Your next MacBook Pro doesn’t have to be new – get a refurbished model on Prime Day
Do what I did when I was a student
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Back when I was studying at college and money was tight, I spent a year using aniPad 2with the classic keyboard dock as my ‘laptop’. However, there came a point where I simply had to upgrade to a proper laptop in order to be able to work effectively.
What I really wanted was aMacBook, but I couldn’t afford even the cheapest new model – and there was no such thing as aPrime Day dealat the time. I ended up buying one fromApple’s refurbished store, and I wasn’t disappointed – and if you’re a hard-pressed student like I was, or you just want anApplelaptop without stumping up the full price, I’d urge you to go the same route.
Good as new
When some people see the word ‘refurbished laptop’ they imagine a second-hand machine with a few scratches on the lid, maybe some dead pixels on the screen, and keys that badly need a clean. But this couldn’t be further from the reality if you buy an Apple Certified Refurbished product.
Apple has apage that explains in detailhow every refurbished product is cleaned, tested, and given a new battery. Certified Refurbished devices also come with a one-year warranty.
It does explain that the product may be running an older version of macOS, iOS or iPadOS, as was the case with the MacBook I bought, but you only need to go toSystem Preferences > Software Updateto download the latest version.
I remember that back in 2011 my refurbed MacBook Pro 13-inch arrived in a white box with the cables supplied, and it looked like new – it was difficult for me to tell the difference between it and a brand-new model. It was loaded up withMac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, and was £300 cheaper than the latest MacBook at the time; and while it had an olderIntelprocessor, I was just happy that I was back onmacOSagain, having owned an iMac when I was younger.
The MacBook served me well for three years until I was able to afford a newMacBook Air, and I had no issues with it during that time. It was a zippy machine that did everything I needed it to – and it helped me get a degree.
So don’t be put off by the ‘refurbished’ label – it’s not a taboo, and you’re likely to end up with a good-as-new device while pocketing a considerable saving.If you can’t find anything to suit in Apple’s Refurbished store – or if I haven’t convinced you, and you simply have to have a brand-new MacBook – we’ve found a couple of deals for you below.
MacBook Pro 16-inch (M1 Pro, 2021):$2,699$2,449 at AmazonSave $200:The specs offered by this 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD 2021 MacBook Pro 16 mean it’s never going to be cheap, but with a $200 discount, this is a great offer if you’re after Apple’s mighty MacBook Pro.
Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (2020, M1):£1,499£1,439 at AmazonSave £60:While this model of the MacBook Pro is now two years old, and a newer model has just be released, this remains a very good laptop thanks to the M1 chip. This model comes with 8GB memory and 512GB SSD.
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Daryl had been freelancing for 3 years before joining TechRadar, now reporting on everything software-related. In his spare time, he’s written a book, ‘The Making of Tomb Raider’. His second book, ‘50 Years of Boss Fights’, came out in 2024, with a third book coming in 2025. He also has a newsletter called ‘Springboard’. He’s usually found playing games old and new on his Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and MacBook Pro. If you have a story about an updated app, one that’s about to launch, or just anything Software-related, drop him a line.
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