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What refurbished actually means, how devices are tested and graded, what you save, and when new is genuinely the better call. Written by the Melbourne workshop that tests every device it sells.
save 30–60%
Starting from
same-day pickup
Turnaround
6 months
Warranty
"Refurbished" is the most misused word in tech retail. It can mean a device a technician has tested, repaired where needed, and certified — or it can mean someone wiped a phone and put it back in a box. The difference isn't the word; it's who tested it and who answers if something goes wrong.
At STS, refurbished means our own technicians in Roxburgh Park tested and certified the device before it went on the shelf, and our own workshop backs the warranty afterwards. We repair phones, laptops and consoles all day — a device only gets certified when it passes the same checks we'd apply to a repair we're handing back to a customer.
What testing actually covers: battery health, screen and touch response, cameras and microphones, speakers, charging, Wi-Fi and cellular, buttons and sensors. Anything below spec is repaired or the device doesn't go on sale. That's the difference between "certified" and "seller wiped it".
Condition grades describe cosmetics, not function. Every grade works correctly — the grade tells you how the device looks. Higher grades are near-spotless; "Good" carries the light marks of normal use; lower grades trade visible wear for a lower price. The photos and condition on each product page describe the exact unit or grade you'll receive.
The value curve is simple: devices one to three generations behind the latest release cost 30–60% less new-for-like, while doing what almost everyone needs — calls, photos, banking, maps, streaming, schoolwork, office work. The newest generation's premium buys you the newest camera and chip; whether that's worth 2–3× the price is the real question this guide exists to ask.
Where new wins: you keep devices 4+ years and want maximum software-support runway from day one, you need the current camera or performance tier, or you need a configuration that rarely appears second-hand. There's no trick to it — sometimes new is the right call, and we sell new devices too.
Two ways to bring the price down further: trade in your current device (cash, or store credit that pays 10–15% extra), and Afterpay at checkout to spread the cost. Every online order can also be picked up same-day from Roxburgh Park — no waiting on a courier to start using it.
New
Most popularSealed, full manufacturer warranty. The right call for 4+ year keepers.
Refurbished
Tested, certified, near-new cosmetics. 6-month STS warranty.
Good condition
Fully working, light signs of use. The value sweet spot.
For parts
Not working — sold honestly as donor devices for repairers.
All prices are starting points. Every job is quoted before work begins. No surprises.
Every device on our shelves is in Roxburgh Park, Melbourne — pick up the same day you order, or have it shipped anywhere in Australia with AusPost tracking. Want to see it first? Walk in, seven days a week, and we'll put the exact unit in your hands before you pay.
Browse tested, warrantied phones, laptops and consoles — or bring in your old device and trade up. (03) 8339 0014 · Shop G69, 250 Somerton Rd, Roxburgh Park.
