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Apple Now Selling Refurbished M4 MacBook Air Models

ragde20 said:
I can't but smile every time I hear "apple refurbished is as good or better than new". Just my experience: In 2011, I purchased an apple refurbished 2010 macbook pro with 2x 2GB Memory (directly shipped from apple). In 2012 I wanted to upgrade the memory to its max. I purchased non apple memory and when I opened I found that there were actually two non apple 4GB memory chips but only one was working because of a socket problem. If I had checked carefully the system info before that, I would have noticed that the macbook had 4GB but in a 0GB+4GB configuration. So apparently someone had tried to upgrade his/her macbook and returned it after noticing that it had a hardware problem. I went to an apple store (in Columbus, OH). I was told that this was not under guarantee and also, in fact, they could not know if I was the one who tried to do the failed 4+4 upgrade. So they could not do the repair it for free. I was very upset and insisted that it was outrageous that they would sell a refurbished in such a condition, and eventually they gave me the option of talking to some apple person on the phone .. he said NO but I kept insisting until he transferred me to some other instance. After explaining the situation, hearing NO again and insisting, this person said that as a last option he was going to make a call and then decide. It turned out he called some office with direct involvement in the refurbishing and asked if such a situation was possible (if the refurbishing process could have overlooked a problem like the one I had). The answer was YES, and the the guy gave green light to the apple store to do the repair .. which involved changing the main card and if paying would have been very expensive. I used that mac for almost ten years more and then gave it to a friend who still uses it .. So, though this was a BAD experience with the apple refurbishing process, it was in the end a VERY GOOD experience with apple customer service. Also I have purchased a couple of other refurbished apple products (ipod and ipad) without problem.
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Anedotal at its finest. I’ve had quite the opposite. I’ve had 2 new iPhones have hardware issues. The Apple refurbs I’ve bought, including accessories, had literally never had any problems. Doesn’t mean much as a data point since you have had a bad experience.
 
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Whether refurbished, purchased from Amazon at $150 off, whatever, I don't know of any Mac value better than the M4 MacBook Air going back at least 10 years.
 
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I figured most of the late model refurbs are merely items returned during the original return window and weren’t really “used.” Someone changed their mind and decided they wanted a different model or different color and took advantage of the return process. Perhaps someone pulled a fast one and stole some RAM chips, but that’s probably a rare and unusual occurrence.
 
That refurb base 16/256 M3 for $769 is the sweet spot for a base Air. More than likely to outgrow the storage before noticing any performance issues from just a 1-gen-old chip.
 
I also saw Best Buy has an identical BRAND NEW MacBook Air for the same price as Apple’s “Refurb”. That’s never happened before. Not that I can remember.

And just to be clear, I’ve always thought Apple refurbs were an excellent deal. I’ve bought several over the years and they’ve been indistinguishable from new (apart from the packaging). I’m starting to think today’s “refurb” deal is just new, excess inventory Apple is trying to unload without hurting the list price of the next generation Air.

I also starting to suspect this has always been the case, but Best Buy has really given the game away this time.

Still a great deal, IMHO.
 
Corefile said:
So you're saying it's BETTER to buy refurbs than NEW at the same price? I thought I'd heard everything but this takes it to another level.
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Having an experience with both Apple Store Ref and Amazon, I would personally prefer to buy a refurbished one directly from Apple with in-store pick-up and be sure that computer is in pristine condition than a new one from Amazon and deal with potential issues (like delivery, client service, repacked box etc).
 
Plutonius said:
An Apple store refurbished is essentially a new computer. They come with the same warranty and are individually carefully checked out unlike the new Apple products.
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My MacBook Pro 13 2017 ntb was a refurbished model. Apart from some degradation of the plastic around the screen it was still going strong - after a keyboard replacement as part of the program - when I swapped it for a mba m3 15 last year which has performed flawlessly.

As has my refurb watch 9 45.

People need to get over the refurbished thing. Apple refurbished is incredible. It’s not cheap but it’s 95-99% of a new product.
 
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Corefile said:
I'm missing the punchline. You can order online then pickup in store without incident.
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This is just the wheezing of an aging nerd, but Best Buy has in my experience consistently been the worst of the middlemen: their prices are almost never "best", the Geek Squad's incompetence is legendary (and by many accounts, that outfit was rather good before Best Buy acquired and promptly destroyed it), most of the salespeople know very little and care even less about what they're peddling, and their business model's obsession with selling memberships and services makes Tim Cook look like a downright hobbyist. They are convenient—I still grab an occasional item or two; in return, they've lost two of my last five orders—but even that's partly because they've managed to help kill off every one of the more interesting, but not quite as rapaciously managed, brick and mortar electronics shops in my area (which is admittedly their backyard.) Nowadays I make the trek to Micro Center, where the prices are always as good without needing a "My Best Buy Plus" membership and the employees are almost too enthusiastically nerdy, or buy directly from Apple.
 
ZZ9pluralZalpha said:
This is just the wheezing of an aging nerd, but Best Buy has in my experience consistently been the worst of the middlemen: their prices are almost never "best", the Geek Squad's incompetence is legendary (and by many accounts, that outfit was rather good before Best Buy acquired and promptly destroyed it), most of the salespeople know very little and care even less about what they're peddling, and their business model's obsession with selling memberships and services makes Tim Cook look like a downright hobbyist. They are convenient—I still grab an occasional item or two; in return, they've lost two of my last five orders—but even that's partly because they've managed to help kill off every one of the more interesting, but not quite as rapaciously managed, brick and mortar electronics shops in my area (which is admittedly their backyard.) Nowadays I make the trek to Micro Center, where the prices are always as good without needing a "My Best Buy Plus" membership and the employees are almost too enthusiastically nerdy, or buy directly from Apple.
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Almost all of the above is counter to my method of utilizing them which is: You can order online then pickup in store without incident.
 
I always buy refurbished. Unless, some other seller is selling a new mac cheaper then apple refurb. I prefer refurb due to the extra QA. But actually I don't know if that is still the case..
 
Corefile said:
So you're saying it's BETTER to buy refurbs than NEW at the same price? I thought I'd heard everything but this takes it to another level.
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Some may have Apple gift cards which can't be used elsewhere. It's good to have options.

Also, Back to School promotion (which happens to start tomorrow), might even be a better time to buy.
 
Corefile said:
Almost all of the above is counter to my method of utilizing them which is: You can order online then pickup in store without incident.
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Oh, I do that too, but while I’m there I like to have a quick wander through the store to look for deals and such, and in the process overhear some horrifying things. They also just cancelled an order on me this morning—evidently that open-box price really was too good to be honored. 🙄
 
Just anecdotal and all, but I've bought refurbished Dells/Apple products over the years and never had any issue with any one of them.

So if I can save $150 buying a refurb product from them, I wouldn't hesitate to do so.
 
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