It's always a gamble buying a phone that's renewed/refurbished, because you hope you're going to get what the seller actually promises (as opposed to a disappointing/broken/non-working product). This isn't my first refurbished phone, but I'm always a little anxious spending the money on something I HOPE is going to be good (as opposed to brand-new/unused).I bought this phone in refurbished/excellent condition. After reading multiple reviews on multiple refurbished phone listings on Amazon, my biggest concern was (always is) getting one with a damaged screen, cameras, or having it not truly be unlocked. I've had this phone less than 24 hours, but here's my take SO far (I can't speak for other people, these are just my experiences):1) Yes, it was (for me) truly, 100% unlocked. Not even an ex-carrier logo when I first turned it on! (My previous 'unlocked' refurbished phone has a T-Mobile logo when turned on) I was quite happy/impressed about this.2) No scratches (that I could see) on the front/touchscreen. There are multiple, TINY scuffs on the sides (not part of the touchscreen)/top edge/bottom edge of the phone - which I fully expected w/ a refurbished phone, and I'm totally fine with it (and this is if I'm REALLY nitpicking - they're really not that bad, though. It's just not FLAWLESS, which - again - I'm fine with).3) 99% flawless on the backside - the ONLY thing I can see is a TINY scuff on the edge of one of the cameras (not the actual camera/glass screen itself), and this is cosmetic - it doesn't affect the quality of the camera (that I've noticed).4) S-Pen pops out like it should, seems to be fine.5) Charges just fine so far - both wireless and wired.6) Popped in my SIM card (US Mobile, uses T-Mobile network), and it worked instantly. No phone/SIM-related problems so far. Everything - and I mean everything (data, wallpapers, photos, Samsung Notes from my previous phone, sounds/ringtones, apps, folders, etc) - transferred from my old phone perfectly (Samsung Smart Switch app).7) Fingerprint reader works fine for me so far - and that's with a plastic-y (TPU?) screen protector that I put on it.I haven't noticed any real issues thus far - if anything changes, I'll update my review.OVERALL: For me, yes it's definitely worth the money. If you're considering it and you're on the fence (and I understand why you might be), I say go for it. I'm very satisfied, hopefully nothing changes in time. Buying refurbished is a great way (in theory, lol) to save money while still getting a phone you really want (I think they're normally way overpriced anyway). Shipping was great (got mine the next day!), no issues with packaging (very safe/secure), and the phone - while not literally FLAWLESS - still looks great, works great, and I look forward to using it for a long time to come! A great buy overall!