What you need to know
- Samsung has added the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 to its Certified Re-Newed program, but the current math is broken.
- In a bizarre pricing twist, a brand-new base Z Fold 7 or Flip 7 currently costs $40-$100 less than their refurbished counterparts.
- The Re-Newed program only makes financial sense if you’re hunting for high-capacity models, like the 1TB Fold 7.
If you’ve been interested in the latest foldable tech but haven’t had the luxury to spend top dollar, Samsung just made things interesting. The company has now included the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 in its Certified Re-Newed program in the U.S. However, calling them "cheap" might be a stretch.
Samsung's program for refurbished phones sounds promising: these are handsets that the Korean tech giant has taken back, given new batteries, repaired, and tested. You typically get the same warranty as a new phone, just not the brand-new feel.
However, the refurbished base models currently cost $100 more than new devices, as noted by 9to5Google.
Article continues belowRefurbished costs more than new
Let’s break it down. A refurbished Galaxy Z Fold 7 with 256GB of storage is $1,699 through the Re-Newed program. That’s $300 less than the original $1,999 price. Sounds good at first, but there’s more to the story.
At the moment, Samsung’s own store is offering a brand new, sealed Z Fold 7 (256GB) for $1,599. That’s not a mistake. You actually pay less for a new device than for a refurbished one.
Samsung’s efforts to promote a circular economy and reduce electronic waste are commendable. However, charging more for a refurbished device than for a new one does not equate genuine sustainability. It’s just putting a “certified” label on a bad deal and hoping people don’t compare prices.
The same thing happens with the Flip 7: the refurbished base model is $939, while a new one is discounted to $899.
However, if you need a lot of storage, the numbers change. The 1TB refurbished Fold 7 costs $1,879. Compared to the current new price of $2,099, the refurbished option actually saves you money. For those who need plenty of space for videos and offline maps, the Re-Newed deal makes sense.
For most people, though, this pricing doesn’t add up. Samsung probably created this program for buyers who don’t compare prices. If you’re a careful shopper, you’ll just find the lower price on the new phone and choose that instead.
