Due to bitter competition between PC manufacturers, computers are getting cheaper and more plentiful all the time.

However, many computer buyers may not have considered that even bigger savings can be made by looking at refurbished PCs.

Though you might be wary of buying something considered ‘second-hand’, careful buyers can pick up bargains; and when savings of around half the retail price can be made, it’s certainly something worth looking into.

Myths dispelled
The most common myth surrounding refurbished PCs is that they are computers that have been repaired following serious faults, dusted off and put into new boxes. In fact, there’s a lot more to it.

In many cases refurbs come with similar assurances of quality and after-sales support as is provided with brand new purchases. There is now an established market for these PCs, and many mainstream retailers offer refurbished computers.

The biggest appeal of this market is that massive savings can be made on price.

A refurbished computer is ideal as a cheap second PC for the home, or as a budget-conscious purchase for occasional use or for basic tasks like word processing and browsing the internet.

The history of a refurb
Refurbished PCs typically come from one of a range of sources. Businesses upgrading IT equipment often replace perfectly good PCs, albeit a tad old or under-specified for their requirements, which can then be refurbished and sold on.

Some computers may be ex-demonstration units, orders that have been cancelled or unfulfilled, or computers that have been superseded by a new range and have become surplus stock.

These markets provide the majority of refurbished stock, so there’s no particular reason to think that a refurbished computer is a bad egg in a new shell.

There’s another thing to look out for – Grade 2 is a term increasingly used by the industry to refer to computers that are new, but have been refurbished. Grade 2 computers are those that have been sent out to a customer, but have been dispatched because they appear to be faulty.

Often this is simply down to a lead that has come loose or a single component that needs replacing. These PCs are returned but, instead of being sold again as new, they are sent to a refurbishment specialist to be fixed and sold on. Many of these computers have barely been used, if at all.