For years, buying refurbished electronics was treated as the compromise option: the slightly older iPhone, the laptop with a prior owner, the console bought after someone else had moved on to the next generation. Now, that assumption is starting to look outdated.

Nearly half of Americans – 48 percent – say they would consider buying used or refurbished technology, according to a 2026 CNET Group TechPulse study. The shift is happening as consumers see less reason to pay a premium for annual upgrades, particularly when their existing devices still work and new hardware is becoming sharply more expensive.

The timing is not accidental. Across phones, laptops and gaming, companies have been raising prices rather than cutting them as products age. That has made the refurbished market feel less like a bargain bin and more like a sensible alternative for people who want capable hardware without turning a basic upgrade into a major purchase.

Apple’s recent increases have been especially noticeable. MacBook prices rose by roughly 15 to 20 percent, while some iPad prices increased by about 15 to 25 percent, as the company faced rising memory and storage component costs. Back Market, a large refurbished-device marketplace, said sales of refurbished MacBooks jumped 62 percent week over week immediately after Apple’s announcement.

That reaction captures what is changing in the market. Consumers are not necessarily rejecting new technology, or even the growing push toward AI-powered devices. They are simply asking a more practical question: do they need the latest version badly enough to pay hundreds of dollars more for it?

For many people, the answer is no. A two- or three-year-old MacBook can still handle work, school, browsing, video calls and creative tasks. A recent iPhone can run modern apps and take excellent photos. And a used PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series console still plays the same big games as a new one. The new-device premium is increasingly hard to justify when the day-to-day experience remains broadly similar.

Gaming hardware makes the case particularly clear. Sony raised US prices for the PlayStation 5 lineup in April, taking the standard PS5 to $649.99, the Digital Edition to $599.99 and the PS5 Pro to $899.99. PlayStation Portal also moved to $249.99.

Microsoft followed with another Xbox price increase set to begin August 1. The Xbox Series S with 512GB of storage will cost $500, while 1TB models are rising by $150; the Xbox Series X 1TB models will reach $750 for the digital edition and $800 for the disc-drive version. Microsoft tied the decision to a global memory shortage and higher storage costs.

These are not small adjustments. They change the emotional math of buying a console. At $500 or more, a new system becomes a purchase people plan for, compare heavily and sometimes postpone. A refurbished or used console, meanwhile, offers a way into the same game library for a more manageable price – particularly for families, casual players and anyone who sees a console as entertainment hardware rather than a status symbol.

The appetite for refurbished tech also reflects a broader weariness with the upgrade cycle. The CNET Group study found that 73 percent of respondents prioritize functionality over novelty, while 76 percent prefer to wait until a new product shows clear value before upgrading. In other words, the average consumer is not anti-tech; they are becoming more selective about which innovations are actually worth paying for.

That distinction matters in the current AI era. Tech companies are positioning AI features as the reason to buy the next phone, PC or tablet, but most useful AI services are increasingly delivered through the cloud, apps and web browsers. A slightly older device can often access the same chatbots, image tools, productivity features and streaming services as a brand-new one. Unless the buyer needs local AI processing, a major camera upgrade, better battery health or a specific new feature, the hardware difference may not feel dramatic.

Refurbished products have also become easier to trust. The best sellers now test devices, replace defective parts where needed, grade cosmetic condition clearly and offer warranties or return windows. That does not make every refurbished listing equal, but it is a long way from the old stereotype of buying a mystery device from an online marketplace and hoping it turns on.

There is still an important difference between “used” and “refurbished.” A used device may be sold as-is by an individual, with its condition depending entirely on the seller’s description. A refurbished device is typically inspected, cleaned, tested and sometimes repaired by a retailer, manufacturer or specialist reseller. Buyers pay a little more for that layer of assurance, but it can be worthwhile for expensive devices such as laptops, phones and game consoles.

The smart approach is to shop for value rather than simply the lowest price. A refurbished iPhone with a new battery, a clear warranty and an unlocked status can be a better buy than a cheaper used model with unknown repair history. For laptops, buyers should look carefully at battery condition, RAM, storage capacity, screen quality and whether the machine will continue to receive operating-system updates. For consoles, checking included accessories, controller condition and return terms can prevent a good deal from becoming an expensive headache.

There is an environmental argument here, too. Keeping devices in use for longer reduces pressure to manufacture new hardware and helps slow the stream of electronic waste. CNET’s research found that only 39 percent of US adults recycle old tech, while 29 percent keep outdated devices stored at home and 22 percent still throw old technology in the trash. Extending the life of working devices through resale, trade-in and refurbishment is one practical way to keep useful electronics out of drawers and landfills.

The bigger story is that refurbished tech is becoming part of the mainstream purchase journey. Buyers are no longer only looking at it when money is tight. They are checking it first, comparing it against new retail prices, and deciding whether the newest model really earns its higher cost.

As Apple, Sony and Microsoft push prices upward, that behavior is likely to become more common. The pitch for buying new has always relied on excitement: faster chips, better cameras, slimmer designs, more storage and now AI. But when the price gap grows wide enough, excitement has to compete with a much more persuasive feature – getting nearly everything you need for a lot less.