone you trust who will be able to find you a refurbished computer that, one, will last long enough that you get some use out of it, and two, will be good enough to suit your needs.  The idea here is to get something you can train on, and THEN move up to a newer, more robust machine.

However, if you are more experienced, you probably, one, know what it is that you need, and two, be able to use it to its fullest already and may actually want something more robust.

(2) What do you need it for?

The needs really do determine what kind of computer to get.  If all you need is something inexpensive that you can do school papers on, you’ll be wasting your time on the new gaming computer.  All you really need is to be able to run a word processor and a printer (and perhaps the internet and email).

Now, if you are getting into graphics design, photo or video editing, gaming and/or game design, etc. etc., you’ll be needing something more.  If you are needing a bit more than the basics, a newer model is probably for you.

Those are two major questions to ask yourself.  You’ll also want to think about such things as finances, being, how much can you afford.  You’ll also need to consider a few things when looking for a refurbished system:

(1) If you need it, get some help from someone you trust.

(2) Buy it from a place where you can test it out first.  Ebay or Craigslist are probably not the best places for a newbie to buy a used system.

(3) Check to see what kind of wear and tear there is already.  Signs of excessive use (or misuse) or signs of exposure to elements can indicate what kind of machine you are looking at.  Look for crack and excessive scratching, staining, etc. and take them as signs you may want to find something else.

(4) Some places offer some sort of warranty.  For instance, a good reputable refurbished computer salesman will offer a month’s warranty.  You want to make sure you’re not getting a lemon.

As I said earlier, find someone you trust to help you because they can find a store THEY trust and you’re life will be SO much easier because of it.  ALSO, if you have some more used computer buying tips, help us out in the comments!