Are these worth the cost? My old win10 is ready for the scrap heap so I need a replacement. I have a MacBook pro but still need a windows box.
what’s the difference between refurb a and b?
I think usually grade A and grade B tend to be like the condition of the unit. So they don’t know the specifics of these ones, but grade A probably have few of any scratches. Sometime is depending on the vendor, grade A maybe “like new”.
I would recommend checking eBay for laptops with similar specs to compare, keeping in mind that “eBay refurbished” devices have a two year warranty as opposed to the 90 day warranty here.
Hi there, the below is a link to the Woot item condition glossary.
(Please Note: I’m not employed by Woot, but I volunteer to help in the forums.)
Back in January of 2024 they had a similar deal, but for $179.99 and I bought one. It died a few weeks ago but did it’s job for the time I had it (ran laser burner, did the slicing for 3d printer, downloaded files to the sewing machine, went online when other computers weren’t close). The specs on the laptop I bought 2 years ago is not much different from these on sale now. If the price was lower I would get a replacement, but at this point the price is too high for what you are getting.
Spec from 2 years ago:
- Intel Core i5-6300U CPU or newer - 50% of customers will receive an i7; 25% of customers will receive an i5 8th gen or newer.
- 13.1" HD Display (1366 x 768 resolution) - 80% of customers will receive a Full HD (1920 x 1080) display. 65% of customers will receive a 14.0" screen and 10% will receive a 15.6" screen.
- At least 8GB of DDR4-2400 Memory (Supports up to 32GB) - 65% of customers will receive 16GB of RAM, 10% will receive 32GB.
- At least 256GB SSD Storage - 35% of customers will receive at least 512GB storage.
- Integrated 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1
- Integrated HD Webcam
- Genuine Windows 10 Pro 64-Bit OS - most will support Windows 11
- Integrated Battery with AC Adapter to keep it charged
- B-Grade Condition; they might have a scratch or abrasion
Spec Now:
- Intel Core i5 10th gen CPU or newer - 50% of customers will receive an i7; 50% of customers will receive an i5 10th gen or newer.
- 70% of customers will receive a Full HD (1920 x 1080) display - 60% of customers will receive a 14.0" screen ,10% will receive a 15.6" screen, 30% will receive a 13.1” Screen
- At least 8GB of DDR4-2400 Memory (Supports up to 32GB) - 50% of customers will receive 16GB of RAM, 15% will receive 32GB.
- At least 256GB SSD Storage - 35% of customers will receive at least 512GB storage.
- Integrated 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1
- Integrated HD Webcam
- Genuine Windows 11 64-Bit OS - 70% of customers will receive Windows 11 Pro, 30% of customers will receive Windows 11
- Integrated Battery with AC Adapter to keep it charged
The difference between a 6th gen mobile CPU and 10th gen is massive though.
Yep; even the i7 of that era was a dual core.
Intel i5-6300U vs i7-6500U vs i5-1035G1 [cpubenchmark.net] by PassMark Software
6th Gen was pre-Ryzen, and Intel was so far ahead that they didn’t really have to compete with AMD. That all changed after Ryzen was released – mostly in desktop, but even on mobile, there was shakeup. 8th gen was kind of like the changeover and an i3-8120U offers more performance than a i7-6600U.
(Note that I am not staff. I just volunteer to help out on the forums.)
If it’s just because of the OS, there are ways to install W11 on unsupported hardware.
As for whether these are worth the cost, it depends on whether you’re fine with the mystery aspect. I prefer knowing what I’m getting, so I skip these myself.
Also:
Computer Work
(Note that I am not staff. I just volunteer to help out on the forums.)
Two years ago, RAM pricing wasn’t through the roof due to “AI” demand. At this point, you’re paying for the RAM and not the laptop.
I recently got some case fans locally; the seller wasn’t shy in saying that he’s been purchasing brand new prebuilts and reselling the components for hundreds more.
I decided to get one before the old ceaptop ceased to start. I received it today
Dell 5420 I5 11th gen
14" display
8GB ram
256GB storage
Win 11 pro
Nothing special kinda lame but it will serve my needs.