Refurbished Laptop Computer Buying Guide

A refurbished laptop, also known as re-certified or remanufactured, has been returned to the company for one reason or another. Perhaps it didn't work within the customers configuration, was returned from a business lease, or was a review unit. The company will clean, repair, replace parts and test the unit to bring it up to factory specs. Then they resell it at a significant discount. When you're looking for an exceptional deal on a laptop computer, you might want to go the refurbished route.

If you're buying from a vendor you know and trust, a refurbished laptop can be a great deal with no downside. If you're a little nervous about the refurbished laptop route, buy it directly from a trusted manufacturer.

A re-certified laptop is only as good as the warranty and the company honoring it. Expect a minimum 90 day warranty from most merchants. That's pretty much the standard throughout the industry.

Don't confuse a remanufactured laptop with products that are simply used or pre-owned. While a refurbished laptop has been tested and repaired, pre-owned or used laptops may not come with any warranties. You can get some great deals on re-certified laptops from many of the major vendors on-line. Just make sure you read the fine print on the web page.

Just shop smart and buy from a company that has a long-standing reputation for quality and customer service.

Finally, if you purchase a refurbished laptop on or off-line, run these tests when you get it home. If you notice any problems, return it for a refund and try another model. Most merchants have a 30-day return policy. Don't hesitate to use it.

If you purchase a refurbished laptop, here are a few tests I recommend you try when you receive your laptop.

• Reboot the laptop a few times to test the boot process.
• Dial out to test the modem. Visit a few web pages.
• Send and receive a few e-mails.
• Read and write from the floppy drive.
• Try the viewing screen on different resolutions.
• Check the viewing screen for contrast and brightness.
• Check the LCD screen for dead pixels which appear as black dots.
• Try burning a disc if there is a CD-RW drive present.
• Play a DVD movie or audio CD if it has the appropriate drive.

Because laptop inventory fluctuates very rapidly, if you find a good buy, don't hesitate. Many times the quantity available is limited to stock on hand and when they're gone they may not be receiving another shipment of the same model with similar specs.