I'm debating a reburbished Mac, thoughts?

[Maritime Q-Scout]

I desire a desktop (I started a thread a few months back but with Christmas, and car troubles, I haven't got around to getting a new computer).

I've recently started using a few Macs and really like the. (Dad picked up an Air the other week).

What are people's thoughts on the mini? How about refurbished? Is there somewhere besides the Apple store to look? (Keeping in mind I'm not local)

Toying with the idea, but want some input.

[Daradon]

Are refurbished Apple's common? Apple keeps a pretty tight leash on it's brand. Even in other stores, they have a Apple section. You don't really find prize wars between stores with Apple for this reason. Their price point is guarded closely. If they have a sale, it's everywhere, and if not, then nowhere.

But I guess refurbished might be different. I just never seen one, but they could exist.

Just for general opinion I'd say computers change so quickly, why bother going refurbished?

[KTrain]

I have a refurbished Air and iMac and haven't had any hardware issues on either.

I recently did a clean install on my iMac after a year and a half of heavy use.

[KTrain]

Daradon, refurbished Macs are only available from their website: http://store.apple.com/ca/browse/home/specialdeals/mac

[Clever_Iggy]

Bought a refurbished MacBook Pro from the Apple website. Works like a brand new computer. I don't recall if I knew the reason for the refurb or not (return, bad packaging, dinged case, etc), but I have absolutely no complaints.

I'm actually in the same market as you (desktop Apple) and will go the refurb route again if/when I make the purchase.

[Daradon]

Well there you go! I would definitely trust a refurbished Apple more than a refurbished PC as, like I said, they keep a very tight leash on their brand.

[Milt Schmidt]

I bought a refurbished macbook a few years ago, and a refurbished imac for my mom about a year and a half ago. We had no problems with either of them.

Milt

[opendoor]

I too have had nothing but good experiences with refurbished Apple stuff. I've personally owned a couple of iMacs and have several friends that have bought refurbs and nothing but good experiences. I know of only one problem among all those machines and that was a hard drive that failed but it was still under warranty and was replaced promptly.

One of the refurbished iMacs I bought is now nearly 6 years old and still runs flawlessly and hasn't had a single problem in that time. Personally I wouldn't even consider buying a new Mac without checking the refurbished stuff first to see if there was something suitable.

[PsnaP]

My wife and I both use refurbed MacBooks (Ive got a PRO). They both have run perfect since we got them. Saved a few hundred dollars too.

[photon]

I don't think I've ever seen a refurbished anything from Apple that didn't look brand new.

[Igottago]

Refurbished mac products are great value. I've bought many, they seem brand new and they have the exact same warranty as the new products, and best of all you don't pay quite the same outlandish prices for them. I see no downside to buying mac refurbs.

[Regular_John]

Count me in the "refurbs are great" crowd as well. Honestly at this point I'll take a refurb over "new" 9 times outta 10. Unless there's a specific cutting edge feature (EG: retina display, SSD) you want/need the refurb is the way to go.

Let's put it this way, I work in an agency that's 100% mac based, we only ever buy refurbs.

[fundmark19]

I bought a refurb macbook. Had a bummed DVD drive but took it to mac repair shop and had it fixed in a day. This was before apple stores! It sort of works to this very day! It has had a painful life since 2008

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Daradon

You don't really find prize wars between stores with Apple for this reason. Their price point is guarded closely.

There are no price wars because there is next to no margin on Apple products as a reseller. If you match Apple's pricing, you are looking at maybe a 3% margin. Spend more than a few minutes selling a Mac, you likely lost money.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by jaydorn

Unless there's a specific cutting edge feature (EG: retina display, SSD) you want/need the refurb is the way to go.

You can find retina macbooks in 13 and 15" sizes on the refurb page for 15% off list.

[Da_Chief]

Its like brand new. Bought few refurbs from Apple's website. No issues at all.

[Buff]

Apple's refurbished machines are basically brand new, but didn't pass quality tests for rather simple things, such as the packaging is dinged or scratched.

My office had about 15 iMacs 24" from about 4 years ago. They were all refurbished and we were assured that there wasn't anything wrong with the refurbished machines. We've seen about 6 hard drive failurs and another 6 optical drive failures.

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

You can find retina macbooks in 13 and 15" sizes on the refurb page for 15% off list.

I didn't say their wasn't, I just meant there are times (usually around a model refresh time) when a bleeding edge feature may not be available.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by jaydorn

I didn't say their wasn't, I just meant there are times (usually around a model refresh time) when a bleeding edge feature may not be available.

Yeah for sure, the latest and greatest can be very hard to find when they are still brand new and in high demand (or when very few are being returned or added to the refurb pool)