Macworld
Apple makes nice computer systems, however they’re not low-cost. Even if you’re completely happy to pay the entry value for a brand new iMac or MacBook Professional, you might be painfully conscious that for just some hundred kilos or {dollars} extra you can get a way more highly effective mannequin. However are you able to justify the additional spend?
Fortunately you don’t need to, as a result of typically you could find a earlier era Mac and typically even the present era mannequin, on sale for much less at Apple’s Licensed Refurbished retailer.
It’s not solely Apple that gives refurbished Macs although. There are different locations you should purchase used Macs which have been refurbished, however not all refurbished Macs are nearly as good as those Apple sells, so it is best to watch out for the pitfalls. Fortunately we might be working by means of the issues to keep away from on this article, so that you will be assured you’ll get one of the best refurbished Mac or MacBook in your wants.
We’ll additionally clarify what the Apple Licensed Refurbished Retailer is, what value you possibly can anticipate to pay for a refurbished Mac or MacBook, and different methods to purchase an affordable Mac. We’re additionally highlighting among the greatest refurbished Mac offers obtainable proper now.
Ought to you purchase a refurbished Mac?
We have now an article devoted to this query right here: Why you should purchase a refurbished Mac. However to summarize, there are many the explanation why shopping for a Mac from the Apple Licensed Refurbished Retailer is a good suggestion.
The Refurbished Retailer is a piece on Apple’s web site the place you should purchase refurbished Macs and MacBooks, in addition to different Apple merchandise together with the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, HomePod and Apple TV.
These refurbished Macs might be fashions from a earlier yr, or they might be present fashions. A reconditioned Mac might be an ex-demonstration mannequin used throughout Apple instructing applications, or it might be a unit bought to a buyer who determined to return it beneath the usual sale-and-returns process. (Apple permits any buyer to return a Mac purchased from the Apple Retailer inside 14 days for a refund. See Apple’s Normal Returns Coverage U.S. and Normal Returns Coverage U.Okay.).
It’s additionally attainable {that a} buyer returned the Mac as a consequence of a fault, however that fault would have been rectified by Apple earlier than the Mac might be resold. In truth, Apple states that: “Each Apple Licensed Refurbished product completes a rigorous refurbishment course of that features full testing that meets the identical useful requirements as new Apple merchandise. Your refurbished gadget is really ‘like new.’”
As well as, every Mac:
- Shall be totally cleaned and inspected
- Consists of Apple’s commonplace one-year restricted guarantee
- And as much as 90 days of complimentary technical help
- Comes with all equipment, cables, and working programs
- Is packaged in a brand-new white field
- Is dispatched with free transport and returns
- May be bought by way of financing choices
- And will be delivered subsequent day
The necessary factor to notice is that Macs purchased from the Apple Licensed Refurbished Retailer will not be discernibly completely different from new ones purchased instantly from the Apple Retailer. All Macs purchased from the Refurbished Retailer are cleaned, checked, examined, and visually indistinguishable from brand-new fashions.
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Causes to not purchase refurbished Macs
As you possibly can see there are many good causes to purchase a refurbished Mac from Apple. Are there any disadvantages?
One drawback is that purchasing refurbished Mac will possible imply that you just aren’t shopping for a present era mannequin, though, as we’ve got already mentioned, it’s attainable to seek out present era Macs on the Apple Refurbished Retailer, however not till at the least half a yr after launch. Proper now the shop is now flooded with M1-series and M2-series Macs, with just a few older Intel-powered Macs lucking within the depths of the shop (if you happen to truly need an Intel Mac that is one of the simplest ways to purchase one, however first learn: Ought to I purchase an Intel Mac).
The opposite draw back to purchasing from Apple’s Refurbished Retailer is it might not all the time have the mannequin you’re after. Because the inventory relies on the variety of returns made or traded in, Apple might have extra of 1 merchandise than one other, which is when you might want to show to different retailers.
One other drawback is that the reductions you get from shopping for on the Apple Refurbished Retailer aren’t all the time nearly as good as you’d get if you happen to purchased the identical mannequin from someplace else. However shopping for from somebody aside from Apple will be dangerous.
For instance, you may get refurbished Macs on Amazon U.S. and on Amazon U.Okay., however the majority of those are typically outdated Macs and never fashions we’d advocate shopping for. There are numerous different locations that promote refurbished Macs and MacBooks that we are going to run by means of beneath. There are numerous different locations that may promote you a ‘refurbished’ Mac, however not everybody performs the identical checks as Apple does. Discover out why we don’t advocate shopping for a Mac second-hand if the Mac isn’t licensed refurbished in Ought to I purchase a used Mac?
The place to purchase refurbished Macs
Apple isn’t the one firm to resell second-hand, refurbished Macs. You can additionally decide up a refurbished and reconditioned Mac from resellers listed beneath:
Within the U.S.:
- Apple
- Amazon
- Again Market
- Greatest Purchase
- Decluttr
- Gainsaver
- OWC
- Mac Of All Trades
- Refurb.me
Within the U.Okay.:
- Inexpensive Mac
- Apple
- Amazon
- BackMarket
- Hoxton Macs
- Laptops Direct
- MacFinder
- Mac 4 Sale
- Music Magpie
Shopping for refurbished, even when it’s not from Apple, ought to imply that the Mac has been inspected by a licensed Apple technician and, if essential, defective elements changed (however we advise that you just test this). Shopping for the identical Mac second-hand for much less would possibly look engaging, but it surely’s not assured to work. It’s price paying a little bit further for a refurbished mannequin for peace of thoughts. It’s like shopping for a automobile from a storage reasonably than somebody on Gumtree.
Simply bear in mind that you just don’t have to purchase a refurbished Mac to get a superb low cost will not be equal. Amazon, for instance, typically reductions previous-generation Mac fashions, so you can purchase a reasonably new mannequin at a reduction. The distinction is that whereas Apple might be promoting a mannequin that had been returned as a consequence of a fault (which has been repaired), the opposite reseller might be promoting an similar Mac that’s by no means been used.
If you wish to discover a deal, take a look at our articles about one of the best iMac offers, greatest Mac mini offers, one of the best MacBook Professional offers, and one of the best MacBook Air offers to search for one of the best reductions on new Macs and MacBooks. Guarantee that the mannequin that you just discover on Apple’s Refurbished Retailer isn’t being bought as new by another person.
Greatest offers on the Apple Refurbished Retailer
U.S. Apple refurbished offers
- MacBook Air on the Apple Refurbished retailer – save $150 on an M2 MacBook Air: $849
- MacBook Professional on the Apple Refurbished retailer – save $240 on an M3 MacBook Professional: $1,359
- iMac on the Apple Refurbished retailer – save $200 on an M3 iMac: $1,099
- Mac mini on the Apple Refurbished retailer – reductions obtainable for M2 Mac mini
- Mac Studio on the Apple Refurbished retailer – save on M1 Max, M1 Extremely, and M2 Extremely Mac Studio fashions
- Mac Professional on the Apple Refurbished retailer – reductions obtainable
U.Okay. Apple refurbished offers
- MacBook Air on the Apple Refurbished retailer – save £180 on an M2 MacBook Air: £1,019
- MacBook Professional on the Apple Refurbished retailer – save £260 on an M3 MacBook Professional: £1,439
- iMac on the Apple Refurbished retailer – save £210 on an M3 iMac: £1,189
- Mac mini on the Apple Refurbished retailer – reductions obtainable for M2 Mac mini
- Mac Studio on the Apple Refurbished retailer – save on M2 Max and M2 Extremely Mac Studio fashions
- Mac Professional on the Apple Refurbished retailer – reductions obtainable
Once more, it’s price evaluating whether or not different retailers are providing higher costs for a similar fashions when shopping for new. Amazon and different stockists typically have good reductions on new Macs. To seek out one of the best costs take a look at our offers round-ups:
- Greatest MacBook Air offers
- Greatest MacBook Professional offers
- Greatest iMac offers
- Greatest Mac mini offers
- Greatest Mac Studio offers
- The place to purchase a Mac or MacBook
How less expensive are refurbished Macs and MacBooks?
The worth for reconditioned Macs on Apple’s Refurbished Retailer adjustments incessantly, however is often 15 p.c lower than the unique value, as you possibly can see from the costs quoted above. With Macs commanding a excessive retail value, this may be fairly a big distinction.
Remember the fact that inventory is restricted on refurbished fashions from Apple, and also you’re unlikely to seek out each type of Mac always. Different Mac resellers would possibly provide even decrease costs than the Apple Refurbished Retailer, so it’s price procuring round – significantly throughout gross sales occasions like Black Friday.
What’s the oldest MacBook/Mac I can buy?
Apple
With the arrival of the brand new Apple chips you need to consider carefully earlier than shopping for an outdated Mac as a result of Intel-powered Macs are more likely to lose worth a lot faster than Macs with Apple silicon inside. However with the primary M1 MacBooks arriving on the finish of 2020 there are many older M1, and M2 fashions that can be purchased refurbished–you possibly can even discover M3 Macs. The query is must you?
Should you can afford to we advocate sticking to fashions with Apple M1- or M2-series chips, but when that’s too costly for you we’d counsel that you just don’t purchase a Mac that’s greater than seven years outdated. It is because older Macs might not run a model of macOS that Apple helps with safety updates. Even when the Mac you purchase now could be supported by Apple it might solely be the case for a yr or so. See: How lengthy does Apple help Macs and MacBooks?
Right here’s an summary of the Macs that may run Ventura which launched in late 2023:
- MacBook fashions from 2017 or later
- MacBook Air fashions from 2018 or later
- MacBook Professional fashions from 2017 or later
- Mac mini fashions from 2018 or later
- iMac fashions from 2017 or later
- iMac Professional (all fashions)
- Mac Professional fashions from 2019 or later
- Mac Studio (all fashions)
We don’t but know what Macs might be supported by the follow-up to macOS Ventura, however if you need a Mac you possibly can comfortably use in three years from our advice is don’t purchase something older than these fashions.
What if I’ve an issue with a refurbished Mac?
Should you purchase from Apple you might be in good palms. Apple states: “All Refurbished Mac fashions embody full useful testing, real Apple half replacements (if essential), a radical cleansing, the unique Working System or a newer model, a model new field with all equipment and cables.”
Extra importantly, a reconditioned Mac or MacBook comes with a one-year guarantee (extendable to 3 years with AppleCare safety). You additionally get the identical gross sales and return process with Apple as you’d with any new mannequin, so you possibly can return a Mac purchased from the Refurbished Retailer inside 14 days if you happen to’re not proud of it. (However be aware you’ll need to put up it again, as Apple is not going to settle for returns to a bodily Apple Retailer on refurbished merchandise).
Not that we predict you will want to return your Mac. We have now loads of expertise shopping for from Apple’s Refurbished Retailer and have but to choose up a Mac from the Refurbished Retailer and discover it wanting.
Wish to promote an outdated Mac? Listed here are our suggestions: promote a Mac or MacBook. It’s also possible to commerce in your Mac to save cash on a brand new one, together with buying and selling in your outdated Mac at Apple.
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