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mrs1986

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 21, 2011
132
5
Uruguay
Hi all, I just bought a Macbook air 2012, base model... The accessories came in a large white box, so I assume is a refurbished mac. The machine was pristine, the battery count was zero...

How can i tell if it is a refurbished mac? Maybe the seller was telling me the truth when he says it was "new" just didn't have the box... I was thinking in amazon frustration free packaging??

I forgot to mention, this laptop traveled from usa to uruguay, so that's the first reason of the box lost...

Thanks...
 
Enter your serial number at this site and it will tell you what factory it was made in. A refurbished unit will say "Factory: Remanufactured Model" or similar if it was a refurbished unit.

Without getting the Mac in an original retail box that is factory sealed, the serial number is the only way to tell if a Mac was refurbished. An Apple refurbished unit is as good as a new unit.
 
Enter your serial number at this site and it will tell you what factory it was made in. A refurbished unit will say "Factory: Remanufactured Model" or similar if it was a refurbished unit.

Without getting the Mac in an original retail box that is factory sealed, the serial number is the only way to tell if a Mac was refurbished. An Apple refurbished unit is as good as a new unit.

Thanks, it does not work that page... But the machine was perfect when it arrived... And the battery cycles count was zero...

I guess i wont know it never...

Thanks...
 
I put the serial on this website... I found it here in macrumors, an old thread... http://www.appleserialnumberinfo.com/Desktop/index.php

This is the result, what do you guys think?

Serial Number: C2QJV03PF56D
Model: - MacBook Air (13-inch Mid 2012)
Codename: - No codename assigned.
Build Country: - This unit was built in China
Build Year: - This unit was built in the second half of 2012.
Build Week - Week 24 (June) or week 51 (December)
Production Nr.: - This unit was number 125 to be built that week.
 
You purchased a used computer that works. So far, anyway. It appears to be at least four months old. You did not purchase it from Apple so why the concern? If purchased from Apple you would have had the full warranty regardless whether it was new or Apple Refurbished.
 
One of those things you'll never know.

Could be stolen, could have been refurbished, could be an insurance replacement, who knows.
 
You purchased a used computer that works. So far, anyway. It appears to be at least four months old. You did not purchase it from Apple so why the concern? If purchased from Apple you would have had the full warranty regardless whether it was new or Apple Refurbished.

I do have the warranty, the laptop was bought on march 20, so i asume it was purchased at an apple store, refurb or not, it is already registered, and as i said, i OPENED it from the nylon NOT the box...

Anyway, thanks a lot for the help... I guess i will never know, but is ok whatever it is...

Thanks!!
 

Sorry... Yes, the box said Apple Certified, so thats why i assumed is refurbished, but the zero count in the battery is kind of strange... And in the page to check for the serial i put some post behind, it says made in china, so no Factory Remanufactured or something....
 
thats an apple certified refurb then, from apple. will be a new battery in it probably. mines a refurb and only had 1 or 2
 
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