Is the refurbish macbook pro good as new

The refurbished one is not new, but slightly used, and the broken part in it replaced so it's a functional machine again.

You get a one year warranty and a optional 2 more years with AppleCare like any new Mac.

With a new machine your odds of getting a good one with no troubles are higher than getting one that was fixed to become functional.

In the factory, a set of steps are used over and over and perfected to produce volumes of perfect machines that pass tight quality control standards (usually).

When refurbished, it's worked on, diagnosed, disassembled etc which varies in behavior, worker attention to detail and steps, which allows for more errors to be introduced.

The only benefit to a refurbished machine is if a series from the factory were produced with errors and the refurbished ones repaired that. Usually if that's the case the customer just avoids the entire series altogether.

Some could argue that the refurbished ones are better because someone went over the machine carefully to make sure it does work, that would imply most from the factory were defective, and if so, then it wouldn't make a good choice to buy anything from Apple.

If you want to take that the refurbished chance and live close to a AppleStore, then buy a refurbished one and save some money.

Hi George,

In a word, yes.

I've purchased 2 refurb machines over the years and both looked/worked exactly like a new machine.

Note: these are not just repaired machines; they may be open box returns where the owner simply changed his/her mind and returned it.

ds store wrote:

With a new machine your odds of getting a good one with no troubles are higher than getting one that was fixed to become functional.

ds, sorry, but I must respectfully disagree with a couple of points in order to clarify for others:

1. It may not have had a problem to begin with (see my previous post)

2. These machines are thoroughly gone over, and I suspect the odds of getting a machine without issues is better with a refurb than a new one, which has not been inspected to the same degree (as ds alluded to near the end of his post).

If you want to take that the refurbished chance and live close to a AppleStore, then buy a refurbished one and save some money.

1. I don't believe you're "taking a chance;" the law says these cannot be sold as new, otherwise I suspect many of them could/would be.

2. There is no reason you need to live close to an Apple Store. I suspect ds is thinking of the old days when refurbs were available at brick and mortar Apple Stores; the last time I looked, refurbs were only available online, and not at a B&M store (although this could have changed again, I don't believe it has).

3. You definitely save money. 😉

We have four refurb Macs, all trouble-free.

ds store wrote:

The refurbished one is not new, but slightly used, and the broken part in it replaced so it's a functional machine again.

Info I got from an Apple employee who works with refurbs is that "the slightly used" units are a small minority. Most are:

• a model that was just superseded by a new one and Apple is blowing the old units out of their inventory
• unused units returned from a dealer or major direct customer as overstock or in a negotiated exchange for a newer model.

My first refurb certainly fell in the later group and I was given the history on it. It was one of 31 identical G3 PowerMacs that had special-order A/V cards, ZIP 100 drives, and upgraded VRAM. A big corporate purchaser bought a bunch of these and still had some that were not yet deployed and in the boxes when the next model came out. They negotiated an exchange of all the unopened units for the newer model.

The first refurb I bought came with only a 90-day warranty. However, the other three had the same warranty as a new Mac and qualified for AppleCare.

I say go for it!

Hey george alexandre

Seems tjk pretty much right on target.

AppleCare is 3 years from the time you purchased MBP if you purchase AppleCare at purchase date of MBP. For example in my case I purchased a 2TB Time Capsule a month or two after my 17" MBP. The AppleCare covers it whether new or refurb for remaining balance of the MBP AppleCare. You cannot get a separate Apple Care for the Time Capsule: it's the remaining 3year time on the AppleCare of the MBP. Read the fine print of Apple Care and/or contact General Counsel at Apple Hdq. I had to get tech reps at TC to correct their erronous understanding of their own (Apple) contract. Everybody is entitled to their opinion(s) but no one is entitled to distort the fact(s) Period.

Let 'er rip...

cheers

Hey Allan,

Allan Jones wrote:

Info I got from an Apple employee who works with refurbs is that "the slightly used" units are a small minority. Most are:

• a model that was just superseded by a new one and Apple is blowing the old units out of their inventory
• unused units returned from a dealer or major direct customer as overstock or in a negotiated exchange for a newer model.

I always figured those were the "Clearance" items. Now I wonder if the difference between Clearance and some Refurbs might be that all Clearance are brand new, in the box, stock items, while some Refurbs might also be new, but BTO/CTO (as you described) and/or might have been "bulk" orders or otherwise not in the "normal" end-user packaging. Thoughts?

tjk wrote:

1. It may not have had a problem to begin with (see my previous post)

Right it might have been a return, but the returning customer might have done something or discovered something (like it's too hot) that Apple considers "within norms" even when it's not.

2. These machines are thoroughly gone over, and I suspect the odds of getting a machine without issues is better with a refurb than a new one, which has not been inspected to the same degree (as ds alluded to near the end of his post).

Right, it's obvious the percentage of something being wrong with the machine is higher in the refurbs than the new machines. Because it includes customers bringing back the said units for reasons that may not be fully specified so they can be repaired.

1. I don't believe you're "taking a chance;" the law says these cannot be sold as new, otherwise I suspect many of them could/would be.

I believe one is taking a chance, the chance that Apple fixed the original problem and not just the secondary results. For instance a logic board glitch that's killing hard drives they missed on the first go around.

Most of these new electronics are so complicated they are not bothered to be fully tested over a long period of time like a user would do from daily use, it would take too long. So the offending parts are switched out instead and if it works, passes the basic testers, it's out the door.

Because if it fails, then that's what the 1 year warranty is for. And if it fails after 1 year, well that's the customers fault for not buying AppleCare.

2. There is no reason you need to live close to an Apple Store...

When you live several hundred miles from a Apple Store or repair center it certainly makes a big difference to get a reliable machine the first time.

Shipping is harsh on expensive electronics, I've watched the delivery guys drop things all the time. And Apple has gone all super slim on their boxes now, so it makes it worse.

The cost of shiping, insurance, new box to cover the Mac box, gas, time and labor? That eats right into the tiny savings Apple gives refurbs.

Go for the better odds with a new machine over a refurb if you can't easily afford to take it back over and over while they try to find out the issue.

ds store wrote:

tjk wrote:

2. These machines are thoroughly gone over, and I suspect the odds of getting a machine without issues is better with a refurb than a new one, which has not been inspected to the same degree (as ds alluded to near the end of his post).

Right, it's obvious the percentage of something being wrong with the machine is higher in the refurbs than the new machines. Because it includes customers bringing back the said units for reasons that may not be fully specified so they can be repaired.

Actually, the exact opposite of what I meant, but I see what you mean.

1. I don't believe you're "taking a chance;" the law says these cannot be sold as new, otherwise I suspect many of them could/would be.

I believe one is taking a chance, the chance that Apple fixed the original problem and not just the secondary results. For instance a logic board glitch that's killing hard drives they missed on the first go around.

Most of these new electronics are so complicated they are not bothered to be fully tested over a long period of time like a user would do from daily use, it would take too long. So the offending parts are switched out instead and if it works, passes the basic testers, it's out the door.

Because if it fails, then that's what the 1 year warranty is for. And if it fails after 1 year, well that's the customers fault for not buying AppleCare.

And whose fault after 3 years and 1 day? 😉

2. There is no reason you need to live close to an Apple Store...

When you live several hundred miles from a Apple Store or repair center it certainly makes a big difference to get a reliable machine the first time.

Agreed, but no more so than any other machine. I thought you were referring to the "old days" when individual Apple Stores kept their own returns/clearance/refurbs, etc., where now it's all centralize through the online AS.

Shipping is harsh on expensive electronics, I've watched the delivery guys drop things all the time.

Agreed. I have, and have read, too many stories about that . . . .

The cost of shiping, insurance, new box to cover the Mac box, gas, time and labor? That eats right into the tiny savings Apple gives refurbs.

I know they don't "advertise" it anymore, but doesn't Apple still ship prepaid box to you as needed? (I once had one delivered way less than 24 hours after AppleCare phone discussion; could never figure out how they did that.)

Go for the better odds with a new machine over a refurb if you can't easily afford to take it back over and over while they try to find out the issue.

Looks like we'll have to agree to disagree on that. 😉

tjk wrote:

And whose fault after 3 years and 1 day? 😉

The customers for buying a machine they can't perform some basic hardware repairs themselves.

It used to be a Apple product lasted up to about a decade, but the quality of Apple products has followed the general PC industry into the toilet to force a higher hardware turnover rate.

It used to be 5 years, but now it's about 3.

I know they don't "advertise" it anymore, but doesn't Apple still ship prepaid box to you as needed? (I once had one delivered way less than 24 hours after AppleCare phone discussion; could never figure out how they did that.)

Yes, but the new machines still come in the white advertising "steal me, abuse me" coated boxes.

Ah...things are possibly and seemingly getting a bit steamy re this post topic:

Asa recommendation for your consideration:

In the last analysis, what matters is the warranty and prudent purchase theAppleCare coverage with the purchase of the new/refurb. MBP or for that matter Apple's Time Capsule, etc.

tjk isto be commended for his appropriate comments on the issue: he's on point!

As my previous post on this subject at 0927 hrs this date reflects:

everybody is entitled to an opinion(s) but no one is entitled to distort the

fact(s). Period.

Additionally,as the 0927 hrs reflects I have had to have Apple tech reps corrected (at Apple supervisory levels) when they (tech reps) have had an anerronous understanding of their own (Apple) AppleCare contract provisions.

AuContrare, to another forum member on this post, the record is clear that some Apple employees give simply the wrong answer to “those who keepthem in business”

Steepingdown the ladder of abstraction to the concrete real world: Purchase your MBP whether new or refurbished with AppleCare...and know the AppleCare contractual provisions B4 you sign the dotted line...

Let 'er rip and...

cheers

Ah, it's a matter of reducing the risks and costs right?

That's my whole point, if you can afford to take the risk with a refurb that has had trouble before and it won't cost one more money if it does, like simply going by a Apple Store on the way home and dropping it off, then it makes sense to buy a refurb.

But if it costs one more to return a refurb, either driving, shipping or any added effort along those lines, then it's perhaps better to not take a increased risk, yes? A "new" machine that works perfectly may be less expensive in the long run.

There isn't mass amount of people bringing their new Apple products back because it's defective, so one has a good chance of getting a perfectly working machine going "new"

But buying refurb means there was a problem, which your trusting Apple correctly fixed it the first time around, and if they didn't then your looking at extra costs you have to exert to take it in for service.

My point is if you can minimize that extra costs factor, and deal with not having a machine, then it's worth buying a refurb.

Many times people post here having returned their defective Apple products over and over because they didn't catch the real issue the first time. So what's saying none of the refurbs are those that are going to require going back again and again? Perhaps it was taken back the first time and simply exchanged, then looked at and the true cause not found, so the next owner gets the problem again.

Apple, like any other company, starts with fixing the least costly item and then if that fails they look at the more expensive cause, like a logic board replacement or a whole new machine.

Some can actually come out ahead if their refurb fails a year later, they might get a updated refurb.

So it's subjective and conditional, I rather have my machine "just work", every year it does makes it so much less expensive to own and the less time I spend in that annoying mess of fanatical mayhem of a Apple Store the better I feel. 🙂

The refurb may be an older model, will be in different packaging, and will otherwise be indisquinshable from brand new, with full warranty and backing from Apple, including AppleCare if you choose.

But buying refurb means there was a problem...

As others have repeatedly and correctly pointed out above (paraphrasing or quoting Apple's own words on the subject) this is not true. A small minority of refurbs have had problems and been repaired. Most have never been sold or used at all.

In response to ds stores post 1228 hrs:

What one wants to do is optimize not maximize their purchasing decisions: are all factors bearing on a purchase considered given a finite time continuum...

And then what is the analysis of those factors given their priority and one's value systems,cost, priority and the like.

A critical systemic error in your presentation is that, and I quote from your 4th paragraph is:

"But buying refurb means there was a problem..." as eww in his 1306 hrs post and others have tried to point out to you ds stores: your assumption just ain't so. I agree with eww and others that probably most refurbs are order cancellations, never been sold, or simply returned to Apple unopened

IMHO purchasing AppleCare "cuts to the chase" in an analysis whether a new or refurb MBP and will not only get you several years of coverage on your hw/apple installed sw but unlimited telephone support; whereas phone support is currently $45.00 per call after the first 90 days of a MBP without AppleCare.

I cannot speak for this entire forum, of course, but in my judgement you are a valuable member of this community and I personally recommend for your consideration that you reconsider your position and your assumptions on this issue.

Let 'er rip and...

cheers

eww wrote:

A small minority of refurbs have had problems and been repaired. Most have never been sold or used at all.

Then where do most refurbs come from if they didn't have "problems" or "been repaired" or been "used"?

How come they are not in a shiny new box all sealed from the factory and sold as new?

Is there some new catagory I'm not aware of?

Big hole in your logic circuits there eww. 🙂