Refurbished M4 MacBook Pro and M4 Mac mini units in a wide range of configurations can now be purchased at considerable savings directly from Apple.
These computers launched only a few months ago, and refurbished units cost as much as 15% less than new ones.
M4 MacBook Pro, M4 Mac mini reach Apple refurbished store
The base model 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 processor costs $1599 — but not when it’s a refurb. Then it’s $240 less. And a refurbished base model 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 isn’t $2,499; it’s $380 less.
Or a base model M4 Mac mini doesn’t have to be $599 after $90 in savings on a refurb.
Anyone handy with a calculator can tell that each of these price reductions is 15%. That’s the savings that come with buying a refurb instead of an unused unit.
That’s the benefit. The primary disadvantage is often a limited supply. The Apple refurbished Mac store only includes units that have been returned to Apple, so there’s no guarantee that any specific combination of color, processor, RAM and storage will be available.
But as for the latest MacBook Pro and Mac mini, there are currently dozens of configurations of the two listed. Visit Apple’s refurbished Mac page to see everything that’s available.
Be sure to read the Cult of Mac review of the M4 Mac mini before putting in an order, but (spoiler alert) it heaps praise on the tiny but powerful computer. And the Cult of Mac review of the M4 MacBook Pro was also full of compliments about the performance.
Apple refurbs aren’t old junk
While some people hesitate at the idea of a used computer, Apple refurbished Macs are a safe bet. The computer maker promises that every unit undergoes full functionality testing, and any necessary repairs are made. These often aren’t needed, though, as this is also the way the company gets rid of units that customers purchased and then brought back in the two-week return period.
The units are cleaned and then repackaged in new boxes with appropriate manuals and cables.
There are many people who never buy new Apple computers. They just wait untilApple refurbished units are available and pocket the 15% (or more) savings.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh Classic II (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer. He’s written for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview, and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
