Buying used has its perks, but it isn’t for everyone.
Why You Should Buy Used
To Save Money. You can get components at a discount, which means you may even be able to find better technology that fits within your budget.
It’s Like New. "Tested" refurbished parts are virtually as good as new. Certificates verifying a part has been tested can be requested from the seller.
To Upgrade. You want a faster hard drive or bigger memory.
For Repairs. If your computer is simply having maintenance problems, you could try replacing the damaged parts with certified refurbished parts, instead of buying an entirely new computer.
How To Shop Refurbished
No Shipping Costs. Buy from a physical store, rather than online. Or buy from an online store that offers free shipping.
No Ghost Images. Images are “burnt” into the screen when a monitor has been left on for long periods of time.
All Pixels Working. If an LCD monitor has damaged pixels (sometimes due to touch or damage during shipping), black spots will appear on the screen.
Updated Software and Programs. Get the licensing agreements, otherwise known as certificates of authenticity, for all software on the computer to ensure that they were purchased legally and you can still use them.
Inclusive Parts. Make sure the product comes with all the parts (cables, batteries, manual, etc.).
Get a Warranty. Check for licensing agreements and return policies too.
Read the Fine Print. There can be a catch to those golden deals.
Where To Shop
How Geek Squad Can Help
Geek Squad can help set up and optimize your refurbished products. Here are some examples.
No Old Files or Documents. Make sure the computer has been formatted back to factory standards to remove all old files, documents, viruses and software. Norton System Work’s Wipe Info and On Track’s Data Eraser are software programs that can do this.
Virus- and Spyware-Free. If a used computer has been re-formatted to factory standards, there will not be any virus protection in place. You’ll want anti-virus software to protect your data.
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