How to identify refurbished MacBook Pro?

K,

Apple stopped using the modified serial number prefix some time ago. Once, any Refurb had a serial number that started with "R" or "RM." We've bought nothing but refurbs for years so I have a decent idea of how the serial numbers have changed. The last one we bought that had the old-style prefix was an MBP bought in early 2008. In 2011 I bought a refurb iMac and it has a "regular" serial number.

If I use the Apple lookup page, there is no indication that my iMac is a refurb:

An official Apple Refurbished computer (from Apple Store online) if done by Apple and not

some pretender, would have a different number series (first letters of model number) so

this would be a tell tale; also in the system information in running Mac, the serial number

would also show a different than new prefix. A lookup by serial number service would show

the model as a refurbished, in most cases, but the numbers are self-evident once known.

•Authentic Apple refurbished MacBook Pro 13-inch non-retina with optical drive, Apple Store (US) $1099.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/FD101LL/A/refurbished-133-inch-macBook-pro-25g hz-dual-core-intel-i5

Part number: FD101LL/A

•Authentic Apple new product - MacBook Pro 13-inch non-retina with optical drive, Apple Store (US) $829.

http://store.apple.com/us/buy-mac/macbook-pro/config?product=MD101LL/A&step=conf ig

Part number: MD101LL/A

{the Special Deals in Refurbished and Clearance section supply the full product model number for refurbs

while the main store page for this single older-style (current build) MD101LL/A does not show a product

page in the URL directly; except for the Configure-to-order page, in the MacBook Pro new product section.}

After you buy an official Apple Refurbished product, your purchase history will also match the product number

that appears in the running MacBook system information where serial number, model number, & OS X, show.

This also would appear on the plain box label their refurbished computers ship in, direct from Apple. They do not

share a new-looking retail carton. I've bought several items including eMac, iMacG4, AirPort Extreme, iBook G4

and some others I've looked into that were second-hand, and you can tell by the product number, & documents...

And lack of a retail box. Even the packing materials are different, and the former retail serial number is flashed.

In any event...

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

The sales order numbers still indicate a refurbished, as do the shipping carton

and the invoice papers included with the product. These should be included by

a first retail purchaser, with the computer, and have any extended AppleCare

plan transferred to the later owner, if the product is re-sold yet again.

Unsupported new order numbers aren't on the records of current online Lookup

services such as Everymac's Ultimate Lookup. The later re-sold products are not

tagged for en-user identification as Refurbished beyond the prefix in order number:

http://www.everymac.com/mac-identification/index-how-to-identify-my-mac.html

1. An unsupported Order Number was entered. EveryMac.com generally only supports Order Numbers for standard configurations
2. (Example: MA970B/A, MB467LL/A, or MD093E/A). Refurbished and education-only Order Numbers are not usually supported.

http://www.everymac.com/mac-identification/where-to-find-apple-order-numbers-for -mac-identification.html

Sorry for contributing obsolete information because I'm too poor to frequently afford new ones...

Except the one mistake this past December, it's been ten years since my last new Mac purchase.

Apparently the 'report a post' tagged the wrong one, as my own post was supposed to be

tagged for removal. Because I reported it -- and asked that my earlier one be removed.😐

K Shaffer wrote:

products are not tagged for en-user identification as Refurbished

Thank you.

MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2012), OS X Yosemite (10.10.3), i7 500GB 16GB RAM iPhone5 iOS8.3, Paralles10.0.2

No way that I know of except the box it shipped in.

K Shaffer wrote:

Maybe you can supple a link or explain to me, how I determine if this computer sitting in front of me is a refurb?