Introduction
We’ve looked at refurbished phones from popular retailers like Best Buy, Wish, and Amazon, but this time, we decided to check out a refurbished phone from an unexpected seller: GameStop. Yes, you read that right—GameStop, a company best known for selling video games, now sells refurbished phones. I purchased an iPhone XR from GameStop for about $400 a couple of months ago, and today, we’re going to see how well they did with this refurbishment.
Unboxing the Refurbished iPhone XR
The phone arrived in what appeared to be the original Apple box, though it looked a little worse for wear. Interestingly, GameStop had covered up some of the warning texts and phone information on the box—the reason for this is unclear. There was also a blade sticker on the box, indicating that someone traded in this phone, and GameStop either refurbished it or simply resold it as is.
Upon opening the box, the phone itself appeared to be in fairly good condition. Here are some initial observations:
- Screen condition: No major scratches were visible, although there was some dirt in the ear speaker.
- Body condition: No significant scratches on the front, back, or sides.
- Charging port: Slightly dirty with minor scuff marks around the two pentalobe screws, suggesting the phone may have been opened before.
Booting Up and Initial Tests
After setting the phone aside briefly, we powered it on—fortunately, it wasn’t completely dead. The boot-up process was smooth, and the screen appeared to be an original Apple component, which was a promising sign.
We then checked the battery health, which showed 87% capacity. While not ideal, this is fairly common for refurbished phones.
Software Testing
Before opening up the phone to inspect the internals, we ran a series of software tests. The phone passed all tests without any issues. However, there’s one more thing we could do before physically opening the device: using 3u Tools.
Using 3u Tools for Verification
3u Tools is a program that can verify whether any components of the phone have been replaced. It works by matching the serial numbers of the phone’s components with the device’s original serial number. While it isn’t 100% accurate, it provides a good indication of whether a phone has been tampered with.
After running the verification report, 3u Tools indicated that all components were original. Despite this, the scuff marks around the bottom screws suggested someone might have opened the phone.
Disassembling the iPhone XR
To get a definitive answer, we decided to open up the phone using an iFixit toolkit.
Removing the Back Cover
The first step was to unscrew the two pentalobe screws at the bottom of the phone. Upon closer inspection, the scuff marks were indeed noticeable, indicating that the screws had been removed at some point.
Next, we used the iFixit Jimmy tool to carefully pry open the phone. The seal between the screen and frame was quite tight, a sign that the phone hadn’t been opened recently or frequently.
Inspecting the Internals
Once the phone was open, we carefully examined the internal components. Here’s what we found:
- Screen flex cable: The flex cable had an Apple marking (MK), confirming that the screen was original.
- Seals and parts: All seals appeared intact, and there were no obvious signs of parts being replaced.
- Back glass: We initially speculated that the back glass might have been replaced, but further inspection revealed case markings and a small line from the camera cutout, indicating that it was likely original.
Interestingly, we did notice a fingerprint inside the phone. It’s unclear whether this was from us during the disassembly or if it had been there beforehand.
Final Verdict
After a thorough inspection, it seems that this iPhone XR was likely a near-new trade-in rather than a heavily used device that required significant refurbishment. GameStop did a good job in preserving the original parts, and the phone passed both software and hardware inspections with flying colors.
The only lingering mystery is the scuff marks on the bottom screws. It’s possible they were caused by wear and tear rather than a previous repair attempt.
Overall Rating
- Condition: 9/10
- Functionality: 10/10
- Refurbishment quality: 10/10
GameStop exceeded expectations with this refurbished iPhone XR, earning a solid 10 out of 10 rating from us. It’s impressive to see a company known for games stepping into the refurbished phone market and doing a great job.
Future Testing Plans
In future videos and articles, we plan to purchase multiple refurbished products from a single company to conduct more controlled and accurate tests. Testing just one product isn’t always representative of a company’s overall quality.
Let us know which company you’d like us to test next!
