"Manufacturer refurbished" Intel CPUs - worth buying?

[Paladash]

Hi All,

I'm looking at buying a replacement Intel CPU and sometimes see the term "manufacturer refurbished" on some CPUs.

I can guess what this means, but it just seems a little unusual for a manufacturer to refurbish a CPU - I mean, what exactly do they do to it, apart from giving a good clean?

Has anyone any ideas?

Are they worth buying or should I stay clear?

Thanks v much for your thoughts

 

[xaira]

dued they aint gonna sell it if its not working, its a cpu, short of purposefully trying to wreck it, theyre invincible

 

[Wisecracker]

I would think that the term "manufacturer refurbished" refers to the entire computer build itself, but ...

If it refers to a specific CPU on sale (which I've never heard of ) as long as it comes with a factory warranty I wouldn't worry about it.

... Unless it had brown scorch marks all over it - LOL

 

[Paladash]

lol. OK... Just seems really strange why (as you say - they are invincible) CPUs need to be reconditioned/refurbished in the first place?

 

[Dekasav]

If someone sent them back (RMA) then they test them, figure out that the user was a dumbass, and then re-sell them. Decent chance the CPU is one that the user either:

Didn't need.
Wasn't socket compatible with their motherboard.
Didn't OC as well as someone wanted.
Was bought a week before major price drops so they return + rebuy.

The CPU should be fine; they are near indestructible.

 

[Paladash]

gotya - thanks, Dekasav.

 

[werxen]

Not sure about refurbished CPUs but refurbished phones are bullshit. Just from my experience, they don't take care of anything labeled 'refurb'. This is only from my phone experience though - had dust all over it, scratches on camera lens and front screen, some kind of weird mud/grit. This is on an Evo 4G too. I demanded a new phone and got it after warning to call the better business bureau.

Just be weary is all - 2 cents.

 

[Shadow703793]

You CAN NOT refurbish a modern day CPU. It is impossible. However, some websites/people may label "Open Box" CPUs as "Refurbished" but this is not accurate. Refurbish != Open Box.

 

[Frizzo]

haha thats what i was thinking, how would you refurbish a cpu? you're not exactly going to be switching off voltage regulators and capacitors, i saw some of those refurbs advertised right before i came here, thats funny. maybe they fixed some broken pins and called it refurb.

 

[Shadow703793]

^ Possibly. But current Intel CPUs (775 and up) don't use pins on the CPU...

 

[iam2thecrowe]

they test it, clean the old thermal paste off and put it in a little plastic CPU packet = refurbished.

 

[BadTrip]

they test it, clean the old thermal paste off and put it in a little plastic CPU packet = refurbished.

+1 If even that.

 

[Shadow703793]

^ But is that not technically selling an "Open Box" CPU?!?!?