Oregon Man Opens Temu ‘Refurbished’ Consoles to Check Legitimacy
▼ Summary
– A YouTuber named TronicsFix purchased and inspected four “refurbished” consoles from Temu: a Nintendo Switch Lite, a Nintendo Switch OLED, a PlayStation 5, and a Nintendo 64.
– The Nintendo Switch Lite and OLED were in very good condition but were essentially clean used units, not professionally refurbished.
– The Nintendo 64 was in poor condition, was dirty inside, and was an incomplete refurbishment of a modified Japanese unit.
– The PlayStation 5 was functional but required cleaning to prevent overheating due to interior debris.
– The overall conclusion was that all consoles worked, but “refurbished” on Temu largely meant “used and reset,” not professionally serviced.
A consumer recently decided to test the legitimacy of “refurbished” video game consoles sold on the popular online marketplace Temu. The investigation involved purchasing four different systems: a Nintendo Switch Lite, a Nintendo Switch OLED, a PlayStation 5, and a Nintendo 64. The goal was to determine whether these deeply discounted items were genuine refurbishments or simply used consoles being misrepresented.
The first unit examined was a Nintendo Switch Lite, which arrived in a damaged box but included the original charger. Externally, it showed only a minor blemish. Upon opening the device, the internal components and metal shielding were found in excellent, clean condition. The reviewer concluded this was not a true refurbishment but a well-maintained used console that happened to be fully functional. He noted that while it was a working device, a better price could likely be found on other platforms like eBay.
Next, the Nintendo 64 presented more significant issues. The console and its included controller were visibly dirty, with a discolored cartridge door and a prominent scratch. Internally, the unit was dusty and the motherboard showed signs of grime. This particular model was a Japanese version modified with a 3D-printed tray to accept North American game cartridges. The overall assessment was that this was a subpar, incomplete refurbishment job, falling short of professional standards.
The evaluation of the Nintendo Switch OLED revealed another case of misleading labeling. Despite product images suggesting it would come in a retail box, it arrived without one. The tablet portion had some light surface scratches, but the console was otherwise in good working order. Again, the findings pointed to a used device being sold as refurbished, with no evidence of professional servicing or part replacements.
Finally, the PlayStation 5 was found to be in decent physical shape, though the interior had accumulated hair and debris that needed cleaning to ensure proper ventilation and prevent overheating. As with the other consoles, the reviewer observed that a similar or better-condition unit could potentially be sourced for less money from alternative marketplaces.
The overarching conclusion from this experiment was that all four consoles did function. However, the term “refurbished” as used by these Temu sellers appeared to mean “used and factory reset” rather than indicating any professional inspection, cleaning, or repair. For buyers, this highlights the importance of managing expectations when purchasing from such marketplaces; you may get a working product, but it likely won’t meet the standards of a certified refurbishment. Those interested in seeing the full teardown and analysis can find the detailed video on the reviewer’s YouTube channel.
(Source: Supercar Blondie)
