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Apple Refurbished Products: Should You Buy Them?

I really like this. MacRumors has a few posts that are very helpful when people ask me for help picking out a Mac. I suspect this will be one of them.

I would like to see an update that adds when not to buy refurbished. For example, if the option is available for Black Friday sales or Educational Discounts.

Also, how can a consumer compare the natural depreciation of an older model to the discount being applied. In some cases I have seen refurbished hardware that is less than the original cost, but more costly than the new offering.
 
ALL my Apple Devices are refurbs, always have been, and always will be.

I bought 2 new Macs (at different times) and returned them both for issues (dead pixels...that sort of thing).

Every single refurb I've gotten has been flawless.

Also, I work hard for my money and I feel refurbs are closer to the actual value of the device (but still a bit over).

My most recent refurb was a 2012 15" MBP hi-res I bought in early 2015 (late 2014?...can't remember).

It is second only to my 2011 maxed and tricked out 17" (thanks OWC), which I STILL consider to be the best portable ever made.

No Retina envy whatsoever. ;)
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4jasontv said:
I really like this. MacRumors has a few posts that are very helpful when people ask me for help picking out a Mac. I suspect this will be one of them.

I would like to see an update that adds when not to buy refurbished. For example, if the option is available for Black Friday sales or Educational Discounts.

Also, how can a consumer compare the natural depreciation of an older model to the discount being applied. In some cases I have seen refurbished hardware that is less than the original cost, but more costly than the new offering.
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This is true. You have to keep an eye out for that, but it is also based on features.

For example, a Retina 15" does not replace my 15"cMBP, feature-wise.

Newer iterations of Macs almost always remove something from the previous version.
 
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I've had two refurbed MacBook Pros, a 13" and a 15" and they both looked absolutely immaculate and like new when I took them out of the box. Aside from the plain outer packaging the MacBooks themselves were wrapped in the usual plastic that a new Apple product always arrives in and had the usual layer of paper between the screen and keyboard too. If it weren't for the box I'd swear they were brand new, I'd definitely recommend a refurb if you're looking for a bargain.
 
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Normally, I prefer not to buy refurbished goods, and almost never buy "Used grade A" goods, unless the item is priced low enough that I am willing to toss it away when it fails. Also, I typically never buy a refurbed product for mission critical applications.

But, I have had great experience with Apple Refurbs, which gives customers a chance to own a relatively new piece of Apple gear at prices seriously below retail. The Apple refurbs *always* look factory new, unlike other vendors products that show up with scratches on the screens, worn keys, and other issues.

And the fact that Apple offers the same warranty as a new machine on the refurbed product just tells me they believe in their product offering.

Apple Refurbs = Just Say Yes. Other vendors? Buyer beware....
 
iPhones aside, I can't remember a time in the last 10 years I haven't bought an Apple product refurbished. 100% positive experience.
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powerbook911 said:
I think it's nice getting a retail box. It's also better for resale. Honestly, you can sometimes beat refurb prices at places like BB. I tend to just buy new at Apple due to their service and high return quality.
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The only difference is that box. Service is identical.
 
Does anyone know if they usually drop the prices of the refurbs when brand new, non-refurbished models come out?

For instance, they will update the specs of the Macbook Pros to use the new skylake processors, will that affect the price of refurbished macs immediately?

I'm currently torn btwn getting a refurb now, or waiting for the skylake upgrade.
 
gorbot said:
For instance, they will update the specs of the Macbook Pros to use the new skylake processors, will that affect the price of refurbished macs immediately?
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In my experience, yes. I did this in 2008, buying a 2007 MBPro (normally $2500) for $1700 if memory serves. But nothing is guaranteed.
 
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Does anyone know if the iMac's that you buy refurbished have a nice clean and perfect outer body? like free of nicks, marks or scuff marks? Does Apple replace the outer shell's on these machines like they do with some of the other refurbished devices?
 
intz2nu said:
Does anyone know if the iMac's that you buy refurbished have a nice clean and perfect outer body? like free of nicks, marks or scuff marks? Does Apple replace the outer shell's on these machines like they do with some of the other refurbished devices?
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You can certainly return it if you were not happy with it. In my case, the refurbished Macs that I've purchased have all been perfect; indistinguishable from new as far as I'm concerned.
 
Great information from everyone. I haven't yet bought a refurbished Apple product. However, after reading the article and comments above, will now look at what they have in stock as refurbished.

Update: Did buy a refurbished rMBP 13.3" early 2015, 256GB 8GB, 2.7GHz, Dual Core Intel i5 from the Apple online store. Very pleased with the Mac and the Apple online experience.
 
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Refurbished saves money..

I also won't throw out the "I buy a retail Mac because i also like the box it comes in"

Don't make a habit of deliberate buying new, then returning it just to see it later on the reburb store at a lower price tag, but it does work.. :)
 
MacRumors said:



There's often a stigma against purchasing refurbished electronics because many companies don't have rigorous quality control programs for refurbished items, but that's not the case with Apple. Some companies may sell refurbished items with cosmetic defects and other issues, but Apple's refurbished products, available from its online refurbished store, are "as good as new" products, as Apple says.

You can also get refurbished Apple products at steeper discounts from third-party retailers, but they don't offer the same benefits as buying directly from Apple.

applerefurbishedgoodasnew.jpg

Every refurbished iPad, Mac, Apple TV, or Apple accessory Apple sells goes through a certification process that ensures full functionality, and with iOS devices, each one gets a new outer shell and a fresh battery. All refurbished products come with a 1-year warranty.

As long as you can wait a few months to pick up an Apple product, there's virtually no downside to purchasing a refurbished model. The quality is superb and the price savings can be worth the wait. This guide covers all the ins and outs of refurbished products, from release timelines and prospective price savings to warranty information and stock information.


Click here to read more...

Article Link: Guide to Buying Refurbished Apple Products
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Question... I am currently debating between a reverb 2014 imac and newer one with similar specs.

Refurbished one is
2014 MODEL
27-inch (diagonal) Retina display with IPS technology; 5120‑by‑2880 resolution
4.0 quad core i7
32GB memory

1TB Flash Storage1

AMD Radeon R9 M295X graphics processor with 4GB of GDDR5 memory

The other option for almost same price is
2015 MODEL
27-inch (diagonal) Retina display with IPS technology; 5120‑by‑2880 resolution
4.0 quad core i7
16Gb memory
AMD Radeon R9 M395x graphics processor with 4GB
512GB flash storage

I THINK THERE WAS $100 difference and I also get new track pad thrown in for free on refurbished one.

Just want to know opinions on which to get based on one being the older version did not know if it's better to go with that one as newer technology. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks
 
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"No third-party retailers are permitted to sell machines that have been guaranteed by Apple's refurbishing process."

This appears to no longer be the case:
https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/Apple-Systems/Used/iMac

Notice the 5K iMac computers with Apple warranty.
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Jimmyss said:
  • Detailed photos & description show each Mac's condition
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Not quite. They show "example condition" photos, not actual item photos.
 
MacRumors said:
There's often a stigma against purchasing refurbished electronics because many companies don't have rigorous quality control programs for refurbished items, but that's not the case with Apple. Some companies may sell refurbished items with cosmetic defects and other issues, but Apple's refurbished products, available from its online refurbished store, are "as good as new" products, as Apple says.
Click to expand...

"Good as new"
I used to believe that too and have bought several refurb'd products from Apple over the past decade.
However, something's changed since about 2016 until now.

While my 2014 Mac Mini refurb is humming along with no issues, I've gone through 4 various MacBooks both Air & Pro in the last 12 months that I've had to return due to deficiencies, mostly related to battery life (high cycle count, DOA), but also sticky keys and dead pixels.

Today, my last attempt at a rMBP 2015 refurb arrived and it wouldn't turn on. Battery completely drained. 0%
After charging it, it would come on and show a manufacturer date of approx 1 year ago. At least the previous MacBooks used to come with 70% or so charge and about 2-3 months age.

The battery quality is one of the most important features in a mobile device, especially since Apple's batteries are officially non-replaceable, I question Apple's quality control of late. Starting off with a 1 year old battery that's been completely drained for who knows how long, is not a confidence builder. Seeing this rMBP is just $100 cheaper than a new one at student price, I will return it and order a brand new one.

Also note this video about refurb iPads. Apple's quality is definitely slipping:
 
dysamoria said:
"No third-party retailers are permitted to sell machines that have been guaranteed by Apple's refurbishing process."

This appears to no longer be the case:
https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/Apple-Systems/Used/iMac

Notice the 5K iMac computers with Apple warranty.
...
Click to expand...
Hmm, if you look at the listing it states "Like New | Factory Sealed Apple Refurbished", so they must be getting them from Apple, whereas most of the others are "used" with OWC 90 day warranty. This is new! Apple is thinking differently.

...Anything with the apple warranty can also have AppleCare added to it (which I highly recommend for any Mac).
 
I live in a country that doesn't have the Apple refurb option. Is there a way to buy from a neighbor country and get it shipped home?
 
Anyone know of a 3rd party reseller selling non touch bar macbook pro? Apple has some but not 512GB HD.. that's what we need.

Thanks
 
Has anyone bought an Apple Watch from the refurbished department that can tell me about it?
Like if they are any visible scratches and such?
Was it just like new?
 
cerberusss said:
What's kind of weird is that in my country (The Netherlands), there aren't any refurbished Macs. Sure, there's an occasional iPod, or an Airport Extreme or a Time Capsule. But that's about it.
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I always check prior to buying an Apple product for family and friends, if there is a refurb .. there's maybe some old macbook you dont want to recommend, but the page is always empty. I agree, it's a useless page. I still check, but it has never resulted into a purchase.
 
Based on past history - when should iPad Pro 10.5" probably start showing up in Apple Refurb Store (USA)?
 
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