Should I buy?

53x12 said:

Depends if you don't mind it not being factory sealed and want to save a few bucks.

If you don't mind waiting, you can get a new '12 i5 base for $509 off the Apple refurb website. But they are currently sold out.

B&H has it for $564.80
Amazon has it for $588.86
Macmall has it for $588.85

The above all come with 4GB of RAM. You could upgrade to 8GB for ~$40-45 or 16GB for $80-85.

Obviously the used computer you have comes with 1 year of AppleCare and you could extend that. However if I'm not saving a lot on a used over a new/refurb, I like buying it myself because when I use my credit card they automatically double the manufacturer's warranty. That way I can get 2 years of coverage without having to pay for AC and save some money. Especially on the Mac mini where AC from Apple is 25% the cost of a new base mini.

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53x12 said:

I think a refurb is smart decision from the cost perspective. Basically a brand new computer for a 15% discount. Plus free shipping which helps for you. I have no idea how much shipping is to HI from the 48 states, but you might want to just check how much Amazon/Macmall/B&H will be as they don't charge sales tax. Btw, does Amazon prime charge a shipping fee to HI?

One last thing, I don't know your budget, but if you can swing it the base quad core i7 might be another option considering. Comes with a larger HDD (1TB) and a much faster CPU if that matters to you.

Don't forget to check refurb.me for when the model you like becomes available.

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