6 tips for finding a used MacBook

Looking for a MacBook (Pro) but don’t feel like paying the full price? Then it can be attractive to go for a refurbished or second-hand MacBook. These are 6 things to keep in mind.

Find a used MacBook

While Apple’s profits are predominantly from the sale of iPhones, the company’s iMacs and MacBooks are still very much in demand. Just like with iPhones, Macs also have a relatively high residual value, which means that they can be reasonably priced second-hand. A used MacBook will therefore be more expensive than a used Windows machine of the same age. To avoid paying too much for a refurbished or second-hand MacBook, keep the tips below in mind.

1. Check the actual price of a second-hand MacBook that you are interested in via a website like Mac2Sell. This way you know whether you have a good deal or whether it is better to look for a cheaper alternative;
2. Check if the MacBook is still using the update to OS X El Capitan gets. There’s nothing more inconvenient than a Mac that no longer updates, as you won’t be able to use all the apps and features over time. All systems that can handle OS X Yosemite, such as the MacBook Pros from mid 2007 (or newer) and MacBook Airs from 2007 (or newer) are El Capitan enabled.
3. This tip is an extension of the previous one: go minimal for a MacBook with a Intel Core 2 Duo processor. The older PowerPC models are unable to run recent apps and OS X versions. Apple has several pages for identifying the model of a MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air;
4. Also MacBooks with less random access memory are interesting. You can easily expand this yourself these steps to follow;
5. If you buy a used MacBook through online auction sites like Marktplaats or eBay, get it do not send. Rather go to the seller, so that you can check for visible damage and the presence of the original software and peripherals. You also lower the chance of being scammed that way;
6. There are various parties such as Leapp, Macbizz and iUsed that refurbished (overhauled) MacBooks to offer. These are often more expensive, but they are fully checked, cleaned and come with a one-year warranty. For a fee you can often extend the warranty by one or two years.

Checklist for checking a used MacBook

If you have found an attractive MacBook and you go to a seller to pick it up, take the checklist below for a thorough inspection. This way you avoid nasty surprises afterwards.

1. To belong: ask for the original packaging, accessories (cables, software, manual) and the invoice. If these items are present, it may indicate that you are dealing with a careful and tidy seller;
2. Damages: check the screen and case for scratches and damage. Small scratches on the metal are okay, but (large) dents indicate that the MacBook was once dropped;
3. Screen: turn on the computer and check the screen for any dead pixels, discoloration and other abnormalities. Test with different colors, such as black and white, and play videos via YouTube, for example;
4. Buttons: verify that all keyboard and trackpad buttons are still working properly. If there are many stains on (or under), you can assume that the MacBook has been used very intensively;
5. Connections: check whether all (USB) ports and inputs are working. Also test if the optical drive, webcam and built-in speakers are working properly;
6. Passwords: Check that no firmware password has been set. You do this by pressing the Option button immediately after the boot tone, after which the boot menu appears. Also check that no password is required when starting OS X. If so, request a fresh installation of the system without a user password;
7. Hard Drive: Launch Spotlight (Cmd + Space) and go to Disk Utility. Then click on ‘Disk First Aid’ to check the hard disk of the MacBook for any errors;
8. BatteryFinally, it is important to test the condition of the battery. To do this, click the Apple icon at the top left and go to ‘About This Mac> System Overview’. Here you can see how the battery is health and how often it has been charged. Batteries last between 300 and 1000 charge cycles, but lose capacity faster if they are constantly on the power supply.

What do you pay attention to when purchasing a second-hand MacBook? Let us know below.