Refurbished computers are superior to new computers for three reasons.

1. They can be just as, or more reliable than new models.
2. They are about half the original cost.
3. They are for more environmentally benign.

Refurbished computers were likely retail floor models or models used by employees of a firm before upgrading to the next batch. A technician then tested the system and cleaned, repaired, or upgraded whatever parts needed it.

The reliability largely depends on from whom they are bought. I like Amazon because you can check seller ratings. Tiger Direct also seems to have a good reputation. Some speculate that refurbished computers can be more reliable than off-the-shelf because as they are thoroughly tested, inferior parts replaced with quality parts.

I needed something very cheap but compatible with most modern software. I bought a Dell Latitude C640 Notebook 1.8ghz Pentium 4, 512mb RAM for just over $300 (with a 40 GB hard drive). I can’t say this is an immaculate piece of equipment, but it serves my purposes for music, media, internet, and word processing. There has been one drawback; the first hard drive failed after 2-3 days. However, the seller sent a replacement, no questions asked, and it has been working perfectly now for over 3 months.

I learned from TechSoup Blog just how environmentally taxing it is to manufacture a new computer. The author pulled the following statistics from the book,  Computers and the Environment: Understanding and Managing their Impacts:

“Producing the average 53-pound desktop computer and CRT monitor requires 530 pounds of fossil fuels, 50 pounds of chemicals, and 3,330 pounds of water.”

The author goes on to say that refurbishing requires 5 to 20 times less energy than manufacturing a new system.

So, you save money and reduce environmental impact. If you buy from a reputable seller it should be very reliable - but if something fails, it will probably do so immediately, under warranty. Most people who buy refurbished are very happy with their purchase, and at about half the retail price, it’s an extremely good gamble.