New vs Refurb

[DTMfan]

Hey guys,

Looking to get a basic 2017 iMac 21.5 with 4k 8GB ram. The price of a refurb plus sales tax is $4 less than a new one from B&H ( no sales tax). I've heard the refurbs go through a more vigorous check up vs new models. Anyone have any opinion? Typically in this scenario I'd go for the new one vs the refurb.

 

[Lunder89]

The checkups for the refurbs are to make sure they work correctly. They are used after all.

I would go for the new one, if the price difference is that small. For those $4 you get that new Mac smell

 

[Spudlicious]

Hey guys,

Looking to get a basic 2017 iMac 21.5 with 4k 8GB ram. The price of a refurb plus sales tax is $4 less than a new one from B&H ( no sales tax). I've heard the refurbs go through a more vigorous check up vs new models. Anyone have any opinion? Typically in this scenario I'd go for the new one vs the refurb.

Am I reading that right? $4 difference between factory fresh and used? That's what refurb means, used, rejected by someone else, maybe for an obscure intermittent fault that couldn't be pinned down. No contest, spend the $4.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Am I reading that right? $4 difference between factory fresh and used? That's what refurb means, used, rejected by someone else, maybe for an obscure intermittent fault that couldn't be pinned down. No contest, spend the $4.

No you are reading that it is $4 difference after sales tax compared to new without sales tax. So presumably a few hundred different overall, (unless of course they have no sales tax from B&H)
at least that's how I read it.
OP. refurbed macs from apple are pretty much as new with all relevant warranties, so buy whichever takes your fancy it will make no difference to you within minutes of plugging it in.

 

[Buerkletucson]

Scenario.....

My late-2015 iMac has an intermittent spontaneous shutdown issue....will fail once every 1-2 weeks.
Passes every single diagnostic check Apple threw at it......
I was seriously thinking of selling it as Apple could not pin down the issue and it took 6-weeks of diligence on my end to have them track down the issue and finally fix it.

Point is, they can run all the diagnostics they want......a refurb unit is used and returned.......it may have issues that is not caught in their diagnostic checks/verification procedures.

 

[Maxx Power]

My opinion is, refurbs (sold by Apple) have passed through the initial testings at least TWICE. If a new unit was returned to Apple due to intermittent problems, then any tests (during the quality control process) that failed to catch the issues the first time around will be unlikely to catch any issues the 2nd time around (refurbishment quality control process). So in this perspective, having a new vs. refurb does not much alter the reliability of your machine, if you are concerned with difficult-to-reproduce-issues. I should think that most returned units are due to change-of-mind and not due to some intermittent issue.

On the other hand, having a 2nd quality control process due to refurbishment means that some issues that were glossed over in the original manufacturing process will be weeded out.

Lastly, Apple proudly offers the same warranty coverage for refurbished units as they do new.

Anecdotally, I have partly purchased refurbished units from iPods to tablets to computers in the last decade from Apple. Good deal of money saved and no problems with warranties.

 

[scottrngr]

I have a refurb mac mini, and a refurb mac pro. I've had no problems with either one. To clarify, B&H doesn't collect sales tax, unless you live in NY. Apple does collect sales tax.

 

[kdoug]

Hey guys,

Looking to get a basic 2017 iMac 21.5 with 4k 8GB ram. The price of a refurb plus sales tax is $4 less than a new one from B&H ( no sales tax). I've heard the refurbs go through a more vigorous check up vs new models. Anyone have any opinion? Typically in this scenario I'd go for the new one vs the refurb.

With regards to resale, you also get the retail box vs the brown box which for me, adds value when I put it on eBay after it's time to replace it. Don't underestimate the power of the retail box, I keep them for almost every electronics device I purchase!

 

[Nismo73]

With regards to resale, you also get the retail box vs the brown box which for me, adds value when I put it on eBay after it's time to replace it. Don't underestimate the power of the retail box, I keep them for almost every electronics device I purchase!

Just mentioning...
The serial number will indicate it as refurbished, so if you're selling on eBay, one should indicate upfront whether it was purchased new or as a refurb. One can buy just the "new" box and try to sell as a purchased "as new" item.

 

[kazmac]

New. Haven't had good luck with refurb iMacs myself.

I will say, I've been happily surprised by stock model iMacs (my last two have been off the shelf stock) and work like champs. If you go this route, do make sure you get what you need internals-wise, that was my mistake with my 2013 27" (which has been fine otherwise.)

 

[hfg]

Just mentioning...
The serial number will indicate it as refurbished, so if you're selling on eBay, one should indicate upfront whether it was purchased new or as a refurb. One can buy just the "new" box and try to sell as a purchased "as new" item.

If you are selling on eBay as a USED item, it would seem a bit irrelevant at that point what its previous state was, be it new, refurbished, open box. returned, overstock, used, going-out-of-business, etc. USED is USED.

FWIW ... I have purchased several computers from the Apple Refurbished Store and have been completely happy with all of them, most of which I still have in use. I strongly suspect some were actually new units being pushed out due to a replacement model being available in order to clear out the warehouse and overstock of parts. All have looked perfectly new, have worked perfectly, and have carried the same warranty as units sold as new. The only difference is the plain box and the lower price.

 

[MisterAndrew]

It’s true that some refurbished Macs aren’t actually refurbished and are in fact new. My MacBook Pro was sold as refurbished in a plain white box but still had the original serial number and battery which showed zero charge cycles.