Apple Begins Selling Refurbished Mac Studio Models

[ElectricPotato]

Mac Studio is the quietest Mac I’ve ever owned

Really? The iMacs, Mac Minis, Macbook Airs and Macbook Pros I've owned were all much quieter. I was shocked when I setup the Studio only to immediately hear the fan and the high pitched whine while idle. Fortunately, the return policy is good and the rep setting up the return was well aware of the fan noise problem.

I tolerate the whoosh of fans while under load, but it should be silent when idle. Apple succeeded with that in all the other models I've owned, but oddly whiffed with the Studio. The idea of compact, powerful and quiet is great. The execution fell short. I remain hopeful they will get it right on the next iteration.

 

[v0lume4]

So you don't own one but know exactly how it is in person?

I’ve watched some videos on YouTube where the sound is shown. It’s pretty clear to hear. Definitely not something that you have to turn the speaker volume way up and put your ear next to the speaker to hear it. Its quite audible.

Matter of fact, here’s a good video that demonstrates the fan at different speeds. I’m guessing the noise is that spike we see between 2,000-3,000Hz.

 

[ProfessionalFan]

I’ve watched some videos on YouTube where the sound is shown. It’s pretty clear to hear. Definitely not something that you have to turn the speaker volume way up and put your ear next to the speaker to hear it. Its quite audible.

This is proof of nothing. Much like the blooming videos showed the effect a lot more than reality.

Need to hear it with your own ears in person.

 

[v0lume4]

This is proof of nothing. Much like the blooming videos showed the effect a lot more than reality.

Need to hear it with your own ears in person.

Say what you want, but it’s pretty obvious to me. I’ve sent back computers because of fan noise issues like this. It’s disappointing that Apple would send a machine out the door like this because I thought their computers were safe from issues like this. They usually get the small stuff right, something I can’t say about many other manufacturers.

This video from 0:35 onwards shows the sound more clearly than the first one I posted (headphone warning at 0:10, heads up):

 

[Coochie Boogs]

These threads always trend in a way that is funny to me. "10% off, how dare you only take off 10%". For a device that I was never going to buy for one reason or another (broke, already have a new device, etc.)

 

[Juuro]

Mac Studio is the quietest Mac I’ve ever owned even under serious load

Yeah, I can believe that. But it is one of the loudest Macs of the last ten years during idle. Even Apple themselves state so in their Technical Specifications.

 

[dogface1956]

Exactly. I don’t recommend buying refurbished now. It used to be at least 15% off.

Why, I have purchased my last 4 out of my last 5 Macs refurbished (the only one I purchased new was my Mac Studio because I did not want to wait for it to hit the refurb list) and have not had a single issue with any one of them, they have been very reliable. Getting 10% off (for the last 10 years it has been 10% off I have never seen 15%) is a nice bonus, in some ways the refurbished machines might be better to purchase because they have had a very through going over, on the laptops I purchased the keyboard, case and battery has been changed out for new. When I replace my Intel Mac Mini with a new M2 Mini for my Entertainment system I will be buying a refurb unit.

 

[Ivabign]

But do they whine?

It is like the noise electric cars make - gives you a warm fuzzy so you know it is there - and maybe won't trip over it. Now if they can adjust the whine to sound like a TIE Fighter - and a whole group of Apple fans will be thrilled.

 

[Funny Apple Man]

It is like the noise electric cars make - gives you a warm fuzzy so you know it is there - and maybe won't trip over it. Now if they can adjust the whine to sound like a TIE Fighter - and a whole group of Apple fans will be thrilled.

That would be cool, that alone might convince some people to pay the extra cash for an M1 Ultra.

 

[GizmoDVD]

I'm assuming you need an @edu email address when ordering.

Honor system.

 

[MacPoulet]

So it brings it down to the EDU price in Canada. Not really enticing.

 

[dumastudetto]

These products are so far ahead of the competition. 10% is a great saving for those looking to buy the most powerful Mac ever made.

 

[HorstBockman]

Apple needs to offer subscriptions to notifications when Studio refurb units are available. Otherwise, lots of people are going to be wasting time checking for availability when there is none.

 

[T Coma]

I’ve actually always wondered about this. What else makes up the refurbed products? Because surely there’s no way that many people have returned these devices. Are they perhaps reviewer units? Retail store display models?

What else makes up these refurbed units???

That many people? I've actually wondered about how there aren't more refurbs based just on the number of MR ponces who return their Macs for the extremely slightest of reasons. Heaps and heaps! Now add the number of units returned and rebuilt for legitimate reasons, and it seems clear how there would be plenty of inventory for the refurb store.

 

[IllinoisCorn]

That seems real fast.

 

[tubular]

I’m guessing the noise is that spike we see between 2,000-3,000Hz.

If it's a resonance at twice the fan speed, that would put a narrow spike at 2640Hz, which is sure what the graph looks like to me. And well within hearing range of those over seventeen.

[Edit] Provided of course that you forget that minutes and seconds are different things, as I did.

 

[Mixumc]

This is proof of nothing. Much like the blooming videos showed the effect a lot more than reality.

Need to hear it with your own ears in person.

This is proof of nothing. Much like the blooming videos showed the effect a lot more than reality.

Need to hear it with your own ears in person.

Returned two Ultras. Both whining - the second one a bit less than the first. Not suitable for a quiet workplace. Bought an MBP 16” max and its quiet in use (usually completely silent). Studio’s base fan noise would’t be a problem but the whine is horrible. I think Apple won’t admit the problem, hope they fix it in the next gen.

 

[Saladin12]

That many people? I've actually wondered about how there aren't more refurbs based just on the number of MR ponces who return their Macs for the extremely slightest of reasons. Heaps and heaps! Now add the number of units returned and rebuilt for legitimate reasons, and it seems clear how there would be plenty of inventory for the refurb store.

Lol, you’re not wrong. I’ve always assumed those on the internet saying stuff like that fall into three equal camps:

1. People who bought it and are returning
2. People who bought it, say they’re returning it, but don’t. They just want to whine (geddit?)
3. People who didn’t buy it, say they did and are returning. They just want to jump on the train and exacerbate the issue without actually having experienced it.

 

[Apple2GS]

I returned 2 Studio's with coil whine. Very surprised at all the people defending Apple for creating a product with this issue. Probably the same people defending the slow SSD's in the M2 MacBook Pro's.

 

[SFjohn]

Looks like Apple sold all its refurbished Mac Studios in the US. Nothing there to see when I just checked.

 

[sublunar]

Looks like Apple sold all its refurbished Mac Studios. Nothing there to see when I just checked.

Still a supply of base models in the U.K.

 

[GizmoDVD]

I picked up a base m1 Mini and regretting it already before I even have it!

 

[SFjohn]

Still a supply of base models in the U.K.

Since they aren’t really upgradable, who would actually want a base model?

 

[Cognizant.]

The Refurb store no longer appears to be a place to find good deals. This is kind of pathetic. Apple is becoming increasingly stingy.

I picked up a base m1 Mini and regretting it already before I even have it!

You have 14 days to return it once you receive it.

 

[BeatCrazy]

Since they aren’t really upgradable, who would actually want a base model?

Lowest initial cost of investment. Use cloud and/or external if you need more storage.

Also, you never get back that initial investment % from upgraded CPU/GPU/RAM, when you go to sell on the second-hand market/trade-in after a few years.