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Buying Apple Refurbished

T

TofSanity

Cancelled
Original poster
Oct 29, 2010
1,498
2,935
Thought I would write a quick note:

Since last November I have had a few issues with a few different 15" MacBook Pros, 3 2016s & 1 2017. Last week week I decided to purchase a 2017 15" MacBook Pro and this laptop is great. everything works: keyboard, no bleed, no popping, track pad works, etc... I had purchased refurbs in the past but only due to wanting to try an original iPad or the first 2015 MacBook. Both of these were great for what I wanted at the time. just didn't truly realize how much went into the refurbished Apple program.

I may have to continue down this path of refurbished Apple MacBook Pros. No more issues right out the box.

Tim
 
I would put that down to the bugs have been ironed, through replacements and quality tests out as someone returned them. and sticks them on the refurbished store at a discount.
 
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LizKat said:
Yah I'm a big big fan of refurbs bought directly from Apple. Most of my laptops have been via that route and I like that you can still pick up AppleCare on them and it lasts from your purchase date same as if you bought the gear new.
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My position, too.

Over the years, I have bought both refurbished computers as well as new ones; the warranties and guarantees you get on the refurbished model are every bit as good as on a 'new' computer, the discounts are decent, and sometimes considerable, and - as @LizKat observes - I like the fact that you can get Applecare for a refurbished product as well.

I never had any problems whatsoever with refurbished computers; indeed, when buying one, there is the reassurance that this computer has been individually examined with the proverbial fine-comb before having been sent out again for sale as a 'refurbished' model.
 
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I always prefer the refurbished items (if available). For me, it actually means "properly tested and cheaper". So, why not? New is just new, nothing more than that, not necessary mean better, or more reliable.
 
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Completely concur. With a few exceptions I only buy Apple stuff FROM the refurbished store. :)
 
+1 for apple refurbs. the best part has been that on 2 occasions i received more ram and/or storage than was listed on the refurb site.
 
Yes, Apple refurbished products are win-wins. A device is reused, the quality virtually matches a new item, the warranty is the same, and the cost is lower.
 
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I've only purchased one Mac brand new and it's the only one I've ever had to send back for repair. Never had any problems with my refurbished items. Hope I haven't jinxed myself now...knock on wood.
 
maybe i spoke too soon. this display is starting to shadow pretty bad. it could be the angles though. just didn't seem that way the first week of use
 
I've bought new and I've bought refurb, and never a problem with either, but I am a slow adopter. My 2008 Mac Pro refurb is still going strong as a media server, my iPod Touch with the 32 (?) pin connector still playing tunes. In fact the only problem I've ever had was with my 2012 Mac Mini when I burned out the motherboard from overuse in the first year, but it's still going strong as well, just on a stand to keep it vertical for better heat dissipation, live and learn. Oh, and my 2012 Mac Pro is used as is my AppleTV 4, so I remain an Apple fan simply because they just work.
 
My last MBP (15" late-2013) I bought new, worked flawlessly (aside from a bad after-market OWC SSD), I went new because of the lack of refurbs at the time. It was the first time I ever went into an Apple Store and bought a computer.

Just bought a 2017 27" iMac (mid-range model) off the refurb store, and like previous computer purchases (2011 iMac, 2009 13" MBP, 2004 iBook [which was my first ever Mac]), it's top notch right out of the box.
 
I got a 2010 15"MBP from Apple refurbished; when I got it, there was a recall for the 2011 GPU cards, because they were causing the laptops to restart randomly, like mine.
Since mine is a 2010, there was no recall, even though it has the same GPU as the 2011s, & having the same issues.
Apple wouldn't even talk to me unless/until there was a recall, even though there was a 1-year warranty with the purchase of refurbished products.
Otherwise, it works fine, & a replacement GPU is like $3-400; mine restarts with a GPU Panic when trying to play any video above 720p video...
 
Gravydog316 said:
I got a 2010 15"MBP from Apple refurbished; when I got it, there was a recall for the 2011 GPU cards, because they were causing the laptops to restart randomly, like mine.
Since mine is a 2010, there was no recall, even though it has the same GPU as the 2011s, & having the same issues.
Apple wouldn't even talk to me unless/until there was a recall, even though there was a 1-year warranty with the purchase of refurbished products.
Otherwise, it works fine, & a replacement GPU is like $3-400; mine restarts with a GPU Panic when trying to play any video above 720p video...
Click to expand...

guessing they never recalled yours?
 
Gravydog316 said:
No. only the 2011s (which are exactly the same as my 2010). Otherwise, it works perfectly. As an intern, I can't afford $5,000 for a new one when they come out haha
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sometimes i get sick to my stomach when i think about the price of this MacBook Pro. That's why i moved away from my iPad Pro, which was great, but couldn't ever substitute for a laptop, in my opinion.
 
TofSanity said:
sometimes i get sick to my stomach when i think about the price of this MacBook Pro. That's why i moved away from my iPad Pro, which was great, but couldn't ever substitute for a laptop, in my opinion.
Click to expand...


I was thinking about this the other day, and I actually think the iPad pro's aren't too bad of a value VS the iPad's of the past. My mom has used an iPad as a replacement for a computer for quite awhile, when I bought her the 64GB iPad 3 it was $699, same when I got her the 128GB iPad air (Paid over $700+ for both after tax).

I recently bought her the iPad pro 12.9 256GB for $899 (when it was released). Thinking about the bigger size, the increased storage and all of the things it offers over those iPad's, I truly believe it's price is a lot more reasonable than the previous iPads, maybe i'm just trying to justify spending on it though :p.

On the topic: I had a refurbished 12.9 for quite a while, worked perfectly, also have used refurbished Airport Extreme's/Express, currently have a refurb Apple TV 4. None of those had any problems, I did however have a refurbished Air thats trackpad broke right after the warranty period a few years ago. Wised up and got AppleCare for my MBP in 2015, last month it crapped out on me utterly randomly. Apple replaced the logic board, screen, and both fans. I don't even want to know what that bill would have been.
 
acorntoy said:
I was thinking about this the other day, and I actually think the iPad pro's aren't too bad of a value VS the iPad's of the past. My mom has used an iPad as a replacement for a computer for quite awhile, when I bought her the 64GB iPad 3 it was $699, same when I got her the 128GB iPad air (Paid over $700+ for both after tax).

I recently bought her the iPad pro 12.9 256GB for $899 (when it was released). Thinking about the bigger size, the increased storage and all of the things it offers over those iPad's, I truly believe it's price is a lot more reasonable than the previous iPads, maybe i'm just trying to justify spending on it though :p.

On the topic: I had a refurbished 12.9 for quite a while, worked perfectly, also have used refurbished Airport Extreme's/Express, currently have a refurb Apple TV 4. None of those had any problems, I did however have a refurbished Air thats trackpad broke right after the warranty period a few years ago. Wised up and got AppleCare for my MBP in 2015, last month it crapped out on me utterly randomly. Apple replaced the logic board, screen, and both fans. I don't even want to know what that bill would have been.
Click to expand...

i had to send a previous MacBook Pro in for service too many times. last repair, i decided to sell it. thought i'd give my 10.5" iPad Pro a shot but it just wouldn't cut it for my needs. mostly writing, so i couldn't get into the smart keyboard. so, i looked into refurbeds and am finally happy. thought i had a screen issue but its looking like my background causing the shadowing.
 
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My dad got me an iPad gen4 for Xmas a few years ago for $500 which I use lots for work & school, but it started to get dated & full;
& I use Windows @ work, & will stick with Apple lol
my refurbed 2010 MacBook Pro still works great, except it can't play 1080p+ video, which is manageable.
Might be better to spend the $5k for a new one on lotto tickets haha
'cause I don't think Santa will be bringing me one!
 
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My last 2 Apple purchases (Macbook Pro, iMac 27" retina) were refurbs, and I am very happy with both. And my wallet grateful.
 
Apart from the phones, always buy via the refurb store, just 4 weeks ago I bought a new MacBook Pro 15 from there at a 15% discount for a 2017 model.

Over the years I've bought a MacBook 17, iMac 27, MacBook, two Apple TV's and an iPad, currently awaiting iPad 10's to appear so I can buy one of them. Never had an issue and now they seem to even use the same boxes rather than the plain boxes they used years ago.
 
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