Refurbished or new on a ₹12,000 to ₹18,000 budget

With a budget of ₹12,000 to ₹18,000, customers at our counter usually face one choice: a new phone at that price, or a refurbished phone that cost twice as much when it was new. Both can be right. Here is how we help people decide.

A new phone at ₹17,999, like our 5G model with 8 GB of memory and a 5,000 mAh battery, gives you a fresh battery, the full manufacturer’s warranty, and usually three or four years of software updates from the date of launch. Its camera and processor will be good, but not the best. It suits someone who keeps a phone for four years or more and wants as few surprises as possible.

A Grade A refurbished phone at ₹11,499 to ₹16,000 was usually a higher-end model a year or two ago. You often get a better camera, a brighter screen, a faster chip and a sturdier build. The trade-offs are a battery that has already been used, which we only sell above 85 percent health; a shorter remaining update period; and our 6-month shop warranty instead of the manufacturer’s year. It suits someone who cares about the camera and is happy to replace the battery in two years for about ₹1,500 to ₹2,500.

At the counter, we put both side by side, check the update dates for each model and show you the 42-point test sheet for the refurbished phone. Take a few photos with each before deciding. Most people know within ten minutes.