Refurbished Computers

[Robert Goren]

Should I buy a HP refurblished desktop? What are the pros and cons?

[Hanover1]

Should I buy a HP refurblished desktop? What are the pros and cons?

I see no downsides except what, if any, warranty they offer, and associated costs with this warranty. They benched everything before sale, and it should be a good deal. Cons would be not knowing how "refurbished" it actually is. If you do not see a substantial savings vs same model new, I would really buy new. There is really nothing to "refurbish" on a computer. It either works or it doesn't. How much mileage on the HD and CD/DVD drive is key, as they fail first usually. Find out exactly what "refurbished" is to them before deciding. Has processor been replaced? Cooling fans, power supply? Buy new with warranty, unless you seem to be saving a ton of money and they will stand by your purchase.
I have had no problems with HP myself, and I have owned a few from them. Don't buy a mini tower however....

[wilderness]

I've bought four refurbs (although not HP's) and never had any problem with any of them.

With some refubs sales good prices may be found, while other refurbs may be over-priced.

[DJofSD]

Should I buy a HP refurblished desktop? What are the pros and cons?
Purchased an HP-m7680n that was refurbished. Saved $400 over the exacta same new PC sitting on the display table. This was at Fry's. The box had an orange label on the outside of the box that said refurbished, and, after quizing the floor rep (salesperson), I decided for $400, it was worth the risk. I still have it and it works fine doing LP dubbing and SD video editing.

Upgraded the boot drive to a 10,000 RPM WDC Raptor. Added a 2nd SATA drive. Updated the NIC card to 10 Gb. A nice big frame and case made all of this relatively easy to do -- no cursing the engineers.

As a side story, I did have to have HP do a repair for me. There was an update to the BIOS that failed. It was a push but I don't recall if it was the result of a Microsoft Windows Update or an HP Update. The update was done from Windows but failed to complete. The end result was a PC that would not boot, and, all of my attempt to resurrect the BIOS failed. HP performed the repair. At the end, I got my PC back and with a more current BIOS level. Guess how much I had to pay altogether? Yep, $400. (BTW, that BIOS update slipped past me. I have done plenty of those but always while using MS-DOS or equivalent and never had a problem like this failed update while running under Windows.)

I would say taking a chance on buying a refrubished PC from HP is worth the risk.

[Capper Al]

I think it's a matter of value and not in favor of the refurbished. The biggest problem with buying a computer is that the minute you buy it, it is obsolete. Units that are refurbished are already old while prices on the newer ones generally are falling. I would guess -- as a rule of thumb -- if it isn't at least 50% less than the current sales, it's not worth it.

[bigmack]

Should I buy a HP refurblished desktop? What are the pros and cons?
Post up the specs/price of the system you're thinking of getting. Best to address the specifics of your inquiry than a thumbs up or down on refurb's.

[HUSKER55]

Tiger Direct has a lot of good deals. Check them out before you buy.

[Robert Goren]

I found this NEW computer at Staples on sale this. I going to look it at tomorrow.


http://www.staples.com/HP-Pavilion-Slimline-s5-1126-Desktop-PC/product_375554&cmArea= (http://www.staples.com/HP-Pavilion-Slimline-s5-1126-Desktop-PC/product_375554&cmArea=)

The refurbished one I was looking at

http://www.walmart.com/ip/HP-750-GB-BV528AAR-ABA/17480199

[Capper Al]

I would go with the new one. Good Luck.

I found this NEW computer at Staples on sale this. I going to look it at tomorrow.


http://www.staples.com/HP-Pavilion-Slimline-s5-1126-Desktop-PC/product_375554&cmArea= (http://www.staples.com/HP-Pavilion-Slimline-s5-1126-Desktop-PC/product_375554&cmArea=)

The refurbished one I was looking at

http://www.walmart.com/ip/HP-750-GB-BV528AAR-ABA/17480199

[bigmack]

I found this NEW computer at Staples on sale this. I going to look it at tomorrow.
That one is fine. Ensure they have it in stock by clicking "check store availability' before you schlep.

[Hanover1]

I found this NEW computer at Staples on sale this. I going to look it at tomorrow.


http://www.staples.com/HP-Pavilion-Slimline-s5-1126-Desktop-PC/product_375554&cmArea= (http://www.staples.com/HP-Pavilion-Slimline-s5-1126-Desktop-PC/product_375554&cmArea=)

The refurbished one I was looking at

http://www.walmart.com/ip/HP-750-GB-BV528AAR-ABA/17480199


This is a mini tower. They have serious heat dissipation problems, and a high failure rate as a result. Not some rumor, but fact. You can spend your money on what ever you wish, albiet more wisely. Owned one myself.

[bigmack]

This is a mini tower. They have serious heat dissipation problems, and a high failure rate as a result. Not some rumor, but fact. You can spend your money on what ever you wish, albiet more wisely. Owned one myself.
Can you Google that and find more support other than your personal experience?

[Hanover1]

Can you Google that and find more support other than your personal experience?

Just as you could.....

[Hanover1]

Can you Google that and find more support other than your personal experience?

Since you insist. Type "mini tower overheating" in search bar, then look for associatedcontent.com link/ article addressing issues with mini towers. Overheating is specifically discussed, and this was a less that 30 second search on my part. Common knowledge amongst computer repair folks.

[bigmack]

Since you insist. Type "mini tower overheating" in search bar, then look for associatedcontent.com link/ article addressing issues with mini towers. Overheating is specifically discussed, and this was a less that 30 second search on my part. Common knowledge amongst computer repair folks.
Don't you know how to post a link? You have ONE link supporting your claim? That's what we call a lame claim.

[Hanover1]

Don't you know how to post a link? You have ONE link supporting your claim? That's what we call a lame claim.

Whats your issue here? Your fingers broke? Do your own research. The facts are out there. There are dozens of links and hundreds of articles discussing cramming computer parts in a confined space ala mini tower. Overheating is a common issue with mini towers, and it is not exclusive to my experience. I hope you bought one.....

[bigmack]

Whats your issue here? Your fingers broke? Do your own research. The facts are out there. There are dozens of links and hundreds of articles discussing cramming computer parts in a confined space ala mini tower. Overheating is a common issue with mini towers, and it is not exclusive to my experience. I hope you bought one.....
What a creep. How do you think they still sell mini-towers? They ALL overheat.

I've sold over 500 mini towers and NOT ONE of them overheated.

Weird, huh?

[Hanover1]

What a creep. How do you think they still sell mini-towers? They ALL overheat.

I've sold over 500 mini towers and NOT ONE of them overheated.

Weird, huh?

All those articles sure are weird, huh? I was imagining things when mine overheated, the articles (dozens of them...) are all fabricated, and everybody that bought one from you regularly gets back with you too...thats wonderful. What you sold and how they perform are two seperate issues. Are you a computer tech/repairman as well?..not rocket science in the day of plug and play as a matter of fact....but assuming you take in several damaged towers every week for a living, you can attest to the high failure rate of towers due to overheating. I suspect you are not qualified to discredit anything these articles point out, as, in fact, they speak of the issue of overheating in MINI TOWERS. Imagine that!! Stunning isn't it? I will take the "creep" namecalling comment under advisement. Now tell us all as a final retort here that the articles do not exist, and it is not an issue with these towers. Be sure to do the research you really need to do first...or anyone that goes behind us here will expose the truth for themself. Then it won't matter how many you sold, :rolleyes: they still get hot. ;)

[bigmack]

All those articles sure are weird, huh? I was imagining things when mine overheated, the articles (dozens of them...)
Dozens of 'em? Is your Google different than mine?

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u70/macktime/minitoweroverheating-GoogleSearch.png

That's the first page. You call ANY of those alarming :confused:

If you weren't so obtuse in a contrived fashion you'd post ONE link that says anything about a comprehensive heat problem with ALL, or even HP, minitowers.

[Hanover1]

Dozens of 'em? Is your Google different than mine?

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u70/macktime/minitoweroverheating-GoogleSearch.png

That's the first page. You call ANY of those alarming :confused:

If you weren't so obtuse in a contrived fashion you'd post ONE link that says anything about a comprehensive heat problem with ALL, or even HP, minitowers.

Try Bing, as I did....first page

[Hanover1]

Try Bing, as I did....first page

and the last link on this page has nothing to do with overheating? Once again Bing, first page, then try a few more...

[bigmack]

Try Bing, as I did....first page
Good grief. The king of obtuse.

Buzz off.

Fu***g Bing. :D

[Hanover1]

People can read....techs don't lie. Your emotional attachment to your 500 mini towers has your judgement clouded. My own brother in law makes his living, and has for over 25 years, repairing computers. Not as a side job, but fulltime, supporting family, paying the bills, ect, ect...and I suppose he lies to me about these things as well. Mini towers are prone to overheating issues, and you don't have to believe it for it to be fact. It is written, and so it shall be. Happens everyday. You sell miracle mini towers. Happy now? They are still sold because they are used in tight spaces, part of the reason they don't get proper air circulation, combined with the proximity of all the components vs the regular dimensions of full sized tower, hence the high overheating issues. But if that doesn't make any sense to you, at this point I have to accept the fact that you are unobjective on the whole issue, and will move on.

[bigmack]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

This creep just sent me a NASTY PM. That's the first one I've ever had. :ThmbUp:

After he/she called me an asshole they went on & on.

Funny stuff.

[speed]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

This creep just sent me a NASTY PM. That's the first one I've ever had. :ThmbUp:

After he/she called me an asshole they went on & on.

Funny stuff.
LMAO Funny stuff indeed.

[Hanover1]

He sold 500 mini towers? OF COURSE they don't overheat! never did.....LMAO

[Robert Goren]

I read a few of the articles. Most of the reports of the overheating happened a couple years ago. It looks like they may have solved the problem if they even had actually had a problem. In any case, there will a least 2 feet of open space on three sides of it if I buy it. I am not worried.

[Hanover1]

I read a few of the articles. Most of the reports of the overheating happened a couple years ago. It looks like they may have solved the problem if they even had actually had a problem. In any case, there will a least 2 feet of open space on three sides of it if I buy it. I am not worried.

As long as you are happy, that is the key. Keep in mind that they are still the same size....best of luck.

[Capper Al]

I read a few of the articles. Most of the reports of the overheating happened a couple years ago. It looks like they may have solved the problem if they even had actually had a problem. In any case, there will a least 2 feet of open space on three sides of it if I buy it. I am not worried.

That's another reason why the new computers are a better deal than the refurbished. The new ones are always getting better.

[DJofSD]

Wow. Leave a thread for a day and it turns to do-do.

RG, Slimlines are just fine. I've had two and never had any reason to suspect overheating. Just don't put your PC in a closed area where there is little or no air circulation. All electronic equipment needs to spill heat but if you don't allow for the hot air to go somewhere and provide a source of cooler air then you always run the risk of components overheating and a failure.

[PaceAdvantage]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

This creep just sent me a NASTY PM. That's the first one I've ever had. :ThmbUp:

After he/she called me an asshole they went on & on.

Funny stuff.Are you guys seriously fighting over the fact that mini towers might have more heat issues than full sized towers?

If they're both stuffed with similar components and similar cooling methods, of course the mini tower will have the potential to overheat more easily than a full sized tower. That's just common sense.

Perhaps bigmack realized this and configured and cooled those mini-towers in the proper manner.

No more nasty private messages Hanover1...why I even need to say this is beyond me....

[bigmack]

Are you guys seriously fighting over the fact that mini towers might have more heat issues than full sized towers?
No. "Serious heat dissipation & high failure rate." But you knew that.

This is a mini tower. They have serious heat dissipation problems, and a high failure rate as a result. Not some rumor, but fact.

[Robert Goren]

I bought the mini tower today and it will be delivered tomorrow. I hoping for the best. Thanks to everybody for their imput in this thread and an earlier one in August.

[Hanover1]

No. "Serious heat dissipation & high failure rate." But you knew that.

No private message will get in the way of common sense here, seriously. By their very nature, they experience higher failure rates than conventional towers, but I would deny it if I was selling them too. Mr Goren has expressed his desire to look at them,and may in fact purchase one. The onus is on him in the end, and noone else. While they don't all fail, lets hope he gets a good one.

[Canarsie]

I bought the mini tower today and it will be delivered tomorrow. I hoping for the best. Thanks to everybody for their imput in this thread and an earlier one in August.

Good luck on your new machine.

The only advice I can give is to buy a can of compressed air and blow out the dust every couple of months.

Didn't want to get in this argument but I've been building them since the 286 and I can count on one hand machines that went down with heat or processor failure that I worked on. If Mack sold 500 the same results should be expected. Most of these machines don't have graphic intensive cards which would make them run hotter.

When I type in mini tower overheating the first thing that pops up in Google is this thread. :lol:

[HUSKER55]

now THAT is funny:lol: :lol:

[Robert Goren]

My thread made to #1 on google. What a day! :lol: :lol:

[bigmack]

My thread made to #1 on google. What a day! :lol: :lol:
Two things in play. This, as of two days ago:

Google, by far the leader in Internet searches, says it has revised its search formula to give people "fresher, more recent search results." It says the update is one of the bigger ones it's made in recent years, enough to affect about 35 percent of the searches people make.

Now hcap & mostie have no excuse for posting recent data and not that from '02 and beyond.

And the other element in play... Bing is laughable. I haven't done a search there in over a year. Their algorithm is clearly in outer space. Deep space.

You can't find this thread for your life on Bingy.

[PaceAdvantage]

No. "Serious heat dissipation & high failure rate." But you knew that.No, actually I had forgotten the exact wording...I will agree with you that this is not an accurate assessment.

[Hanover1]

No, actually I had forgotten the exact wording...I will agree with you that this is not an accurate assessment.

And you would know how?

[PaceAdvantage]

And you would know how?Personal experience and a pretty extensive knowledge of computer hardware.

Define "high failure rate."

[Canarsie]

Personal experience and a pretty extensive knowledge of computer hardware.

Define "high failure rate."

This may take a little bit of time since he will have to consult his brother in law.

Let me add that anyone who knows even a little bit about computers knows tricks of the trade to reduce heat.

1. Make sure airflow is at it's maximum.

2. Make sure the processor has thermal paste to reduce heat.

3. Use a software (freeware) program to give you temperature warnings.

4. Adding a fan if these is room. All cases aren't made the same. One thing I have learned when it comes to motherboards and cases is spend the extra money in the long term you will always come out ahead.

4. Gateway and EMachines had a high failure rate because of poor design (opinion) and components. From personal experience machines from companies like this had high failure rates.