A better way to look at parts is quality! Is the part your buying a good quality part?
OEM Parts are those made by the manufacturer, specifically for your machine. A good example would be buying an HP-branded battery for your HP Laptop. But sometimes OEM isn’t available, or sometimes the cost is significantly higher than the alternatives. Then you see other brands advertised on eBay, Newegg, or Amazon. But are they worth it?
Often times people have found that the off-brand parts are as good or sometimes better than the original equipment. Here’s one article from PC World “Cheap Laptop Batteries: Good Deal or Risky?” But this is where we circle back around to the idea of using a quality part. Many sites like Newegg or Amazon list reviews for that particular product. If it has a low rating, steer clear. If it has 5 stars, but you see only a few reviews, click away! They just aren’t worth the risk.
Wait…. what risk, you ask. There are the obvious problems of the part not fitting, or functioning properly. Also, its lifespan may not be what you would hope it is. An OEM or high quality part should have a perfect fit and functionality for your laptop. Aside from a poor quality part not fitting your computer there are potential dangers. Check out the image below:
That is a photo we took of one of our customer’s computer. THANKFULLY no one was injured and their home was not damaged. We were also able to recover all of the customers data from the laptop. While using the computer their daughter said the keyboard began smoking. Before she knew it, the battery popped and the computer was on fire. The computer hadn’t been left in the heat, this was just under normal use. She mentioned she had replaced the battery a few years ago. It had been acquired from eBay, I was unable to determine a brand.
So, is it ok to buy non-OEM?
Absolutely! If an OEM replacement is within budget and available, we ALWAYS recommend OEM. But sometimes the price difference is huge, or OEM just isn’t available. If that is the case, dive into the product reviews. Those are reviews from people just like you who have purchased that product. If you need help determining the right part, let us help you out. You can always send us a message or go to our Scheduling Page and schedule a visit!
