and Best Buy has a better price. There is no difference or benefit to buying it from Apple. Apple care covers all Apple products regardless of where they were purchased, and all other things should be equal. Bottom line is this, if you find the exact same model with a better price anywhere other than Apple…
Look for an Authorized Apple ResellerApple Authorized Resellers frequently have the best deals on Mac computers and laptops. The big names in the game include: MacMall, Mac Connection, B&H, Best Buy and Abt Electronics.
Normally Amazon products are fine. You should strongly consider buying direct from Apple, the reason is because when you buy from another reseller you are sacrificing many privileges such as if there is a problem you can return the machine within 14 days for ANY reason.
10 ways college students can find a MacBook deal
- Check for refurbished models.
- Check Craigslist.
- Go to eBay.
- Buy locally.
- Google Shopping.
- Keep an eye out for seasonal sales.
- Find alternatives.
- Head out to a computer repair shop.
If you have fairly modest needs, it's better to wait for Apple to move these features to other Macs in the coming months. Having said that, if you're a power user then the MacBook Pro 16 is absolutely worth it.
You may be able to find some resellers offering discounts on the current
iMac line up, plus some even cheaper deals on the older models if you're happy to get the lower spec. We have the
best iMac deals here.
iMac from US retailers
- Amazon.
- B&H Photo.
- Best Buy.
- Walmart.
- Adorama.
Apple will hold a four-day shopping event for Black Friday in 2020, offering customers up to a $150 Apple Store gift card with the purchase of select products. This event will begin on Friday, November 27 and end on Monday, November 30 on Apple.com and in Apple Stores in the United States.
It's more expensive than doing it yourself though; expect to pay around $50 when all's said and done. Shipping with UPS is a good option. My local UPS Store, for example, could ship a MacBook Pro (13 or 15 inch) for about $47; that's $33 shipping plus a $14 packaging fee.
Simply shop apple.com with the payment method of your choice, and we'll ship the order to any address within the 50 United States and Puerto Rico.
FedEx also offers a special laptop box that they will pack with your laptop for you for $22.99. So, with standard ground service shipping, you're looking at $51.20 and for two day shipping $96.64. Alternatively, you can use your own box and ship for as low as $15.95 which is the cheapest option for FedEx.
Apple is both UPS and Fedex to ship out iPhones. While Apple has not sent out shipping emails or updated the status online to "shipped," users who ordered with Apple can use a trick to find their tracking number on UPS or Fedex.
When shipping a laptop computer, we recommend that you use our specially designed FedEx Laptop Box whenever possible. The box includes cushioning material and is available for purchase at FedEx Office and FedEx World Service Center® locations.
Loads of us have purchased from Apple online. Its perfectly safe.
If you don't have the original box:
- Wrap your laptop in a 4″ layer of bubble wrap and seal with packing tape.
- Place your laptop in the cardboard shipping box (you can add a 2-3″ layer of packing peanuts on the bottom for added security)
- Alternatively, you can use a special laptop shipping box.
Apple does not ship on the weekends.
Depending on your budget, I'd recommend a 2014 or 2015 MacBook Pro or -- if you have the budget, a 2019 or 2020 machine with Apple's renewed keyboard design. Avoid 2016 to 2018 machines, which have had notorious keyboard reliability problems, and you won't save that much on a purchase.
With that in mind, here are the best places to buy a refurbished MacBook.
- Apple Certified Refurbished.
- Mac of All Trades.
- OWC.
- Amazon Renewed.
The 13-inch MacBook Pro has a slightly larger battery (58.2Wh vs. 49.9Wh) and quotes two additional hours of battery life compared to the MacBook Air. The 13-inch MacBook Pro's screen is slightly brighter at maximum (500 nits vs 400 nits).
12 Things to Check Before Buying Second-hand MacBook
- Step 1: Check for damages.
- Step 2: Check how old that Mac is.
- Step 3: Boot this Mac.
- Step 4: Disable firmware password.
- Step 5: Check the display condition.
- Step 6: Run a keyboard test.
- Step 7: Check the optical drive.
- Step 8: Check all ports.
Although you should be fine (depending on what kind of work you need to do) with a MacBook even several years old, try to get something as close to new as possible. That way, you should have access to software updates for at least a few years, and of course, a newer Mac will last for a longer period.
In my opinion, it's the best laptop Apple ever built. Apple introduced the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro series shortly after Steve Jobs died, in June 2012. The company then refreshed the line multiple times in the following years. However, the mid-2015 upgrade reigns as the undisputed champ.
The 2015 MacBook Pro is a good computer and is in most ways just fine, performance wise. And it still has the legacy ports and “better” keyboard that are missing from the newer models. The keyboard is okay, but does have some reliability issues that are concerning.
Expect to pay between $450 and $1,600, depending on model and condition. The following table compares recent prices for a used MacBook Pro in “good” to “very good” condition. * Prices for models with 128-512 GB capacities and 2-2.9 GHz processors. Amazon average used or renewed prices, eBay average used prices.
