Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Refurbished or non-refurbished?

TheJessTech

TheJessTech

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 29, 2015
7
0
Isle of Man
So I'm going to buy a MacBook Pro.. Are the refurbished Macs just as good quality as the non-refurbished? What's the difference? And should I just spend a little more money to get a brand new one?

Thanks
 
Thanks for replying :) So do they replace the parts? And say if there was a scratch on it, would they fix that? Or would I basically get a second hand Mac?
 
I've seen some of the refurbished units from the Apple Store and, like the others have stated, they are pretty much like new.

However, I personally stay away from units refurbished by anyone else other than Apple themselves.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheJessTech
TheJessTech said:
Thanks for replying :) So do they replace the parts? And say if there was a scratch on it, would they fix that? Or would I basically get a second hand Mac?
Click to expand...

From all reports they fix anything noticable and do a good selection of performance tests to make sure it is fine, you also get the same warranty options as a new machine. Could it have a couple of scuffs on the base?? Maybe but from all reports it's unlikely.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheJessTech
Samuelsan2001 said:
From all reports they fix anything noticable and do a good selection of performance tests to make sure it is fine, you also get the same warranty options as a new machine. Could it have a couple of scuffs on the base?? Maybe but from all reports it's unlikely.
Click to expand...
Ok, thank you! :) Refurbished Mac it is!
 
Both my MM and TBD are refurbished stock from Apple. The MM manufactured date was within a month of my purchase.

Come trade-in time, you benefit from the same price as if was bought retail.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheJessTech
TheJessTech said:
Ok, thank you! :) Refurbished Mac it is!
Click to expand...

About 2 weeks ago I purchased from the Apple online store a refurbished base model 2015 13" MacBookPro retina with 256GB SSD. When it arrived I looked it over very carefully. It looked brand new. I also another 2015 13" rMBP my wife bought brand new. Can't tell the difference between the 2 computers.

It could have been a return by someone who changed their mind or repaired and replaced. The only real difference is the box it came in vs a brand new model. When you buy a refurbished model you still get a 14-day return policy and can return it for any reason including you changed your mind.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheJessTech
TheJessTech said:
So, if there was a slight scratch, I could just send it back and get all my money back? That's amazing
Click to expand...

You could but is it really worth the hassle? No matter HOW well you care for it, your Mac will eventually end up with more than a few "slight" scratches and the one that was on it when you got it won't even be noticeable.
 
I always go for the refurbished directly from Apple unless it's something I'm getting at or near launch (Apple Watch or iPhone). Everything looks brand new, you still get AppleCare if you want it, and you get a great deal.
 
TheJessTech said:
So, if there was a slight scratch, I could just send it back and get all my money back? That's amazing
Click to expand...

Make sure you are happy with your order when you receive it. If you aren't happy with it just send it back. That is what I would do even if it had a scratch on it. You have 14 days to decide.
 
Only negative thing about the refurbs is most credit card extended warranties like those from VISA and AMEX will not give you the extra year of warranty on a refurb. I never buy them for that reason. May not be a concern for you though.
 
Weaselboy said:
Only negative thing about the refurbs is most credit card extended warranties like those from VISA and AMEX will not give you the extra year of warranty on a refurb. I never buy them for that reason. May not be a concern for you though.
Click to expand...

I just looked at the terms of the AMEX extended warranty and it does not state anything about not covering a refurbished computer. I am on hold to verify with AMEX.

EDIT: I just got off the phone with AMEX. There are 2 programs that AMEX offers, the purchase protection and extended warranty protection. Under the terms of the purchase protection program refurbished computers are not covered. This AMEX program will cover the purchase for 90 days against accidental damage or theft.

The AMEX extended warranty coverage does cover a refurbished computer as long as it comes with a manufactures warranty. The AMEX warranty doubles the original manufacturers warranty up to a year. The good news is that if you purchase AppleCare then you will be covered an extra year after the AppleCare warranty expires. So, including AppleCare, this mean you will be covered for 4 years from the date of purchase if you purchase the computer with the AMEX card.

From the on-line description (https://web.aexp-static.com/us/cont...dfromCostcoandAmericanExpress/EW-DOC-CCSG.pdf):
EXCLUSIONS

Benefits are not payable if the Loss for which coverage is sought was directly or indirectly, wholly or partially, contributed to or caused by:
  1. any physical damage, including, but not limited to, damage as a direct result of natural disaster or a power surge, except to the extent the original manufacturer's warranty covers such damage;

  2. mechanical failure covered under product recall; or

  3. fraud or abuse or illegal activity of any kind by the Cardmember.

PURCHASES NOT COVERED
The following are not covered:
  1. products covered by an unconditional satisfaction guarantee;

  2. motorized vehicles (including, but not limited to, passenger cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, airplanes) and their parts, subject to high risk, combustible, wear and tear or mileage stipulations (including, but not limited to, batteries, carburetors, pipes, hoses, pistons, brakes, tires, or mufflers);

  3. motorized devices and their parts used for agriculture, landscaping, demolition or construction;

  4. motorized devices and their parts which are permanent additions or fixtures to a residential or commercial building;

  5. business fixtures, including, but not limited to, air conditioners, refrigerators, heaters;

  6. land or buildings;

  7. consumable or perishable items;

  8. animals or living plants;

  9. more than one article in a pair or set. Coverage will be limited to no more than the value of any particular part or parts, unless the articles are unusable individually and cannot be replaced individually, regardless of any special value they may have had as part of a set or collection;

  10. items still under installment billing;

  11. additional service contract or extended warranty coverage for a computer, computer component or part that You buy which already comes with an original United States of America or Puerto Rico manufacturer's warranty, unless such coverage is provided and administered by the original manufacturer; and

  12. items purchased for resale, professional, or commercial use.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
I recently bought a 2015 Macbook Air refurb from Apple and it's a beautiful machine. I've got the same warranty as if I had bought anything "new' at the store, and can extend it as well. I figure there's as much as chance for anything to go wrong with this as with a made-to-order, and I have the same recourse.

I did have to wait a few months before the new product came into the store, but there are plenty of 2015s there now, it seems, at least for the Macbook Airs.
 
Hi, Don't know if anybody can help me out with a questions . Whats the best to buy.

Hi, New to this site I am looking for some help . Looking to see whats better to buy off apples refub site .
Thanks for any help

Refurbished 27-inch iMac 3.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i5
Originally released September 2013
27-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology; 2560-by-1440 resolution
8GB memory
1TB hard drive1
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 775M graphics processor with 2GB of GDDR5 memory
Built-in FaceTime HD camera

Refurbished 27-inch iMac 3.5GHz Quad-core Intel Core i5 with Retina display
Originally released October 2014
27-inch (diagonal) Retina display with IPS technology; 5120‑by‑2880 resolution
8GB memory
1TB Fusion drive
1
AMD Radeon R9 M290X graphics processor with 2GB of GDDR5 memory
Built-in FaceTime HD camera
 
TheJessTech said:
So I'm going to buy a MacBook Pro.. Are the refurbished Macs just as good quality as the non-refurbished? What's the difference? And should I just spend a little more money to get a brand new one?

I bought a refurbished MacBook Pro 15" Retina, (mid 2012, 2.6ghz quad i7, with 8GB, 512GB SSD) directly from Apple, NOT from some other vendor. It was my second MacBook Pro but my first refurbished model. My first MacBook Pro was a 13" model I bought new at the Apple Store a year prior). My 15" came in a big, plain white box. When I opened the box, the laptop looked and smelled as if brand new, as if untouched by no one else. Trust me I looked for ANYTHING that showed me it was refurbished and I found nothing. The plain box went into a closet, not to be seen again. That was over two years ago. This MacBook Pro has ran flawlessly in that time. I went from Lion, to Mountain Lion, to Mavericks and currently on Yosemite. I'm looking forward to doing a clean install of El Capitan once it's released in the next couple of months. I fully expect it to run great for a few more years. The retina display is simply awesome. I have yet to see ANY windows laptop that comes close to retina display and this "Mid 2012" laptop is much faster than any new Windows laptop I have seen, even new ones today.

If the Apple Online store has a MacBook Pro configured as you want it (processor, memory and SSD size) get it. You'll save some good money and you won't be disappointed.
Click to expand...
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheJessTech
joemac99 said:
Hi, Don't know if anybody can help me out with a questions . Whats the best to buy.

Hi, New to this site I am looking for some help . Looking to see whats better to buy off apples refub site .
Thanks for any help

Refurbished 27-inch iMac 3.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i5
Originally released September 2013
27-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology; 2560-by-1440 resolution
8GB memory
1TB hard drive1
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 775M graphics processor with 2GB of GDDR5 memory
Built-in FaceTime HD camera

Refurbished 27-inch iMac 3.5GHz Quad-core Intel Core i5 with Retina display
Originally released October 2014
27-inch (diagonal) Retina display with IPS technology; 5120‑by‑2880 resolution
8GB memory
1TB Fusion drive
1
AMD Radeon R9 M290X graphics processor with 2GB of GDDR5 memory
Built-in FaceTime HD camera
Click to expand...

The second one is better than the first, are they a similar price though?
 
If you get a refurb, make sure you are getting one from March 2015. honestly, I cannot tell the difference between reforms and non-refurbs. Apple puts a new screen, outer shell, and keyboard on them. They're as good as new.
 
aspoels said:
If you get a refurb, make sure you are getting one from March 2015. honestly, I cannot tell the difference between reforms and non-refurbs. Apple puts a new screen, outer shell, and keyboard on them. They're as good as new.
Click to expand...

I certainly will buy a refurbished Mac computer again.
 
aspoels said:
If you get a refurb, make sure you are getting one from March 2015. honestly, I cannot tell the difference between reforms and non-refurbs. Apple puts a new screen, outer shell, and keyboard on them. They're as good as new.
Click to expand...
I keep seeing this posted and have never seen a source for it. I don't mean to challenge you or call you out in any way, but do you have some source for the claim that Apple replaces all these components you mentioned? If someone returns their MacBook after ten days because they did not like it, why would Apple replace all the components you listed?

I would think they would reinstall the OS and run diagnostics and clean it up, then sell it as a refurb.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back