Smaller than a laptop but bigger than a smartphone, a tablet can provide you with the best of both worlds. It’s light and portable enough to easily carry from place to place, which makes it the perfect option for all kinds of people, from university students to busy professionals. You can use a tablet for many of the same tasks you would use a laptop for, from browsing the web to gaming to editing. Bonus: a tablet is even easier than a laptop to set up. Once you’ve found the right location to work in, just tap your screen and watch your tablet light up.

Like new flagship smartphones, new tablets are expensive, especially from high-end brands like Apple and Samsung. Refurbished devices offer a more affordable option. A refurbished device is a smartphone, laptop, tablet or other piece of electronic equipment that a professional has restored and repaired to ensure it functions as well as a new model. With the proper care, a refurbished smartphone lasts just as long as a new one, but does a second-hand tablet also last as long?

In this article, we explore the average refurbished tablet’s lifespan, explain our tablet refurbishing process and offer some tips for extending the lifespan of your tablet. We’ll also answer the all-important question: does a second-hand tablet last as long as a smartphone?

Second-Hand Tablet Lifespan

The lifespan of a second-hand tablet depends on several factors: the quality of the model, how the previous owner treated it and how you’re treating it now, for starters.

Due to how reliable and detailed the refurbishing process is, buying a refurbished tablet gives you a far higher likelihood of scoring a tablet with a long lifespan than buying a regular used one. When the refurbishing process has been properly carried out, a refurbished device should last just as long as one you buy directly from the store.

A tablet that doesn’t require any updates and is only used to read PDFs can last for up to 12 years. However, on average, a Samsung tablet lasts for about five years, an iPad can stay fully functional for about nine years and a Windows tablet between eight and 12 years.

Does a second-hand tablet last as long as a smartphone that’s received similar treatment? As a matter of fact, it can last a lot longer! Refurbished tablets often have longer lifespans than smartphones because they’re used a lot less frequently.  As a result, they experience a lot fewer knocks and drops and are less likely to suffer physical damage. The internal components also undergo less wear and tear from less usage.

Now you know second-hand tablets last as long as smartphones, it’s important to choose a reputable refurbisher to buy from. 

The OzMobiles Tablet Refurbishing Process

Refurbished devices come with a lot of benefits. They’re much more affordable than store-bought models, better for the environment and usually come with warranties, unlike regular used electronic goods. But you can’t neglect the reputation and track record of the refurbisher. The quality of the refurbishing job directly impacts the refurbished tablet’s lifespan.

Here is our brief guide to the OzMobiles refurbishing process for tablets and other devices. This is how we make second-hand tablets last as long as store-bought ones.

The OzMobiles refurbishing process starts with people like you selling your used devices to us for cash using one of our free shipping methods. We’ll send payment to your bank account within 24 hours.

During the next stage of the process, we run background checks to make sure the device isn’t stolen or lost, remove the previous owner’s data, remove the hardware and software customisations and restore the damaged parts.

Like all refurbished devices, OzMobiles’ tablets are sold in grades according to how much wear and tear they have sustained. Some, commonly called ‘ex-demo’ devices, have only been used as display items in retail stores. Others are a little more worn-out but compensate for it by being available at bargain prices.

One of the best things you can do to help your second-hand tablet last as long as a newer model is to be proactive about protecting its lifespan.  

Tips For Extending Your Refurbished Tablet Lifespan

Here are some easy suggestions you can take on board for preserving and extending your refurbished tablet’s lifespan:

Look after your battery life

Your battery is one of the elements that wear out over time, as repeated charging cycles make it less efficient. While you can’t stop the passage of time, you can protect your battery as best you can. Your iPad will perform best if you can avoid excessively hot or excessively cold temperatures, which can cause your battery long-term damage. Changing your display brightness and reducing the number of apps running in the background are other ways to effectively reduce your charge cycles. Don’t wait until the battery is completely dead to recharge your tablet;  instead, charge when it’s low. Use the original charger or a decent-quality aftermarket one.

Clean your tablet regularly

Use a soft microfibre cloth to wipe down the screen and body of the tablet, avoiding any harsh cleaning agents and solutions.

Use a screen protector and case

Invest in a good screen protector and carry your tablet around in a case to avoid accidental scratches and other damage.

Update your software regularly

Software updates protect your tablet from malware, bugs and viruses. Stay protected against the latest threats by regularly allowing security updates.

Use in a safe location

Your tablet might be highly waterproof and dustproof, but you should still guard against accidents by keeping it out of the sun and away from drinks, dust and other hazards.

Avoid overloading with multi-tasking

Multitasking on your tablet is fine. In fact, there are features that allow you to more effectively multitask. However, opening too many apps or running too many processes at once can cause your tablet to overload. Going overboard with applications will compromise its efficiency and cause it to slow down sooner or later.

Backup your data

Sometimes accidents happen, or you may have a stroke of bad luck no matter how well you’ve been taking care of your device. Backing up all your data will save you a world of stress and headaches if the worst happens and your tablet stops working.

If you’re wondering where to find long-lasting refurbished tablets in the first place, we have all the answers you’re looking for.

Buy Refurbished Tablets at OzMobiles

You’ll find plenty of second-hand tablets that last as long as new ones right here on the OzMobiles website.

Pick up a best-selling refurbished Apple iPad, such as the iPad Mini, iPad Air or iPad Pro, for hundreds of dollars less than the models you’ll find in stores. With new second-hand stock arriving all the time, we often have Samsung and other Android tablets available too.

Every second-hand device we sell, whether it’s a laptop, smartphone or tablet, is put through a strict testing process to make sure it’s fully functional. This includes battery life, which we require to be at least 80% of its full capacity.

For any questions or more info on our second-hand tablets that last as long as new ones, contact the OzMobiles team!