Most people, when updating their phones, think they HAVE to get a new phone. But this isn’t the case. There are other options and ways to acquire a phone.
Buying a reconditioned phone – i.e. one that has been used, but restored – is probably one of the best options around, as you can get a phone that looks and feels brand new for around 40-50% less than buying the same handset new.
Gazelle does a massive range of iPhones, Samsung phones, iPads, and MacBooks. They’re all used and reconditioned units, but they will look as good as new and function the same.
So if you’re in the market for a new phone, but you don’t fancy spending the best part of $1000 and also getting yourself locked into a two-year contract with a network or carrier, the going reconditioned could be just what the doctor ordered.
Take me, for instance. I’m currently testing the iPhone 8 and have been completely underwhelmed in almost every conceivable way. It looks, feels, smells, and performs in a more or less identical fashion to the iPhone 7.
My girlfriend, who uses an iPhone 7, struggled to see what was different, save for the new back panel, and even in side by side comparisons with the iPhone 7, the iPhone 8 is only ever-so-slightly faster.
And it costs MORE than the iPhone 7.
And this is INSANE when you consider that you can pick up a Samsung Galaxy S7 for under $300. Or, if you HAVE to go the iPhone route, an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus about $200-$300 less than a new iPhone 8.
There is currently a 20% discount on top of the reduced price right now over at Gazelle on Samsung phones, so if you decide to go for a Galaxy S7, for instance, you can pick one up for just $299 (with an additional 20% discount on top), which is a pretty decent deal.
The Galaxy S7, while a year old now, is still a very powerful Android phone. It looks brilliant and features a myriad of excellent specs and features. It also has one of the best cameras in the business and will get Android Oreo before the close of the year.
Last year, a new Galaxy S7 would have cost you around $800 SIM-free and now, 12 months later, it can be yours for under $300. That’s a massive depreciation hit and you, as a savvy user, could stand to take advantage of it right now, rather than splashing the cash on a brand new phone, like the Galaxy S8 or Galaxy Note 8, and still get all the performance and features you like.
Each new iteration of a phone is always better; the specs are developed and aspects of the handset’s performance are refined. But to say there is a $400 difference between a new Galaxy S8 and a reconditioned Galaxy S7 is absurd – most users will not be able to tell the handset – or how it performs – apart.
Do I do this? You bet your ass I do. In the past, I have saved a fortune using reconditioned iPhones, MacBooks, iMacs, and Galaxy Note phones. And the best part is once you have it, no one knows any different.
It’s like when you buy a car, I’d much rather someone take the lion’s share of the depreciation before I come in and run it.
Same applies to phones, just with smaller amounts of money.
But what I like best about this route is that you get a flagship phone for a mid-range price. And on top of this, because you can now actually afford to buy it outright you can then shop around for the best rolling monthly contracts.
No more 24-month contracts. No more waiting around for an upgrade; if you don’t like the phone, sell it, and get a new phone.
Simple.
