New vs Refurbished Smartphones: Which Should I Go For?

Are you looking to save some money on your next smartphone? If you are, then the idea of purchasing a used or refurbished smartphone will have crossed your mind.

The thought of buying any tech secondhand can be nerve-wracking, especially online. How do you choose: new or refurbished? We’ll make some helpful comparisons between the two and clear up some misgivings you may have about refurbished phones.

But first, let’s clear up what retailers mean when they describe their pre-owned phones.

How are refurbished smartphones different to used phones?

There are few different ways retailers describe their phones. You might see refurbished phones described in a number of ways: ‘Apple certified pre-owned’ or ‘renewed’ are two examples. Always check before you buy any product, but the refurbished category of phone should mean that each has been thoroughly checked, damaged or worn parts replaced, and then thoroughly tested before being offered for sale.

A ‘used’ phone may have been cleaned up and perhaps repackaged to look smart. But it won’t have gone through the same rigorous repair and testing process as a refurbished phone. There is a possibility that a ‘used’ smartphone may be faulty whereas a ‘refurbished’ phone should work as well as it ever did.

If you are considering buying a phone that isn’t fresh from the manufacturer, always read the product description and the small print thoroughly before you buy. Look carefully for an assurance that the phone has been thoroughly tested and repaired if necessary.

Now let’s compare new vs refurbished.

Price

Let’s start with the money. A refurbished phone should be a lot lower in price than its brand new counterpart. Savings will vary according to the extent of visible marks to the outer case of the phone.

All refurbished phones will be fully functional and their tech in excellent condition. Many even look as good as new. Some may have a few visible signs of use, however. This will be reflected in their price. Good retailers will use a helpful grading system so you have an idea of the condition of each of their products.

New phones have a premium attached that comes with buying a shiny new phone in a fancy box straight from the factory. If you can live without elaborate original packaging and the signs of use that you’d probably get on a new phone within weeks anyway, you may find yourself an amazing deal with a refurbished phone.

Technology

Smartphone technology evolves quickly. Just think about how many updates to the iPhone Apple have released since its launch in 2007. More than one per year. You might feel like you want the very latest product. But unless you can afford to upgrade your phone every few months, it’s not going to stay being the latest for long.

It’s true that smartphone manufacturers do throw everything they have into improving a product in some way with each update. It might get slightly faster, have a better camera, be slightly smaller or slightly bigger, but rarely will it change greatly with each upgrade. You have to look back over a couple of years rather than a few months to see the bigger overall differences in technology.

Remember that newer isn’t always better. Certain manufacturers have better reputations. An older refurbished iPhone, for example, may contain superior and more reliable technology than a brand new phone from a less well-regarded manufacturer.

It’s a question of priorities. If the brand new model of your favorite phone has a new feature you can’t live without, then go for it. If you are happy with good tech that may now have been a year or two in circulation, then you may prefer to save some cash and opt for a pre-owned phone.

Quality

When you buy a new phone, you rightly expect it to function well through its guarantee period and beyond. It feels like a safe option. The biggest fear you may have about purchasing a refurbished phone is that you may be buying something more likely to break down.

If you purchase a refurbished phone from a reputable dealer, you’ll get a phone with 100% function. It will have been tested thoroughly and malfunctioning parts replaced. Refurbished phones may even be unwanted phones returned by consumers without fault (so effectively new). Or they may be phones returned under warranty with the defect repaired and tested.

Battery

Good news. If you buy a refurbished phone from a reputable retailer, then your phone will come with a brand new battery. So, you should expect the same life expectancy for that battery as obe from a brand new phone.

Warranty plan

You should also rest assured that a good retailer will offer you a limited warranty on a refurbished phone. You may get as much as one year’s warranty. This is the same length of time as Apple’s limited warranty on its new products.

Sustainability

If you are still unsure, then these facts about smartphones’ impact on the planet may help you choose between new and refurbished. The United Nations Environment Programme recently published some startling news on the impact of smartphone manufacturing in their report ‘Is Your Phone Really Smart?’:

• Gold, silver, cobalt, tin, tantalum, tungsten and copper are all required for smartphone production. The mining of these ‘contributes significantly to climate change’.
• The electronics industry as a whole generates up to 41 million tonnes of e-waste per year. Less than 16 percent of this is thought to be recycled.
• More than 83% of a smartphone’s carbon footprint happens during the manufacturing and transport process.
• They conclude, ‘the fast replacement rate of smartphones due to technical development and market strategy is unsustainable’.

So, clearly if you want to do your piece for the planet then choosing a pre-owned phone is the right option.

The choice is yours

All in all, buying a refurbished smartphone from a reputable company will get you a fully-functioning, long-lasting and guaranteed product at a lower cost. When you consider the environmental factors too, you should be considering a refurbished model as a really attractive option.