Buyamac.

March 26, 2009 1:47 AM

Where to buy used mac?

After years of purposefuly not paying attention to avoid being tempted, i'm in the market for a used, last generation macbook pro...Does anyone have a great place to find a used one? I'm trying to avoid craigslist due to the in-freaking-credibly high rate of scammers on there (6 for 6 so far...) I've checked out local retailers, but so far no real luck.

Are there any really good online retailers out there? Maybe with limited warrantees? Mac certified refurbished books?

Details: I've got a budget of about 1200, but can go a little bit either direction from there. Ram and HD don't concern me, they can be bare bones, and i'll upgrade them as i need, but i'd like to get a decent video card in there.

posted by furnace.heart to computers & internet (13 comments total)

Here is a refurbished last generation MacBook Pro from the online Apple Store for $1349. It comes with a one year limited warranty as well.
posted by clearly at 2:09 AM on March 26 [1 favorite has favorites]

Try the deals page on Low End Mac. For each type of Mac, it'll tell you the best deals available for both new and used computers.
posted by larkin123 at 2:20 AM on March 26

I bought my macbook two years ago in July refurbished from Apple's website. I got a good deal and have been very happy with it.
posted by sugarfish at 5:33 AM on March 26

I got my refurb MBP from PowerMax.com in Oregon. This was back in 2006. I added memory, they partitioned the drive for Boot Camp for me, and I got Windows XP from them also. Fabulous deal. Around $3,000.
posted by jgirl at 6:03 AM on March 26 [1 favorite has favorites]

I mean I increased the memory; they added it before they shipped.
posted by jgirl at 6:04 AM on March 26

In Philadelphia I recommend Springboard Media. They don't have used computers on their website, but they can help you if you call and tell them what you're looking for. They have top-notch service and should be able to ship anywhere.
posted by jrichards at 6:49 AM on March 26

Apple refurbs are great, but perhaps not covering old enough machines for your budget.

DealMac is a good source for info; you can sign up to be emailed when something pops up in your category.

The blackbook I bought from ExperCom has been fine. It was slightly older than the machines that were showing up on Apple at the time, but it came in a couple hundred bucks cheaper. Did not include all the bundled software, but they are up-front about that. (MacBook Black 13.3" 2.0GHz 2GB/120GB/SuperDrive Reseller Refurbished Price:$799.00)

Seconding PowerMax and adding SmallDog. Happy hunting!
posted by omnidrew at 7:10 AM on March 26

I wonder if you're having trouble with scammers on CL due to the fact that you're buying a laptop? I've purchased a used Mac Pro via CL and had no issues. If you are careful with inspecting the product and meeting in person, you should be able to easily avoid scams.
posted by odinsdream at 7:16 AM on March 26

Why, exactly, do you want a Macbook Pro instead of a regular Macbook? Apple has made some major advances to their portable line in the past year. Look at it this way- a new low-end Macbook will have essentially the same specs as a 2-year-old Pro. In addition, the gfx chip will be slightly better, it'll be able to take more RAM, and you'll get the sturdier unibody case.

And it'll be new. Unless you need the bigger screen, the Pro's not worth it.
posted by mkultra at 7:23 AM on March 26

I agree with mkultra. Get a refurbished macbook and you'll have a new great computer for around a thousand bucks and it will be guaranteed working from Apple with the option to buy an Apple Care plan. Plus, by saving money up front you can always upgrade again in a few years.
posted by alexherder at 10:37 AM on March 26

Smalldog
posted by donpardo at 11:05 AM on March 26

I'd actually advise strong against getting a refurb'd Macbook. I've got one, and I love everything about it but the plastic case, which is prone to discoloration and cracking in annoying places. The new aluminum cases are a huge improvement.
posted by mkultra at 11:10 AM on March 26

I just got my dual core 1.25mghz 2 gig ram 4 72gig scsi hdds for $200 of ebay.

You wont get scammed on ebay as long as you read the descriptions and pay attention to the sellers ratings.
posted by majortom1981 at 11:20 AM on March 26