Let’s face it: Being an Apple fan can be expensive. That’s especially true if you just can’t imagine living without your trusty MacBook. If you’re a die-hard Mac user in need of a new laptop but you’re on a tight budget, worry not — buying a professionally refurbished laptop is one of the best ways to save, provided you get it from a good source. To make things easy for you, we’ve put together a hand-picked selection of the best refurbished MacBook deals available right now so you can score a new MacOS machine without emptying your wallet.
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (2017) — $330
Featherweight ultrabooks are quite common nowadays, but many forget that it was the MacBook Air that ushered in this trend of super-thin laptops. The MacBook Air is also the best entry point into the MacOS ecosystem (which is to say, it’s about the cheapest way to get your hands on a Mac laptop that isn’t too long in the tooth by 2022 standards), and this 2017 model delivers a lot of bang for the buck. It sports a 13-inch screen with a 1,440 x 900 resolution, so while it’s not as brilliant as the latest Retina displays, it’s perfectly suitable for its size. This MacBook Air runs on a dual-core Intel Core i5 CPU paired with 8GB of DDR3 RAM as well, which, while basic, offers plenty of juice for everyday tasks like browsing the web, editing documents, and typing emails. You get a 128GB solid-state drive for storage as well. If you’re looking for cheap laptop deals and don’t want to settle for something like a Chromebook, this 2017 MacBook Air is a fantastic bargain.
Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (2015) — $380
The appropriately named MacBook Pro has always been the leader of Apple’s pack of laptops, and you can get a lot of Mac for your money by opting for an older model from this line. This number from 2015 isn’t going to set the world on fire, but for the price, it’s a solid (if basic) machine for everyday use: It packs a 2.7GHz Intel Core i5 processor paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, which is respectable hardware. Don’t expect to juggle multiple high-end programs at once, but for simple stuff like writing, browsing, and watching videos, it’s more than enough to get the job done. At 13 inches, it’s a great size for work and travel, and it has both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless connectivity. For around 300 bones, this is one of the best MacBook deals going right now, and it’s Amazon Renewed so you can be sure it’ll look and work great.
Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (2017) — $420
If you want something a little more recent, you’re willing to shell out some extra cash for it, but you like that 13-inch size bracket, then this 2017 MacBook Pro is another great pick — and it’s still very affordable. With a Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD, it boasts similar specs to the 2015 model, but you’re getting a newer processor. This model also features a 13.3-inch Retina panel technology with a Quad HD+ resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 pixels, two USB-C ports, and both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless networking capabilities. The butteryfly-switch keyboard and large trackpad are a breeze to work on all day as well, which is nice for a laptop of this size. This Amazon Renewed MacBook Pro lacks the Touch Bar, but if you can live without that (and most of us can), this is a great deal on a solid MacOS workstation.
Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (2017) — $635
Those after something a bit larger (or those who really want that Touch Bar) should consider this 15-inch MacBook Pro from 2017. Most MacBooks, including our other picks, sit at 13 inches. That’s a fine size for a compact work machine you can take on the go, but 15 inches remains the most popular laptop size for a reason: More screen real estate. Along with an upsized 15.6-inch 2,880 x 1,800 Retina display, this 2017 Pro packs the beefiest specs of our refurbished MacBook deals with its quad-core Intel Core i7 CPU and 16GB of RAM. That doubled memory will allow for smoother multitasking and better performance when running demanding software. A 256GB SSD gives you some extra storage, and this Pro even packs a discrete graphics card in the Radeon Pro 555. That dedicated GPU comes in handy for resource-heavy graphical jobs like rendering videos.
Apple MacBook Air M1 (2020) — $849, was $999
In 2020, Apple really shook up the MacBook market with the introduction of the M1 CPU, the company’s own in-house chipset. The MacBook Air was among the first Mac laptops to receive this new CPU, and we were blown away. It’s fast, cool, quiet (the thermally efficient M1 CPU doesn’t even require cooling fans), and frankly, blows the last-gen Intel Core processors out of the water. The overall design doesn’t look that much different than previous MacBook Air models — we’d still like slimmer bezels around that lovely 13-inch display — but given the performance, and the fact that the 2020 MacBook Air is the cheapest entry point into the Mac laptop ecosystem, we find it hard to complain too much. Grab a refurbished unit from the pros directly at the Apple Store and you can score the MacBook Air M1 in pristine, like new condition. That’s the best way to buy refurbished MacBooks by far.
