Refurbished hardware is more than just second-hand goods: certified data erasure and technical testing (including repairs and upgrades) ensure that you receive hardware in perfect working order. Manufacturing defects can even be ruled out, as the hardware has already been in reliable use.
Refurbished IT hardware
Making an active contribution to environmental protection through the use of second-hand hardware: sustainable, cost-effective and secure
Refurbished hardware is not a trend, nor is it an opaque marketing ploy, and above all, it is not greenwashing. It is one of the most effective, measurable and realistic ways to conserve resources, reduce CO₂ emissions and extend the useful life of hardware – for private individuals, businesses, public authorities and institutions alike.
On this page, we aim to explain transparently exactly what ‘refurbished’ means, what benefits it offers and how Serverando and quattroM professionally manage the entire cycle.
What does "refurbished" really mean?
And: used hardware and efurbished hardware the same thing? Not quite—there are some important differences. After all, while every piece of refurbished hardware is indeed used, not every piece of used hardware is necessarily refurbished:
| Used hardware | Refurbished Hardware |
|---|---|
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💡 Following a professional refurbishment process, these are no longer simply ‘second-hand hardware’, but fully functional, tested and technically sound devices, that can be used reliably once again.
Responsible purchasing: Everyone can do their bit for greater sustainability
Sustainability doesn’t start with big decisions and actions – it starts with small, everyday habits. Whether you’re a private individual, a politician or a company director.
Most of us would probably neither let the tap run unnecessarily nor leave the lights on all night, just as we wouldn’t throw the windows wide open for hours whilst the heating is running at full blast.
So why, then, discard hardware when it still works perfectly well? Many companies are tied to leasing contracts under which all equipment is replaced every two to three years. In the past, this equipment was often simply disposed of – refurbished IT follows a different principle: don’t buy everything new if it can still be reused in perfect working order.
Refurbished hardware is about taking responsibility in practice, not just ‘greenwashing’. And whether you’re a private individual, a start-up, an SME, a large corporation, a public authority, a school or university, or a research institution: everyone can play their part in promoting greater sustainability.
Refurbished hardware: less CO₂, less electronic waste, greater resource conservation
The production of new IT hardware causes enormous environmental damage – refurbished hardware can be the more environmentally sound option here.
What very few people think about when buying a new device is that every purchasing decision actively influences the direction in which our society is heading: towards throwaway culture or towards recycling.
Hardly anyone realises that manufacturing a single laptop generates around 200–400 kg of CO₂ – roughly the same as a 2,000–3,000 km car journey. Water consumption is also enormous: up to 20,000 litres of water are required to produce a single PC, mainly due to the extremely water-intensive semiconductor manufacturing process.
Furthermore, server and PC hardware contains valuable raw materials such as gold, palladium, copper and rare earth elements, the extraction of which is energy-intensive, harmful to the environment and the subject of fierce global competition.
| Environmental factor | New | Refurbished |
|---|---|---|
| CO₂ emissions | Very high (manufacture, transport, raw materials) | Up to 80% lower |
| Water consumption | Extremely high (particularly in chip manufacturing) | Negligible, as no new production takes place |
| Raw material requirements | Rare earths, metals, plastics | No new raw materials |
| Electronic waste | Rising annually | Is being reduced |
The environmental benefits of refurbished hardware have been clearly demonstrated by scientific evidence. For anyone wishing to understand the background in more detail, these three studies and articles provide an excellent introduction:
Economic benefit: sustainable AND cost-effective
Although environmental considerations are becoming increasingly important to many buyers – let’s be honest – it is often the price that is the most compelling factor. Fortunately, refurbished equipment is not only environmentally sound but also represents a smart economic alternative.
Second-hand hardware offers this economic advantage in two ways: for anyone looking for affordable hardware – and for businesses, public authorities or institutions that can generate valuable additional revenue by selling their used hardware.
| Benefits of buying | Benefits of selling |
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Instead of ‘Buy → Use → Dispose of’, we promote the circular economy
🌱 Buy → Use → Sell → Refurbish → ReuseThis delivers measurable, sustainable and cost-effective results. And for anyone thinking, ‘That sounds interesting – but how does it actually work in practice?’, here is an overview of our key services relating to IT procurement, refurbishment and resale:
| Purchase & Return | Refurbishment & Resale | Further benefits & services |
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Fact check: How sustainable is refurbished hardware really?
We now know that refurbished hardware really is more sustainable than new equipment. We’ll explain this in more detail using two examples:
Example 1: Enterprise servers
- CO₂ savings
Studies show that reusing a server saves up to 1,000 kg of CO₂ compared to buying a new one. Newly manufactured servers can generate between approx. 600 and 4,000 kg of CO₂ – depending on the type. - Raw materials
Refurbished means that no new raw materials are required – even upgrades are carried out using refurbished components.
A single server, for example, contains gold, silver, copper, palladium and rare earth elements, which would have to be mined and processed if the server were manufactured from scratch. - Water consumption
Refurbished equipment saves thousands of litres of water per unit.Chip production, in particular, is extremely water-intensive – it usually requires ultrapure water (UPW), which is more expensive than ‘normal’ drinking water. An ‘average’ server contains around two CPUs (5,000–20,000 litres of water per unit), approximately 8 RAM modules (approx. 1,000–3,000 litres of water per module), 2–4 SSDs (2,000–5,000 litres each) and a motherboard with several chipsets (approx. 1,000–3,000 litres) – which realistically amounts to between 30,000 and 70,000 litres of water consumed during manufacture. - Service life
Enterprise hardware is designed for 24/7 operation. With professional refurbishment it can run reliably for many years.
However, if it is not reused, a large proportion ends up as electronic waste: according to EU WEEE reports, over 50 % of decommissioned IT equipment is not recycled correctly. Critical raw materials and hazardous substances can thus pose a threat to the environment and human health – refurbishment significantly reduces the volume of e-waste.
Example 2: Business laptop
- CO₂ savings
Reuse reduces CO₂ emissions by up to 80% compared with buying a new device.
Business laptops generate around 200–400 kg of CO₂ equivalent – with the production phase accounting for over 50% of total life-cycle emissions. - Raw materials
Refurbished hardware requires no new raw materials– even upgrades are carried out using tested, remanufactured components.
A laptop contains over 1,000 individual components and numerous critical raw materials: gold, silver, copper, palladium, tantalum and rare earth elements – the extraction of which is energy- and water-intensive. - Water consumption
Refurbished laptops almost completely eliminate water consumption.Depending on the manufacturing process, around 10,000 to 20,000 litres of water are required to produce a single laptop. - Service life
Business laptops are designed for continuous daily use and, when professionally refurbished, can operate reliably for 6–10 years.
If this lifespan is not utilised, devices that are as good as new and in perfect working order end up as electronic waste. If not recycled properly, this produces toxic substances that harm the environment and human health.
You can find more on this topic in our blog post: “Green, Green, Green Is My IT Equipment: Why Used Is More Sustainable”
FAQ: Refurbishment, Circular Economy & Sustainability
Depending on the device, you can save between 30 and 80 per cent of the emissions associated with buying new.
Because refurbishing used hardware has measurable benefits: it conserves raw materials, reduces CO₂ emissions and lowers the waste disposal rate.
Most of the devices that end up on the second-hand market are professional-grade devices and enterprise systems – these were built for continuous operation. Through our professional refurbishment process, we extend the hardware’s lifecycle and even ‘spruce it up’ (e.g. RAM upgrades, SSDs), ensuring it remains state-of-the-art.
Absolutely! The focus here is not only on sustainability, but also on the huge cost savings. For SMEs or start-ups, high-end professional devices are rarely affordable – refurbished hardware is a cost-effective alternative here.
Opting for refurbished hardware is the simplest way to act sustainably and economically
Buying refurbished hardware is more than just investing in affordable technology – it is a clear commitment to greater sustainability. After all, every reused device saves resources, protects our climate and demonstrates that progress also means responsibility.
Those who choose refurbished products are turning their backs on the throwaway mentality – and opting for a future that remains worth living in for generations to come.
Refurbished hardware is:
| ✅ | sustainable |
| ✅ | cost-effective |
| ✅ | secure |
| ✅ | immediately available |
| ✅ | resource-efficient |
| ✅ | climate-friendly |
| ✅ | climate-friendly |
| ✅ | accessible and affordable for everyone |
👉 Switch to refurbished now
Buy refurbished hardware: High-quality, tested IT for every budget.
Sell used hardware: Generate extra income, have data securely erased, conserve resources.