If you’re looking for a good phone at a low price, then you always have the option to pick up one of the best used smartphones. The general idea is that you can buy a device someone else traded in and save yourself a chunk of change compared to buying it new.
There are already plenty of options out there, and now Google has started its own refurbished phone program — promising devices that have been "inspected, certified and ready to go." The problem is that this probably isn’t the place to look if you’re after a bargain. In fact, you may be able to buy some of these devices brand new for significantly less than Google is asking for.
Take the Refurbished Google Pixel 7 Pro, which arrived two years ago in 2022. Google sells the device with 128GB of storage for $629 — $270 less than the original $899 launch price. The problem is that you can pick up the same phone for a few hundred bucks less at retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy — with the added benefit of being brand-spanking new.
Amazon sells the Pixel 7 Pro for $404, with prices rising to $449 at Best Buy and $599 at Walmart. Prices for pre-owned and refurbished models seem to be under $400, and sometimes even under $300 — like this “renewed” model from Amazon.
The same seems to be true for other refurbished models Google is offering. The Pixel 7 starts at $429 and can be found brand new for $329. The Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 6 cost a respective $539 and $399 from Google, and while a little harder to find brand new due to their age, they can still be purchased for as little as $489 and $339. I couldn’t find any brand new Pixel 6a phones that had a meaningful discount, but considering the $250 price Google is asking for, that would always be difficult.
There are other factors you have to contend with as well. The first is that these phones are 2-3 years old and were released before Google upped its software support to 7 years. The Pixel 6 and 6 Pro will be getting their last Android update this month and will only be eligible for another 12 months of security support. Asking over $500 for a phone racing towards obsolescence doesn’t sit right with me, especially when you remember that the Pixel 8a, one of the best cheap phones, can arguably offer a better experience for a similar price.
Plus, as uncovered by 9to5Google, Google’s refurbishment process does not involve replacing the battery. Considering that batteries degrade over time and can cause problems in older phones, it’s bizarre that Google wouldn’t replace them, especially when you remember how weak the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 battery lives are compared to their successors. It makes those new-in-box models even more desirable since their batteries haven’t endured the stresses of multiple years of recharging.
It’s good to see that Google offers these older devices a chance to extend their usefulness rather than tossing them in the trash. The Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series have a lot to offer despite their respective weaknesses, and with phones getting more expensive all the time, there’s no shame in trying to save as much money as possible.
Google must figure out that charging such high prices for older phones is not the way to go. So, erm, maybe lower those asking prices a little bit?
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