Buying Refurbished HP Servers: Pros and Cons
Pro: Costs Less Than New Hardware
Reconditioned IT equipment typically costs 30 percent less than the original price. This allows companies that have a conservative IT budget to buy the equipment they need for a price they can afford. If your company needs to stretch the IT budget, buying reconditioned products is a good way to do it without compromising on hardware quality.
Con: May Not Have a Manufacturer's Warranty
By the time reconditioned hardware is resold, the manufacturer's warranty is often expired. If the equipment has a maintenance issue, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) will not fix it for free. Instead, a company must handle the problem in house or use a third party IT service that specializes in repairing used HP servers.
Pro: Can Be Purchased With a Lifetime Warranty
If you buy from a seller that offers a lifetime warranty, you needn't worry about the expiration of the manufacturer's warranty. If the equipment malfunctions, the seller will repair or replace it for free. Most reconditioned IT equipment comes with a warranty of between one month and one year, but hardware that comes with a lifetime warranty is out there.
Con: May Not Have the Latest Capabilities
Depending on how old the hardware is, it may lack some of the latest capabilities. If your company doesn't need the latest, greatest server technologies, there won't be a problem. If it does need recent technologies, it should still be able to find a pre-owned product that offers them, but it may have to do some shopping around. Shopping with sellers that have a large inventory that is frequently refreshed offers the best chance of finding late model used hardware.
Conclusion
Refurbished HP servers are a great value in terms of cost; and even if they don't have a manufacturer's warranty, you can purchase them from a seller that offers a lifetime warranty. However, a great price and a phenomenal warranty won't compensate for a lack of capability. Purchasing them from a seller that has a large inventory if IT equipment that is frequently refreshed is the best way to find used HP servers that offer the price, warranty, and capabilities that your company needs.