Refurbished vs. Recertified Technology: Which Should You Buy?

Considering the prices of certain pieces of tech, you might benefit from buying refurbished or recertified technology. But what are the differences between the two, and how does it affect the buyer?

It can be easy to get lost in terminology, especially if there isn’t a standard agreement among manufacturers. Some manufacturers conflate the terms and use them interchangeably. Some items are even certified refurbished, further blending the distinction. What’s the difference? Given the choice of both, which should you buy?

Instead of spending the full price on new technology, refurbished and recertified options can give the same value for less. With refurbished technology, there is a full battery of tests that have proven the tech’s saleability and usability. Recertified items have been given their own guarantee of viability. Buying refurbished technology over recertified is generally the way to go, but there are some subtle distinctions to consider.

What Does Refurbished Mean?

What does refurbished mean?Refurbished means the product has been restored to full working condition after being pre-owned or used as a display model. These as-new models have been thoroughly cleaned and tested before being sold to the public. Some consumers have a negative connotation associated with used products, especially used technology. If it was previously owned and returned, they assume it was returned because of a problem or defect. This isn’t always the case. With refurbished technology, those problems can be caught and properly alleviated.

In some cases, these are display models that have never been owned before. In other cases, the electronics were returned. When this happens, the manufacturer (or a third-party refurbisher) will put the product through a strict testing process. Only if it meets the functional standards of a new product can it be considered refurbished.

After being fixed, restored, and cleaned up, the refurbished product is sold at a lower price. Its functionality is exactly the same as a brand-new product, the only difference is cosmetic conditions. Some merchants and sites even include original accessories alongside the refurbished item.

What Does Recertified Mean?

Now that we know the definition of a refurbished item, you might be wondering what recertified means. Presently, recertified is a less commonly used phrase in technology. Recertified technology was originally a name for a product that had been checked and recertified as good to be sold.

Some sellers will still define their technology as either factory-certified or factory-recertified. Others will include such products under the larger classification of refurbished (or certified refurbished). Depending on the manufacturer, the process of recertifying the technology may be the same process as refurbishing.

A great example of a certified refurbished item on sale at Rackfinity is the HP EliteDesk 800 G6 Desktop Computer. This has been recertified and reprocessed by HP to pass the same level of tests as a new HP product. This deal also includes an HP warranty that helps the buyer save a considerable amount of money. HP calls this refurbished, but it has some overlap with recertification. The biggest difference here is the warranty: typically used equipment has a 30-day warranty and refurbished a 90-day warranty. HP’s typically have 1-year warranties on PC’s, LCD’s, and workstations but can be augmented further with an HP Care pack warranty upgrade.

The EliteDesk 800 G6 series is designed for the kind of performance and multitasking to support the workload of today’s businesses. It comes with a 125W 10th Gen Intel Core processor, standard Intel vPro 10, and up to 2933 MHz of memory. The 800 G6 offers strong security and manageability features, and is built with sustainability in mind. A refurbished HPEliteDesk still has security features creating an always-on, always-acting, and always-resilient defense.

If you’re looking for the best in refurbished technology options, check out what’s currently available at Rackfinity. We offer refurbished technology that’s been processed by manufacturers and third parties alike. This way, we can provide high-quality technology options for your business at a reasonable price