Buying a Refurbished Macbook Pro - Model/Year Recommendations & Considerations

Question

Level 1

9 points

Buying a Refurbished Macbook Pro - Model/Year Recommendations & Considerations

Hello! I have a much-loved mid-2009 MacBook Pro running El Capitan. Following a recent trip, it has been beset by issues and is unreliable for important commitments (it stopped Waking from Sleep despite repeated attempts to reset the NVRAM/SMC, if moved while on the laptop cannot find the Wi-Fi card and Internet access can be lost for hours, it has occasionally shut down totally spontaneously, etc.).

New models are ferociously expensive, and specialists have suggested I consider purchasing a refurbished Macbook Pro.

Obviously, the price decreases proportional to a model's age, though a newer model is likely to have a much longer lifespan.

With this price/age ratio gradient in mind, I would be extremely grateful for your advice on what might be the best model/year to aim for (especially in terms of the progressive expiry of OS upgrades), recommended RAM, and any other considerations to factor in when selecting a refurbished device.

I have been reliably informed of two UK suppliers (where I am currently based). Both these outlets offer a 2-year warranty, which seems to be worth paying a little extra for the peace of mind.

A swift response would be very much appreciated.

With thanks in advance and kind regards.

Posted on Apr 8, 2022 6:08 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Apr 8, 2022 6:26 AM in response to Gangotri

What kind of budget do you have for it? Obviously the newer the better, but it would not be very useful to suggest something that exceeds your budgetary constraints.

Also, what kind of work do you do, what do you use the computer for exactly? That will also influence the specifications of the computer and by extension its price.

Does it have to be a MacBook Pro? Can it be maybe a MacBook Air?

You can of course always look around Apple's UK refurbished store and see if something fits your budget and expectations. Link-> Refurbished Mac Deals - Apple (UK)

Reply

Answer 2

Apr 8, 2022 7:07 AM in response to Gangotri

The MacBook Air depending on model may be as powerful as a MacBook Pro but generally yes they are less powerful, but generally are cheaper than MacBook Pros. Don't think there's ever been an MacBook Air that was more expensive than a Pro.

For regular work a MacBook Pro in most cases may be overkill, however, for longevity its a better option yes.

Again, without any budgetary constraints I would say just find the newest MBP you can afford. It's important to know how much you want to spend so we aren't suggesting something completely outside the budget.

Look at the link I posted above, and see if you find anything within your budget.

Otherwise I can just suggest a Refurbished 14-inch MacBook Pro Apple M1 Pro Chip with 10‑Core CPU and 16‑Core GPU - Space Grey for £1,979.00. That would be a great choice, but may not be feasible for you and would probably be way overpowered for what you need.

Reply

Answer 3

Gangotri Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 8, 2022 6:42 AM in response to Phil0124

Hi Phil,

Thanks very much for your speedy response!

It's not a great time for megabucks purchases, but even so, I would prefer to spend a bit more to get the right/best device. I'm currently considering all options and will find a way to cover the shortfall. The current Macbook Pro has been a trusty companion since 2009 and I am not considering going back to a PC.

I am a freelancer working from a home-office via Zoom and rely on the Macbook Pro for my work all day every day. I would certainly consider a Macbook Air, though the extra weight has never been a major issue and I understood that the Air models are less powerful and more expensive.

I look forward to hearing your suggestions and many thanks in advance for taking the time to reply.

Reply

Answer 4

Gangotri Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 8, 2022 6:53 AM in response to Smilin-Brian

Hi Brian,

Many thanks for your suggestion - I'll certainly look into that option. My concern is that such a new model may be prohibitively expensive and might even cost nearly as much as a new model.

When you say "as much memory as possible", please could you specify what range you would recommend exactly?

Thanks in advance and best wishes.

Reply

Answer 5

Allan Jones

Level 9

72,134 points

Apr 8, 2022 8:17 AM in response to Gangotri

If looking at refurbs, buy ONLY from Apple directly (see Phil0124's link).

There are many Mac offered as "refurbs" by third-party sellers that were not given the full evaluation Apple performs, With Mac notebooks in high demand, it is easy to get ripped off if your deal with the wrong seller.

We've probably bough a dozen refurbed Macs and iPads, but only web-direct from Apple refurb store.

Reply

Answer 6

Gangotri Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 8, 2022 11:45 AM in response to Allan Jones

Hello again & many thanks for all your comments and responses.

The model I have at the moment is a 13-inch Mid-2009 model with a 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo and 3 GB Momory and that has always been sufficient for my needs. It's working very sludgily in comparison to its heyday.

Given the relatively limited lifespan, I was considering refurbished Macbook Pros at a fraction of that price via a recommended seller. The models I saw were in the £300-500 range but I had no idea how to evaluate the relative merits.

It doesn’t seem logical to buy a model such as this one from Apple’s refurbished devices:

Refurbished 13.3-inch MacBook Air 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i3 with Retina Display and True Tone technology - Gold £699.00

Rather than this new one:

APPLE MacBook Air 13.3" (2020) - M1, 256 GB SSD, Space Grey £887.00

macOS 11.0 Big Sur

Apple M1 chip

RAM: 8 GB / Storage: 256 GB SSD

Retina display

Battery life: Up to 18 hours

Or am I missing some vital Apple intel?

How does the 2020 £887 model rate in comparison to the device I have?

Any further thoughts would be very welcome and appreciated.

Reply

Answer 7

Apr 8, 2022 12:18 PM in response to Gangotri

Yes, the new M1 is a much better choice, given the relatively small difference in price. The only limitation would be if you need to run Windows (Windows based Apps) the M1 can't do that at this time.

In relation to yours, no contest. The M1 MacBook Air will blow it out of the water in terms of performance. 11 years worth of Tech advancement will be very noticeable.

Do note however, that Big Sur is not compatible with 32 bit apps you may still have on your 2009 MacBook Pro.

Reply

Answer 8

Gangotri Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 9, 2022 2:11 AM in response to Phil0124

Hi Phil,

That's really helpful, and thanks for alerting me to the additional considerations.

I use the Microsoft Office 2008 Mac package that I installed on purchase on a daily basis and would need to be able to edit and work with MS Office documents such as Word, Excel, etc.

Are MS documents readable and how does that element work if there is no M1 compatibility? Any there any alternatives that I can consider?

I am aware of the 32 vs 64 bit apps distinction but I don't know exactly how that impinges on usage and purchasing considerations vis-à-vis the different models. It all seems very complicated!

Are there any all-round solutions for up to or around £1k?

Reply

Answer 9

Apr 8, 2022 6:27 AM in response to Gangotri

Anything with an M1 SoC will be perfect because it has superior all-day battery life, runs whisper quiet and you won’t have buyers remorse! 😉

Get as much memory as possible! 💻

Reply

Buying a Refurbished Macbook Pro - Model/Year Recommendations & Considerations

Similar questions