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Merkava_4

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 4, 2010
744
93
California
If you take a brand new MBP from the supply room at the Apple Store and sit it side by side with the equivalent refurbished model fresh off the FedEx truck, would you be able to tell the two apart? Even when inspecting closely with a magnifying glass?
 
There might be a speck a dust on one of them that is not on the other, or a fingerprint from when you open it, or something else that I'm not thinking of right now.
 
With the newer models, you ll be seeing the manufacturing defects. Especially the ones with a smudge or scratch under the speaker grills.

Some of the Mbp's we have seen here had a micro scratch but ended up refunded to the buyer which probably went to refurb store.

There should be a thread about speaker grill defects.
 
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With the newer models, you ll be seeing the manufacturing defects. Especially the ones with a smudge or scratch under the speaker grills.

Some of the Mbp's we have seen here had a micro scratch but ended up refunded to the buyer which probably went to refurb store.

There should be a thread about speaker grill defects.


I got a 15" 455 Touchbar from the Apple Store and the speaker grill on one side looked like it was swiped with a wire brush or sandpaper. My 15" 460 Touchbar was near perfect.

I think it's cool that my 2016 refurb came in a box like the retail version, not a plain cardboard box like in the old days.
 
Can be both.

I have seen ones with cosmetic problems out of the box and so with the refurbs.

Refurbs are more likely because you agree to pay lower price for 'possible cosmetic' damage.

OK that's scary. I was under the impression from reading so many of these refurb threads that any part with the slightest possible cosmetic damage was replaced by Apple before putting the refurbished unit up for sale.
 
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OK that's scary. I was under the impression from reading so many of these refurb threads that any part with the slightest possible cosmetic damage was replaced by Apple before putting the refurbished unit up for sale.

It is correct that they do a thorough check internally and externally but when you think about the smudges and small scratches people anal about like crazy ( which they are right IMO), can cause issues like that.

Besides the checks, the machine is still refurbished, which means its not brand new. You agree on the price and the possibility of some nicks externally when you go refurbished. This doesnt mean its perfect though. For some people, 4000$ machine must be pristibe out of the box without a microscopic scratch. And some people dont really care about the small smudges. The ones that care, return it and we get them as refurbished back into the market.

Even thouh you are in the market for one, I suggest you to wait till Monday to see what Apple have for us. Maybe they figured out the manufacturing problems and we will never a thread like that. Keep an eye!!
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I got a 15" 455 Touchbar from the Apple Store and the speaker grill on one side looked like it was swiped with a wire brush or sandpaper. My 15" 460 Touchbar was near perfect.

I think it's cool that my 2016 refurb came in a box like the retail version, not a plain cardboard box like in the old days.

That's awesome that you got lucky. I have seen some users here that they returned their products like 5 times because of speaker grill problems.

I didn't know that they changed the boxing in refurbished, I thought, like you said it was white plain box with Apple Refurbished written on the bottom.
 
I didn't know that they changed the boxing in refurbished, I thought, like you said it was white plain box with Apple Refurbished written on the bottom.

I returned a refurbished 13 inch last week and it was still in its plastic wrapped white box with the MBP picture on the front just like the new MBPs have. Matter of fact, that MBP was still in its unopened FedEx box!
 
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You won't be able to tell the difference OP. If they are sent back with a cosmetic deficit my understanding is that is repaired before they resell it on. There is literally no down side to buying a refurb assuming you can find the model you want
 
Had a couple of refurb ipads they were as new. I couldn't see anything wrong but then I am not nearly as anal about these things as many on here.
 
You CANNOT Tell the difference between the two. Top cases, displays, and all externals are replaced If there is a sign of wear or tear on the products body. It looks brand new, if it doesn't you can get another machine ordered. Don't @ me If you think otherwise lol.
 
The box of the refurb is plain. So if you sell it with the box, which cab get you a hire price, you need to explain that.
 
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