Is a refurbished Microsoft Surface laptop a good idea? Here's what people think about it

Microsoft Surface laptops are some of the best Windows devices on the market right now. Earlier this year, the Redmond-based tech giant unveiled a new generation of Surface laptops at the Microsoft Surface Event, which means the older generations are now cheaper.

But what if you don’t want to get a new older Surface laptop? There are solutions: you could very well go for a refurbished Microsoft Surface laptop.

There are also several reasons why you would want to go for a refurbished Surface laptop:

1. It’s cheaper and you can save up a great deal of money by choosing a refurbished Surface laptop. For example, right now, there are refurbished models that cost as little as $774 less than a brand-new Surface laptop.
2. Microsoft has a Certified Refurbished Surface program, that offers a bunch of perks to anyone choosing to buy such a laptop, including repackaging, cleaning and repairing, and a 1-year warranty for the product.
3. If you’re not a tech-savvy individual, and you only want a laptop to get the job done, you might want to choose a refurbished Surface laptop.

As we mentioned earlier, the Microsoft Surface laptops are some of the best on the market right now, and they usually sport some good, efficient specs. Going for a refurbished Surface laptop might be a good option, but in the end, it’s all down to luck, as some users have noticed.

We scouted some Reddit posts and came across a recent post asking for advice when it comes to choosing a refurbished Surface laptop. Many were content with their refurbished devices, while others were not.

However the case though, the Certified Refurbished Surface program offers a 1-year warranty to these devices, if you choose to buy directly from Microsoft. This should be a safe net in case the device stops working after a few weeks.

Either way, here’s what users think about refurbished Microsoft Surface laptops.

Want to get a refurbished Microsoft Surface laptop? Here’s what people who did it think about it

In this recent Reddit post, people were mostly positive about the experience of buying a refurbished Surface laptop.

I recently purchased a Surface Pro 9 refurbished from Microsoft. Mine has no signs of use. Looks brand new. Though, the screen is not flush with the casing. I can fit my fignernail between the two. I compared this with the surfaces on display at Best Buy which were flush. Very minor, but I can be picky. Also, it has a very light bulge in the screen (you can notice how the reflection is warped). I contacted Microsoft and have a case with them because it comes with a warranty for one year. So we’ll see what comes of that. 10/10 would go refurbished again because the price difference seems worth it for a couple minor things. I’m not sure if this helps.

I’ve had one bad experience with a used Surface Go 2 (Which in the best of times isn’t the most speedy device). My Surface Go 2 had reliability issues when maxed out in terms of CPU speed (and consequently heat build up). That being said, I’m on a refurbished Surface Go 2 keyboard which hasn’t had any issues in the least few weeks. It’s not something that would be easily detectable; I was stress testing the device. Regular use may not have triggered the problem.

However, some people discourage it.

Hard pass. Their refurbished devices are very hit or miss. You can get three in a row that have major problems, or get one that’s basically new. I don’t know what their quality control is but it’s awful. Their customer support is also trash. I tried getting my surface fixed and it’s an absolute nightmare.

On the other hand, older Reddit posts predominantly have some negative reactions to choosing refurbished Surface laptops. However, it’s worth mentioning that these posts are over 2 years old, and Microsoft might have improved its refurbished program since then.

Basically, in the end, it’s all based on luck. You can get an almost brand-new Surface device at a huge discount, but you can also get a broken device. In the case of the latter, though, you have the 1-year warranty and Microsoft will send you a replacement.