If you plan on relying on your laptop for work, school, or life, you’re going to need the right accessories. Here are a few of our must-buys.
Laptop backpack - Volher Laptop Backpack
If you’re looking for a large, comfortable backpack that’s got enough room for your laptop as well as the rest of your life, check out Volher’s laptop backpack. It’s got three large compartments, each with pockets that can hold everything from a tablet to a travel coffee mug. The laptop compartment has extra padding, plus it has ports on the top and sides so you can thread charging cables through and charge your devices while you use them. It’s a big backpack and an even bigger value.
Best for fans of legacy ports and DVD drives The 15.6-inch laptop has a lot of things that have been dropped from higher-end PCs and has solid performance and battery life to boot. Read full review.
Power bank - ROLISA 24000mAh Power Bank
You can’t always be near a power outlet, so sometimes you’ll need to bring the power with you. To keep a spare charge (or four) in your bag, pick up ROLISA’s 24000mAh power bank. Most laptop batteries hold around 5000mAh of power, so with this power bank, you could make it through several days without ever plugging into a wall. It’s affordable, it’s light, and it’s got more than enough power; if there’s such thing as the perfect power bank, this may be it.
- The Huawei MateBook X Pro is our pick for the best laptop money can buy in 2018. After years of this list being dominated by the (still excellent) Dell XPS 13, the MateBook X Pro has proved to be.
- The Apple iMac with a 27-inch 5K Retina display is the best option out there. Its huge monitor is perfect for watching movies or viewing pictures, and its Intel Core i7-7770K processor works hard and fast so you can flip seamlessly between applications.
Laptop stand - Rain Design mStand Laptop Stand
Rain Design’s laptop stand was one of the first to show users how useful it can be to have your laptop lifted and mounted at an angle. Whether you want to elevate your laptop to make room for a keyboard or you connect to a monitor and want to use your laptop’s screen as a second screen, Rain Design’s mStand is the perfect way to do it. The potential ergonomic benefits make this worth the price, but the flawless aluminum finish doesn’t hurt either.
When you buy a Mac, you expect it to last a long time. After many years of study, Apple has concluded that a macOS or tvOS device will last about four years before needing a hardware repair. They say most Macs will “last significantly longer, are kept current through regular software updates, and are passed along or resold by the first owner for others to use.”
Because Apple’s computers are so reliable (and the MacBook is so lightweight), you might want to consider purchasing a refurbished model. Buying a refurbished Mac is a great way to save money and secure a bargain.
You can see savings of between 10 and 30 percent on refurbished Macs. You could use this saving to purchase one or two peripherals, software, or even afford a slightly more powerful model than if you were buying brand new.
Plus, even if you get stranded on an older version of macOS, you can get quite a few new features bit by tweaking the interface yourself4 Utilities for Tweaking Your Mac Without the Terminal4 Utilities for Tweaking Your Mac Without the TerminalWant to tweak your Mac safely and without using the Terminal? These apps let you make changes to macOS with a few clicks.Read More.
Here’s the best places to buy a refurbished MacBook and a few things to consider before you purchase.
Research, Research
Before even thinking about the purchase of a refurbished Mac, be sure to do your research. Most importantly, take a look at the current models to see how they differIs the iMac Pro Right for You? The Most Powerful Macs ComparedIs the iMac Pro Right for You? The Most Powerful Macs ComparedWondering if an iMac Pro is worth it? Perhaps a MacBook Pro or an iMac would be better for you. Let's find out.Read More from previous models. In recent years, Apple has only upgraded Macs during the final months of the yearIs There a Right Time to Buy a New Mac, iPhone, or iPad?Is There a Right Time to Buy a New Mac, iPhone, or iPad?Apple is known for sticking to fairly rigid release schedules, which leads many to believe there are right and wrong times to buy Apple products — and it's easy to see why.Read More. Keep this time frame in mind before making a purchase.
As part of your research, visit a nearby Apple retail store and see the latest models on display. Ask an Apple employee critical questions about the speed, RAM, and internal storage space. The MacBook Pro comes in different screen sizes. Look at the differences in person. If you can’t visit an Apple store, at least do an online comparison or try another retailer.
Finally, read reviews for the models you’re considering. The more you know about the latest models, the better you can evaluate what’s missing on the refurbished items. You may have to forego Apple’s newer features like a Force Touch trackpad or an OLED TouchBar to save some money, so make sure you’re happy with your decision.
And if you’re doing research to buy a new iPhone as well, take a look at our helpful article on checking to see if an iPhone model is obsoleteHow to Check If Your iPhone Model Is Obsolete (And What to Do if It Is)How to Check If Your iPhone Model Is Obsolete (And What to Do if It Is)Is your iPhone model obsolete? If so, your device could be left behind by Apple. Here's when a device is obsolete and what to do.Read More.
Where to Buy
Not surprisingly, Apple’s own store is a great place to buy refurbished Macs. However, it’s not the only place as you’ll see below.
Apple Certified Refurbished
They don’t advertise it that much, but yes, Apple sells refurbished products. These items are ones that have been recently returned and hardly used. Items available through Apple’s Certified Refurbished program come with a standard one-year warranty. You also have the option of purchasing AppleCare to extend your coverage further, which is something we recommend.
There aren’t a lot of refurbished Macs available through Apple at any given time. However, the company’s inventory does tend to change often. If you can’t find the model you’ve been wanting, wait a little bit longer. Because of quick product turnover, it could show up soon. Typically you’ll have to wait a couple of months (think three, six or even 12) for the very latest Mac models to show up on the refurbished store, and they don’t last long once listed.
Mac Of All Trades
If you’re looking for a MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro, Mac of All Trades is a site worth considering. It offers a robust selection of used and refurbished Mac computers.
Each item at Mac Of All Trades comes with a 90-day warranty and ships within two business days. You can also add a one-year or two-year extended warranty on each item. Some items also come with an unexpired AppleCare warranty, which will give you access to Apple’s tech supportNeed Mac Tech Support? Here Are Your OptionsNeed Mac Tech Support? Here Are Your Options'Tech support' — two words that strike fear into the hearts of all but the most competent computer users out there. Where do you begin to look when things start to go wrong?Read More.
Best Macbook Air To Buy
You can also sell your Apple devices on Mac of All TradesApple Trade-In vs. Mac of All Trades: Where to Sell Your Used iPhone, iPad, or Mac?Apple Trade-In vs. Mac of All Trades: Where to Sell Your Used iPhone, iPad, or Mac?Should you use Apple Trade-in or Mac of All Trades when you want to sell your Apple devices? Let's see which gets the most money.Read More to earn some credit towards a new purchase.
OWC
Other World Computing (OWC) also offers used and certified Macs. The items sold here are thoroughly tested and inspected and come with macOS installed. They also ship for free with a 14-day money back guarantee.
Most, but not all, of the Mac computers found at OWC come with Apple’s standard one-year limited warranty and eligibility for the AppleCare Extended Protection Plan. Models without Apple’s warranty are not certified. Keep this in mind before making a purchase.
PowerMax
PowerMax is the only Apple-authorized e-commerce site that specializes in both new and used Macs, iPads, iPhones, and iPads. The site says that it offers the largest selection of used 15-inch MacBook Pro models. A quick visit to the site suggests that this claim is correct.
At PowerMax, each Mac purchase comes with a 120-day warranty. You can return a pre-owned Mac during the first 60 days for any reason and receive credit for the current sale price for the item (less a $50 deductible). Extended warranties are also available for purchase.
Other Locations
There are other places where you can buy used and certified Macs, including Gazelle, Amazon.com, and GainSaver. If you’re having trouble finding the model you want on the sites listed above, keep trawling. GainSaver, in particular, tends to be a great place to find older, pre-owned models.
In addition to where to buy a computer, be sure to check out our tips for when to buy a computer.
Keeping Track of Deals
Finding the perfect deal on refurbished products is sometimes a difficult process due to ever-changing inventories. Because of this, you should consider two other sites that take the guesswork out of finding great deals.
Refurb Tracker provides e-mail alerts and RSS feeds on refurbished products on Apple Store websites. To get started, you simply have to create an alert on the Refurb Tracker website indicating the type of product you’re hoping to find. In addition to Macs, Refurb Tracker offers alerts for iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, and Mac accessories.
RefurbMe also offers an alert system on refurbished and certified pre-owned Apple products. Besides Apple Store websites, RefurbMe tracks items from Best Buy, GameStop, Gazelle, Target, and Walmart.
In addition to Macs, RefurbMe offers alerts for iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, and Apple Watch.
Final Words
Best Macbook For Home
When looking for a refurbished or used Mac, make sure the site provides explicit warranty and return policies. With these in place, you know that the site backs up each purchase with some guarantees. Second, make sure the site mentions product testing. Apple is the only company that offers brand-certified testing to assure quality. However, this doesn’t mean it’s the only place that offers professional testing.
Also, find out whether the original materials are part of the purchase. Having the original box, instructions, and accessories, make for a like-new experience that’s worth a lot to many people. You should also make sure one final time whether you can give up the latest bells and whistles on the current models. If you cannot, you shouldn’t be considering a refurbished model, no matter the savings. If you find that refurbished isn’t the right choice for you, be sure to look into Apple hardware discounts you should take advantage of.
That said, did you consider open box deals7 Best Buy Open Box Deals for Apple MacBook, iPad, and Apple Watch7 Best Buy Open Box Deals for Apple MacBook, iPad, and Apple WatchIf you're looking to save on a new MacBook, iPad, or Apple Watch, you definitely need to check out Best Buy's open box deals on Apple gear.Read More? And in case you want to sell your old Mac to fund a new purchase, here’s how to get the best priceHow to Safely Sell Your MacBook or iMac for the Best PriceHow to Safely Sell Your MacBook or iMac for the Best PriceDon't risk your privacy and personal data by selling your Mac without erasing it first!Read More.
Finally, remember the saying: “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.” There are plenty of great deals on refurbished and used Macs, but if the price seems too good, especially compared to other locations, go somewhere else and fast. And if you decided against getting a Mac, there are other great places to find used laptopsThe 6 Best Websites to Find Used Laptops for SaleThe 6 Best Websites to Find Used Laptops for SaleLand a bargain by buying a used laptop instead of a new one. Here are the best websites to find a used laptop for sale.Read More.
Image credit: Quentin Meulepas (Flickr)
Explore more about: Buying Tips, MacBook, Online Shopping, Save Money.
Best Macbook On The Market
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wigs for women wigs for women memcmc31442hair extension 57934FYI, PowerMax doesn't seem to be in business any more. Or rather, it's been bought out by someone who just turned it into a series of links to Amazon, but all of the old company philosophy and such is still there, and there's no indication of the change on the site. Very odd. :(
I loved powermax...so sad it is no longer in business...
I noticed that Discount Electronics wasn't on the list. They get great reviews and they offer a standard 1 Year Warranty. I am looking at a Mac Purchase (they rarely get Mac's but when they do they go fast) so I am wondering what your thoughts are regarding this retailer.
Anyone purchase a refurbished from Groupon?
There's also gainsaver.com and macmall.com.
You forgot to mention Experimac. Experimac is a chain of individually owned franchise stores specializing in Certified Pre Owned Apple products. They buy and sell, repair and upgrade anything Apple. Best part of Experimac over one of the web sites you mentioned is that you get to touch and see the device you are buying before choosing to buy. And if there are warranty or other repair issues you walk it right in and get it back much quicker and without paying shipping. There are more than 100 locations around the country. Check Experimac.com to find one close to you.
'Hey Charles! You explained very well, i just wanted to highlight one thing is that whenever you are going to buy refurbished phones or any device always go for certified Refurbished Apple products other wise there is chance of loss.
Here are the some certified Refurbishers:
https://www.refurb.me/
https://www.walmart.com
https://www.amazon.com/'
I've been buying a lot of refurbed Macs over the last two years... we're a Mac-loving shop but just can't afford Apple's price premium any longer. And, while we have had great luck with Apple's refurbed items, we have had mixed results with the other places.
My main gripe is Apple's unwillingness to support (or ALLOW) older machines to run newer OS versions. For example, we have some older Mac Pros that are more than powerful enough to run Sierra (or even Yosemite or El Cap), but Apple has decided to not ALLOW us to install it.
'Hey, Apple, can you let me decide whether or not I want to run newer OS versions on older hardware or not?' After all, if Windows 10 can run on a Celeron processor with 2GB of RAM, surely, you could let me at least try to run Yosemite on a dual Xeon machine with 16 GB of RAM...
The prospect of paying a premium price for any used laptop is not for the faint of heart. It was only the continued development of unserviceable, non-upgradeable, new MacBook Pros that got me to thinking about replacing my aging 17 with a late model, used unit. After noticing refurbished machines for sale on the Amazon site, I followed up on one offered by a vendor, Experimac, in W. Palm Beach Florida. At least it was in my home state so I decided to make contact.
A family business, the people at the store were friendly and encouraging and in a short while had informed me of an early 2011 machine - second to the last 17 model produced and top of the line in its day - they had available. After hearing about the condition, specifications, ram and new 1TB hard drive it had, we negotiated a price and I committed to the purchase.
Of course this was not my first Mac. In fact, it would be my third MacBook Pro 17. I returned the unopened Retina 15 machine I had purchased from the Apple store just days before and sent in payment for the used machine from Experimac. For just a few hundred dollars less than the new MacBook Pro Retina 15, I was purchasing a fully repairable and upgradeable 17 with no AppleCare warranty - I was now in uncharted territory as a used mac buyer after purchasing many new machines over more years than I like to quote. Think original Mac Plus buyer; that was a one piece desktop model with an amazing full Megabyte of storage and a cute, built in handle in the top... Like I said, I'm a LONG time, new Mac buyer.
Long story short, the happy ending didn't happen right away and nearly turned into a cautionary tale about buying used v. new. I received the machine and was delighted for 6 months. Then, one fateful Sunday morning, my new/used/collector edition MacBook Pro 17 would not start up. Dead. I decided to try Apple Support (I know, it was a used machine with no Apple Care coverage - but it was Sunday, Experimac was closed, and my memory was chanting - 'call Apple, Call Apple, Try Apple Support...'). The wonderful customer support helper took me through an over the phone diagnostic and could only come up with 'Internal Hardware Failure' at every turn.
Dejected and beginning to see my expensive gamble being raked in by the Experimac house, I at least found a sympathetic but encouraging response from the seller. 'Most likely a graphics card problem. Probably looking at $250 or so to put in a new one. Send it and we'll have it back to you in a few days it that's all it needs.' Graphics Card - that seemed reasonable for a 4 year old machine, I thought. At least it's repairable! Ok, so let's get it fixed and back home. Things went as planned and, though not as fast and smooth as previous repairs had under AppleCare support (sigh). Also, the graphics card hypothesis was ruled inadequate leading to replacement of the entire logic board with a clean, low-mileage used one for a negotiated $650 (Ouch!) There was a reasonably quick turn around and I had my machine back... but not fixed. The keyboard no longer lit up ('Alright, so it isn't perfect. It's working!' I thought.) And, sadly, I had to call and send it back because there were new, very unMac-like problems with flickering screen images and other obvious defects in the video performance.
Finally, after a series of conversations (all of them perfectly civil with concern being voiced by both parties) I got my machine back. Experimac had reached out to Apple and the brand new logic board replacement- at no additional cost - has been an overwhelming success (two months and counting). Today, I am a sold and resold Experimac customer and will do business with them again. More than anything, the used option, it seems to me, has inherent risks of which the new buyer remains blissfully ignorant. Still, many find, especially without AppleCare, they are out in the cold if something expensive goes bad after warranty coverage expires. As for me, until Apple starts selling 17', repairable and upgradable desktop replacement laptops, I'll stick with Experimac - and no one else.
You should know that you can get your money back that you spent to have the first logic board replaced. Apple has an extended warranty recall. Just until the end of Feb. 2006.
2016, that is.
This was helpful. Thanks, Bakari!
Do not get a iMac at Powermax they send out DOA(dead on arrival) . I asked powermax to rectify the situations. I was told to send back on my own dime. To buy another iMac while I was waiting for them to go trough the process of verification. All I did was a hardware test that was on the iMac. But then I found out they get a 10% restocking fee on my transaction .
Thank's for sharing, these articles are fantastic. I hope visit this site more frecuently to know more about of these refurbished articles.
Is Fantastic buy products refurbished to save money. There are many refurbished products in the market that can help you to save money.
Yes.I strongly believed that Mac Laptops will lasts for a long period of time if maintained and in properly used. There are bunch of laptop stores that sells refurbished Mac laptops. We can buy it via online.
see,
How to Install Mac OS X on a PC (Without Using a Mac)
//www.makeuseof.com/tag/h...Uh…you overlooked the fact that it's impossible for a MacBook Air to have 40GB of 'internal memory', since there's no such thing. The refurbished model you mentioned from Apple may have had 40GB more hard drive space, but that's not memory.
Thanks for that correction
Uh…you overlooked the fact that it's impossible for a MacBook Air to have 40GB of 'internal memory', since there's no such thing. The refurbished model you mentioned from Apple may have had 40GB more hard drive space, but that's not memory.
Good point, Gouthaman. Building your own PC to install in Mac sounds like a good idea for an article. Thanks for sharing.
see,
How to Install Mac OS X on a PC (Without Using a Mac)
//www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-install-mac-os-x-on-a-pc-without-using-a-mac/Totally disagree. I have several Hackintoshes, and trust me, setting them up and keeping them up and running is not for the average consumer user. Unless the buyeer understands the concepts of bootloaders, EFI, UEFI, secure boot, and Legacy boot modes I would advise you don't do this.
That was a comprehensive list. Although, a lot of users Build their own PC to install MAC OS; the hardware-software compatibility won't be as good as the actual Apple made desktops.