Apple’s computers are known to last, have a beautiful design, and offer outstanding performance. If you want one but wish to save money, buying refurbished MacBooks is worth it. Furthermore, with the release of the new MacBook Air and a MacBook Pro with a custom ARM-based M2 chip, more options are now available. We have curated a list of the best refurbished MacBooks to fulfill all your needs in 2024 without spending more than needed.
Table of contents
Why should you buy refurbished MacBooks?
Any fine laptop should offer the right balance between performance, long battery life, and a comfortable keyboard and trackpad at a reasonable price. With Apple’s own processors, the current M1 and M2, you now have the advantage of experiencing massive performance and battery life improvements to MacBooks. So, if you’re after the Apple experience without wanting to spend the usual price, you could opt for buying refurbished MacBooks instead.
Refurbished MacBooks are not much different from new ones. For instance, MacBooks officially refurbished by Apple have been restored to complete working condition, have the same quality standards as factory-new products, and are almost indistinguishable from brand-new ones. Rest assured, when you buy a refurbished Apple product, it will be 100% functional.
Let’s quickly compare the differences between buying a refurbished MacBook from a third-party seller, in the Apple Store, and purchasing a brand-new item.
| Refurbished MacBook sold by a third-party seller | Refurbished MacBook sold by Apple Store | New MacBook sold by Apple Store | |
| Price | From 5% to 90% discounted price, depending on the model and year of manufacturing. | Apple-certified refurbished MacBooks come at a discounted price of a minimum of 15%. | Full price. It can go on sale occasionally. |
| Warranty | Third-party sellers can have different warranty conditions. | Apple-certified refurbished devices come with a 1-year warranty and are eligible for AppleCare+. | 1-year warranty and are eligible for Apple Care+. |
| Battery & cosmetic condition | Third-party seller refurbished devices may not replace the battery if it is not flawed. The cosmetic conditions of the device are classified with Grade A (Excellent), Grade B (Good), and Grade C (Fair). | Apple-certified refurbished MacBooks come with a new battery. The MacBook is “like new,” with genuine Apple replacement parts as needed. | Factory sealed |
| Included accessories | A refurbished MacBook always comes with its charger. No other accessories are included unless specified. | The device will come with all accessories and cables. | Includes all the authorized accessories. |
| Return policy & shipping | Most sellers have free shipping and 30 days return policy. | Most sellers have free shipping and 30 days return policy. | Free shipping. The return policy depends on the seller. The Apple Store gives you a 14 days return time, whereas Amazon offers 30 days. |
7 refurbished MacBooks worth buying in 2024
Whether it’s the best MacBook for first-time Apple users or a MacBook for its enthusiasts, there are plenty of them to choose from in different shapes, sizes, and prices.
The following are the seven best refurbished MacBooks we love for 2024 and beyond that can easily fit your needs and offer high durability.
1. MacBook Air M2 15.3″ (2023)
Apple M2 with 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU
8GB memory • Space Gray
with Touch Id • 2023 release
Apple M2 with 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU
8GB memory • Starlight
with Touch Id • 2023 release
Apple M2 with 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU
8GB memory • Midnight
with Touch Id • 2023 release
| Why buy it | Powerful, thin, and light with a medium-sized screen |
| Over-the-top performance | |
| Release date | June 13, 2023 |
| Price (new) | Starting at |
| Price (refurbished) | Starting at |
| Specs | CPU: Apple M2 chip with 8‑core CPU |
| Graphics: Integrated 10-core GPU | |
| RAM: 8GB/16GB/24GB unified memory | |
| Screen: 15.3-inch 2880 x 1864 Liquid Retina display | |
| Storage: 512GB/1TB/2TB SSD |
The MacBook Air has always been an affordable option for people who need a basic MacBook with good performance and compatible size. The MacBook Air M2 15.3″ (2023) has raised the bar in portable computing power.
The device is equipped with Apple’s M2 chip that allows for high-efficiency multitasking and excellent graphics rendering, making complex tasks feel effortless and gaming or video editing more immersive.
The 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and the up to 24GB RAM option make it a hard-to-beat laptop. Even with such power, the MacBook Air M2 doesn’t compromise on battery life. Its efficient architecture allows for prolonged usage of up to 18 hours on a single charge, a major plus for those who work on the go.
The laptop also flaunts a larger 15.3″ Liquid Retina display, which ensures stunning visuals and a broad workspace. Yet, its sleek design retains the device’s lightweight and portability, delivering a powerhouse that’s easy to carry and quiet to operate.
2. MacBook Pro M2 Max 16″ (2023)
Apple M2 Max with 12-core CPU, 38-core GPU
96GB memory • Space Gray
2023 release
Apple M2 Max with 12-core CPU, 30-core GPU
64GB memory • Silver
2023 release
Apple M2 Max with 12-core CPU, 30-core GPU
64GB memory • Space Gray
2023 release
| Why buy it | The best performance on a big screen |
| Durability for years to come | |
| Release date | January 17, 2023 |
| Price (new) | Starting at |
| Price (refurbished) | Starting at |
| Specs | CPU: Apple M2 Max chip with 12‑core CPU |
| Graphics: Integrated 38-core GPU | |
| RAM: 32GB/64GB/96GB unified memory | |
| Screen: 16-inch 3456×2234 Liquid Retina display | |
| Storage: 1TB/2TB/4TB/8TB SSD |
The MacBook Pro M2 Max 16″ is the ultimate powerhouse in Apple’s 2023 lineup, embracing groundbreaking performance, immersive display technology, and astounding battery life.
Its M2 Max chip, the jewel in its crown, offers a 12-core CPU with 8 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores. The GPU, sporting up to a mind-boggling 38 cores, assures superior graphics performance.
Stepping up the game in the display department, the MacBook Pro M2 Max 16″ flaunts a 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with a native resolution of 3456-by-2234 pixels at 254 pixels per inch. Furthermore, ProMotion technology offers adaptive refresh rates of up to 120Hz for silky-smooth visuals.
With 32GB of unified memory, configurable to a massive 96GB, and storage starting at 1TB SSD, scalable up to a remarkable 8TB, it is the perfect choice for handling heavy-duty tasks and data-intensive applications.
It’s a costly model due to its extreme performance, but you can get a refurbished model that will save you hundreds.
3. MacBook Air M2 13.6″ (2022)
Apple M2 with 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU
8GB memory • Midnight
with Touch Id • 2022 release
Apple M2 with 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU
8GB memory • Space Gray
with Touch Id • 2022 release
Apple M2 with 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU
8GB memory • Starlight
with Touch Id • 2022 release
| Why buy it | Powerful, thin, and light laptop |
| Beautiful high-quality screen | |
| Release date | June 6, 2022 |
| Price (new) | Starting at |
| Price (refurbished) | Starting at |
| Specs | CPU: Apple M2 chip with 8‑core CPU |
| Graphics: Integrated 8-core/10-core GPU | |
| RAM: 8GB/16GB/24GB unified memory | |
| Screen: 13.6-inch 2560 x 1664 Liquid Retina display | |
| Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB SSD |
The M2-powered Refurbished MacBook Air of 2022 demonstrates the capabilities of Apple’s M-family chips. It transforms the Air from an underpowered entry-level option to one of the fastest laptops on the market, resulting in an unrivaled performance along with up to 18 hours of battery life.
At the heart of the MacBook Air M2 lies the beastly M2 chip. It offers significantly improved performance across all areas, including CPU and GPU processing, machine learning, and power efficiency.
The 8-core CPU provides a massive boost to raw computational power, making multitasking smoother than ever before.
The MacBook Air M2 13.6″ (2022) also comes with 16GB of unified memory to handle demanding applications and multitasking effortlessly, along with a base storage option of 256GB that can be upgraded all the way to 2TB.
👉 Related: 13-Inch vs. 15-Inch MacBook Air M2: All the Differences
4. MacBook Pro M2 13.3″ (2022)
Apple M2 with 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU
8GB memory • Space Gray
with Touch Bar • 2022 release
Apple M2 with 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU
8GB memory • Silver
with Touch Bar • 2022 release
Apple M2 with 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU
8GB memory • Silver
with Touch Bar • 2022 release
| Why buy it | Huge battery life |
| Exceptional performance | |
| Release date | June 6, 2022 |
| Price (new) | Starting at |
| Price (refurbished) | Starting at |
| Specs | CPU: Apple M2 chip with 8‑core CPU |
| Graphics: Integrated 10-core GPU | |
| RAM: 8GB/16GB/24GB unified memory | |
| Screen: 13.3-inch 2560 x 1600 Liquid Retina display | |
| Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB SSD |
The M2 brings the MacBook Pro’s speeds and battery life to the next level. The M1 MacBook Pro was already more powerful than nearly every PC on the market at its launch, and the M2 only improves it.
Despite cramming so much power into such a slim and sleek chassis, the battery of this MacBook Pro can last up to an outstanding 20 hours. Also, with an image processing unit, the webcam has been improved from past releases (sadly, still 720p).
Without a doubt, a refurbished M2-powered MacBook Pro is definitely worth the investment. It’s one of the best refurbished MacBooks still available today.
👉 Learn more: Are Refurbished MacBooks Good? Pros & Cons
5. MacBook Air M1 13.3″ (2020)
Apple M1 with 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU
8GB memory • Space Gray
with Touch Id • 2020 release
Apple M1 with 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU
8GB memory • Space Gray
with Touch Id • 2020 release
Apple M1 with 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU
16GB memory • Gold
with Touch Id • 2020 release
| Why buy it | Excellent performance |
| Silent fanless design | |
| Release date | November 10, 2020 |
| Price (new) | Starting at |
| Price (refurbished) | Starting at |
| Specs | CPU: Apple M1 chip with 8‑core CPU |
| Graphics: Integrated 7-core/8-core GPU | |
| RAM: 8GB/16GB unified memory | |
| Screen: 13.3-inch Retina display | |
| Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB SSD |
The MacBook Air M1 of 2020 was (and still is) considered one of the best MacBooks you can get. Its ultraportable, thin, and beautiful design, combined with its excellent performance, makes it a wise choice for creators, freelancers, or those who just want to have fun with their laptops.
The performance goes par with battery life since the MacBook Air M1 can last up to 18 hours, and the LED-backlit Retina display with a resolution of 2560×1600 looks just marvelous. In addition, it can run iPhone and iPad apps, and Intel-based apps work well. It’s a cheaper MacBook than the most recent M2 model, although it’s a machine as good as it gets!
👉 Learn more: 21 Best Mac Apps in 2024 (Free & Paid)
6. MacBook Pro M1 13.3″ (2020)
Apple M1 with 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU
8GB memory • Space Gray
with Touch Bar • 2020 release
Apple M1 with 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU
8GB memory • Space Gray
with Touch Bar • 2020 release
Apple M1 with 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU
16GB memory • Space Gray
with Touch Bar • 2020 release
| Why buy it | Outstanding battery life |
| It can run iOS apps | |
| Release date | November 10, 2020 |
| Price (new) | Discontinued (starting at $1,299) |
| Price (refurbished) | Starting at |
| Specs | CPU: Apple M1 chip with 8‑core CPU |
| Graphics: Integrated 8-core GPU | |
| RAM: 8GB/16GB unified memory | |
| Screen: 13.3-inch Retina display | |
| Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB SSD |
As an entry-level model, the MacBook Pro M1 13.3″ may seem somewhat basic at first glance. Nothing further from the truth. Apple’s M1 chip and improved RAM speed offer top-notch performance packed into the 13-inch incredibly svelte body.
The icing on the cake is the Magic Keyboard on the 16-inch model, ending a cycle of controversial keyboards on older models. You might still appreciate the fact that all models come with more storage capacity for the same price as their predecessors.
👉 Learn more: Apple M1 vs. Intel MacBook Pro: Similarities and Differences
7. MacBook Pro 16″ (2019)
2.6Ghz Intel 6-Core i7 9th gen
16GB memory • Space Gray
with Touch Bar • 2019 release
2.3Ghz Intel 8-Core i9 9th gen
16GB memory • Space Gray
with Touch Bar • 2019 release
| Why buy it | Worthy of being a workstation laptop |
| 16-inch display with an improved keyboard | |
| Release date | November 13, 2019 |
| Price (new) | Discontinued (starting at $2,399) |
| Price (refurbished) | Starting at |
| Specs | CPU: 9th-generation Intel Core i7/i9 |
| Graphics: AMD Radeon Pro 5300M/5500M | |
| RAM: 16GB/32GB/64GB onboard memory | |
| Screen: 16-inch Retina display with True Tone | |
| Storage: 512GB/1TB/2TB/4TB/8TB SSD |
With an improved keyboard, powerful speakers, and a larger, more immersive display, the new 16-inch MacBook Pro improves upon the now-discontinued MacBook Pro 15-inch model in every way that matters.
This laptop is still a good choice if you need an expansive screen, want to run Windows apps on your Mac, need the fastest MacBook with Intel processors, or need a laptop that can be used with as many as four external 4K monitors.
👉 Learn more: Are Intel Macs Obsolete and Should You Buy One?
Final thoughts
Refurbished MacBooks are a great way to save money so long as you choose a reputable seller with a professional restoring process. Here is where RefurbMe comes into play to help you understand which merchant offers the best deal.
With our list of refurbishers, we can give you a clear idea of what you can expect from each concerning warranty, shipping, and return policy. So, as long as you do your research, buying a refurbished MacBook is easy. In addition, you can buy any refurbished Apple device from anywhere in the world using MyUS.
👉 Related: 10 Best MacBook Accessories in 2024
Remember that you can also create availability alerts and price alerts if the MacBook of your choice has not been refurbished yet, or if the model you want drops in price. In either case, we’ll notify you in your email instantly.
Head on to RefurbMe and find some great deals while they last!
