$450 budget where to buy MacBook Air

$450 is low and won't get you much.

Ebay

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_nkw=macbook%20air&_mPrRngCbx=1&_udlo=300&_udhi=500

Many are just screens and they already go for quit a bit.

I hate to be the one that brings this up, but I doubt you "need" a MacBook Air for school. If your budget is only $450, you might be better off looking at something actually in that price range. Any MacBook Air you get for that price is probably going to be outdated hardware, have something wrong with it, or both. A quick search of mine shows that even the 2008 Airs seem to be going for around $600 on eBay.

Agreed, for $450 you could either buy a (very) used MacBook off eBay, or you could buy a Windows ultrabook that is relatively thin and light (although, the thinnest and lightest ultrabooks are priced very similarly to Airs).

Alternative options: if you don't need an Air, you can get a used MacBook Pro, or any number of Windows laptops.

Or, just keep saving your dollars! It'll be worth it!

That's like asking: I got $5k budget where to buy Mercedes?

Anyway, you don't want the first generation (new ones more powerful). You should buy one that has SSD. You can currently find MBA starting $850 in the Apple refurb store:
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac

save some more money, youll regret buying the cheapest mac you can find

Applepie047704 said:

I really need a MacBook air for school, I have a budget of $450 anyone have any suggestions on where to get one?

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If it's for school, then you're eligible for the education discount. That brings the base 11in model down to $949.

If you purchase it during their back to school promotion, you'll probably have a $100 gift card you can sell to someone for around $85.

That puts you at $864 (plus tax) for a brand new computer. Do you have an old computer you could sell to put toward the cost of this? Maybe an old game system you aren't using anymore?

If you know you want a Mac, then save to get a Mac. I wouldn't recommend buying used unless it's refurbished from Apple or still has Apple Care.

Here are some very recent sales on ebay

2011 11" air $ 561.00 nice shape
2012 11" air $636.00 nice shape
2010 13" air $600.00 also nice

2008 13" air $454.00 avg shape, no battery
2008 13" air $550.00 nice shape orig box and charger

If you can use the 11" you can get a nice machine not too far away from your 450.00

http://slickdeals.net/?sdtid=595080...t=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item5654dd38e1



Asus $399 laptop no tax no shipping

•Intel Core i5-3210M 2.5GHz Processor
•15.6" LED backlit (1366x768) Display
•4GB DDR3 Memory
•500GB Hard Drive
•Intel HD 4000 Graphics
◦2x USB 3.0
◦1x USB 2.0
◦1x HDMI
•Super-Multi DVDRW Dual Layer
•WiFi N
•Webcam
•6-Cell Battery
•Windows 8 Home Premium 64-Bit


in your budget and a pretty nice NEW computer

Reminding u one more time: When u buy a used laptop, more often than not the battery needs replacement soon, so that's another $100+

TouchMint.com said:

http://slickdeals.net/?sdtid=595080...t=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item5654dd38e1



Asus $399 laptop no tax no shipping

•Intel Core i5-3210M 2.5GHz Processor
•15.6" LED backlit (1366x768) Display
•4GB DDR3 Memory
•500GB Hard Drive
•Intel HD 4000 Graphics
◦2x USB 3.0
◦1x USB 2.0
◦1x HDMI
•Super-Multi DVDRW Dual Layer
•WiFi N
•Webcam
•6-Cell Battery
•Windows 8 Home Premium 64-Bit


in your budget and a pretty nice NEW computer

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thats physically identical to a samsung my girlfriend has, except the lid colour and asus on the screen.
internally the same as well, hers runs well. id recommend that over an old second hand 11" air. love my 11" but wouldnt have it as an only computer.

TouchMint.com said:

Asus $399 laptop no tax no shipping

Click to expand...

If they had this last year, I may had stayed with Windows.

Apple does have interest free financing. If you pay for 1/3 of the laptop the payments over 12-18 months aren't too bad. Also if you get any extra financial aid you could easily pay for another chunk (if not all) of the laptop.

Mac_Max said:

Apple does have interest free financing. If you pay for 1/3 of the laptop the payments over 12-18 months aren't too bad. Also if you get any extra financial aid you could easily pay for another chunk (if not all) of the laptop.

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I really wouldn't suggest that the OP go that route. He's buying this for college, which is already expensive in its own right. With purchases like computers, you really should just pay for them outright. Don't buy stuff you can't afford.

Applepie047704 said:

I really need a MacBook air for school, I have a budget of $450 anyone have any suggestions on where to get one?

Click to expand...

i'd save up a few hundred more before buying a used mba if i were you.
for $450 you get a pretty decent portable laptop but probably not a Mac.

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Project538 said:

I really wouldn't suggest that the OP go that route. He's buying this for college, which is already expensive in its own right. With purchases like computers, you really should just pay for them outright. Don't buy stuff you can't afford.

Click to expand...

agree 100%

Act your Wage!

Check Craigslist. At that price, it could be questionable as to where it comes from though.

Gonna agree with some of the others in this thread. $450 will at most buy you a fairly old, fairly slow Macbook Air with lots of cycles on the battery.

Also since the Air isn't very upgrade-able you'll be stuck forever with however much RAM it comes with, which will probably only be 2GB in that price range.

I think you are better off finding something that you can buy brand new for that price that will have a current generation processor and a new warranty:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6880/best-budget-laptops-april-2013

Put the $450 as a down payment and finance the rest to get a new mac with warranty? That or use Apple's own finance - it has a relatively low APR and you'll get instant dispatch once you've digitally signed the agreement.

chrisrosemusic1 said:

Put the $450 as a down payment and finance the rest to get a new mac with warranty? That or use Apple's own finance - it has a relatively low APR and you'll get instant dispatch once you've digitally signed the agreement.

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Bad idea. Don't finance something like a computer. OP, buy within your means.

Project538 said:

Bad idea. Don't finance something like a computer. OP, buy within your means.

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Why is this a bad idea, interest free financing is bad ? whats good 10% financing. We don't know the OPs finances. If he put even 300.00 down on a new 11" 2012 Air @999.00 maybe less if best buy has it on sale, Apple will match that, anyway, that leaves 699.00 balance over 12 months is a little less than $59.00/month. Personally I would keep the 450 cash and pay $84/month
for 12 months. I will take a no interest loan every time.

sostoobad said:

Why is this a bad idea, interest free financing is bad ? whats good 10% financing. We don't know the OPs finances. If he put even 300.00 down on a new 11" 2012 Air @999.00 maybe less if best buy has it on sale, Apple will match that, anyway, that leaves 699.00 balance over 12 months is a little less than $59.00/month. Personally I would keep the 450 cash and pay $84/month
for 12 months. I will take a no interest loan every time.

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Correct. I really don't understand why people are so anti finance with computers. Surely you are going to keep the $1000+ thing for a couple of years anyway.

sostoobad said:

Why is this a bad idea, interest free financing is bad ? whats good 10% financing. We don't know the OPs finances. If he put even 300.00 down on a new 11" 2012 Air @999.00 maybe less if best buy has it on sale, Apple will match that, anyway, that leaves 699.00 balance over 12 months is a little less than $59.00/month. Personally I would keep the 450 cash and pay $84/month
for 12 months. I will take a no interest loan every time.

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yeah because college students can easily afford 84$ a month... and if he can, can he still do it in 6 or 8 months ? Never get a loan if you don't have to...

Marv89 said:

yeah because college students can easily afford 84$ a month... and if he can, can he still do it in 6 or 8 months ? Never get a loan if you don't have to...

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I was just pointing out the monthly payment, if the OP or anyone for that matter can't afford the payment, then thats different. BUT " never get a loan if you don't have to " depends on the situation, if Apple offered a cash discount, different story, but what they are saying is pay us 999.00 cash for the Air OR finance it for FREE over 12 months....assuming one can afford either option
Take the FREE financing...why wouldn't you, why put cash up front into a depreciating asset, when easy monthly payments can be made for free over time.

Here is a real example, friends of mine own a house worth about 500k
they came into about 90k cash and the husband asked my opinion on what to do with it, the wife wanted to refinance the house for a lower payment. I asked him can you afford the payment now, he said yes. I said putting that money into the mortgage won't make your house worth any more money. I would put it in the stock market, or bonds, carefully invested by a professional.

Well that was about 7 yrs ago, they refinanced and guess what happened to the real estate market...it went down...their 90k....GONE.

Like I said it depends on the situation.

Really, $450 is not much. Buy a nice new windows notebook instead of an old macbook air.