Would you buy a refurbished mac or pc?

Discussion in Software PC & Mac started by lrd913 • Oct 5, 2014.

  1. lrd913

    lrd913Active Member

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    My sister goes through computers so fast. I've had my Macbook Pro for three years and in that time she has bought three new laptops. None of them were Macs, they were a Dell, HP, and a Asus. She's looking at buying a Mac now, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea for her. Partly due to her history with electronics.

    Would she be better off getting a refurbished one? I bought mine new and it works great, but I also take great care of mine - including maintaining it. Anyone buy a refurbished one before? If you did, was it a good deal? Or did you end up regretting it afterwards?
     
  2. Aladar

    AladarWell-Known Member

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    Depends on how much warranty do you get on it. As far as I know, refurbished can just mean "we got it in box with its' label ripped off, so we put it in another box, but now we can't sell it as new anymore". Or it can also mean something worse, of course. If there's a decent warranty and a good savings, I would say go for it. But then again, if you are concerned about saving money, Apple products probably aren't for you...
     
  3. DrRipley

    DrRipleyExpert

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    I think Mac would be great for her. They are a lot harder to break and damage, in my opinion. My old Windows laptops slowed down very easily whereas my Mac still runs great after 4 years or so of heavy use. As for refurbished computers, I wouldn't be totally against it. I'd like to buy brand new as much as possible but at the same time, refurbished electronics do have a very attractive price.
     
  4. obliviousme

    obliviousmeActive Member

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    Well, if she's changing computers so fast, maybe she really should get Mac. Mac's pretty solid and doesn't lag or broke easily. And for refurbished thing, I prefer to buy new computers. There are just too many computer issues that we can't detect right away so even if the refurbished computer seems okay, the fact that it has been used doesn't sound good to me. I mean, what could be the reason why the owners send that computer away anyways, there's probably issues in it. So i'd rather buy new computers.
     
  5. lrd913

    lrd913Active Member

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    I love my Macbook and I've never had any serious problems with it. The most I've had to do was replace the fan because it finally decided to overheat after three years. They really are worth the price tag. I will admit that I'm on the fence about buying a refurbished computer as well. It would be through the Apple site, so I'm sure that it would be alright. It's something that she'll have to look into more. I had a Dell before my Mac and I still can't believe the difference. My Dell was only two years old and it was running extremely slow (even after upgrading memory/etc). I'm more than content with my Macbook and I'm sure my sister will be too.
     
  6. lrd913

    lrd913Active Member

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    I think that at this point she is going to buy a brand-new Macbook. She's put money away over the past few months and I think she would feel more comfortable with a brand new computer. I don't think that there is anything wrong with buying a refurbished computer, but this time I think we're going to pass. I do believe that the refurbished ones were on the Apple website. I think that they are eligible for AppleCare/etc. I'll have to look into it more in the future.
     
  7. sidney

    sidneyWell-Known Member

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    Yeah I would buy a refurbished pc as long as the seller is reputable and it has some sort of warranty. Our 1st desktop pc was refurbished, and it lasted for 4 years.
     
  8. DesignerMum

    DesignerMumActive Member

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    At first I did not understand what refurbished means. I get my products directly from the store and I order if they don't have the laptop or the PC that I really needed, either for work or for personal use. I notice that have refurbished gadgets available also means that we are given more options. I like to have the things I need to get things done. :)
     
  9. Squigly

    SquiglyActive Member

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    Refurbished PCs are fine, as long as you buy it from a trusted retailer. I find that they can offer you a pretty decent discount on a refurbished PC compared to the original, and often you can choose to change out some components for better ones if you so choose (I often ask for slightly newer graphics cards and more RAM). I would recommend PC over Mac since I still find Mac overpriced, and incompatible with a fair amount of software, and games in particular. Unless you're a big fan of the OS I wouldn't recommend getting a Mac.
     
  10. prettycolors

    prettycolorsActive Member

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    PC for sure. Refurbished components are quite cheap and I know my way around hardware, so all eventual upgrades will come at no additional costs. As a person that loves to tinker with devices I don't rally like macs - they're built in such a way that only Apple is meant to play with the components.
     
  11. deathbyprayer

    deathbyprayerActive Member

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    Refurbished would be great for her. Since you mentioned she goes by fast with electronics it would be a bit overwhelming at least for me to give her a very expensive piece of electronic device and then just be done with it for a few months. But I think you can get a cheaper PC for the price of a refurbished Macbook.
     
  12. jdroc

    jdrocNew Member

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    I would take it a step further and buy one used off of ebay. You can buy refurbished on ebay as well, but I bought mine used. The macbook pro I'm typing on right now is in immaculate condition. The guy only used in to build an app. I paid around 500 bucks for it. On top of that I got a nice chunk of ebay bucks to spend towards my next purchase. You can always call Apple and give the the serial and they can verify information if anything seems suspicious. Morever, you get buyer's protection under ebay and paypal polices. I've had this laptop around six months with no problems. Looks brand spanking new.
     
  13. Sugarhill

    SugarhillActive Member

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    I wouldn't buy a refurbished PC as there are plenty of brand new ones that would be priced reasonably enough to not have to. As for the refurbished Mac, it could be a consideration, if she truly wants to move to a Macintosh. But, more than a refurbished one, has she considered looking for a used one? So many people try to sell theirs when they want to upgrade, maybe that would be a better route, especially if she knows who she is buying from.
     
  14. jneanz

    jneanzActive Member

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    When I bought my ASUS laptop from Best Buy a couple of years ago, the salesperson said there was a refurb for $30 less. I chose the new model and today, I'm glad I made that choice. For one, I was told that this type of netbook was only good for a couple of semesters (it's been more than four now) and it's just now showing signs of wear and tear. Had I been a penny-pincher, I would've had some real problems.
     
  15. jabayn

    jabaynNew Member

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    I would recommend getting a refurbished Mac. They are cheap and they do the job. It also depends on the kind of use. Will you use the computer for basic web browsing and a few social things, or will your computer be a power house that you will be using for some serious issues. If you are using it for more important thing then maybe a new machine might just be what you need. I would recommend a mac. But i also personally do not have anything against refurbished machines. I am actually considering getting a refurbished machine soon.
     
  16. Nate5

    Nate5Member

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    I don't see why not. If she's going through computers like crazy, then it's probably cheaper and not much different if you get a refurbished computer. I'm guessing she isn't a serious web developer or gamer and only uses her computer to use social media or online shopping. In that case, it's probably better to get a Macbook.
     
  17. Micheleteresa

    MicheleteresaMember

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    I would definitely buy a refurbished Mac since I can not afford a new one. In fact if my hints and sighs of " I wish I could afford a Macbook" with a boo hoo poor me pout doesn't sway my mom to get me one for Christmas, I will be seriously looking into refurbished!
     
  18. Jason76

    Jason76Active Member

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    Based on what I've read, I think a refurbished computer would an excellent choice. I would certainly consider getting a gaming one, something I've longed for as a way to do 3D art. Anyhow, I don't think refurbished is cheaper in quality, usually, hence it's an excellent way to save money.
     
  19. overcast

    overcastActive Member

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    I try to avoid refurbished products as much as possible. I think Mac or PC no matter how refurbished they are. You can think of them as faulty products. And you may not be able to use that series for long. Unless you are desperate I don't see the need for making use of the PC or Mac in that case. I guess we have to find out what may or may not work in that case.
     
  20. Alexandoy

    AlexandoyWell-Known Member

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    I would advise against buying a refurbished computer, whatever brand whether laptop or desktop. Technology is rapid in development and a new computer model comes out every year. A 2-year old computer is already old much more when it is reconditioned or refurbished. For all you know, it would be an obsolete model after a few months.