The new refurbs are killing me!

[OptyCT]

Lol, I love it how some people actually think refurbs are better than BRAND NEW machines.

Don't be cheap and buy a new one. If you work at McDonald's for $200 a month, then that's a different story.

Thanks for signing up today just to post this ignorant comment. Hopefully, you'll log off this site and forget your password, never to be seen on MacRumors again. But, you probably won't. Something's got to satisfy your "troll" gene. Thanks also for providing poster-board material for Windows fanboys. It's this type of elitist attitude by a very small percentage of Apple users that creates blind hatred for the brand.

FWIW, I have purchased several refurbished Apple products. Numerous iPods, 1st-gen iPod Touch, Mid-2009 MacBook Pro, Airport Extreme, and 2011 iMac i7 3.4. I have never had an issue with any of them. Every one of them is still running good-as-new today.

There have been misconceptions on both sides of the argument in this thread. The fact is that refurbs are as reliable (not more or less) as new machines. If they weren't, Apple wouldn't offer the same warranty as they do on their new products. It's expensive for a company to warranty a product. Why would they give the same warranty on a product that they knew was more prone to failure? And, why would they offer those higher-failure products at a reduced price? That would be a double hit to their bottom line which is something, we all know, Apple would never tolerate.

 

[iSayuSay]

That is utter nonsense. The reason that Apple cuts the price is because these items have been returned and cannot legally be sold as new, even when they are exactly as good as new. If you buy a refurbished Mac and it is not in perfect condition that you would expect from a new one, you return it.

And even when they have defects and need to be replaced or repaired, I know it has the same warranty as the new one, you can refund or return it as the new one.

O yeah .. I forgot .. by doing so they inspect those refurbs with a better way QC and thorough re-inspection.

Honestly I have nothing against refurb Mac, and Apple surely won't miss me for not picking those refurbs.

But thanks for bully me too .. Join the club

 

[sweetbrat]

I've purchased a few refurbished Macs over the years. None of them has ever had a problem that a new machine wouldn't have had. When I say that, here's what I mean...I had an iMac several years ago, and it's power supply failed. Was that because it was a refurb? Nope. It was something pretty common to that model iMac. And when the power supply failed, Apple replaced it, no problem.

Think of it this way...that machine that you're using now? If you return it, it's going to be a refurb. It's in great shape, yes? Would likely last you for years if you didn't decide to swap it for a different one, correct? It's possible that the refurb you purchase will have gone through the same thing. Yes, it's also possible that it had a problem and has been repaired. But Apple stands behind their refurbs with the same warranty as a new computer. So if you can get the machine you want as a refurb, I say go for it.

 

[OptyCT]

I think why everyone's struggling here is because Apple's the only company that I can think of that offers their refurbs with the same warranty as their new products. The typical electronics company sells new products with a one-year warranty and a 90-day warranty on refurbs.

There's also a misconception that all returns that end up as refurbs were once defective. Using the iMac as an example, someone could purchase a 27" iMac, get it home, and realize that it's too big for their workspace. So, they exchange it for a 21.5", and the 27" one ends up as a refurb. This happens every day.

 

[wordoflife]

Wait for the 2GB video card. The extra memory helps especially if you want to run close to, if not at, native resolution. It's not necessary, but I'm not sure how well a 1GB card will push out all the pixels of a 27"

 

[iSayuSay]

I think why everyone's struggling here is because Apple's the only company that I can think of that offers their refurbs with the same warranty as their new products. The typical electronics company sells new products with a one-year warranty and a 90-day warranty on refurbs.

There's also a misconception that all returns that end up as refurbs were once defective. Using the iMac as an example, someone could purchase a 27" iMac, get it home, and realize that it's too big for their workspace. So, they exchange it for a 21.5", and the 27" one ends up as a refurb. This happens every day.

True, Apple has been generous and fair for applying equal warranty and support for their new and refurbs Mac. I just don't want to go refurb. And I don't mind others enjoy buying refurb Mac too.

And sure Apple's refurb item is not always a failed or defective Mac, they might be just perfect and get returned for whatever reason. I think I said that a few times already But in short, we just don't know why it was returned. Of course it's the best when you can get refurb Mac due to return only, not because of defects or something.

But we just can't know for sure. And for me, that's a higher risk, compared to new Mac which we know for sure it comes from factory, vanilla new, hasn't been touched yet. (Again, I'm aware Apple treat refurb and new Mac the same way, and new Mac can also failed too even though it's fresh from the factory).

But maybe my "higher risk" category doesn't fit with others, and sorry if it doesn't fit you too.

 

[SawceBaws]

Okay, I guess now I'm going to have to persuade everyone to buy second hand cars as well, because they're just as good as the brand new one from the factory- because they've been tested.

Might also buy all my bedsheets second hand, because they've been cleaned. Oh what about shavers? Can I buy those second hand too because they're still sharp?

Do whatever you want, it's your money.

 

[Boe11]

I appreciate all of the input. Again, I don't have any qualms about buying refurbs whatsoever. I think they're a great deal and will always purchase them over their new counterparts given an even playing field of specs. Every time.

I did once sell a refurb on ebay and receive my ONLY negative feedback ever because I didnt say it was refurbished, just a used computer. That was pretty annoying, but I guess I should have said something...?

Anyways, I'll have to think it over some more. I haven't sold my 2011 MPB yet, so I've got a bit of time to think. I'm kind of leaning towards the new one with the extra graphics memory. I probably won't need it, but I am very much looking forward to diablo 3 and battlefield 3 and I'd like to be as prepared as possible, hardware wise.

The grand scheme is selling my MPB and tablet to get an iMac and mba, so I might get an mba refurb for 750 and save some money there to help alleviate my guilt over spending 300 more for an extra gb of video memory on a mid range mobile graphics card, hehe.

I appreciate the discussion.

 

[coolspot18]

Hey guys,

A little bit torn - I'm hoping to order a 27" iMac 3.4 with stock hd and memory, but the 2gb video card upgrade... and now the same thing minus the extra gig of video memory pops up refurbished for 300 dollars less

The memory upgrade for the video card is useless.

Wait for the 2GB video card. The extra memory helps especially if you want to run close to, if not at, native resolution. It's not necessary, but I'm not sure how well a 1GB card will push out all the pixels of a 27"

This forum has so much misinformation - is it that Mac users are generally uninformed?

the 2GB video ram upgrade will not result in any performance gains. The GPU is the limiting factor not the video ram.

FYI, you only need about 24MB of VRAM to render a 2D 2560x1440@32bpp screen.

 

[Bearxor]

the memory upgrade for the video card is useless.



This forum has so much misinformation - is it that mac users are generally uninformed?

The 2gb video ram upgrade will not result in any performance gains. The gpu is the limiting factor not the video ram.

Fyi, you only need about 24mb of vram to render a 2d 2560x1440@32bpp screen.

qftmft!

 

[SundayDuffer]

My 27in i7 3.4ghz 16g rams from gskill refurb is perfect. No dead pixels, no yellow screen, no lan wake up problems, lion runs smoothly. I guess i got lucky.

 

[howardnow]

I have had 4 refurbished macs. No problems. I keep them so long that I have not resold any. Gave one very old one to a friend, another G3 to my brother.
The only thing and I don't know if it means anything if you plan to resell later, is that the serial number is changed by Apple to a refurbished number. Again, having no experience with resale, I don't know if this make a difference.

I currently have a refurb 887 G4 tower (lost track of age). No problems.
I also have a refurb intel c2d 2.5 Macbook Pro. Works great after 2.7 years.

 

[silverpony]

Just signed up today. Ordered a i5 27" new and then was surfing and saw a refurb i7 for the same price. Cancelled the new one and am getting the refurb.