Can You Buy A Games Console Responsibly? I Did, And Spent £100 Less

And I've managed to save a packet on it.We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HuffPost UK may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI – prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.In what feels like a never-ending cost of living crisis, there are few luxuries that feel less affordable right now than games consoles.Sony announced a price hike for PS5s in Europe back in April, Microsoft have announced a worldwide price increase for Xbox hardware and software and the Nintendo Switch 2 had a much-higher price point than expected. Forbes speculates that tariffs might increase the cost of consoles too.In amongst this all, I’ve been wanting to get my hands on a Steam Deck for some time – and at £350 for the standard LCD version, and £569 for the OLED equivalent, it’s not a ‘on a whim’ type of purchase. The other issue? I hate electrical waste and I’m also feeling ever more conscious of the fact that new technology contributes more than one billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year. So, what to do? Well, spoiler, I have a Steam Deck now – and I don’t feel guilty or out of pocket for it. How did I do it?Enter Back Market.Founded in Paris in 2014, Back Market buys your old devices and sells refurbished ones at prices lower than the market price. And it’s great news for the planet as well as our pockets – over 30 million items have been sold by the company across 17 markets, avoiding approximately 1.6 million tons of carbon emissions.The company has rigorous rules for their Verified Refurbished products, so there’s no risk of buying a fake or stolen device. In the case of gaming consoles, that means they’re given a full reset and data scrub, checked to make sure they’re not stolen or locked, and tested by industry pros. Every console has to pass a minimum 17-point inspection before it’s put up for sale – so you’re in seriously safe hands.Even then, every purchase made on Back Market comes locked and loaded with the company’s Verified Refurbished one-year warranty and free 30-day returns policy.It’s not just games consoles either – you can buy everything from phones, laptops and smartwatches to hairdryers and coffee machines from the site before; with discounts running as high as 50% compared to new.You can also bag an even cheaper price by opting for a product that’s in a lower level of condition – for instance, I chose a Steam Deck that’s in ‘excellent’ condition (and still got it £100 cheaper than the price of a new one), but my colleague opted for a smartwatch in ‘good’ condition. I could have saved even more cash had I traded in a piece of old tech hanging around my house. And there have been zero issues with my new Steam Deck – we’ve used its internet access to try and bag Glasto tickets, I’ve been playing The Sims from the comfort of my sofa for weeks, our household’s resident Playstation user is able to finally complete The Witcher 3 before their console breaks (and play it on the move) and my train journeys up and down to London have improved tenfold now that I can binge-play Steam’s library of indie games while in transit.You’d never know its second-hand or refurbished – and that’s the beauty of Back Market. When it comes to buying tech, I can’t think of a better offer – purchases that help reduce climate guilt and are kinder to our bank accounts?We’re in. Related...I Tried The Skin-Renewing SPF Dua Lipa Takes On Holiday – And My Skin's Never Been HappierI Haven't Paid Full Price For Electronics Since 2016 – Here's HowThese Chic Fixtures Will Get Rid Of Your 'Freezing Or Boiling' Tap Water Dilemma In Style

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