Practical advice from people who work with refurbished and ex-lease laptops every day. Understand the specs that actually matter, choose the right laptop for the job, and avoid paying extra for features you don’t need.
Buying a laptop can quickly turn into a wall of numbers: i5 versus i7, 8GB versus 16GB RAM, 256GB versus 512GB SSD, 13-inch versus 15-inch screens.
The problem is that the biggest number is not automatically the best choice. What matters is matching the laptop to what you actually need it to do.
These guides answer the questions we regularly get from New Zealand customers, using the same practical advice we give people when helping them choose a machine.
A Land Cruiser will get Granny to the dairy, but so will a Corolla.
The right tool for the right job.Start with whichever question you’re trying to answer. You don’t need to read them in order.
Understand the difference between professionally refurbished ex-lease laptops and ordinary second-hand computers, including business-grade build quality, condition, batteries and what to look for before buying.
Read the refurbished laptop guide →
For most everyday users, 8GB is still enough. Learn when 16GB is worthwhile and why simply adding more memory doesn’t automatically make a computer faster.
The processor badge doesn’t tell the whole story. Learn why generation matters, why an i5 suits most buyers, and when stepping up to an i7 actually makes sense.
256GB is a great starting point for many home and office users. Find out when 512GB is worth buying and who actually needs 1TB or more.
Compare 11.6, 13.3, 14 and 15.6-inch laptops for students, everyday work, portability, larger screens and numeric keypads.
A recent business-grade i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD and a 13.3–14" display is a sensible starting point for many people.
Prioritise portability. 11.6" suits younger students, while 13.3–14" gives older students more working space.
A 13.3–14" business laptop with an i5, 8–16GB RAM and SSD storage covers the needs of a large number of office users.
Consider a 15.6" laptop for the larger display and numpad, or use a smaller laptop with a dock and external monitors.
We have a growing library covering batteries, docking, Chromebooks, monitors, Windows and refurbished computer ownership.
You don’t need to arrive knowing which processor, RAM or SSD you need. Tell us what you’ll use the computer for and roughly what you want to spend. We’ll help narrow it down.
