USTRATIONBYTEEKAYNAME8 December 2019W
HATEVER YEAR
you’re reading
this, the new
iPhone is awe-
some. It always is.
Same with the new
Samsung Galaxy,
and Bose’s new noise-canceling
headphones. But right now, just
before 2020, the improvements
between versions are becoming
less obvious. In the case of the
iPhone 11, the cameras are a big
advance. But for the majority of
us customers, last year’s model
will serve us just as well as the
new one.
That’s why, when I need some-
thing like a phone or laptop, I
almost never buy it new. You
should do the same.
I’m not talking about going
on eBay or Craigslist or letgo
for used tech. Even if you know
what to look for and what
prices are fair, the time cost
of doing all the quality control
yourself is almost never worth
the savings. I’m talking about
the sections of manufacturers’
sites specifically dedicated to
not-new products. Apple’s is
called Certified Refurbished.Nintendo’s is just Refurbished.
Bose has an Outlet. Samsung sells
Certified Pre-Owned. The goods
in these shops are maintained
and guaranteed. Sometimes,
the products were never even
taken out of their packaging.
And whether or not they’ve been
handled, the hardware has been
scrupulously inspected and
tested to make sure it works,
sometimes more so than new
products. They also come with
a warranty.
But, look. I get it. New and
well-marketed stuff feels better.
Years back, my nephew wanted
Beats headphones, and none ofStop
Buying
Your
Te c h N e w
// BY ALEXANDER GEORGE //2
One of the Coolest Things the Pop Mech Staff Did This Year
Contributor James Schadewald and Test Editor Roy Berendsohn, in partnership with Knob Creek, built
a home bar—and wrote detailed plans for readers who wanted to do the same (popularmechanics.com/
buildabar). As always, I learned from their work. I watched them earn the satisfaction of finishing an ambi-
tious project, which motivates me. But one specific observation stuck with me. It’s that, as Roy said, you
have your first set of build plans, and then you have the plans from after you’ve built the bar. That’s where
you apply everything you learned from doing the thing, and share the new, better ways that will help the
next person who tries it. I'll add that to my mental list of Building-Stuff-Philosophy-as-Life-Philosophy. TREVORRAABmy arguments, based on years of
product testing and reviewing,
was enough to convince him that a
pair of Sony MDR-7506’s were the
better value. And gifting someone
a phone that comes in a box that
says “Pre-Owned” feels off. Even
I bought a Nintendo Switch Lite
the day it went on sale because
I just...couldn’t stand waiting
to try it.
All good. Buy something
refurbished for yourself, and
spend the savings on the gift, or
something new you want right
away. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I
have to get back to my search for a
used Tesla Model 3.