// Buying guide
Refurbished vs New Laptops — Which Should You Buy?
If you're spending under $700, a refurbished business-class laptop almost always beats a brand-new consumer laptop on build, keyboard, and repairability. Here's the honest comparison.
40–60%
Avg savings
30 days local
Warranty
~3 kg / laptop
E-waste avoided
Side-by-side
| Feature | Refurbished business laptop | New consumer laptop |
|---|---|---|
| Price for similar specs | $250–$600 | $900–$1800 |
| Build quality (business-class) | Magnesium / carbon ThinkPads, MIL-spec chassis | Mostly plastic at this price tier |
| Keyboard feel | Older ThinkPad / Latitude — great travel | Thin, shallow modern keyboards |
| Repairability & upgrades | RAM / SSD / battery user-serviceable | Often soldered RAM, glued batteries |
| Warranty | 30-day hardware warranty from me | 1-year manufacturer |
| Latest CPU / battery cycle | 8–12th gen Intel / Ryzen | Newest silicon, fresh battery |
| Environmental impact | Reuses a working machine | New mining + manufacturing |
| Local support | Text Dylan, walk in same day | Call centre / mail-in |
When refurbished makes sense
- • Students who need a workhorse for notes, browsing, Office, and Zoom.
- • Anyone whose budget is under ~$700 and doesn't want a flimsy plastic laptop.
- • People who hate tiny modern keyboards (ThinkPads are still the gold standard).
- • Anyone who wants to upgrade RAM or storage later instead of buying again.
When new makes sense
- • You need the latest CPU for heavy video editing or AI workloads.
- • You want the longest possible battery life out of the box.
- • You need a multi-year manufacturer warranty for a business deployment.
See what's in stock today
Every laptop in inventory is hand-tested, gets a fresh Windows or Linux install, and ships with a 30-day hardware warranty. Local pickup in Victoria, BC.