Refurbished & Recertified vs. Used IT Hardware
Most business leaders are always looking for new ways to put money back into their budgets. This is particularly true of small and midsize businesses, which have smaller budgets to begin with. For these companies, the prospect of saving on IT equipment can be especially attractive.
Buying previously owned IT equipment can be a great way to achieve the savings that so many businesses are looking for, but it’s important that you take the time to learn exactly what you’re getting before you make such an investment. The terms “used” and “refurbished” are commonly used to describe previously owned IT equipment, but the two are not interchangeable. If you want to make sure the great deal you’re getting is really as great as you think it is, it’s important that you learn what the two terms mean, and how they’re different.
Used Vs. Refurbished
To put it succinctly, all refurbished IT equipment is used, but not all used equipment has been refurbished.
That’s because “used” can refer to any IT equipment that was previously owned by another organization. However, only refurbished equipment has been cleaned, updated, tested and reconfigured for a specific purpose.
If you’re buying IT equipment that’s described as “used," you have no way of knowing what you’ll be getting for your money. The equipment may be so old that it has outlived its useful lifespan, and chances are high that no one will have checked out the equipment to see if there are any issues that may prevent it from operating effectively.
On the other hand, refurbished IT equipment follows a set of specific steps before it can be sold, making it much easier for you to feel confident about what you’re buying. The refurbishing process begins with a thorough cleaning, both inside and out. The cleaning process is important, as it removes any dust that may have built up while the equipment was in use. Removing this dust helps prevent harmful overheating that can take years off of the lifespan of the product.
The equipment is then subjected to a testing procedure that is similar to the one used during the original manufacturing process. This testing helps identify any components that may have been weakened or damaged, so that these components can be replaced before the unit is put up for sale. Finally, the unit can be reconfigured in order to make sure that it meets a client’s specific purposes.
Reputable companies that follow a thorough refurbishing process often offer warranties on refurbished equipment that are up to three times as long as those offered by original equipment manufacturers. If you have concerns about the quality of refurbished IT equipment, this fact should help put your mind at ease!
Recertification
You may also see refurbished IT equipment that is described as “recertified.” This simply means that the equipment has been refurbished according to standards established by the original equipment manufacturer or some other certifying organization. It simply provides another level of assurance that you are buying a quality piece of equipment.
The Benefits of Refurbished Equipment
Refurbished equipment allows you to get all the benefits of used equipment (including a price tag that can be up to 50 percent less than the cost of new equipment) while also feeling confident that the equipment will continue providing reliable service for many years to come.
If you’re considering previously owned IT equipment as way to save money, it’s important that you know if the company you’re buying from is offering used equipment or refurbished equipment. At Aventis Systems, we’re proud to offer you equipment that’s refurbished according to the highest standards possible, including Dell refurbished desktops and laptops. Browse our Products page for more info.
Additionally, Aventis Systems offers a standard 3 year comprehensive warranty on all servers and storage equipment and a 1 year comprehensive warranty on all Cisco and networking equipment, workstations, desktops, laptops and hardware components. Contact us for more information on buying refurbished and recertified.
