Dell outlet notebooks?

[eggrolls]

Anyone have experience with Dell outlet notebooks? How strict are their refurbishing standards? Or should I stick to local deals on new notebooks at CC or BB?

 

[Brainonska511]

The outlet can have some pretty good deals. The outlet even tells you why they are in the outlet and what condition the notebooks are in (appearance-wise). The only reason they are considered "refurbished" is because someone opened the original box and can no longer be considered new. I guess they could be hit or miss, but you can always take advantage of the 14 day (IIRC) return policy on outlet notebooks if there is something catastrophically wrong with it.

 

[codeyf]

Depends what you get. They have 3 different "types" of equipment there:

- Previously Ordered New
- Certified Refurbished
- Scratch & Dent

PON is stuff that was never opened (ie: refused shipment). Cert Refurb is stuff that typically has been serviced and put back to new spec. Scratch/Dent is just that.

I've ordered 1 refurb and 1 S/D. The refurb couldn't be told apart from a brand new system (Inspiron E1405). The second one, also a E1405 had some very light scratches on the lid. Also, one of the screw holes under the ram cover was all jacked up. Worked fine though, but I ended up returning it.

Stick to PON or Cert Refurbs if you can. S/D could go either way. Visit the dell room on notebookforums.com for more info/stories.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

Originally posted by: codeyf
Depends what you get. They have 3 different "types" of equipment there:

- Previously Ordered New
- Certified Refurbished
- Scratch & Dent

PON is stuff that was never opened (ie: refused shipment)

Or cancelled before the system was ever even shipped. PON laptops have always been 'new', never had any issues at all with them. Refurbs have always been fine, as well. S & D have been pretty much a 50/50 crapshoot (some arrive with significant cosmetic damage).

With the return policy & the fact that the warranties are the same as new Dells, how can you lose!?

 

[programmer]

I bought a cert. refurb. and its great. Just like new and save me about 40% off the retail price of the same model and options.

 

[nycdan1]

Actually, according to the site, PON could have been shipped to the customer and returned. The difference is whether the customer actually 'used' the computer which they determine by whether the EULA was accepted during the first power-up sequence. Since it never appears again, they can power up the machine and determine if it was 'used'.

I just ordered a PON Inspiron 1505 for $1,020 incl. tax. The weird thing is I ordered the same configuration yesterday for about $180 more and I was checking out of habit and saw this system. The only difference was some of the software (not OS...just the extra stuff) so I cancelled the first one and got this. Can't beat that deal with a stick if it's clean.