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Apple Refurbished - How can I tell if it is a new Penryn Multitouch?

H

HastaLaVista

macrumors member
Original poster
May 1, 2008
64
0
The bustling metropolis that is known as South Ber
Hi all,

I really want to get an MBP and prefer to go the refurb route. I've been watching the refurb list change daily.

I would prefer a 15.4" MBP since I plan to get an external monitor (Dell 2407 or 2408) and don't need to spend the extra $$ on the 17".

I haven't been able to tell if a refurb (2.5/2.6 GHz Core2 Duo) is actually one of the newer Penryn with Multitouch. I thought I had it down pat, thinking the latest was 2.5 or 2.6, but someone I work with has a 2.6 that is one week shy of the Penryn refresh.

So, my question is how do you tell the difference?

Will it actually list "Multitouch" and I just haven't seen any come through yet?

Is there another listed tell-tale feature?

Or is there no way?

(Or, should I really care or worry?)

Thanks in advance,
 
If it is a Penryn model MacBook Pro then it has the Multitouch trackpad. If you're unsure whether it's a Penryn based MBP you're ordering from the refurb site then just call Apple and ask.
 
kockgunner said:
look at the hard drive sizes. the older ones had max. 160 gb hard drives. the new base ones come with at least 200 gb
Click to expand...

Thanks, I've noticed that the MBPs have been 160's and 120's so I'm guessing they are the 'older' ones.

Everything is pointing towards 'older', I'd thought I had it all figured out with the CPU speed, but that was not the case.
 
Also it will say multitouch if it has it, because Apple will advertise such a feature.
 
I have been watching the refurb site pretty closely for the penryn MBPs and I have yet to see them show up in the 15 inch model. If they dont show up in a couple weeks I will probably buy a new one. :(
 
HastaLaVista said:
Righteous, thank you for this. I'm thinking that I'll just go with what is out there, some point this week.
Click to expand...

I would love to go with a 2.2 but all the stuff I have read about the penryn running much cooler and having quite a bit of extra battery life over the previous version are making me want to go with the penryn. Laptops are all about battery life. Personally I am going to keep mine for at least 3 years so the few extra hundred to get that extra life and keep the heat off my nuts are worth it!

You also get a better graphics card, and more disk...

Look at it this way. I have to make a purchase in two weeks. The penryn refurbs will probably not come out before my purchase. Within a fews days of me pulling the trigger they will hit the refurb site. Always works that way for me. :)
 
markrivers said:
i wouldn't wait for a penryn on the refurbished store.
first, i need to see some macbook air in there, before i start expecting a penryn MBP.
Click to expand...

I agree with you, but I do think many users will buy the Air and find it isn't right for them. This is not likely to be the case with a MBP!
 
wordy said:
I agree with you, but I do think many users will buy the Air and find it isn't right for them. This is not likely to be the case with a MBP!
Click to expand...

Well Apple ought to have a crapload of 15.4" Penryn based MBP's coming in just from the MacRumors forum and all the people that returned a half a dozen due to thinking they had a yellowing screen issue whether they actually had much of anything or not. There's a couple of users here that I would say could come close to stocking the Apple refurb store all by themselves haha.
 
burningrave101 said:
Well Apple ought to have a crapload of 15.4" Penryn based MBP's coming in just from the MacRumors forum and all the people that returned a half a dozen due to thinking they had a yellowing screen issue whether they actually had much of anything or not. There's a couple of users here that I would say could come close to stocking the Apple refurb store all by themselves haha.
Click to expand...

some people here are crazy, OCD, nit-pickers :D
 
burningrave101 said:
Well Apple ought to have a crapload of 15.4" Penryn based MBP's coming in just from the MacRumors forum and all the people that returned a half a dozen due to thinking they had a yellowing screen issue whether they actually had much of anything or not. There's a couple of users here that I would say could come close to stocking the Apple refurb store all by themselves haha.
Click to expand...

That makes be believe Apple sales them as new again to take their calculated profit out of it...
 
Kaupa said:
That makes be believe Apple sales them as new again to take their calculated profit out of it...
Click to expand...



hmmm , I think I might just be with you on that one .

From what I have read around the net then there should be a plentiful supply of refurb Macbook pros and Macbooks in most country's, and that is not the case.(I check the refurb store daily )

I bought a first gen Macbook a few weeks after they where released but had to return it ( HD fail) the replacement looked as if it had been used ( couple of scratches on the lid and base, very small ~but still there !)
I returned that too .
Maybe they have a grading system or something for returns ??
 
marbles said:
hmmm , I think I might just be with you on that one .

From what I have read around the net then there should be a plentiful supply of refurb Macbook pros and Macbooks in most country's, and that is not the case.(I check the refurb store daily )

I bought a first gen Macbook a few weeks after they where released but had to return it ( HD fail) the replacement looked as if it had been used ( couple of scratches on the lid and base, very small ~but still there !)
I returned that too .
Maybe they have a grading system or something for returns ??
Click to expand...

was the replacement supposedly new? or did they say it was a refurbished one?
 
Well, I didn't wait, I'd done enough research to realize that the refurb'd 2.4's were a pretty good deal, if you could snag one. After missing out on at least 6 today (they are sold before I can get them in my cart), I was able to get one this evening.

I almost broke down and got the 17" Hi Res, but I plan on getting a time capsule and (eventually) a Dell Ultra sharp 24" monitor.

Now comes the fun part.
 
burningrave101 said:
Well Apple ought to have a crapload of 15.4" Penryn based MBP's coming in just from the MacRumors forum and all the people that returned a half a dozen due to thinking they had a yellowing screen issue whether they actually had much of anything or not. There's a couple of users here that I would say could come close to stocking the Apple refurb store all by themselves haha.
Click to expand...

following your thinking..
we should have tons (i am exaggerating of course!) of Macbook AIR to begin with.
with the number of exchanges from the MBA forum alone, there should be more than enough to fill the refurb store.

i bought some MBPs at the refurb store as well.. and i know that what i'm missing from the new one is the black box, the apple sticker and probably the black cleaning cloth
 
kockgunner said:
was the replacement supposedly new? or did they say it was a refurbished one?
Click to expand...

The replacement was supposedly new , when I questioned this with the store I was told that "Apple do not ship refurbs as new " which is what I'd guessed they'd say , but I can tell you that I don't think it was new , maybe not used much but it wasn't new .
 
marbles said:
The replacement was supposedly new , when I questioned this with the store I was told that "Apple do not ship refurbs as new " which is what I'd guessed they'd say , but I can tell you that I don't think it was new , maybe not used much but it wasn't new .
Click to expand...

isn't that illegal? lol. well, maybe it was a scratch that occurred during manufacturing
 
marbles said:
The replacement was supposedly new , when I questioned this with the store I was told that "Apple do not ship refurbs as new " which is what I'd guessed they'd say , but I can tell you that I don't think it was new , maybe not used much but it wasn't new .
Click to expand...

where did you get your replacement? here in the states?
normally, the box should be intact..
they never use a refurb for replacement.

but if you got it from a 3rd party seller, that's a different story.
that's why it's better to buy from an apple retail store. or apple online
 
markrivers said:
where did you get your replacement? here in the states?
normally, the box should be intact..
they never use a refurb for replacement.

but if you got it from a 3rd party seller, that's a different story.
that's why it's better to buy from an apple retail store. or apple online
Click to expand...


I've only ever bought from Apple store UK ( online ) , the box was intact but curiously had 2 security stickers on it ( the clear circle ones ) the sticker underneath was opened and the one on top sealed as if new.

...maybe it was manufacturing process that caused it but somehow I doubt it
 
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