# Anyone have experience w/ refurbished Macs? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 11, 2011, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-w-refurbished-macs/595892 "2011-09-11T01:00:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-w-refurbished-macs/595892/1 "2011-09-11T01:00:29Z")
I’m thinking about getting this [refurbished MacBook Pro](http://store.apple.com/us/product/FC373LL/A) and was wondering if anyone had anything to say about their experiences or this particular product. All comments welcome. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-w-refurbished-macs/595892/2 "2011-09-11T01:03:37Z")
Objection! Calls for opinions. Moved from General Questions to IMHO. **samclem** , Moderator ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-w-refurbished-macs/595892/3 "2011-09-11T01:10:03Z")
Drat! I guess I’ll have to slum it for awhile in IMHO. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-w-refurbished-macs/595892/4 "2011-09-11T01:33:10Z")
I have this MacBook Pro, and would be seriously surprised if you were disappointed with your decision to buy. My understanding is that the refurbs are very stringently tested, so I would have no concerns there. I don’t know what else to tell you, except press “Add to cart”… ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-w-refurbished-macs/595892/5 "2011-09-11T01:56:31Z")
Apple refurbs are the way to go. They carry a full warranty, and you can save a chunk of change. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-w-refurbished-macs/595892/6 "2011-09-11T02:04:39Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Apple refurbs are the way to go. They carry a full warranty, and you can save a chunk of change. Yes, that’s exactly my thinking. What are my chances of getting some “bonus” software. Like, maybe the stuff I need to run Windows? ---
**Author:** ![andyleonard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@andyleonard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andyleonard)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-w-refurbished-macs/595892/7 "2011-09-11T02:07:44Z")
Bootcamp - which is the stuff you need to run Windows - is already in a Mac. All you need is a Windows disc. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-w-refurbished-macs/595892/8 "2011-09-11T02:22:09Z")
> [@andyleonard](#): > > Bootcamp - which is the stuff you need to run Windows - is already in a Mac. All you need is a Windows disc. I was actually thinking about the Windows Office programs (Word, Excel, PPT). ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-w-refurbished-macs/595892/9 "2011-09-11T02:29:26Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I was actually thinking about the Windows Office programs (Word, Excel, PPT). I’m confused - do you mean Office Mac? (Word, PP, Excel.) ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-w-refurbished-macs/595892/10 "2011-09-11T02:45:07Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I was actually thinking about the Windows Office programs (Word, Excel, PPT). Those’ll run just fine on a Mac as is (no need to run Windows–MS has Mac versions of these). They work great–some of the best Mac programmers work for Microsoft. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-w-refurbished-macs/595892/11 "2011-09-11T18:00:33Z")
> [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](#): > > I’m confused - do you mean Office Mac? (Word, PP, Excel.) Maybe I’m confused. Don’t you need to run a windows emulator in order to run windows programs on a Mac? ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-w-refurbished-macs/595892/12 "2011-09-11T18:01:58Z")
No. I run word, ppt, excel on my Mac without an emulator. I believe they are Mac compatible versions. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-w-refurbished-macs/595892/13 "2011-09-11T19:18:47Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > No. I run word, ppt, excel on my Mac without an emulator. I believe they are Mac compatible versions. OK, so then my question becomes… is there a good chance that the refurb I get will have those already on them? ---
**Author:** ![howye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@howye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/howye)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-w-refurbished-macs/595892/14 "2011-09-11T19:28:33Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > OK, so then my question becomes… is there a good chance that the refurb I get will have those already on them? Not a chance. On your link the included software is listed on the right. No Office for Mac listed, but the Apple store will be happy to sell it to you. Or there are some free alternatives that come nearly close to Office quality. I used NeoOffice throughout law school, saving docs in Word format. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-w-refurbished-macs/595892/15 "2011-09-11T19:51:40Z")
> [@howye](#): > > Not a chance. On your link the included software is listed on the right. No Office for Mac listed, but the Apple store will be happy to sell it to you. Or there are some free alternatives that come nearly close to Office quality. I used NeoOffice throughout law school, saving docs in Word format. It also says that refurbished Macs may (or may not) have other software that was installed by the previous owners. I took that to mean if someone installs extra software, that Apple doesn’t necessarily purge it so that you will have to buy it again. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-w-refurbished-macs/595892/16 "2011-09-11T21:29:04Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > It also says that refurbished Macs may (or may not) have other software that was installed by the previous owners. I took that to mean if someone installs extra software, that Apple doesn’t necessarily purge it so that you will have to buy it again. I’ve had two Mac refurbs over the past 10 years. They were both unused, but opened packages. Once the box is opened and the computer taken out they are considered used, even if they were never plugged in. So, you may get one that was actually used by someone else, but you may get a completely new product. They also put unsold left-overs from previous years in the refurb pile. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-w-refurbished-macs/595892/17 "2011-09-11T23:53:30Z")
I have a refurbished MacBook Pro and am very happy with it. My understanding, however, was that with a refurb, you get a computer that has been completely wiped clean with a fresh OS installation, so you are not going to have any software left over from the previous user. You just get what normally comes with a new Mac purchase. When I started up my MBP for the first time, it walked me through the setup process for OS X; i.e., it was running for the first time. It would surprise me greatly if Apple left copies of Office on refurb machines for subsequent users. I think they’d run into licensing problems with Microsoft if they did. Regarding your question about Windows and Office: The Office suite comes in either Mac or Windows versions. If you get the Mac version, you can simply run Word, Excel, etc., directly on your Mac. If you get the Windows version, you will have to install Windows on your Mac. You can either do this via Boot Camp, in which case you choose whether to boot into Windows or OS X when you are starting your computer; or you can do it by installing a virtual machine program. Whether you use Boot Camp or a VM, you will need to purchase a copy of Windows. But it sounds like you don’t specifically need the Windows version of Office, so you could just get the Mac version and that would be easier. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-w-refurbished-macs/595892/18 "2011-09-12T00:26:17Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > It also says that refurbished Macs may (or may not) have other software that was installed by the previous owners. I took that to mean if someone installs extra software, that Apple doesn’t necessarily purge it so that you will have to buy it again. I have had several Apple refurbs and have never heard of or encountered additional software. IMHO, refurbs are a great way to buy Apple if you are cost sensitive. I believe that the disk is wiped clean and the stock OS installed. Leaving any other software in place would be legally the same or perilously close to piracy of software. FWIW, the Apple office software is capable of opening and saving files in MS formats, but won’t support some advanced features (scripting etc.) ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-w-refurbished-macs/595892/19 "2011-09-12T00:40:44Z")
I have a refurb MacBook Air, and I couldn’t be happier with it. As another poster pointed out, it is still under warranty. Also, if you get it from an Apple Authorized reseller, you can call Apple and give them the serial number and they will adjust the date that the warranty starts to the date you purchased it from the retailer (only on Apple authorized retailers like [macmall.com](http://macmall.com), though). So there’s really no reason not to, they are stringently tested and the warranty is the same as a new computer. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-w-refurbished-macs/595892/20 "2011-09-12T01:39:40Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > I have had several Apple refurbs and have never heard of or encountered additional software. IMHO, refurbs are a great way to buy Apple if you are cost sensitive. > > I believe that the disk is wiped clean and the stock OS installed. Leaving any other software in place would be legally the same or perilously close to piracy of software. > > FWIW, the Apple office software is capable of opening and saving files in MS formats, but won’t support some advanced features (scripting etc.) That makes sense. It was just that little note about other software may or may not come with the computer that had me somewhat intrigued. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-experience-w-refurbished-macs/595892.md?page=2)