You find the model you want, then you hit a dropdown that says Acceptable, Good, Excellent or Premium — and the price swings by a few hundred dollars. Most people either default to the cheapest and worry, or default to the most expensive and overpay. Neither is necessary once you know what the grades actually describe.
The single most important thing to understand
The grade describes cosmetic condition only. It says nothing about whether the phone works.
Every device, regardless of grade, goes through the same functional testing: screen and touch response, cameras, Face ID or fingerprint sensor, speakers, microphones, buttons, charging port, wireless charging, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, mobile data and GPS. Every device gets its IMEI checked. Every device carries a minimum 12-month warranty and meets our 80% minimum battery health guarantee.
An Acceptable-grade phone is not a worse phone. It is the same working phone with more visible wear on the outside.
The four grades
Premium
As close to new as a pre-owned device gets. No visible scratches or marks on the screen or body at normal viewing distance. If you handed it to someone without saying anything, they would assume it was new. This is the grade to choose if you use your phone without a case, if it is a gift, or if cosmetic condition genuinely matters to you.
Excellent
Very light wear that you have to look for. Perhaps a faint mark on the frame or an almost-invisible hairline on the back glass. Screen is clean. For most buyers this is the value sweet spot — it looks essentially new in the hand, but costs meaningfully less than Premium.
Good
Visible signs of use on close inspection. Light scratches on the body, possibly minor marks on the screen that disappear when the display is on. Completely invisible inside a case with a screen protector. If you case your phone — and almost everyone does — this grade gives you the largest saving without any practical downside.
Acceptable
Clear cosmetic wear. Noticeable scratches, scuffed edges, possibly deeper marks on the back or frame. The screen remains fully functional with no dead pixels and no burn-in that affects use. This is the grade for buyers whose priority is capability per dollar: a phone two generations newer than they could otherwise afford, with the wear that comes with the price.
Which grade should you actually buy?
| If you... | Buy |
|---|---|
| Use a case and screen protector | Good — the wear never sees daylight |
| Go caseless | Premium or Excellent |
| Are buying it as a gift | Premium |
| Want the newest possible model for your budget | Acceptable |
| Are buying a first phone for a child | Acceptable or Good — it will get scratched anyway |
| Plan to resell in 12–18 months | Excellent — holds resale value better |
A useful trick: buy down a grade, spend up a model
This is the single best piece of advice in this article. Rather than buying the highest grade of an older model, buy a lower grade of a newer one. An Acceptable-grade phone from a newer generation will typically give you a better camera, a faster chip and more years of software support than a Premium-grade phone two generations older — often at a similar price.
Since you are going to put a case on it within the hour, the cosmetic difference costs you nothing and the performance difference lasts years.
What grades do not tell you
A grade is not a substitute for the other things you should be checking. Always confirm:
- Battery health — graded separately from cosmetics. Ours never drops below 80%, and you can have a new battery fitted before dispatch for $53.
- Storage capacity — a 128GB Acceptable can be a far better buy than a 64GB Premium.
- Warranty length — 12 months standard, extendable to 24 months for $69.
- Returns — you have 30 days for faults or change of mind.
If the grade does not match what arrives
Grading involves a human eye, and occasionally a device lands on the wrong side of a line. That is what the 30-day returns window is for, and we would rather swap it than have you settle. Send it back or bring it to the Parramatta shop.
Want the cosmetic wear hidden from day one?
If you are buying a Good or Acceptable device, adding a fitted screen protector and clear cover at checkout ($25 for both, applied by our technicians before dispatch) means the phone arrives already protected and the existing wear largely disappears from view.
Have a look at the refurbished iPhone range or the Samsung Galaxy range, and if you are stuck between two grades, call us on 0488 845 046 and we will tell you honestly which one is worth the difference.
