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AGANG

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 13, 2015
57
8
I believe model number is a better indicator rather than serial number. Go to settings, general, about. First letter generally as follows:

"F": refurbished unit
"M": retail unit
"N": replacement unit
"P": personalized (engraved) unit

Also, this should provide a complete manufacture history of the device:
http://www.chipmunk.nl/klantenservice/applemodel.html
YOOOOOO!! I got N first letter in modell number. Thank yoouuu
 

gnasher729

Suspended
Nov 25, 2005
17,980
5,566
Also wants a full year warranty.
Hope that your iPad breaks every 11 months, and you are set up for life.
[doublepost=1534188523][/doublepost]
For me refurbished mean that somebody used it before me and maybe will faster some parts of the ipad go wrong
You used yours for six months. You won't get a refurbished unit that has been used for six months.
 

akash.nu

macrumors G4
May 26, 2016
10,870
16,998
For me refurbished mean that somebody used it before me and maybe will faster some parts of the ipad go wrong

Not necessarily true. Especially, with Apple refurbished item, the casing, screen and battery gets replaced. It might be that the motherboard was used for a bit but that doesn’t really make much difference because that motherboard was used in the factory as well for testing and it passed. So you’re good to go.
 
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MrGimper

macrumors G3
Sep 22, 2012
9,060
13,007
Andover, UK
Just noticed my replacement device is an N. Considering it arrived in a white box and had iOS 10.3.2 installed, I'm guessing it was new.
 

MrGimper

macrumors G3
Sep 22, 2012
9,060
13,007
Andover, UK
Another post ... in post #60 I noted my replacement was an N. Just found a dump of the settings for the initial replacement that was also faulty, and that was an M (listed as a retail unit above), so not sure how accurate this first letter thing is now.....
 
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Richard8655

macrumors 68000
Mar 11, 2009
1,927
1,373
Chicago suburbs
Another post ... in post #60 I noted my replacement was an N. Just found a dump of the settings for the initial replacement that was also faulty, and that was an M (listed as a retail unit above), so not sure how accurate this first letter thing is now.....

It could be that the initial replacement occurred so early in the model cycle that no N units were yet designated, and a retail unit at that point was used.
 
Last edited:

parada6

macrumors newbie
May 14, 2020
19
10
Just got my replacement unit in a white box and with letter N. It was a 2nd Gen iPad Pro 11 by the way.
 
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