Macs acquired on the used market are only able to buy the extended warranty if it was purchased within the past calendar year. Speaking of warranties, official refurbs are eligible for the full 3 year extended warranty through AppleCare. 3: Eligible for AppleCare Extended Warranties This alone is worth going the certified route, in our view. You’ll also get the exact same great service when calling Apple or when going to the Genius Bar at an Apple Store, there’s no difference in service at all. Other than the discount, this is arguably the most important aspect: You will get the exact same 1 year warranty with a refurb as you would with a brand new Apple product, even if the refurbished item is a few model years behind. You’ll typically save at least 15% off the sticker price grabbing one of these rather than getting the same thing new.Ģ: Full 1 Year Warranty – Same As Brand New Was the ebay/craigslist item thoroughly tested before being resold? Were any faulty items replaced? Does it have a full manufacturers warranty? The answer to those questions is probably not, so though you may be saving $50 or so by finding a screaming deal, that could come back to bite you if the hard drive fails a few months later and there’s no longer a valid warranty.Įven the newest Macs are usually available as certified after a month or two from the refurb store thanks to returns.

Yes, there are outliers on both Craigslist and Ebay, but those lower prices can come with hidden costs. For example, a base model 2011 MacBook Air 11″ from the Apple Refurb Store is $749, but the average price on Craigslist is closer to $800. Apple certified refurbs are often cheaper than buying on the used market from places like Craigslist and Ebay.

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