What is a reconditioned or Factory Outlet system?
A reconditioned MPC system was previously sent to a third party and subsequently came back to MPC, usually for one of these reasons:

• The system was used for an internal or a trade show demonstration.
• The system was sent to a company for corporate evaluation.
• The system was returned to MPC or exchanged for a different system using MPC's standard money-back policy for new systems.
• The system was used for a magazine or editorial review.

What happens when a system comes back to the MPC Factory Outlet?

When a system comes back to MPC, it is thoroughly tested for quality and reliability and prepared for a new owner. When a reconditioned system is sent to its new owner, it will be in "new" condition—any physical marks on the system will have been removed, all software will have been loaded, and the system will be ready to go.

What about defective parts—could I be getting a system with "fixed" defective parts?

A common question people have about reconditioned systems is whether they include "fixed" broken parts—whether MPC technicians actually use soldering irons and other tools to fix broken components. This does not happen. If any component is not working on a reconditioned system, it is replaced with a perfectly functioning component. MPC will not send you systems with "fixed" parts—all components will be in "just from factory" condition.

Isn't a reconditioned system going to fail sooner than a new system—after all, hasn't it already been used for a portion of its total life?

A computer is different than other home office equipment such as Fax machines or photocopiers. Most other home office machines consist of many moving, mechanical parts. Other than a few mechanical components (such as the hard drive and other drives), a computer consists of mainly electronic components. Usually, if such an electronic component is going to fail, it will fail within a few hours after it was installed. Because of this fact, part of MPC's manufacturing process is that all new systems have to go through a "burn in" process—a process where the newly built system is left powered on for several hours. During the burn-in process, system components are carefully monitored to ensure that they are all functioning properly.

The reality is that a reconditioned system, which has been used for a longer time than a new system, has undergone a longer than normal burn-in process, so it is even more likely that all the components are functioning properly.

What is the warranty and return policy on Factory Outlet desktop systems?

The only difference between the limited warranty on a reconditioned system and the limited warranty on a new system is this: the limited warranty on a reconditioned system does not include MPC's standard money-back policy. (However, if a new system is replaced with a reconditioned system while the onsite service warranty is in effect, that warranty will also cover the reconditioned system for its remaining term.)