Refurbished Grey Import Laptop from Kogan - Too Much Risk?

sbot on 27/08/2018 - 10:43
Last edited 27/08/2018 - 11:09

Hi all, was wondering what peoples experiences are with refurbished/grey imported products, particularly from Kogan.

I feel safe buying refurbished/used products when they are somewhat "cheap" (eg I've bought used game consoles, a tv, and a phone, in the past with success, all under 1k). However now I'm looking to buy a laptop, ideally something along the lines of a Surface Book Pro, which is reaching over the 2k mark where I start to really get concerned about the longevity of the product.

Kogan has various Surface book models that are apparently BOTH refurbished and grey-imported. That's two red flags instead of one. I have a friend who is really pro Kogan, telling me they're great with replacing things under warranty, etc. but their warranty is only the first year, then after that I have to wrangle with the Australian consumer law should anything go wrong.

I'm also worried that as a refurbished product it will naturally have a shorter lifespan left in the parts than a new product.

My last laptop was a macbook pro under 2k that lasted for over 7 years before it died, so I'm hoping to find something with a similar lifespan and cost, and currently grey imported or refurbished models seem to be the only thing that will get me something relatively high spec but under or around 2k. Keen to hear anyone's experiences with similar products.

I haven't really shopped at kogan before either, so not sure generally how they are to deal with.

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Comments

    • sbot on 27/08/2018 - 11:06

      Thanks, I'll have a read

  • JimB on 27/08/2018 - 10:57

    Kogan branded products are hit and miss.

    Personally, I'd avoid them as they generally use the cheapest manufacturers to rebrand their products.

    I have no issues with grey import products (other brands) purchased from Kogan.

    • sbot on 27/08/2018 - 11:07

      Yeah I've bought some branded kogan, new products before and they're not great. Had a charging cable from them immediately die, and my parents have a Kogan TV that has the worst sound I've ever heard on a TV. I definitely wouldn't buy their own brand stuff.

  • CyberMurning on 27/08/2018 - 10:58
    +1

    if it is refub from big brand for example samsung sony lg toshiba bose etc from kogan, im ok
    those are less riskier than buying kogan own brand. they are JUNK!!!!

  • holdenmg on 27/08/2018 - 11:38
    +3

    My "Word of the Day" calendar says:

    "Don't"

  • p1 ama on 27/08/2018 - 14:30
    +1

    Kogan has various Surface book models that are apparently BOTH refurbished and grey-imported. That's two red flags instead of one.

    Refurbished, grey-imported or bought from Microsoft directly here in Australia, they all come from the same factory. Rather than worrying about any of this, you should worry about how reliable the device is in the first place.

    I'm also worried that as a refurbished product it will naturally have a shorter lifespan left in the parts than a new product.

    It's not a car, you will want to replace it far before the lifespan of the product. Things can and do get broken, but that's based more on luck of the draw and how you use your product as opposed to whether it's refurbished or brand new. Again, they come from the same production line at the end of the day.

    My last laptop was a macbook pro under 2k that lasted for over 7 years before it died, so I'm hoping to find something with a similar lifespan and cost, and currently grey imported or refurbished models seem to be the only thing that will get me something relatively high spec but under or around 2k. Keen to hear anyone's experiences with similar products.

    Depends on what you want. Hard to say whether something will last for 7 years in advance. Perhaps go for something that's popular with business users.

    I haven't really shopped at kogan before either, so not sure generally how they are to deal with.

    They're fine, haven't had any issues with them. Sent things back under warranty before. They're a bit shifty, but I made it clear I wouldn't take their crap, things got resolved quickly.

    • sbot on 27/08/2018 - 15:01

      It's not a car, you will want to replace it far before the lifespan of the product. Things can and do get broken, but that's based more on luck of the draw and how you use your product as opposed to whether it's refurbished or brand new

      I guess I'm mostly concerned about parts like battery, which decline in capacity through use. If it's 'refurbished' I assume that means the computer has been used for a while before ending up back at the factory, so some of those parts may be less long-lived if they've been used?

      And for me personally for laptops, I use them until they actually break irreparably, my previous one got transitioned from everyday workhorse once it got a bit too old to admin, internet browsing and media centre. I was very sad when I had to get rid of it because the battery swelled.

      Depends on what you want. Hard to say whether something will last for 7 years in advance. Perhaps go for something that's popular with business users.

      Obviously it's hard to say how long a thing will last, especially since a timely product review can't exactly go 'I tried this laptop for 5 years, and these are my impressions.' :) More wondering if anyone's used a Surface for a year or two and how they hold up.

      Ultimately I'm after the basics (word processing, emails, browsing, watching media) alongside use of photoshop, indesign, clip studio paint and illustrator. Not intense power-user levels of that, but able to handle like 1 hi res raster image being worked on at a time. Also maybe really minor gaming (like, 2d puzzle games and stuff, not AAA games).

      Thanks for your reply!

      • p1 ama on 28/08/2018 - 20:28

        I guess I'm mostly concerned about parts like battery, which decline in capacity through use. If it's 'refurbished' I assume that means the computer has been used for a while before ending up back at the factory, so some of those parts may be less long-lived if they've been used?

        Well considering that the device you want to buy hasn't even been out for that long, the worst case is that they've been used for a few months. It's not going to make any difference if you intend on keeping the device for 7 years. More likely refurbished devices are factory seconds or customer returns, so in this sense, they're practically brand new.

        Obviously it's hard to say how long a thing will last, especially since a timely product review can't exactly go 'I tried this laptop for 5 years, and these are my impressions.' :) More wondering if anyone's used a Surface for a year or two and how they hold up.

        I have - I would say that Surface products are pretty good if you want to try out the latest features, but I wouldn't bet on their long term reliability. The Surface line has only really just settled down - the Surface 1, 2, 3 and 4 Pro are all really different devices (basically a new device every time), the Surface Book was brand new last generation, and so too was the Surface laptop. I owned a Surface Book for a while and I had no problems with it, but others I know had issues like random disconnecting, the charger failing, unable to connect to the keyboard…etc.

        I think what you're looking for just doesn't exist anymore. Computers today aren't built to last 7 years. I've used plenty of laptops over the years, but nothing has topped my Thinkpad T420 from 2011. That thing is an absolute monster. I chucked it in my backpack and hauled it everywhere, dropped it, knocked it everywhere…etc. it survived it all without a hitch. People replace devices too quickly these days, so it doesn't make sense for manufacturers to build things to last that long anymore.

        • sbot on 28/08/2018 - 22:59

          That's really disappointing, my 2011 Macbook was the same, I took it everywhere and it ran great for years and years. I also dropped it and knocked it around too.

          I personally hate replacing electronics - I know some people find it fun to get something with top specs and do the research and spend the money etc - but for me it's stressful and a chore. I just wish I could buy something with confidence that it will last :/

          I appreciate your point about the Surface being relatively new and untested. That's something I'll keep in mind. I could certainly go for a more traditional form factor, but the good pen and ability to use it in the 'clipboard' mode really appeal to me, especially since I do visual stuff on it. I'll definitely keep reading reviews and mulling it over.

          I wish I could just rebuy my same macbook from 2011 but with modern specs… with the great build quality, the ability to upgrade the ram down the track, the battery life… sigh.

  • Ramrunner on 28/08/2018 - 11:32

    Personally for the price you're looking at I'd buy something new for that kind of money. What about those new cheap surface units? They're not badly priced and it sounds like your needs are very modest.

    • sbot on 28/08/2018 - 12:50
      +1

      Yeah tossing up between the surface go, pro and book - I like the form factor of the Book best, but man is it expensive. The Gos seem to be alright but have lower range processors and no mini display port out (which I'd want). I don't need much but I don't want to go super low end, because I want the machine to last. Pro might be the way I go?

      When I actually use microsoft's 'help me choose' tool it wants me to buy the most expensive surface book, haha.

      • Ramrunner on 29/08/2018 - 15:52

        Well in that case does it have to be a surface? My wife picked up a Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Yoga brand new for less than $1700 and I'm sure it'll take the Pepsi challenge with the higher end surface devices because to be quite frank? They are severely overpriced (especially the book).

        Hers is loaded with features and ridiculous battery life.

        I liken Microsoft devices a bit like Apple ones. They have that "luxurious must have" aura about them simply because of the logo stamped on them really.

        My sister in law has one (granted I think it was a gen2) but she said she wouldn't buy one again with the issues she's had.

        I'm all for bang for buck and seeing literally thousands of notebooks over the decades, I just don't think Microsoft fits that bill. Gorgeous to look at but really functionally not really all that special.

        Up to you of course - horses for courses - but keep the blinders off and eyes open for other bargains.

        • sbot on 30/08/2018 - 09:41

          The reason I like the idea of the microsoft surface range is the pen - I think I mentioned somewhere in the thread that I use photoshop/CSP/illustrator a fair bit, so being able to sketch right on the device is really compelling for me. That's why I've zeroed in on this vs other options - in the past I've carted around a little wacom bamboo to plug into my laptop but with that setup you need an actual desk/table to sit your laptop and the tablet on, which is restricting, while the surface lets you just hold the thing like a book and draw right on it. I like that.

          Whether I like it enough to tip me to the more expensive surface line, I'm still not sure. I'm still reading reviews and the other day a friend of mine with a surface let me have a play with it for a while to see how I liked the feel. The 'drawing right on it' factor is also something the iPad Pro offers but I definitely want a machine with a desktop OS. I'm still waffling quite a lot on it.

          What issues did your sister in law have with hers?

        • Ramrunner on 30/08/2018 - 13:51

          @sbot: My wife's Lenovo has a pen that docks in the unit itself. It's Wacom apparently built in. So if it's the pen you want, again, the Lenovo will satisfy :)

          As for my sister in law, initially a lot of overheating that was "fixed" with the firmware update to turn the fans up in expense of more noise, unable to balance on a lap and some blue screens also.

          Like I said it was a gen2 from memory but she's over it, especially after my brother took a leaf from my wife's book and bought a Yoga 920 and now she really likes it also.

          Horses for courses though, again, if that's what you want get it for sure, I just can't justify one myself when (IMO) there are better devices for the money out there.

        • sbot on 31/08/2018 - 10:01

          @Ramrunner:

          I think I'd kind of glossed over the Lenovo thinkpad because I had earlier read about the Lenovo Yoga Book which has the weird touchscreen keyboard and pen that and conflated the two. Now that I'm reading about it properly, it seems like an intriguing option.

          But man it's way harder to navigate the difference between different lenovo models, one thing microsoft has going for them, their marketing and communication is really good, I understand what their different Surface models are and do… lenovo's site sucks for this! Looking at this is terrible, https://www.lenovo.com/au/en/laptops/c/LAPTOPS?ipromoID=auow… - which ones are convertible to tablets, which are just laptops, what are all these meaninglessly-named Thinkpad types… ugh, anyway…

          More review reading to do, sadly

  • midvalleyguy on 28/08/2018 - 13:04

    I purchased a new Xiaomi Bip smartwatch/fitness tracker from Kogan back in early June. Direct Import under $100.It lasted about 6 weeks until the screen froze and the device would no longer connect to my mobile. A replacement under warranty arrived almost a month later last Friday (24th August). Again unusable - chinese software version installed, again couldn't connect to smartphone. I've asked for full refund and refused any further replacements. They are not budging,so I have said I will be making a claim through PayPal this coming Friday 31st August.I'd be wary of buying any International Models again. Replacements come from HK,and take ages. I've told Kogan I will never purchase anyitems fromthm again. Refurbished/grey market computers are a different kettle of fish - they raise 2 red flags for me. Better to go for a new one with a proper Aussie warranty.

    • sbot on 28/08/2018 - 13:27

      Companies that refuse to give a refund when asked and who try to argue that they can offer a replacement/store credit instead are one of my biggest hates. That really turns me off them.

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