A Dunce’s Guide To Buying Your First Refurbished iPhone 13
Buying a refurbished iPhone 13 is a challenging task to undertake. It is one of the most challenging things to do to buy an iPhone.
In this article, I will discuss every small aspect of refurbished iPhones and how to buy them. Here we go!
What Is A Refurbished Phone?
Before we delve deeper into the conversation about the refurbished iPhone 13, let me get you up to speed. This section discusses the basics of refurbished phones and how they differ from pre-owned phones.
Second-hand or pre-owned phones are phones that have been used before. While some refurbished phones can be pre-used, not all of them, this can be used is one of the basic and the most integral differences between pre-owned and refurbished phones.
If refurbished phones are not pre-owned phones, then what are they? These phones were returned to the company due to technical or aesthetic flaws.
Subsequently, the company fixes these phones and sends them out as refurbished phones with slightly lowered price tags. There is no specific checklist for ‘fixing’ or refurbishing these phones. It entirely depends on the extent of the damage.
Why Should You Choose A Refurbished Phone?
The previous section might give way to a lot of confusion and apprehension towards refurbished phones. However, this should be different. Refurbished phones are actually sustainable and offer a better package as a whole.
In this section, I will extensively discuss why you should opt for refurbished phones over first-hand phones. However, this is a subjective list and can include more points.
Yet, I have selected two of the most important and relevant points that one needs to know in order to choose between a first-hand or a refurbished iPhone 13.
Here we go!
The Pocket
The pocket becomes a considerable factor when it comes to buying the right iPhone for yourself. However, buying a refurbished iPhone 13 can be easier on the pocket.
Purchasing a brand-new iPhone can easily set you back around Rs. 50,000. However, a refurbished iPhone of the same model will cost you half the original price.
Buying a refurbished iPhone will not just save your initial cost. In fact, it will help you deal with the rapid depreciation of your phone’s value.
Unlike most other commodities, phones experience a rapid depreciation rate somewhere between 38% to 76%.
Therefore, imagine investing close to 1.5 lakhs in a phone that would lose 70% of its value in the very first year. Thus, buying a refurbished phone might be more financially viable than other phones.
The Planet
Buying a refurbished iPhone is not only financially viable, but it is also sustainable. As per current statistics, the average carbon emission of a phone is around 80kg throughout its lifetime.
The more exciting aspect of the whole deal is that around 70% of this emission occurs in the manufacturing process.
Choosing a refurbished iPhone 13 over a brand-new iPhone can help you to become more sustainable. If more people start this practice, this could start a cycle.
In other words, it will compel companies to manufacture fewer phones and keep the carbon emissions in check.
Lower production also means less plastic and e-waste. This adds to the overall sustainability. Therefore, buying a refurbished iPhone 13, 14, or 15 could actually help you save up money and nature at the same time.
Questions You Need To Ask About Refurbished iPhone 13
Buying the right refurbished iPhone 13 for yourself is a challenging thing to do. This is primarily due to one simple reason.
iPhone 13 has been discontinued for a while now. Moreover, two generations have passed. As a result, it isn’t easy to find an iPhone 13 that works.
If you somehow manage to find the right refurbished iPhone 13, do not pounce on the chance. Calm yourself down and ask the sellers these questions. This would enable you to have a precise lay of the land and the things that you need to know.
Here we go!
Is It Refurbished?
The foremost question that you have to ask is if it is genuinely refurbished. I have already pointed out that pre-owned and refurbished phones are not the same thing. Therefore, you need to use this knowledge when you are buying your first refurbished Apple products.
Several refurbished goods sellers tend to sell pre-owned phones, claiming that they are refurbished. Pre-owned phones are just old phones that were sold off. Most pre-owned phones go through an essential checklist and are put back on the market.
However, refurbed phones are specialized phones that have gone through rigorous checks and repairs. Therefore, refurbed phones are technically brand-new phones that are put back on the market with lowered price tags.
Is There A Warranty?
The next question that you need to ask is about the warranty. Unlike second-hand phones, refurbished phones come with a warranty.
Therefore, you should always ask for a warranty. Most refurbed products come to the market after all their components are replaced. The best part is that these parts come with a warranty.
Therefore, you must not let the seller push you for a product that does not have any warranty. The product might be faulty or is not refurbished. Most refurbished product retailers sell their products with a standard 1-year warranty.
Is It Unlocked?
If you own an iPhone, I assume that you are familiar with the phone’s locking system. As a buyer, you must only get an iPhone that comes locked. I know how that sounds, but hear me out for a second. Whenever you buy a locked iPhone, you can rest easy knowing that your phone is not stolen.
However, buying a locked iPhone also means that you have to go through a lengthy process of unlocking the phone.
However, I would rather go through the hassle of unlocking the phone than buy a counterfeit or stolen iPhone. The latter is riskier as it can land you in jail.
What Is The Status Of The Official Parts?
After you are done assessing the non-technical aspect of the whole deal, it is time to look at the technical aspect of the entire agreement.
As a buyer, you need to be nosey and ask about every small detail regarding the technical aspect of the whole deal.
Check issues like batteries, screen, damage, etc. This will ensure that your phone is functional and that you have not invested your money like an idiot.
Howevevr, do not worry, as I will extensively discuss the points that you need to look into in order to know the technical health of your phone.
The Conditions You Can Consider
Whenever you decide to buy your own refurbished iPhone 13, you need to come up with a way to categorize all the products that you will be presented into three different categories.
Here is a small checklist that will enable you to determine the class to which these phones belong.
- Premium: Phones that are in perfectly mint condition without any aesthetic or technical damages should be categorized into the premium bracket. The hardware should be working at 100%, and the battery capacity should not be below 80%.
- Great: These phones might contain some minor scratches here and there that are invisible to the naked eye. The hardware should be 100% working, and the battery percentage should not be below 80.
- Functional: These phones might contain some noticeable scratches and aesthetic damages or signs of wear and tear. The hardware must be 100% functional, and the overall battery capacity should not be below 75.
How Are These Conditions Decided?
No set metric was used to decide on the aforementioned condition. However, I have done my research and have found out that the sellers themselves use the aforementioned metric in order to categorize refurbished phones.
As a result, the aforementioned metric is helpful and can enable you to get the right refurbished phone for yourself.
Most of the established refurbishing companies categorize their products after putting them through an extensive list of checks and markings.
In fact, you should never buy a refurbished iPhone from a seller who is not transparent about its products and the checks that it conducts in order to decide the product’s overall quality.
Things To Check Before Finalizing
Buying a refurbished iPhone 13 is more challenging than purchasing a first-hand iPhone 15 Pro. This is primarily because the product in question is obsolete, and there are only a few marketplaces that deal with this product.
Therefore, you need to have a clear idea about all the essential factors that make up the technical aspect of the device.
Here is a detailed rundown of some of the most important checks that you need to make in order to find that perfect refurbished iPhone for your needs.
Therefore, keep following this section to learn more about the final checks that you need to make before you walk out of the store. Otherwise, you will end up feeling duped and undersold.
The Power
The foremost thing that you need to look at is the power. This is a prominent piece of advice, but you need to ensure the phone delivers its power effectively. You want to avoid being stuck with a phone that does not boot.
The Activation Lock
As I have already said before, you have to make sure that the activation lock is activated. This ensures that your phone is not stolen or stolen.
However, remember to unlock the phone before you leave the store. Otherwise, you are stuck with a phone that does not open.
The Data
Data is an essential part of today’s digital world. Ask your seller to remove the pre-existing data if your newly bought refurbished product has retained all the old data from its previous owner. Trust me, you do not want to be privy to such information.
The Damage
You must catalog and record all the aesthetic damages visible on your newly bought refurbished iPhone 13. Make sure that the damages are not noticeable or deal breakers. Do you want to be stuck with a phone with a vast gash? Thought so.
The Battery Health
iPhones are primarily powered by Lithium-Ion batteries. These batteries degrade over time. As a result, you need to be clear about the quality of the battery.
Only buy a phone that shows battery quality at least 80%. This should be your baseline, and you should always stay within it.
The Parts
While buying from authorized refurbished dealers, you need to make sure that you have clear-cut information about all the parts that have been replaced.
This might seem pointless, but this information can save some added cost of owning and using a refurbished iPhone 13.
The Performance
When you plan on buying a refurbished iPhone 13, you need to take a moment to assess the overall performance figure.
As a phone user, you should have a set benchmark. Several applications can help you test the overall performance figure of your phone.
The Display
As per users, most refurbished iPhone 13 suffer from image burn-in issues. This is primarily due to the screen being manufactured. iPhone 13 uses an OLED display. Just notice the edge of the screen to see if there is some image retention.
The Audio System
Finally, you need to check the phone’s audio system. Check the volume, microphone, or recorder settings to see if the audio system works well. This is an essential aspect that you cannot miss.
The Final Thought
With that, you have reached my extensive guide for buying the perfect refurbished iPhone 13. Even though the phone is two generations old, it is an ideal for someone looking for a starting point in the foray of iOS. If you are one of them, this phone is undoubtedly for you.
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