I recently upgraded my phone because I had cracked the screen on my Google Pixel 7 and the cost to repair was higher than buying a new phone. While Looking at options I thought the best route would be to get a refurbished phone. I have a good experience with my Google Pixel 7 so I decided to look at something a little bit new as my current phone was going to be end of life in about a year. Due to having a great experience with my current Google Pixel I decided to stay in the family. I had 3 options in my price range: Pixel 8, Pixel 9 and Pixel 9a.
Price Comparison
Comparing the three phone options I was looking at, had an average new price of $878 AUD. Analysing prices of the same phones on Amazon refurbished, there is an average price of $523 AUD which results in an average discount of 40%.
If we compare the phone with the biggest discount the Pixel 9 which new at JB Hi-Fi is going for $1200 AUD, while a refurbished one on Amazon is going for $670 AUD resulting in a 55% discount. Comparing it to the Pixel 9a on amazon the Pixel 9 is a great deal only costing 66 cents more.
While comparing new phones to refurbished, we have not taken into account discount which most phones go on semi regularly.
To compare discounted prices on phones I looked at OzBargain, where you can find a new Pixel 9 for $700 AUD. That is comparable to the refurbished price, but while you might think that new is always better that is not always the case.
Another area where new can be cheaper is with carriers plans, mostly in the US but sometimes in other countries. This is due to most carrier plans giving discounts on the phones if you account for the price of a comparable cell plan.
Where refurbished wins against new almost every time is when you need a phone on short notice. Needing the phone soon was true has my phone was barely usable.
Why Refurbished is Better Quality
When I am talking about refurbished being better quality this is focused on phones which are not in active production. The quality difference is most different on the battery as for each year a phone stays uncharged it loses about 10% of its capacity. Assuming the phone was made more than 2 years ago it has high chance of less than 80% battery capacity. Looking at my options seamed true for all of them as they where all released 2+ years ago.
Comparing the 80% battery capacity of a new phone to excellent refurbished on amazon which says it has more than 80% of it's battery capacity. This means in most cases the refurbished phone will start with a higher battery capacity compared to a new phone.
As for the screen and exterior the Amazon refurbished pixel 8 I ended up going with from my eyes it looked brand new with no visible damage.
A difference from most refurbished phones compared to new is accessories though in newer phones you don't get much these days. My refurbished phone came with a USB-C wall outlet and a C to C cable, while these were third-party accessories it does not matter as most people don't use the ones that come in the box anyway.
When Should you Reach for Refurbished?
While a refurbished phone is not for everyone next time your looking at getting a new phone you should consider looking at the refurbished option. In two scenarios refurbished should be where your looking first.
Quick replacement if you have broken your phone or need a newer phone for an upcoming event. Having limited time before you need a new phone and means you're not able to wait for deals where you can get a new phone for the same price as the refurbished option.
When looking at getting a two or more generations old phone is where it has been sitting in a warehouse for enough time, that a battery from a refurbished phone will be better. While this is not the only thing that you would care about when buying a phone if you save even $50 the refurbished phone is where you should be looking.