Getting a refurbished MacBook Pro

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Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Hi all. I was going to get the "next" MacBook but I need a new laptop now, not a few months from now. My battery on my 12" PB, the third one, has been dead for months and it's killing me. I'm getting a new laptop so I'm not sinking money in to a fourth one. So, I noticed the refurb MacBook Pros, and they seems like particularly good deals, even for a refurb!



I'm going to get the one for $1499, the 15" with dual 2ghz, 1 gig RAM, 100 gig drive, and unfortunately a matte screen. I wish this setup came with a glossy screen. The same exact thing except a paltry .16ghz faster, but with the glossy screen, is $100 more. I'm going to call to see if there is a dual 2ghz with the 1 gig RAM with a glossy for $1499.



Anyway, what is everyone's experience with refurbs? Is the warranty still the same as if it was a new machine? How are they? Will the battery be new? Thanks for the input. This is my first refurb.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 13
    chipzchipz Posts: 100member
    I haven't had any experience with refurbished MacBook Pro's, but I did get a refurbished Intel Duo Core 2.0 GHz iMac and I love it. The unit comes with the full warranty and all DVD's, manuals, etc. The only difference between a new and refurbished machine is the price. The refurbs come with the full wattanty and are eligible for the Apple Care extension as well. Go with the refurb.
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  • Reply 2 of 13
    aquaticaquatic Posts: 5,602member
    Oh one more question: do we get educational discounts on refurbs? It doesn't appear so...they're the same price when I go through the education portal.
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  • Reply 3 of 13
    chipzchipz Posts: 100member
    I think you answered your own question. As far as I know, refurbs aren't eligible for the education discount. However, I would call Apple to find out - you might get lucky.
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  • Reply 4 of 13
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,954member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Aquatic


    Hi all. I was going to get the "next" MacBook but I need a new laptop now, not a few months from now. My battery on my 12" PB, the third one, has been dead for months and it's killing me. I'm getting a new laptop so I'm not sinking money in to a fourth one.



    Don't the batteries have warranties? You don't say how old your current unit is, or how old the battery is, but I thought they had a decent warranty length.



    Quote:

    Anyway, what is everyone's experience with refurbs? Is the warranty still the same as if it was a new machine? How are they? Will the battery be new? Thanks for the input. This is my first refurb.



    I have bought four Apple computers through the Certified program. The warranty is the same, and it still qualifies for Apple Care at the same price. I don't think the battery is necessarily new, it may or may not be. My battery was exchanged a couple months ago with the recall program, but I couldn't tell the difference between them.



    Incidentally, I can't get to the computer section of Apple's refurb store right now, it says that my session is expired but I don't understand why that would happen.



    I think the $1499 model is occasionally offered in glossy, but maybe those in that price bracket are still pre-glossy.
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  • Reply 5 of 13
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,067member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JeffDM


    Don't the batteries have warranties? You don't say how old your current unit is, or how old the battery is, but I thought they had a decent warranty length.







    I have bought four Apple computers through the Certified program. The warranty is the same, and it still qualifies for Apple Care at the same price. I don't think the battery is necessarily new, it may or may not be. My battery was exchanged a couple months ago with the recall program, but I couldn't tell the difference between them.



    Incidentally, I can't get to the computer section of Apple's refurb store right now, it says that my session is expired but I don't understand why that would happen.



    I think the $1499 model is occasionally offered in glossy, but maybe those in that price bracket are still pre-glossy.





    Batteries: Yes and no. If it's 18 months old or so, it's not going to be covered. They consider them "consumable items." I had this out with Apple with my 18 month old PBG4. They refused to replace it under Apple Care. On a side note, my Dell laptop's battery (Latitude D610, given to me at work) battery 90% gone after 15 months. It lasts for 15 minutes or so. Dell is replacing it, but still. Piece of shit!
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  • Reply 6 of 13
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,067member
    I was looking at a MBP refurb too. I decided to say fuck it and get the new one. I don't know as I would have done it anyway. Notebooks are different...seems like a higher incidence of problems and more demand on the moving parts. We've all heard the stories of screens being replaced 3 times, etc. It should be OK, but it's a consideration.
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  • Reply 7 of 13
    galleygalley Posts: 971member
    The refurbished MacBook I ordered for my daughter came with an upgraded HDD and RAM at no extra cost.
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  • Reply 8 of 13
    aquaticaquatic Posts: 5,602member
    Yep, batteries suck. I wish someone would invent a battery that doesn't die. Not a fuel cell, just a battery that lives forever. Or I'd settle for at least a few years. Come on Sony do something useful!



    I think I'm going to pull the trigger this week, or next, on the refurb. So, the battery in it won't be new? I'd expect it would have to be at least only a few months old, and that's stretching it. I was thinking they would perhaps stick in a new one? I guess not?



    Still looks like a good deal all considered. The prices are just too damn good.
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  • Reply 9 of 13
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    Aquatic,



    Man those prices are exceptional. I ordered a C2d MBP (should pick up today) and those prices almost make me wonder if I made the right move.
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  • Reply 10 of 13
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,067member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by backtomac


    Aquatic,



    Man those prices are exceptional. I ordered a C2d MBP (should pick up today) and those prices almost make me wonder if I made the right move.



    I think you did. The Core 2 should have some significant performance gains. It's also a Rev B product which is almost always better from Apple. See AI's take on what they changed. Isn't the D/L superdrive new too? Plus, the 120GB drive is standard. I probably has the 256MB graphics standard. That's key.
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  • Reply 11 of 13
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,067member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Aquatic


    Yep, batteries suck. I wish someone would invent a battery that doesn't die. Not a fuel cell, just a battery that lives forever. Or I'd settle for at least a few years. Come on Sony do something useful!



    I think I'm going to pull the trigger this week, or next, on the refurb. So, the battery in it won't be new? I'd expect it would have to be at least only a few months old, and that's stretching it. I was thinking they would perhaps stick in a new one? I guess not?



    Still looks like a good deal all considered. The prices are just too damn good.



    Hell, I'd be happy if it last three years, or even two. I'm telling you...my PB was down to 60% or less in 18 months. I was getting about 1:15 out of it at the end. Sucks ass.



    I also think you may be right about the battery for the refurb. It's got to be a few months old. Refurb stuff scares me anyway. It likely had something wrong with it when they took it back. Maybe it was the screen, or the HD or maybe the motherboard failed. Who knows. These things happen, and you'll never know what it was. It could just be a return, but I doubt it.
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  • Reply 12 of 13
    aquaticaquatic Posts: 5,602member
    Yeah well mine about 100 days after I got my PB. I got another one which lasted less than a year. And then the same thing happened to this third one. Maybe it was a string of bad luck, who knows. Yeesh.
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  • Reply 13 of 13
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SDW2001


    Hell, I'd be happy if it last three years, or even two. I'm telling you...my PB was down to 60% or less in 18 months. I was getting about 1:15 out of it at the end. Sucks ass.



    I also think you may be right about the battery for the refurb. It's got to be a few months old. Refurb stuff scares me anyway. It likely had something wrong with it when they took it back. Maybe it was the screen, or the HD or maybe the motherboard failed. Who knows. These things happen, and you'll never know what it was. It could just be a return, but I doubt it.



    Well I'm typing my reply from my new C2D MBP I just picked up at lunch. No regrets. A refurb at Apple's prices still an attractive option though.
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