2024 is set to be a major refresh year for IT hardware and infrastructure. With budgets coming under enhanced scrutiny due to heightened inflation, numerous businesses are ‘sweating’ their IT assets.
Investing in a suite of brand-new devices and IT might seem like the only option for some businesses, but according to Craig Campion, Director of ITAD Services, at Stone, A Converge Company, refurbished technology can deliver the same wealth of benefits.
And for those embarking on a tech refresh in 2024, disposing of the old equipment responsibly should be a top priority.
1. Fighting e-waste
One of the biggest problems facing society today is electronic waste (or ‘e-waste’). According to data from Uswitch, the UK generates the second-highest amount of e-waste per capita in the world, and by next year, the UK will likely overtake Norway to become the world’s biggest offender.
If you are planning to usher in new tech for your organisation in 2024, consider how you could dispose of your outdated models in a way that reduces e-waste output. One option is to have this old tech ‘up cycled’ into refurbed models. Refurbished hardware falls under the ‘circular economy’ model, giving obsolete IT assets a new lease of life as opposed to going to landfills.
Working with a trusted IT Asset Disposal (ITAD) provider can help you achieve this, and dispose of your end-of-life tech responsibly, while bolstering your ESG credentials. It’s important, however, to find an ITAD provider with a ‘Zero Waste to Landfill’ accreditation, so that even unusable equipment is disposed of correctly and responsibly – both in the U.K. and overseas.
2. Smarter IT budgets
With technology continuously taking major strides, for some organisations, having the latest hardware and software is mission-critical when it comes to tackling sophisticated cyber-attacks, embracing emerging technologies (such as artificial intelligence), and enabling staff to work remotely.
However, brand new tech can come with a hefty price tag, so it’s important to consider all options, as brand new devices are not always 100% necessary for every organisation. For example, while some older devices may not meet the technical requirements of a private sector SMB, for others, such as primary schools, the technical demands can be far less strenuous and therefore suited to pre-loved tech. In this sense, “one man’s waste can be another man’s treasure!”
Opting for refurbished devices can deliver significant cost savings for these (often public sector) organisations, and alleviate some of the strain on their IT budgets. In fact, research from Spiceworks Ziff Davis suggests that refurbished IT equipment is between 70-80% cheaper than a brand-new piece of equipment.
3. Refurbs are tried and tested
There is a common misconception that refurbished devices don’t provide the same reliability that a brand-new piece of kit would provide, but this is not the case.
In fact, most refurbed devices come with impressive warranties. The length of the warranty period will ultimately vary according to each vendor, but often times, they match those offered by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) on brand-new products.
Additionally, refurbished tech is typically very reliable, having gone through rigorous checks and testing. Refurb specialists have many protocols and practices in place to extensively test the performance of each and every piece of IT equipment, and ensure all essential programs and software are fully up to date and ready to be used immediately. The extensive testing refurbished tech goes through can provide IT managers with peace of mind and confidence that their equipment will withstand usage for sustained periods of time.
Partnering with a trusted and accredited circular IT vendor means businesses won’t just have access to refurbished tech, they will also have access to consultancy and support for all immediate and future tech needs.