Decision · Consumer purchases
The answer
Start with the delivery date: in Switzerland, a warranty claim against the seller is time-barred two years after delivery, so contact the seller before paying for anything. Out of warranty, compare the cost per year of use: a cheap repair that extends the device by two years almost always beats a purchase; a high quote on an old device does not. Either way, the old device can be returned free of charge wherever that type of device is sold.
Facts checked on · Updated · Market Switzerland
This analysis is available in French and English.
Your device is broken or damaged, a repair quote is waiting, and you do not know whether to pay for the repair, buy refurbished or buy new.
The comparison
Ratings from 0 to 4, from the point of view of someone in your situation — higher is better. The reasoning behind each rating is in the analysis.
| Criterion | Keep | Repair | Refurbished | New |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Immediate spendingWhat you pay now. | ||||
| Cost per year of useThe spending divided by the years the device will serve you. | ||||
| ReliabilityThe risk of another breakdown in the months that follow. | ||||
| Warranty after the choiceThe protection you have if a defect appears afterwards. | Depends on the repairer’s terms: ask before. | For second-hand goods the period can be shortened by contract, never below one year for a consumer. | Two years from delivery, and the seller cannot shorten it for a consumer. | |
| HassleTime without the device, errands, data transfer. | ||||
| ResourcesExtending an existing device uses less than making a new one. |
Live with the defect while it is annoying but not blocking: a scratch, a tired battery, a sticky key.
For
Against
Through the seller (under warranty), the manufacturer or an independent repair shop.
For
Against
A restored or second-hand device from a seller who sells it as such.
For
Against
Replace the device with a new model.
For
Against
The analysis
Under Swiss law, a warranty claim for defects in sold goods is time-barred two years after delivery (art. 210 para. 1 CO).1 In practice, a defect that appears within two years of delivery is first raised with the seller, before paying a repairer.
A professional seller cannot shorten that period below two years for goods for personal or family use, or below one year for second-hand goods (art. 210 para. 4 CO).2 For a new device bought privately from a business, two years is therefore a minimum; for a second-hand device, the seller may set less, but not less than one year.
A clause removing or limiting the warranty is void if the seller fraudulently concealed the defects (art. 199 CO); otherwise a contract can limit it — read the terms before buying.3 We have not verified the other legal limits on warranty clauses: if in doubt, ask the seller for its terms in writing.
Price alone misleads: a CHF 150 quote looks dearer than “waiting” and cheaper than a new device, but what matters is how much use each franc buys. Divide each spend by the years the device will serve you: the repair by the years it gains you, refurbished and new by their expected years of use.
The calculator’s default durations (two years gained by a repair, three for refurbished, five for new) and prices are editorial assumptions: replace them with your quote, your prices and your own use. A phone you change every three years does not compare like a washing machine.
The closer the quote gets to the price of an equivalent device, the more the device’s age matters: repairing the screen of a recent device makes sense, repairing the motherboard of one that no longer gets updates much less. The tool below uses three thresholds — under 30%, 30–60%, over 60% of a replacement’s price — which are editorial markers, not an official rule.
If the device overheats, swells or smells burnt, do not keep it as it is: stop using it and ask a professional. This is a general precaution, not a diagnosis.
Retailers selling electrical and electronic devices must take back, free of charge and at their points of sale, devices of the kind they sell (art. 6 OREA).4 So there is no need to keep an old device for want of somewhere to drop it.
Recycling is funded by an advance recycling contribution included in the purchase price of participating brands’ devices: returning a device costs nothing extra.5 Wipe your data before returning or selling it.
Your recommendation
Five questions are enough; two more refine it. Every rule applied is shown under the result.
Recommendation
Answer 4 more key questions: without them, a recommendation would be a guess.
Missing
Decision rules v1.0.0
The costs
Every amount and duration is an editorial assumption: replace them with your quote, your prices and your use.
Cheapest over 36 months Repair
No crossover within 5 years.
Repair
Refurbished
New
What this calculation shows
What it does not prove
14-month-old laptop
Delivered a little over a year ago, the screen no longer turns on, no knock or fall.
Repair, starting with a claim to the seller: the two-year period has not run out.
Why →3-year-old phone
Worn-out battery, quote under a third of an equivalent model’s price, updates still provided.
Repair. The cost per year of use stays well below a replacement’s.
Why →7-year-old computer
Motherboard failure, quote above 60% of a new one, used for work every day, no more updates.
Replace — new or refurbished depending on budget. Repairing would extend an end-of-life device at a high price.
Why →Rarely used tablet
A scratch on the screen, everything works, used now and then.
Keep it as it is. Nothing justifies spending.
Why →What we do not know
The most uncertain part: how long the repaired — or refurbished — device will actually last. Nobody knows in advance; the calculator shows from what duration each option becomes the cheapest.
A warranty claim against the seller is time-barred two years after delivery (art. 210 CO). A professional seller cannot shorten that below two years for goods for personal use, or below one year for second-hand goods.
A clause removing or limiting the warranty is void if the seller fraudulently concealed the defects (art. 199 CO). Other limits on warranty clauses were not verified here: read the terms before buying.
Retailers selling that type of device must take it back free of charge at their points of sale (art. 6 OREA). Recycling is funded by a contribution included in the price of participating brands’ devices.
There is no official threshold. Compare the cost per year of use: the quote divided by the years the repair gains you, against a replacement’s price divided by its years of use.
Every fact on this page points to a source read on the date shown. Prices and availability are re-checked at least every 90 and 120 days.
Under Swiss law, a warranty claim for defects in sold goods is time-barred two years after delivery (art. 210 para. 1 CO).
verified · read on
Toute action en garantie pour les défauts de la chose se prescrit par deux ans à compter de la livraison faite à l’acheteur, même si ce dernier n’a découvert les défauts que plus tardA professional seller cannot shorten that period below two years for goods for personal or family use, or below one year for second-hand goods (art. 210 para. 4 CO).
verified · read on
Toute clause prévoyant une réduction du délai de prescription est nulle si […] la clause prévoit un délai de prescription inférieur à deux ans ou, en cas de vente de choses d’occasion, inférieur à un anA clause removing or limiting the warranty is void if the seller fraudulently concealed the defects (art. 199 CO); otherwise a contract can limit it — read the terms before buying.
verified · read on
Toute clause qui supprime ou restreint la garantie est nulle si le vendeur a frauduleusement dissimulé à l’acheteur les défauts de la chose.Retailers selling electrical and electronic devices must take back, free of charge and at their points of sale, devices of the kind they sell (art. 6 OREA).
verified · read on
Les détaillants et les fabricants qui remettent des appareils et des composants à des consommateurs finaux sont tenus de reprendre gratuitement à leurs points de vente durant les heures d’ouverture les appareils et les composants de la sorte qu’ils proposent dans leur assortiment.Recycling is funded by an advance recycling contribution included in the purchase price of participating brands’ devices: returning a device costs nothing extra.
verified · read on
Depuis son introduction en 2003, la CAR est comprise dans le prix de vente des appareils électriques et électroniques des partenaires SENS. […] la restitution des appareils dans des centres de collecte et des points de vente n’engendre aucun coût supplémentaireNo vendor mentioned pays to appear here, and no link on this page is an affiliate link. What Bynilson sells is labelled as such and plays no part in the recommendation rules.
Research and writing assisted by AI tools; every fact was read on its source on the date shown, and the decision rules are written and tested by hand.
Useful steps whatever you decide.