Everybody who loves Apple products (and there are a lot of us who do) knows that they can be fairly expensive even when they’re on sale. MacBooks in particular are pricey pieces of hardware, but big discounts await anybody who’s willing to buy a cheap refurbished MacBook, which is one of the best and easiest ways to score gently used, professionally recertified tech at deep discounts. There are some pitfalls and other considerations to be aware of before you buy, but if you’re a dedicated Apple fan or someone looking to make the switch to MacOS without overpaying, let us save you the trouble: We’ve already smoked out all the best refurbished MacBook deals and sales here.
Today’s best refurbished MacBook sales
APPLE REFURBISHED
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Apple MacBook Pro (M1 CPU 13-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Apple Refurbished)
$1,099 $1,299
This deal on a like new, Apple-refurbished 13-inch MacBook Pro is too good to pass up. With a beautiful screen and incredible new M1 CPU, this is the best high-end Mac in years.
Buy at Apple
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13.3-inch Apple MacBook Air (Amazon Renewed)
$548
If you don’t mind using a pre-owned Apple product then you can snag this Apple MacBook Air for a steal and it should work and look like new.
Buy at Amazon
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Apple MacBook Pro 13-Inch (Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, 2017, Amazon Renewed)
$879 $1,000
The latest MacBook Pro is usually the priciest laptop in Apple’s stable, but this 2017 model won’t feel too long in the tooth in 2020 (and this refurbished deal lets you score it for much less).
Buy at Amazon
RENEWED
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13-Inch MacBook Pro w/Touch Bar, Core i5 CPU, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD (2019, Renewed)
$899
Looking for one of the latest MacBook Pros but don’t want to spend more than a grand? This 2019 13-inch MacBook Pro is Amazon Renewed in mint condition and packs great hardware for an everyday laptop.
Buy at Amazon
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Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (2015, Amazon Renewed)
$760
Need a bit more storage and RAM? You can still get an Apple MacBook Pro at a budget price and you’ll still get 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM.
Buy at Amazon
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Refurbished 13.3-inch MacBook Pro 1.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 (2019)
$979 $1,149
It’s a rare thing to see the latest MacBook Pros go for less than $1,000 — unless you buy refurbished from the Apple Store. This MacBook looks new and is backed by an official Apple warranty.
Buy at Apple
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Apple MacBook Pro (2017, Intel Core i5 Dual Core, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, Renewed)
$839
If you want a beefy MacBook Pro but you’re on a budget, this like new Amazon Renewed model from 2017 still packs recent hardware that won’t feel too sluggish in 2020.
Buy at Amazon
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Apple 13″ MacBook Pro (2019) i5 512GB Space Gray (Amazon Renewed)
$1,049 $1,199
Portable and functional, the Apple 13″ MacBook Pro is a powerful device thanks to its 8th Generation Intel Core processors to help you accomplish high-performing tasks such as 3D modeling.
Buy at Amazon
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Apple 15-inch MacBook Pro (2018, Amazon Renewed)
$1,240
This MacBook Pro is only a year old. Pretty amazing savings if you don’t fancy this year’s Pro models.
Buy at Amazon
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Apple Refurbished Macs
Save up to $420
What’s better than saving money on a refurbished MacBook? Buying a professionally recertified one directly from Apple. These MacBooks look and feel like new, and even come with an Apple warranty.
Buy at Apple
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Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, Core i7 CPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Amazon Renewed)
$1,789 $2,150
The new MacBook Pro is pricey to be sure, but buying this mint condition Renewed unit from Amazon is a great way to stack up the savings on Apple’s premium 16-inch laptop.
Buy at Amazon
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Refurbished 13.3-inch MacBook Pro 2.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 (2019)
$1,359 $1,599
The premium Apple MacBook Pro 13 with a 2.4GHz Intel Core i5 can deliver up to 4.1GHz of processing power with Turbo Boost. Save on this powerful MacBook by buying a refurbished model.
Buy at Apple
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Apple MacBook Air (13-inch Retina display, Intel Core i5, 128GB, Amazon Renewed)
$839 $880
The MacBook Air is the cheapest entry point into the MacOS ecosystem if you don’t want to buy a machine that’s years old in 2020. This Renewed MacBook Air only improves on an already great value.
Buy at Amazon
Should you buy a refurbished MacBook?
MacBooks aren’t cheap, but they remain a hot item for some very good reasons: Apple’s laptops are well built, thoughtfully designed, and few can deny that MacOS is pretty solid software, which is why they command such a premium. That said, refurbished MacBook deals abound online from a wide array of retailers, so there are bargains readily available year-round if you know where to look.
Shopping refurbished MacBook sales is a great way to save — with some caveats. Most important among these is that you want to make sure you purchase from a trusted retailer and that the cheap refurbished MacBook you’re getting has been inspected, tested, cleaned, and repaired (if necessary) by professionals. We generally recommend avoiding outlets like eBay for this sort of thing. A professional, trustworthy seller should have its own online storefront and offer some sort of warranty. Amazon, Best Buy, and the Apple Store itself are great sources for refurbished MacBook deals that are backed up with good post-purchase customer support.
Another pitfall to avoid is buying a cheap refurbished MacBook that, despite its low price, is too outdated by modern standards to be worth it. There are more than a few refurbished MacBook deals floating around on models that are now nearly a decade old. While these may be tempting, you will likely end up disappointed with their dated, sluggish hardware. Also bear in mind that even the best computers don’t last forever — age and heat lead to parts wear and eventual failure — so a refurbished MacBook that’s long in the tooth might not have much life left in it anyway, leaving you shopping for another one before long.
Our suggestion? Stick to refurbished MacBook sales that feature relatively new models, ideally those released within the past five years (so since 2016 or so). That’ll get you a nice machine with reasonably up-to-date specs that will perform admirably for a while. You can even find good refurbished MacBook deals on more recent models from 2019 and 2020, which is a good way to save on one with newer hardware. With certain recently discontinued MacBooks, such as the non-Touch Bar Pro models and the standard 12-inch MacBook, buying refurbished might be your only option for finding one of these at all if there is no new stock for sale anywhere.
Finally, when shopping these refurbished MacBook sales, you want to make sure you’re actually getting a good deal. Before you hit that Buy Now button, do some quick comparison shopping to see how much you’re saving versus buying new. Also know that not all cheap refurbished MacBooks are the same. Some, like those purchased from the Apple Store, may come with OEM accessories and tighter recertification standards. As a result, they might be more expensive than a similar model from another retailer, but the higher premium may be worth it if those quality considerations are important to you and if you’re still getting a nice discount.
If all that sounds good to you and you’re ready to get shopping, then give our MacBook buying guide a look-through to get an up-to-date picture of the current Apple laptop landscape and what options are available to you.
We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and we choose what we cover carefully and independently. The prices, details, and availability of the products and deals in this post may be subject to change at anytime. Be sure to check that they are still in effect before making a purchase.Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.