Refurbished HP Computers? (1 Viewer)

[Jesse Clift]

Hi all,
I'm in the market for a new computer and I came across this deal on the HP website for a refurbished 750n.

• Pentium 4 1.6
• 512 MB DDR SDRAM
• 80 Gig Hard Drive
• 16x DVD, CD-writer (16x/8x/40x)
• Windows XP
• nVidia TNT2 M64 AGP graphics card
• 90-day limited hardware warranty

$799 plus shipping
Does anyone have any opinions or experience with these refurbished systems? I don't really want to go through the hassle of building my own system and this seems like a pretty decent deal. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
-Jesse

 

[KyleS]

No but that price isnt exactly outstanding. I routinely build a system almost exact to that for clients and its brand new. Go to newegg and see what you could put together for $800

KyleS

 

[Jesse Clift]

KyleS,

I checked out newegg and I do realize that money can be saved if a computer is built component by component. However, I am willing to pay a little bit extra for an all-in-one package. Having never built my own computer, my biggest concern is that if something went wrong during the assembly or even after it's been put together, I wouldn't know how the hell to fix it. I guess I'm paranoid because I have friends who have built their own computers and have had problems. These friends are much more proficient with computers than I so I don't think my chances of success could be very good.

-Jesse

 

[KyleS]

Jesse,
That is a very good point sorry I almost assume that most people know how to build a computer but that is a HUGE assumption since I am used to dealing with other techs all day.
If you want a system that is all put together then this doesnt look bad. You could get a comparable Brand new Dell 1.7ghz, 256mb Ram, 80GB, XP home, DVD/CDRW, 64mb Video for right around 900 after rebate. Something to think about if you want a full year warranty and cant build one yourself.
KyleS

 

[ryan_m]

My company has bought a few refurbed HPs and have not had any problems with them. pcmall.com has approx what you are looking for for about $550 I believe.

 

[Jesse Clift]

KyleS-
A new Dell system is a possibility. A one year warranty as opposed to a 60-day one is a definite plus. I've really only heard nothing but good about Dell, however, my personal experience with HP has also been outstanding. I think that if the HP system was new and the same price, I would definitely get it. It's the refurbished part that is the big question. I can't even find out exactly what they mean by "refurbished" from the website. I'm assuming that they've replaced the internals, but who knows to what extent? I suppose I should just call customer service and ask them.
Anybody else that knows anything about refurbished computers, your input would be greatly appreciated.
-Jesse

 

[Jesse Clift]

ryan_m-

Wow! Thanks for the tip, there are some really interesting deals at PC Mall. They have almost exactly the same refurbished HP for $699! Your company's experience with refurbished HP's is also encouraging.

-Jesse

 

[Thom B]

I've got a refurb hp I picked up a few years ago and it's still going strong. It's relegated to quake/mp3 server status now but it's never given me any trouble.

 

[Jeff D.]

Personally, I wouldn't touch an HP (or any other big name all-in-one) with a 10 foot pole.
I've had three friends now, all who went the HP route, and ended up pulling out their hair in sheer frustration. The problem is the lack of upgradability (usually). The load of software piled onto these things bogs them down. One could argue that you could flush the system and install only what you need - but I tried that twice and it didn't work. There seemed to be so many specific 'hooks' in the HP configuration that a fresh install off a Microsoft OS disc was useless.
I still recommend building your own PC - but if you don't feel confident doing it yourself, try and find a local business that can do it. Maybe I'm lucky in my location, but we have a couple of 'wholesale' computer stores that sell all the bits and pieces at a good price, and they will assemble the whole thing for you too.
The advantages here is easy upgradeability - you shouldn't have nearly as many problems as those all-in-one systems. Also, you can install just the software you need - your system doesn't get bogged down with useless apps wasting HD and memory space.
Anyway, just my thoughts.
/Jeff