Here's a nice tip for buying a used laptop: If it's a relatively modern unit and it ever had Windows 11 installed on it, even if it comes with no hard drive or a blank hard drive all you have to do is run the Windows 11 installer from a USB key. It'll install an activated copy of Windows 11, free.
But then you have windows 11 and have to beat it to death with a sledge hammer.
For business laptops, they include the Windows 11 key as part of the firmware. Usually most business machines run Windows 11 Pro, so that's what you'll get. No Windows key necessary. Saves some cash buying used, eh?
I'm not sure how it works with systems that originally had Windows 10 installed, but either the Windows 11 installer will just use the Windows 10 key and install anyway because they're practically interchangeable now, or you install Windows 10 and then upgrade to 11 for free.
The W11 installer does take the firmware key automatically and install, whether the key was for 10 and 11. Even if it is not in the firmware and you upgrade to W11 from a validated W10 install, even with a clean install, it might autoactivate when you finish the setup and connect to the internet.
FYI, the Dell Vostro 7620 and the Vostro 7510 are good little sleeper gaming systems, if you can find them used for under $400. Intel Core i7 CPUs and RTX 3050 and 3050 Ti graphics cards built in. Nice aluminum bodies, too.
Since it's been a hot minute since I had to do this sort of thing with an acquired refurb, what complications will there be if they're running an Enterprise version of Windows?
Window license expires.
Depends on how it's licensed; Enterprise can be an upgrade license applied to Pro (so worst-case you should be able to fall back to the Pro product key) or a subscription assigned by an M365 tenant. The former sometimes uses a KMS server in AD and will deactivate if it's unreachable.
but in any case you can get legit Pro licenses on the grey market for like $15 so it's not a huge deal :V
complete with all the data harvesting AI apps?
Works with 10 Home & Pro too, it's a digital key locked to an identifier in the hardware, all you need is an internet connection to activate it. If it has TPM2.0 chip then you can upgrade it to 11 from 10 free. TPM2.0 might have to be enabled in the BIOS (Dell tends to disable it in 10 by default)
If nothing else, this would indicate the waiting for the postal delivery worked out. Nice when those stories end well, and not disastrously.
If there is a digital license associated with the device