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4pp13

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 21, 2020
133
88
So I did the stupid thing of purchasing a refurbished 13 inch MBA right before WWDC. I needed a replacement laptop urgently but not so urgently I couldn't have just dug in and waited for WWDC. Figured even if price changes it would not be so significant - but now not only has the price they discount the refurbished unit against gone down, but the amount discounted has increased and the AppleCare price has decreased.

I'm ever so slightly outside my return window but as the laptop would be back to Apple before the 14 + 14 days anyways, it seems much of a muchness to them and they are willing to do a "one-time exception" refund process. What they won't do is any sort of price adjustment without having to return in full (which I presume they would never have done even if it was in the return window since it's a refurbished unit so it depends on stock status?).

I can't decide if it's worth the hassle. If I managed to get another refurb in the end, it's a pretty big difference, but obviously that depends on luck in timing and what comes into stock so this is what makes it so debatable. The as new price of a replacement is now pretty close to the refurb price I paid and if I drop it to 8/8 rather than 8/10 for CPU/GPU, it's almost identical so if it doesn't happen soon, a new one could always be bought and still save on the AppleCare amount. (I've heard that the 10 GPU is useless and even sometimes a negative - not sure if this is still true or if it was only true when they initially came out)

Also, does this "one-time exception" situation matter at all or is it something they regularly do anyways when it is so close of a call in terms of window? EG - am I truly ruining my account for any issues in the future?

And all of this coming after the do I or don't I debate of 14" MBP vs 13" MBA 😅 and what colour finishes, etc etc. Too much to think about!
 

4pp13

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 21, 2020
133
88
Do you need a MBP? What do you mainly use your computer for?

Oh yeah, I think I already settled this debate. I don't need the ports, I don't need two external monitors and whilst the screen is amazing, that was not enough to spend more and lose the portability aspect of the MBA. Hopefully it has enough power - I don't do any graphics nor consume video content other than random YouTube videos. I don't like the notch even though I can see the benefit it brings of extending the screen - so I didn't want to put a bunch of money into a machine I then just want to upgrade in 2-3 years time if they did at some point get rid of the notch or move it into being something more useful (faceID or the like).
 

4pp13

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 21, 2020
133
88
As is the way of these things, I've wound up answering my own question as I have access to an employee discount I had not been aware was applicable to the 13 M2 air (it seems like potentially it wasn't until this release of the 15 inch happened). Now it's just a no brainer to return whether or not I find the equivalent refurbished unit as the 8/8 becomes cheaper new than the price I paid for a refurb.

Now to really, really debate whether that M2 MBP is definitely not worth it :D
 

KPOM

macrumors P6
Oct 23, 2010
18,307
8,318
As is the way of these things, I've wound up answering my own question as I have access to an employee discount I had not been aware was applicable to the 13 M2 air (it seems like potentially it wasn't until this release of the 15 inch happened). Now it's just a no brainer to return whether or not I find the equivalent refurbished unit as the 8/8 becomes cheaper new than the price I paid for a refurb.

Now to really, really debate whether that M2 MBP is definitely not worth it :D
For a while Apple got really stingy with the corporate discount perks but I have seen them quietly return to more of the product line.
 
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chrono1081

macrumors G3
Jan 26, 2008
8,707
5,136
Isla Nublar
I personally love the MBA M2. I got it fully expecting to need to return it due to the kind of work I do and was blown away by its power and portability. I ran all kinds of things on it like Houdini, Final Cut, Logic, Unity, Blender, Affinity Suite, Xcode, etc and by ran I don't mean just opening the software, each one had a lot of very complex projects (especially Houdini) and this thing didn't even get warm, it just chewed through everything.

In the end it's up to you but I loved the fact I could pay $1900 for a computer instead of $4k+ for a computer (which is what my last MacBook Pro cost) and still do the work I needed.
 
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4pp13

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 21, 2020
133
88
For a while Apple got really stingy with the corporate discount perks but I have seen them quietly return to more of the product line.
Yeah, I was very surprised to see it is available. Usually it's been at most you can get discounts from shops that aren't Apple via certain sales (Costco for example). But this is quite nice to see some options coming back to corporate perk discount.

I personally love the MBA M2. I got it fully expecting to need to return it due to the kind of work I do and was blown away by its power and portability. I ran all kinds of things on it like Houdini, Final Cut, Logic, Unity, Blender, Affinity Suite, Xcode, etc and by ran I don't mean just opening the software, each one had a lot of very complex projects (especially Houdini) and this thing didn't even get warm, it just chewed through everything.

In the end it's up to you but I loved the fact I could pay $1900 for a computer instead of $4k+ for a computer (which is what my last MacBook Pro cost) and still do the work I needed.
Thanks for update on what you're successfully running on it. Great to hear of more heavier use cases. Yeah, I'm leaning towards just getting the air again. I have had a look at the pro once more and it is truly amazing but so much extra money, nearly 25% for the configurations I want in each. It seems too hard to justify when there is ideally the 3nm on the horizon. Especially given the portability loss. I carry a work MacBook Pro, an iPad Pro 11 and then would have the personal MacBook Pro on top of this...feels like it is making a difference.

As for the return of it, the whole process was ridiculously easy! Refund in account pretty much the following day after shipping it in the morning. So worth it given the price change situation.

As an added bonus, I'm now not sure if I'd get the Midnight again or switch to Silver 😂 The M3 could be out before I ever choose another computer.
 

KPOM

macrumors P6
Oct 23, 2010
18,307
8,318
Yeah, I was very surprised to see it is available. Usually it's been at most you can get discounts from shops that aren't Apple via certain sales (Costco for example). But this is quite nice to see some options coming back to corporate perk discount.

Thanks for update on what you're successfully running on it. Great to hear of more heavier use cases. Yeah, I'm leaning towards just getting the air again. I have had a look at the pro once more and it is truly amazing but so much extra money, nearly 25% for the configurations I want in each. It seems too hard to justify when there is ideally the 3nm on the horizon. Especially given the portability loss. I carry a work MacBook Pro, an iPad Pro 11 and then would have the personal MacBook Pro on top of this...feels like it is making a difference.

It sounds like a 12” MacBook would be perfect (if only Apple would release one!). :)

My setup is a work PC (roughly the size and weight of the new 15” Air), the 13” M2 Air, and an 11” iPad Air. The extra weight of the 14” Pro or 15” Air would definitely be noticeable.
 
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westcoastcyc

macrumors 6502
Jun 21, 2012
299
301
For a while Apple got really stingy with the corporate discount perks but I have seen them quietly return to more of the product line.
Yeah, they are offering the 13" M2 base model for $1,033 with the corporate discount. No sales tax where i live makes it even nicer.
 
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