What are the risks of buying refurbs?

[Jakebrake]

Will you still get tech support or are you stuck with the part if it is still defective?

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Depepnds on the seller. Most places will offer a warranty for 30 days or will gurantee that its not DOA. Other than that, its a used part anything can happen. It could have been returned because it was the wrong item, or it could have been repaired because it was defective

 

[gsellis]

What radicldreamer says. I would add that I tend to steer from using any refurb part that is the hot item to overclock. Sometimes that damage is not apparent when an item is refurbed depending on how the reseller does the refurb pool. The refurb pool could contain RMAs from the less scrupulous. Depending on the reseller and their testing procedures.

Edit - that said, I use a Sapphire 9600XT refurb from Newegg.

 

[DaveSimmons]

If you want to read a few older threads on Newegg refurbs, try Advanced Search of both GH and Off-Topic.

Unless a part is a manufacturer refurb you can't count on any testing by the vendor -- a customer returns a part, the vendor says "OK, I don't see any scorch marks" and puts it in the refurb bin.

You're rolling the dice. With Newegg you'll at least be able to return a bad refurb, but you'll pay the shipping not them.