Buy Macs Refurbished to Save Money

Apple’s computers can be expensive, but you can save money while still getting a quality product by buying refurbished. Unlike other refurbished products, which may not work well and do not come with all of the benefits you would get if you bought new, Apple’s refurbished products are essentially as good as new, with the same 1-year warranty (extendable to 3 years with AppleCare) as a new purchase. Keep reading to find out more.

Is refurbished as good as new?

Refurbished products are all certified and sold directly from Apple, so they are essentially as good as new. In fact, Apple even offers the same 1-year warranty with all refurbished products. Just like with new products, you can extend that to 3 years with AppleCare. The only things you do not get with a refurbished product are the cool-looking box design that new products come in, and engraving and gift-wrap options. You have to decide whether that box is worth a few hundred dollars.

How do I buy refurbished?

To find the refurbished products, navigate to Apple’s online store and scroll all the way down. The refurbished items are on the bottom left under Special Deals, and include links to Macs, iPods, iPhones, Clearance, and Big Deals. Or just click here. The first 3 are often current generation items, with Clearance being older models. Big Deals are special offers that do not necessarily relate to refurbished items.

What/when should I buy?

Unlike new products, refurbished products have a limited inventory, with new deals replacing old ones all the time. To get the best deals, you should check the store often until the computer with the specifications you are looking for shows up at a good price. I would recommend deciding ahead of time what computer and specifications you want, making a list of perhaps 2-3 different ones if flexible. If there is only 1 acceptable specification, then it may be harder to find a match. As soon as the model you want shows up on the store at an acceptable price, make the purchase immediately or it may soon be gone.

Buying Older Generations

Refurbished is also a good way to buy older generation models after new ones come out. With everyone upgrading to the new models, the older ones will lower in price. However, this only works for recent models and while supplies last. If you are looking for ancient Macs, you will have to look elsewhere.

Save Your Money

Buying refurbished allows you to save your money to spend on additional things such as accessories, peripherals, AppleCare, or other electronics. If you don’t qualify for an education or corporate discount (or even if you do), buying refurbished can be a great deal. The best part is that anybody can do it.

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