It's a unit that's been restored to original factory specs. It might not
be
cosmetically perfect, but it is functionally like new, and often carries a
full warranty.
These days, with regard to electronics, a refurbished unit is most likely
one that's been returned to the store by the customer, either because it
was
defective, or because the purchaser decided they didn't like it. It goes
back to the manufacturer. If it's defective it'll be repaired. Otherwise
it gets cleaned up, and goes through inspection/testing to make sure it
functions as new.
It could also refer to a piece that didn't pass final inspection and was
sent back to fix whatever caused it to not pass muster the first time.
Computers might be a slightly different story, as they might be
institutional units that were "traded in". In that case, the mechanical
parts, like the hard drive, probably will have some miles on them. But
that's not a big issue these days, as drives have become much more
reliable,
and lifespans have increased dramatically in recent years.
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