Refurbished PC Gaming - Working with a lower budget.
Why buy a refurbished gaming PC?
Refurbished computers are great for people on a budget.
But how much of a discount are you getting when you buy a refurbished computer?
Choose Wisely.
Buying a refurbished computer isn't as simple as buying a new one. You need to do some research before making a purchase. First, check out the seller's reputation by looking up reviews online (This links to our Trustpilot Reviews). If there aren't any, then you should probably avoid them. This may not always bee the case if you definitely know the company in question. For the most part though, the more reviews the better. Especially if they're recent, check the dates when you're checking how many they have.
Second, read through the description carefully to see what condition the computer is in. It may sound obvious now, but the seller will likely describe in detail what condition the machine is in. Take our conditions/grading system for example. We describe what each of our conditions is clearly and consisely so you know exactly what you're getting before it arrives.
Third, ask yourself whether you really need a refurbished computer. If you're just starting out, you might not need a high-end system to begin with, and they're often reasonably priced while new. Even then though - could you get a better deal on a refurbished model? Almost certainly yes! We (TEKShop) typically set our refurbished prices much lower than brand new retail.
Brand New
Sealed Item
Original retail packaging
12 Month manufacturer warranty
Backed up with 12 month TEKshop collect and return warranty
Open Box
Box has been opened but goods are in like-new condition
Original retail packaging / OEM box
Casing may have very minor handling marks from inspection
12 Month collect and return warranty from Manufacturer or TEKshop
Grade A
Device will be in excellent condition with no to minimal signs of use
May have light scratches/marks/blemishes on the item
Fully functional and updated to the latest operating system/firmware
Professionally refurbished (tested, inspected and cleaned) by qualified specialist
Original accessories, May come in generic packaging
12 Month collect and return warranty from Manufacturer or TEKshop
Grade B
Device will be in good condition with signs of usage on the item
May have visible scratches/marks/blemishes on the item
Fully functional and updated to the latest operating system / firmware
Professionally refurbished (tested, inspected and cleaned) by qualified specialist
Original accessories, May come in generic packaging
12 Month return to base warranty from TEKshop
Here at TEKshop, we have devised an accurate Grading Policy to ensure we deliver products to our customers with clear and concise information on their condition, both physically and aesthetically. Please take a moment to review our grading system.
BRAND NEW
Brand new
Original manufacturers packaging
12 month manufacturer warranty
Backed up with 12 months concurrent TEKshop warranty
Open Box
Open boxed returns / cancelled Orders
Item is new with no usage
May have extremely minor handling marks from inspection
Retail packaging (some boxes may not be pristine or will come in OEM packaging)
12 Month manufacturer warranty or 12 month TEKshop collect and return warranty
Grade A
Mix of ex-demo products and 14-day customer returns
Item is in excellent condition with no signs of usage
May have light scratches / marks / blemishes from demonstration
Retail packaging (box may not be pristine or comes in OEM Packaging)
12 Month manufacturer warranty or 12 month TEKshop collect and return warranty
Grade B
Mix of ex-display products and up to 28-day customer returns
Item is in very good working condition with signs of light usage on the item
May be brown boxed, may have some scratches / marks / blemishes which do not affect the working condition of the product
If applicable - screens may have missing / stuck / dead / bright pixels
12 Month TEKshop return to base warranty
Look at the specs.
This may also sound obvious, but you really must closely look at the specs. It's not always worth going for the absolute top model. For instance, in a desktop such as the MSI Aegis they have a model with RTX 3090 graphics card, one with an RTX 3080 and additional lower models. If you're looking to game at 1080p (full HD) than this is massive overkill!
A good rule of thumb is to buy a computer that has similar specifications to the ones you currently use. for example, if you have an i5-10500 CPU, got for an i5-11500 or similar. The same goes for graphics cards, they go up in generations. If you have an RTX 2070, consider upgrading to an RTX 3070. This will help ensure you have a familier, but improved experience. However, if you're planning on upgrading later, you'll want to consider purchasing a more powerful machine. It's always worth buying slightly more than you think you'll need so you won't need to upgrade as much or as quickly later.
Check out the reviews.
If you're looking to purchase a refurbished PC gaming machine, it's always best practice to find reviews for the new version of the machine elsewhere online. You'll usually find a great deal of indepth articles discussing the pros and cons of each model. Take Toms Hardware for example, they do hundreds of reviews of all kinds of hardware, laptops and desktops. You'll usually find great impartial advice there on what machines are good.
Then, once you've done the research you can see if you can find a good refurbished model online. If you're looking at the TEKshop website, but can't find a refurbished model of the one you're looking for - please do contact us, we have much more available on our eBay page and can easily add them to the website for you to have a look at.
What might a refurbished machine look like?
Well, in most cases, very similar to a non-refurb! At least here at TEKshop, all our refurbished models are in perfect working order. The only identifying features of them being refurbished are things like unbranded packaging and minor cosmetic imperfections.
Take this laptop pictured right (or below on a mobile). It's in perfect working order, it's powerful, cheaper than a new model. The only difference? The minor scratches around the USB and HDMI ports. You likely woudn't even ever see them after you'd set the laptop up once.
The exact same goes for our desktops, for the most part, scratches, dents or minor cosmetic damage in exchange for a fully functional, and noticably cheaper version of the machine you're looking for. Seems like a fair trade doesn't it?
Image showing minor scratches around I/O ports.
What about the warranty?
This is obviously going to vary by supplier, but at least in our case (TEKshop) we always include some warranty. On some of our models it's as much as 12 months and in some cases, still with the manufacturer! We go into much more detail in a per product capacity, so it's worth having a look to see. With most of our goods, it's at least 12 months warrantied by ourselves, so you can be assured you won't have any issues with the machine. Even if you do, we'll be on call to help you get up and running again.
Why buy refurbished?
It's greener, cheaper and underappreciated.
You will be saving technology with a long time left in it's life from landfill. You'll be paying less for the same technology.
What's not to love? Grab a bargain, save some money and enjoy gaming or working on your new machine. You'll be covered by our warranty, and backed up by our expert technicians should you need any help setting up or getting used to something.
What does TEKshop offer?
We mainly stock laptops, but we do have multiple Refurbished PC gaming machines. You can have a quick look through below. Please contact us if there is something specific you're interested in as we do have way more in stock than shown on the website. We are working hard to add as much as quickly as we can!
