Hey there!
Recently, there have been a number of threads asking whether or not to buy a used MacBook. They usually are along the lines of "Should I spend $$$ on this used MacBook Pro". I've spent years working with MacBooks and have done a good amount of research recently on used MacBooks and their pricing.
In my opinion, I would not recommend buying a used MacBook or any used Laptop for that matter.
There are numerous reasons why buying a used MacBook is often pennywise but pound foolish.
1. Any current used Macbook on the market that was made in the past three years are usually overpriced.
It can be very difficult to buy a 13inch MacBook Pro or Air made in the past three years for less than $600. Yes you might be able to find deals here and there, but the best you can hope for is $500 - and that would be for a used cMBP or very old Air model. Anything less than $500 is usually either 4+ years old or has some form of damage/excessive wear and tear.
2. Consumer reports and other tech consumer guides recommend against buying any used technology that is over two years old.
Buying used is a gamble, especially if the item has been used for over two years and is a piece of equipment such as a laptop that is prone to extra wear and tear. Even with the best handling and cases, laptops are prone to accidents and there could easily be internal damage that is not able to be seen when buying a used laptop.
3. You can buy a new, closeout 13inch Macbook cMacbook pro or 13inch Macbook Air from 2015 for $799 and no tax on Ebay and other tech sales sites.
These computers have never been used, are usually factory sealed, and are on closeout due to being older models. It would make more sense to buy one of these since they have no wear and tear, can have Apple Care added to them, and should last you much longer than a used model would. However, many of these have non-upgradeable Ram at 4GB (rMBP or Air models). You can find models with 8GB, but it would be more at the $900 range.
4. There are issues with older models that can't be fixed.
There are some old models with graphics card issues. There are cMBP's that, after 3 years of use, begin to have screen burn in issues by the apple logo (I've seen it happen to dozens of cMBP's when I worked in a school that used them, even with cases that prevented pressure on the screen). Macbook Airs and rMacBook Pros with 4GB of RAM can never be upgraded and 4GB of RAM is terrible by 2016 standards. The chargers are often in either fair or poor condition and must be replaced ($80 for a Apple Brand, or gamble with a knock-off brand).
Also, while you can use Coconut Battery to check the Battery cycles, it is difficult (if not almost impossible) to replace the battery on some models. The third-party batteries online are hit or miss as well with many reviews saying they stopped working after less than a year of being installed.
5. Craigslist deals can be cheap scams and PayPal online purchases are only covered for the first 6 months after purchase.
While you can save big money by buying used laptops on craigslist, these cash-only purchases are a huge gamble. The computer could be stolen, could have internal water damage, etc. While buying on Ebay or other sites with Paypal does offer 6 months of protection, if the computer breaks down after that then you have lost any money you put into it.
There ARE good deals for used MacBooks, but I think that the gamble associated with buying used is too high to justify it.
Recently, there have been a number of threads asking whether or not to buy a used MacBook. They usually are along the lines of "Should I spend $$$ on this used MacBook Pro". I've spent years working with MacBooks and have done a good amount of research recently on used MacBooks and their pricing.
In my opinion, I would not recommend buying a used MacBook or any used Laptop for that matter.
There are numerous reasons why buying a used MacBook is often pennywise but pound foolish.
1. Any current used Macbook on the market that was made in the past three years are usually overpriced.
It can be very difficult to buy a 13inch MacBook Pro or Air made in the past three years for less than $600. Yes you might be able to find deals here and there, but the best you can hope for is $500 - and that would be for a used cMBP or very old Air model. Anything less than $500 is usually either 4+ years old or has some form of damage/excessive wear and tear.
2. Consumer reports and other tech consumer guides recommend against buying any used technology that is over two years old.
Buying used is a gamble, especially if the item has been used for over two years and is a piece of equipment such as a laptop that is prone to extra wear and tear. Even with the best handling and cases, laptops are prone to accidents and there could easily be internal damage that is not able to be seen when buying a used laptop.
3. You can buy a new, closeout 13inch Macbook cMacbook pro or 13inch Macbook Air from 2015 for $799 and no tax on Ebay and other tech sales sites.
These computers have never been used, are usually factory sealed, and are on closeout due to being older models. It would make more sense to buy one of these since they have no wear and tear, can have Apple Care added to them, and should last you much longer than a used model would. However, many of these have non-upgradeable Ram at 4GB (rMBP or Air models). You can find models with 8GB, but it would be more at the $900 range.
4. There are issues with older models that can't be fixed.
There are some old models with graphics card issues. There are cMBP's that, after 3 years of use, begin to have screen burn in issues by the apple logo (I've seen it happen to dozens of cMBP's when I worked in a school that used them, even with cases that prevented pressure on the screen). Macbook Airs and rMacBook Pros with 4GB of RAM can never be upgraded and 4GB of RAM is terrible by 2016 standards. The chargers are often in either fair or poor condition and must be replaced ($80 for a Apple Brand, or gamble with a knock-off brand).
Also, while you can use Coconut Battery to check the Battery cycles, it is difficult (if not almost impossible) to replace the battery on some models. The third-party batteries online are hit or miss as well with many reviews saying they stopped working after less than a year of being installed.
5. Craigslist deals can be cheap scams and PayPal online purchases are only covered for the first 6 months after purchase.
While you can save big money by buying used laptops on craigslist, these cash-only purchases are a huge gamble. The computer could be stolen, could have internal water damage, etc. While buying on Ebay or other sites with Paypal does offer 6 months of protection, if the computer breaks down after that then you have lost any money you put into it.
There ARE good deals for used MacBooks, but I think that the gamble associated with buying used is too high to justify it.
