Understanding our grading

Every device we sell is graded for cosmetic condition: how it looks. The grade tells you about marks on the case, not about how the machine runs.

The one thing worth knowing

Here’s the part that puts most people at ease: grade does not affect performance. A Premium machine and a Fair machine with the same specifications are the same computer inside. Both passed the same testing, and both come with the same 12-month warranty.

The only difference is what the outside looks like. A Fair machine is cheaper because it has visible wear, not because it is a lesser computer.

The grades

Grade	What it means
Brand New	Complete, in factory-sealed original packaging. Not refurbished.
Open Box	Opened but unused, or only minimally tested.
Premium	No signs of use.
Excellent	Minimal signs of use. Looks almost new.
Good	Light wear or small marks, but fully functional.
Fair	Visible signs of use, but fully functional.

Brand New and Open Box are new stock, not refurbished. That’s worth knowing before you order, because it changes your return options: brand-new items can’t be returned for change of mind, while refurbished ones can.

Which should you buy?

Premium or Excellent if the computer is going somewhere it’ll be seen (a reception desk, a client-facing role) or if you simply want it to look new. That’s a perfectly good reason.

Good is the sweet spot for most buyers. It looks fine on a desk and costs meaningfully less.

Fair when you want the most computer for the money and don’t mind how it looks. It’s a popular choice for workshops, warehouses, kids’ homework machines and spares.

Every one of them is fully functional. That’s really the point of the grading: we’re describing the case, not the computer.

What’s true at every grade

Whatever the grade, the device has been tested for performance, functionality and cosmetic condition before it ships, and it carries the full 12-month warranty.

If a machine has a fault, it doesn’t get graded. It gets fixed, or it doesn’t get sold.

Not sure which to pick?

Plenty of people find this a tricky call, so here’s how we’d think about it. If a specific mark would bother you, buy up a grade. If it wouldn’t, buy Fair or Good and put the difference toward more memory or a bigger drive. That money makes a real difference to how the machine feels to use, whereas a scuff on the lid does not.

And if you’d like us to describe the condition of a specific unit before you commit, we’re glad to do that. Just ask us and we’ll take a proper look at it for you.