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Your iMac Refurb Experience
- Thread starter xzebra
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Purchased four and all 100%.
Only buy from Apple as other sellers do throw about the 'refurbished' title. Apple refurbs come with the current operating system and a full 12 months warranty, and you can option AppleCare or even better AppleCare+ if you are in USA or Japan, the only places AppleCare+ is offered.
Only buy from Apple as other sellers do throw about the 'refurbished' title. Apple refurbs come with the current operating system and a full 12 months warranty, and you can option AppleCare or even better AppleCare+ if you are in USA or Japan, the only places AppleCare+ is offered.
My only experience was quite bad. Hard drive died shortly thereafter. This was 8 years ago. It was the only time I did not buy AppleCare.
To be fair, I had to return two BTO models after that, but I've had great success with the two stock models I've owned since August 2010 (a 21.5" and now a 2013 27" which has been just fine.)
My recommendation: I've had great success buying stock model iMacs over the past 7.5 years, so I'd recommend a stock model 27" on sale.
To be fair, I had to return two BTO models after that, but I've had great success with the two stock models I've owned since August 2010 (a 21.5" and now a 2013 27" which has been just fine.)
My recommendation: I've had great success buying stock model iMacs over the past 7.5 years, so I'd recommend a stock model 27" on sale.
I've owned two. One lasted four years before the screen went bad, and I was using it 6-10 hours a day. The other I used for three years and sold to a friend, and he's still using it a year or so later. I've also bought an iPad and two iPod touches as refurbs from Apple, no problems with those either. And no AppleCare.
+1 to those who've said to only buy from Apple...
+1 to those who've said to only buy from Apple...
I've looked at the refurb section on the UK Apple store the last few weeks.
Very sparse I have to say when it comes to Macs.
Very sparse I have to say when it comes to Macs.
I'm in Canada and it's also very sparse if you have an idea of what specs you want. I tracked the refurb store for a while for a base-ish 27" iMac with SSD. It seems that only the top-end are sold as refurb with SSD, the low-end have the 1-2TB FD... So in the end I'd end up paying much more for specs I don't need just to save a few bucks on what I do need.I've looked at the refurb section on the UK Apple store the last few weeks.
Very sparse I have to say when it comes to Macs.
I'm not sure if Apple makes modifications to the BTO before reselling them as refurb or if it's a very strong trend that low-end iMac are always bought with FD.
Also you can't replace the mouse for a trackpad or get the full keyboard.
Bought a refurb iMac 5K last week. Looks great, works great. You'd never know it wasn't new. Opening the box even brought about that sweet smell of new electronics. Mouse 2 and Keyboard appear to be brand new. Comes with a 1 year warranty, and while I'm rarely an extended warranty guy, I'll be getting AppleCare soon just because the 5K iMac is relatively expensive and not very user-serviceable.
As for the selection of items in stock, I found that you have to figure out what configuration you want in advance, and then check the store multiple times a day. I wanted a 256GB SSD model, and my experience was that I had about 5-10 minutes to buy one when one popped up before someone else would take it. Seems like your chances are better in the late evenings.
As for the selection of items in stock, I found that you have to figure out what configuration you want in advance, and then check the store multiple times a day. I wanted a 256GB SSD model, and my experience was that I had about 5-10 minutes to buy one when one popped up before someone else would take it. Seems like your chances are better in the late evenings.
I guess most are the base models that get returned and most people might consider upgrading a FD just for space and most simply don't understand the physical and speed differences between a spinning disk and full flash ssd cards. There is no real graphical information to show what's inside a standard iMac.
A FD in a 27 iMac today with THAT screen is like placing a two litre petrol engine in a new Ferrari.
Indeed
Oh man, you just jinxed yourself...probably will release one this summer!
But iMacs are sick, so I am sure you'll be fine.
They are that sparse Down Under iMacs and Mac Pros are not sold by the Refurbished Store, direct to Resellers. All one can purchase is MB and MBP.
I spent a couple weeks checking the UK Apple refurb section for the iMac with the spec I wanted, iMac's would pop up on the refurb store but they sold more or less immediately, none had the right spec. Eventually I got the spec I wanted, 2017 iMac, i7 4.2Ghz, 16GB Ram, Radeon Pro 580 8GB, 3TB Fusion Drive, Magic Mouse 2 and Keyboard.
It was delivered in a plain white box but the iMac is, as new, faultless with no cosmetic defects, and I paid £2329.00 which is a saving of £370.00.
I would use the refurb store every time, but be prepared to wait for the spec that you want.
It was delivered in a plain white box but the iMac is, as new, faultless with no cosmetic defects, and I paid £2329.00 which is a saving of £370.00.
I would use the refurb store every time, but be prepared to wait for the spec that you want.
My first iMac was an Apple refurb... I had absolutely no issues with it and it's still working great for my parents. I actually got a silent upgrade when I ordered. The iMac I received had an i7 instead of i5 and 16gb instead of 8gb of memory. Higher spec GPU too. VERY pleasantly surprised.