Buying a refurbished MacBook

[Sirious]

Hi guys,
I am in a bit of a pickle...
I really love the small size of the 12" MacBook, and I would really love something like that for work (I am a teacher) to be able to carry it around, while looking elegant at the same time. I am happy to buy it refurbished from Apple, or from Amazon (I've seen them as "new" on there?). Both of them are selling the June 2017 variant.

My problem is with the issues that the MacBook had - i.e the keyboard. Is it really an issue? How likely is it to affect me in my daily usage?

I already have a 2014 13.3 inch MacBook Pro, so going for something like the MacBook Air is not something I want to do, since its basically the same screen size, and I want something very light and the thinnest one there is.. I also do not want a new Pro as this one is serving me really well for my other "at the desk" work.

The main idea is to keep my school work separate from my personal stuff, while being lightweight and tiny.

Finally, is it really that underpowered? I will be using it for typing word documents and creating Keynote presentations (and possibly presenting from it).

The refurb i5 MacBook is around £1300, while the Air is £999!

Any help is appreciated!

thank you

 

[Mike Boreham]

I do not think you will find it underpowered...it is much more capable than most people think, and many people buy machines more capable than they need.

I have had three 12" MacBooks, without problems of any kind, including keyboard. Apple introduced a four year warranty on all butterfly keyboards, but not sure when that would start from on a refurb bought now. I think you would have four years from now, provided you are buying the refurb from the Apple Store, not a third party refurb.

In any case I always buy Applecare for laptops, which would give three years from now for all faults and some accident cover.

One thing to check is that you are OK with the single port. It means you need a dongle if you want to connect anything else and charge at the same time.

 

[EugW]

I have the 2017 12" MacBook with 16 GB RAM, Core m3-7Y32, and 256 GB storage.

It is definitely not underpowered for the work you describe. The feel of the keyboard is OK, and better than the 2015-2016 models, but not as good as the MacBook Pro. As for the keyboard reliability, if you get it from Apple, they provide a 4 year warranty on it. Mine is still fine after 3 years, but I baby it, and never eat around it. It seems the keyboard is quite susceptible to crumbs and such so YMMV.

The one main drawback of the 12" MacBook is the lack of ports. It just has a headphone jack and a single USB-C port. The problem with this is if say you want to give a presentation, you can't plug it into power, unless you have a specific dongle that has a power pass-through. The other problem is that is not Thunderbolt 3, so you can't run 4K 60 Hz and USB 3 at the same time through a hub. You have the choice between 4K 60 Hz and USB 2 at the same time or else 4K 30 Hz and USB 3 at the same time. For me it's manageable, but for others it can be a continual annoyance.

If the above is OK with you, I'd recommend you buy only the 2017 model. Core m3 is fine, but Core i5 gives you more storage. 8 GB is probably fine. Performance on the 2017 models is significantly higher than the previous models. I'd say the 2015 Core m3 can sometimes feel a bit slow, but even the 2017 Core m3 feels decently peppy.

The other option is the 2020 MacBook Air. It is lighter and sleeker than the MacBook Pro, and has 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports. However, it also has a fan, which can annoy some people, and it's of course not as compact as the 12" MacBook.

BTW, here is my benchmark thread on the 2017 MacBooks:

This is how the 2017 MacBook Core m3, i5, i7 behave during sustained CPU load: 10+ runs of Cinebench

I have been very happy with my 2017 MacBook with 16 GB RAM and i7; I don't put any unduly heavy loads on the cpu, since I have another machine for the "heavy lifting," so to speak. The 16 GB makes a noticeable difference and I am glad that I decided to update from my 2016 MacBook. I use my...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[ian87w]

I do not think you will find it underpowered...it is much more capable than most people think, and many people buy machines more capable than they need.

I have had three 12" MacBooks, without problems of any kind, including keyboard. Apple introduced a four year warranty on all butterfly keyboards, but not sure when that would start from on a refurb bought now. I think you would have four years from now, provided you are buying the refurb from the Apple Store, not a third party refurb.

In any case I always buy Applecare for laptops, which would give three years from now for all faults and some accident cover.

One thing to check is that you are OK with the single port. It means you need a dongle if you want to connect anything else and charge at the same time.

The service program covers 4 years form the first retail sale of the unit. Meaning that for the 2017 models, it only has one more year until 2021 for coverage.

Keyboard Service Program for MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro - Apple Support

Keyboard Service Program for MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro

support.apple.com

Best bet is to get refurbished model from Apple, and then buy Apple Care as that will at least provides 2 additional years of warranty.

 

[Mike Boreham]

While I think you will be fine with a 12" Macbook (Apple refurb with Applecare) I think I would have a hard time paying £1319 for an i5 today.

I bought my maxed out i7/16/512 second hand (with two year warranty) from CEX in Jan this year for £925 and felt it was a lot then, but I really wanted a 12". CEX are currently selling 12" i5 for £700. Buying from CEX is not buying from Apple, but you can send or take it back within 14 days if not happy. I have bought a few Macs from CEX even grade B and been very happy with them.

 

[mj_]

The service program covers 4 years form the first retail sale of the unit. Meaning that for the 2017 models, it only has one more year until 2021 for coverage.

I think what they actually mean is that every model on that extensive list is covered for four years from the day that particular and individual laptop was first sold to a customer via any given retail channel available at that point in time. If I remember correctly this has always been the case with Apple's repair programs. Admittedly, the wording is a bit ambiguous.

 

[Rory76]

The service program covers 4 years form the first retail sale of the unit. Meaning that for the 2017 models, it only has one more year until 2021 for coverage.

Keyboard Service Program for MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro - Apple Support

Keyboard Service Program for MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro

support.apple.com

Best bet is to get refurbished model from Apple, and then buy Apple Care as that will at least provides 2 additional years of warranty.
[/

The service program covers 4 years form the first retail sale of the unit. Meaning that for the 2017 models, it only has one more year until 2021 for coverage.

Keyboard Service Program for MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro - Apple Support

Keyboard Service Program for MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro

support.apple.com

Best bet is to get refurbished model from Apple, and then buy Apple Care as that will at least provides 2 additional years of warranty.

It’s my understanding (and referenced in the Apple link below) coverage for a 2017 model purchased new would be 4 years from

I think what they actually mean is that every model on that extensive list is covered for four years from the day that particular and individual laptop was first sold to a customer via any given retail channel available at that point in time. If I remember correctly this has always been the case with Apple's repair programs. Admittedly, the wording is a bit ambiguous.

Right you are .

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250364678

 

[4sallypat]

I gotta say I love my second Macbook.

2015 first gen gold CTO Core M has been very good.
2017 i5 space gray picked up on ebay for $700 was a very good deal and is a beaut!

Love them for travel as they are lighter, thinner, and smaller than an Air!

 

[Rory76]

I gotta say I love my second Macbook.

2015 first gen gold CTO Core M has been very good.
2017 i5 space gray picked up on ebay for $700 was a very good deal and is a beaut!

Love them for travel as they are lighter, thinner, and smaller than an Air!

The 12” MacBook is, IMHO, the perfect size and it’s a design beauty. Such a shame that Apple killed it but hoping it gets resurrected in a few years with an ARM processor. I have a fully loaded (i7,16,512) 2017 12” Macbook. Was debating on “upgrading” to the midlevel i5 2020 Air, but after reading about so many folks having issues with the fan constantly going, overheating, etc, I decided to keep my 12” Macbook. Even though the i7 in my Macbook is a dual core and not a quad core like the i5 in the mid tier 2020 Air, it’s plenty powerful and hasn’t ever gotten hot or overheated. Makes me wonder how Apple was able to accomplish this in a fanless/passively cooled device when I’m seeing folks complain that even the base model dual core i3 2020 Air, that DOES have a fan, sometimes hits high temperatures and gets uncomfortably warm/hot even from just streaming 1080p movies or using Chrome. Never had an issue with either of these things on my 12”! I also have an 11” iPad Pro with the Magic Keyboard. The 12” MacBook and iPad Pro/MK combo go great together since they’re both around the same size/footprint and allow me the flexibility of using either MacOS or iPad OS as needed. A friend of a friend is selling his 2017 12” MacBook which has the same fully loaded specs as mine (even the same silver color) for a really reasonable price. I’m seriously considering buying it just to have as a backup device. That’s how much I love the 12” MacBook!...

 

[jeme]

I have the iPad Pro and the Magic Keyboard and am furiously looking for a MacBook 12 inch with all the bells and whistles. Hard to find.

 

[4sallypat]

I have the iPad Pro and the Magic Keyboard and am furiously looking for a MacBook 12 inch with all the bells and whistles. Hard to find.

Keep an eye on Best Buy's Outlet website - they will have some in very good condition.

I found my second unit which will be my backup device on eBay which turned out better than I expected.

 

[KPOM]

The 12” MacBook is, IMHO, the perfect size and it’s a design beauty. Such a shame that Apple killed it but hoping it gets resurrected in a few years with an ARM processor. I have a fully loaded (i7,16,512) 2017 12” Macbook. Was debating on “upgrading” to the midlevel i5 2020 Air, but after reading about so many folks having issues with the fan constantly going, overheating, etc, I decided to keep my 12” Macbook. Even though the i7 in my Macbook is a dual core and not a quad core like the i5 in the mid tier 2020 Air, it’s plenty powerful and hasn’t ever gotten hot or overheated. Makes me wonder how Apple was able to accomplish this in a fanless/passively cooled device when I’m seeing folks complain that even the base model dual core i3 2020 Air, that DOES have a fan, sometimes hits high temperatures and gets uncomfortably warm/hot even from just streaming 1080p movies or using Chrome. Never had an issue with either of these things on my 12”! I also have an 11” iPad Pro with the Magic Keyboard. The 12” MacBook and iPad Pro/MK combo go great together since they’re both around the same size/footprint and allow me the flexibility of using either MacOS or iPad OS as needed. A friend of a friend is selling his 2017 12” MacBook which has the same fully loaded specs as mine (even the same silver color) for a really reasonable price. I’m seriously considering buying it just to have as a backup device. That’s how much I love the 12” MacBook!...

The issue with the 2020 Airs is that the Y-series processors are now 10W that boosts up to 12W, while the 2017 MacBooks had 5W processors that could boost to 7W. The extra wattage also supports the Thunderbolt connectivity. So the Air can sustain higher speeds and support Thunderbolt, but at the cost of more heat generation. The MacBook also throttled a lot more.

 

[jeme]

I wonder if you can add Apple care to a beat buy outlet MacBook?

 

[Mike Boreham]

I wonder if you can add Apple care to a beat buy outlet MacBook?

I have been able to get Applecare in UK on second hand computers when they are less than a year old.

 

[FilmIndustryGuy]

I had the 2015 and then bought the base 2017 as soon as it came out. I also had the 15 inch pro 2017 but sold it 6 months later due to mostly using the 12 inch. I just got the 16" pro and got apple to rebuild my 12 inch and am at a cross road if I should sell the 12 inch even though im currently using the 16 inch a lot. The 12 inch isn't as snappy as the 16 inch but I mainly do multi document app work and once the apps are open, its fast enough for my use. The 16 inch has fans and gets warm versus the 12 inch which feels cool and silent all of the time unless you watch movies which will make the top of the Mac warm. it does bother me when my palms are warm from the 16" especially now in the summer on a warm day. the 12 inch is a game changer true portable that nothing else can touch not even the iPad Pro in my opinion. for an on the go writer type person its a fantastic device. the keyboard is not as feedbacky as the new 16" but personally I got used to it and can switch back and forth between laptops. I think it would be crazy if Apple didn't bring back the 12. I don't think paying 1300 for this Mac is worth it unless you rally want it at this point but if I was constantly taking the MacBook places, the 12 inch is the wonderful choice.

I carry it in one hand and just grab and go. when I say one hand I mean holding it with finger grip briefcase style.

 

[adamfozzy]

I had the 2015 and then bought the base 2017 as soon as it came out. I also had the 15 inch pro 2017 but sold it 6 months later due to mostly using the 12 inch. I just got the 16" pro and got apple to rebuild my 12 inch and am at a cross road if I should sell the 12 inch even though im currently using the 16 inch a lot. The 12 inch isn't as snappy as the 16 inch but I mainly do multi document app work and once the apps are open, its fast enough for my use. The 16 inch has fans and gets warm versus the 12 inch which feels cool and silent all of the time unless you watch movies which will make the top of the Mac warm. it does bother me when my palms are warm from the 16" especially now in the summer on a warm day. the 12 inch is a game changer true portable that nothing else can touch not even the iPad Pro in my opinion. for an on the go writer type person its a fantastic device. the keyboard is not as feedbacky as the new 16" but personally I got used to it and can switch back and forth between laptops. I think it would be crazy if Apple didn't bring back the 12. I don't think paying 1300 for this Mac is worth it unless you rally want it at this point but if I was constantly taking the MacBook places, the 12 inch is the wonderful choice.

I carry it in one hand and just grab and go. when I say one hand I mean holding it with finger grip briefcase style.

I am in a very similar position. I had the 2017 inch MacBook 12 inch for nearly 3 years up until March when the battery was nearly non existent and then a key fell off. I deliberated about buying refurb MacBook again from apple, an iPad Pro and magic keyboard or MacBook Pro. In the end I went for the MacBook Pro 16. I got it £350 off retail here in UK as teacher using an Apple reseller - I probably wouldn't have bought it at full price. I normally divide my time between teaching 2 days a week and then work from home the rest of the time editing a website and making video tutorials. By the end the 12 inch MacBook was not up to the job for video editing.
Because of COVID I have been working from home all the time and will do so until at least September, hence going for the MBP16, which I have been using in my home office and also on lap on sofa in the evenings. I have loved it so far - still getting used to the fans, size and weight, though its not as heavy as I thought it would be. I know for the next 3 months it will be perfect. My crossroads will be when I return to teaching in September, I know I won't be able to use the MBP, as I was the 12 inch, because I move between classrooms a lot at school and take the laptop everywhere. Buying an iPad in addition to the MacBook Pro would be one option but I really don't like having two devices and the iPad can't do everything need it I do...yet, even with mouse support.
I do miss the 12 inch MacBook - just being apple to use it in any place at home or work but there are many things I prefer on the 16, the screen size at the desk and performance for video editing to name a few. What will be interesting is if apple release an ARM based ultraportable MacBook, then I may switch back but for now I am happy. If I did drop down to a 12/13 screen size again I would need a monitor at the desk.

 

[FilmIndustryGuy]

I am in a very similar position. I had the 2017 inch MacBook 12 inch for nearly 3 years up until March when the battery was nearly non existent and then a key fell off. I deliberated about buying refurb MacBook again from apple, an iPad Pro and magic keyboard or MacBook Pro. In the end I went for the MacBook Pro 16. I got it £350 off retail here in UK as teacher using an Apple reseller - I probably wouldn't have bought it at full price. I normally divide my time between teaching 2 days a week and then work from home the rest of the time editing a website and making video tutorials. By the end the 12 inch MacBook was not up to the job for video editing.
Because of COVID I have been working from home all the time and will do so until at least September, hence going for the MBP16, which I have been using in my home office and also on lap on sofa in the evenings. I have loved it so far - still getting used to the fans, size and weight, though its not as heavy as I thought it would be. I know for the next 3 months it will be perfect. My crossroads will be when I return to teaching in September, I know I won't be able to use the MBP, as I was the 12 inch, because I move between classrooms a lot at school and take the laptop everywhere. Buying an iPad in addition to the MacBook Pro would be one option but I really don't like having two devices and the iPad can't do everything need it I do...yet, even with mouse support.
I do miss the 12 inch MacBook - just being apple to use it in any place at home or work but there are many things I prefer on the 16, the screen size at the desk and performance for video editing to name a few. What will be interesting is if apple release an ARM based ultraportable MacBook, then I may switch back but for now I am happy. If I did drop down to a 12/13 screen size again I would need a monitor at the desk.

pick up a used or refurbished LG Ultrafine 4k 21.5 monitor. I bought one when they first came out Jan 2017 and a desk arm to adjust it anyway I like. I've seen them used or on woot for as low as $190 for the monitor in the past. they used to be $500 at Apple before being discontinued. anyways 3 years in and my monitor still works like new. I raised it above the 16" and now have 3 large documents open between the 2 screens. the reason I like the 21.5 inch is I don't have to move my head around to read documents. I just look up or down mainly and the arm allows me to move monitor closer or away from me. the resolution is just as crisp as the MacBook and I need my letters sharp. I don't care for the iPads as work tools. its good for on the go brief reads and writes but not really for me as a real tool. its more like trying to convince myself that its a real tool but really its more effort to switch through windows and edit text. I'm in the same boat as you. As soon as I end up on the go, I won't want to drag this MacBook Pro in a backpack with me. From my experience its best not to fool yourself and not to try to make things what they aren't. if you function best with MACOS and split work between on the go and at home than the right choice is 12" for mobile and 16" for home or desk use. im just saying this because in the past I really tried to make the 15 inch my main everywhere computer but ended up getting rid of it since it wasn't being used enough and went from 2015 rMB to 2017 and was happy with that. I enjoy using the 16inch but I also started working with FCPX on a regular basis and as currently in a moving around phase so am going to get rid of my 2018 Mac mini. I has a travel job from 2017-2019 and that little 2017 rMB was so perfect that I never even bothered looking at any of Apple's new stuff. sorry for the long speech but I sometimes feel we fool ourselves with all these devices and and in time, end up back where we started. go with your gut.

 

[adamfozzy]

pick up a used or refurbished LG Ultrafine 4k 21.5 monitor. I bought one when they first came out Jan 2017 and a desk arm to adjust it anyway I like. I've seen them used or on woot for as low as $190 for the monitor in the past. they used to be $500 at Apple before being discontinued. anyways 3 years in and my monitor still works like new. I raised it above the 16" and now have 3 large documents open between the 2 screens. the reason I like the 21.5 inch is I don't have to move my head around to read documents. I just look up or down mainly and the arm allows me to move monitor closer or away from me. the resolution is just as crisp as the MacBook and I need my letters sharp. I don't care for the iPads as work tools. its good for on the go brief reads and writes but not really for me as a real tool. its more like trying to convince myself that its a real tool but really its more effort to switch through windows and edit text. I'm in the same boat as you. As soon as I end up on the go, I won't want to drag this MacBook Pro in a backpack with me. From my experience its best not to fool yourself and not to try to make things what they aren't. if you function best with MACOS and split work between on the go and at home than the right choice is 12" for mobile and 16" for home or desk use. im just saying this because in the past I really tried to make the 15 inch my main everywhere computer but ended up getting rid of it since it wasn't being used enough and went from 2015 rMB to 2017 and was happy with that. I enjoy using the 16inch but I also started working with FCPX on a regular basis and as currently in a moving around phase so am going to get rid of my 2018 Mac mini. I has a travel job from 2017-2019 and that little 2017 rMB was so perfect that I never even bothered looking at any of Apple's new stuff. sorry for the long speech but I sometimes feel we fool ourselves with all these devices and and in time, end up back where we started. go with your gut.

I had two Ultrafines with my MacBook 12 inch, the 21 inch I bought used in 2018 and then I tried again with the 2019 model new earlier this year - both had terrible backlight problems and I returned/sold both. I have never really been a monitor person. I agree, sometimes we try to convince ourselves that one device is right. I spent 4 years delivering iPad training to teachers for Apple and an iPad mini was all I needed. When I stopped the training and started making video tutorials and the website I wanted to continue to use an iPad but quickly realised a Mac was what I needed. Eventually I found my way to the 12 inch MacBook which was iPad like in size but meant I could do all aspects of my job anywhere. However, as I have moved to creating more pro level videos (I have also just started on FCPX) and also becoming less mobile then at the moment the MBP16 has proved it's worth - I have been really really impressed with it so far. I may need to get a bigger screen iPhone for casual browsing and the odd email reply etc that I used to just quickly get the MacBook 12 inch out for.
As much as I am loving the MBP16 at the moment, I would be very interested in an ultra portable ARM MacBook but the acid test would be in terms of how it would cope with video editing etc.