| Refurbished notebook computers offer a cost | | | | notebooks". These in fact are used notebooks and |
| effective way to acquire a notebook. There are a | | | | should be advertised as such. The price usually is |
| few pitfalls to avoid, but after reading this article | | | | very affordable so they can be attracting at first, |
| you're much less likely to fall into any of those traps, | | | | but make sure you check every little detail you can |
| even if you're not that tech savvy. | | | | think of. If you have no idea what to look for, check |
| A refurbished notebook computer is a laptop that | | | | things you'd really hate to have repaired. |
| the manufacturer took back for a reason. There are | | | | Screen, hard disk drive, keyboard, outer shell. These |
| renew notebooks that are pre-owned. These | | | | are all frustrating if they go south, so check all of |
| notebooks broke down and instead of repairing them | | | | them. Used notebooks are virtually a hub for |
| the company gave the user a new one. Meanwhile | | | | diseases, look at the keyboard. If it's dirty or there is |
| they got it repaired and put them back on the | | | | "stuff" between the keys, don't buy it. There are |
| shelves. | | | | very few more disgusting things out there than a |
| These notebooks are usually in almost new condition, | | | | keyboard full of dirt from the previous owner. |
| it takes a thorough examination to tell if they've | | | | Hard disk drive. If you have time then check it for |
| been tampered with. The most often failing | | | | bad sectors or funky noises. If there is anything |
| component in a notebook is the battery and the | | | | going on, skip the deal. Hard disks are prone to |
| screen. Both parts are easily replaced by an expert, | | | | mechanical damage because they have moving parts. |
| so if you go for a renew notebook that has been | | | | A dead hard drive can erase all your documents and |
| repaired with one of these you're in for a great deal. | | | | they're not cheap to get back. In the hundreds. |
| Ask the retailer why the particular unit is refurbished. | | | | The screen is an important part as well. Check for |
| They either state it on the box or the label, but they | | | | dead pixels. This is an easy step, scrutinize the |
| have to tell you if you ask. If the model is new, the | | | | screen showing solid white, black, blue, green and red |
| price is right and you can't spot anything shady going | | | | backgrounds. If you don't spot anything strange and |
| on, jump at it and be happy with your new | | | | the colors, contrast, brightness look all right you're |
| notebook, it's not very likely to fail again after careful | | | | good to go. |
| repair and thorough in-house testing by the | | | | For those who are not that self confident a friend |
| manufacturer. | | | | can be a very good help. Ask someone you know is |
| There are notebooks that are older models. These | | | | handy with computers. They will spot if something is |
| are usually sold by private entities as "refurbished | | | | wrong and it can save you some hard earned money. |