
Refurbished Dell Computers
Refurbished Pros and Cons

Pro: Return policies on refurbished models aren't always shorter. Often, you
have less time to return a refurbished PC than you do a new model. Dell's policy
is 14 days for refurbished returns and IBM's is 7 days, though both offer 30
days for new computers. Hewlett-Packard offers a 30-day return for both new and
refurbished computers, however.
Pro: Warranties for refurbished notebooks can be just as good. Usually,
the default warranty period for refurbished computers is shorter than for new
PCs. IBM and HP generally offer three-month standard warranties on their
refurbished notebooks, while refurbished Dell Inspirons come with a one-year
limited warranty. New PCs, by comparison, typically come with at least a
one-year limited warranty. All three vendors, however, offer warranty upgrades
(at an additional cost) for most refurbished notebook models.
Con: Refurbished notebooks can't be customized. Here's the potential deal
killer: While many new models (particularly from Dell, HP, and IBM) can be
customized, refurbished notebooks cannot. For instance, you can specify the
processor, amount of memory, hard drive capacity, and other features of a new
Dell notebook. With refurbished models, you can only choose from the available
inventory of preconfigured computers.
The Bottom Line
The playing field between refurbished and brand-new notebooks has been leveled
in recent years, to some degree. A refurbished notebook may be a good choice if
you want to get more features for your money but don't need the fastest
performance, the very latest model, or a computer that's customized to your
specific needs. If those are priorities, buy a new notebook.

Refurbished Dell Computers
Dell Computer Corporation, originally known as PC's
Limited, an international computer firm headquartered in Austin, Texas, designs,
manufactures, sells, and services IBM-compatible personal computers. By 1993 the
company was listed among the Fortune 500, owned fourteen international
subsidiaries, employed more than 4,800 workers, sold computer products in more
than seventy countries, generated sales of over $2 billion dollars, and was the
world's fourth-largest computer maker. The company was founded in 1984 by
Michael S. Dell, then an eighteen-year-old freshman at the University of Texas
at Austin, during the early stages of the personal-computer industry. Intrigued
by computers during his teens, Dell turned a hobby of building customized
computers into a company that pioneered the marketing and sale of personal
computer systems by telephone.