Are Refurbished Laptops Reliable for OBS & Development? Looking for Advice

V

vaanyabhardwaj0505@gmail.

New Member
Hi everyone,

I’m planning to upgrade my laptop setup for OBS Studio, software development, and general multitasking. I’m exploring certified refurbished laptops because they’re more affordable and usually business-grade.

I came across Renew Circuits, a refurbished laptop brand that offers tested and certified devices with warranty. Their pricing seems good, but before making a purchase, I want to know:

Has anyone here used a laptop from Renew Circuits for OBS or development?​

I’m mainly comparing:

  • i5 (8th–11th Gen) → Good for coding + light OBS
  • i7 (8th–11th Gen) → Better for heavy OBS usage, multitasking, and long workflows

What I’d like to know:​

  • Is the performance smooth when using OBS + coding tools together?
  • Any heating or lag issues?
  • Real-world experience with Renew Circuits laptops?
Sharing any feedback, benchmarks, or suggestions would really help.
Thanks!
 
bcoyle

bcoyle

Member
Make sure it has an nvdia processor (something with gpus) and lots of memory. I brought a used dell laptop and I'm running 3 copies of obs at 2x720p,30fps,2500mbs and one 1080p/3pfps/4500mbs. Did not buy it from renew circuits so don't know anyway about them
 
L

Lawrence_SoCal

Active Member
The challenge with answering your question, is that there are many more factors to consider.
For Windows OS development, I would NOT consider older CPUs that just barely make the cutoff for Win11. But I say, that expecting to get a system that I use for MANY years. If you only expect 1-2 years usable life out of a laptop, that changes things.
And budget is always the biggest driver

And it depends on what you are planning to do with OBS Studio... System hardware requirements for a single 1080p30 video feed vs multiple 4K video feeds has HUGE resource implications. Some plugins have large CPU impact, etc.
it depends.

Can you get an i7 11th gen or i5-8th gen that works fine for OBS Studio and simultaneous dev tools? Yes (if computational load isn't too high). And are there other same scenario, different specific details, where you'd need a newer CPU, lots of RAM, etc. Yes.
Are there some scenarios with same s/w where you'd need a professional workstation class desktop (US $5-10K+) to handle? Yes... it all depends.

Writing code needs almost no resources.. compiling and testing code can be small to massive resource demands. depends entirely on the code itself. There is no way to provide a specific answer based on original post. And even if you were able to spec out just enough to meet your needs, what is the chance that you will migrate over time to more complex code, and OBS Studio presentation, changing (increasing) system resource needs?
With OBS Studio, the normal course of events is to figure it out and get something working, then over time improving the presentation (automation, filters, effects, extra sophistication in presentation, chroma-keying (CPU intensive), etc. So, are you spec'ing for where you are starting, or where you are going to end up? and in what timeframe?

I say this as someone who has decades of experience in optimizing systems, and can make an old, under-powered system work, as well as running loads that can bring monster brand-new workstations to their knees.
 
bcoyle

bcoyle

Member
I agree with lawrence. I was lucky enough to get a dell "mobile workstation" which is a fancy word for a laptop that has the same power as a desktop. I tried to use my wife's old win 10 laptop and it was so doggy that I gave up. I upgraded it to a SSD and increased memory, but it was bad. So brought the new one and love it. But as I say, was lucky. Also most laptops aren't built for 24/7.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top