Close Menu
    Subscribe Login

    4 Apple Products You Should Avoid Buying Used

    WoozadBy Updated:07 Mins Read Technology
    4 Apple Products You Should Avoid Buying Used
    Apple’s gadgets are considered among the best in almost every category they exist in, even though they are generally more expensive than alternatives. Apple’s high prices are partly due to its high-quality standards, which are reflected in its hardware and software. If you want to buy Apple products at a lower cost, you can take advantage of our thrifty electronics shopping tips. This way, you will be able to acquire its devices without emptying your bank account.

     

    The most obvious way to get Apple products cheaply is to buy them used or refurbished. However, despite the potential savings you’ll enjoy if you choose to go the second-hand route, not all Apple products are worth buying used. There are certain Apple products you shouldn’t buy from anyone other than Apple for various reasons, including repairability. If you want a more affordable way to get started in the Apple ecosystem, you can buy most of its products used, but avoid these four.

     

    AirPods

    Easily among the best headphones you can buy, the AirPods’ biggest downside is their price. The base AirPods 4 cost $129 (or $179 for the active noise-canceling model), while the more premium AirPods Pro 3 cost $249. Regardless of which model you’re looking for, you shouldn’t consider using second-hand AirPods for two reasons. The main reason is that Apple does not provide a way to check the battery status of AirPods. Therefore, you have no way to check how bad the battery has become. If the battery is in poor condition, you may need to replace it soon after purchase to listen to audio for longer without running out of charge.

    Replacing the AirPods battery will cost you $49 regardless of the model, which means you could spend a significant portion of the price you paid for the used AirPods on batteries. Plus, the price difference between buying used and new AirPods might be less than you think. If you decide to buy used AirPods Pro 3, for example, you probably won’t save more than $50 compared to buying new. This gap narrows even further when you consider the regular discounts offered on the new AirPods Pro 3 on Amazon.

     

    Apple Watch

    If there’s one device people probably use most and are exposed to the most wear and tear, it’s the Apple Watch. Since many users don’t have a screen protector on their watch and most don’t put a case on it as they would with a smartphone, finding a used Apple Watch in mint condition can be difficult. The previous owner probably had it on his wrist at all times of day, even at night (except when charging), tracking all the health and fitness metrics the watch supports. By wearing the watch so frequently, it is bound to get dents or scratches. The Apple Watch subreddit has dozens of posts from people complaining about scratching their watch, and that’s proof enough that keeping the watch in pristine condition is a daunting task. If you decide to buy a used Apple Watch, you’ll likely get a device that isn’t in the best condition.

    Battery life is another reason why you shouldn’t buy a second-hand Apple Watch. Right out of the box, the Apple Watch doesn’t offer the best battery life, so you may need to charge it every day. If you buy an Apple Watch that belonged to someone else, its battery health will be worse than that of a new one. Over time, you may need a battery replacement, which costs $99 for most Apple Watch models. When you think about this, you’re better off buying a brand new Apple Watch in perfect condition, with no scratches and a perfectly healthy battery.

     

    Apple Pencil

    The Apple Pencil is another Apple product that you should also avoid if you’re shopping on the second-hand market. The standard Apple Pencil USB-C costs $79, while the Pro version costs $129. Buying a used one may seem like a good idea at first, but you will make a mistake. The Apple Pencil has an internal battery, and because Apple doesn’t offer a way to check its status, you can’t know how long it will last on a single charge. That means you might be disappointed to learn that the Apple Pencil you bought cheaply doesn’t last long.

    The Apple Pencil tip may also need to be replaced, which will incur an additional cost. If you buy it directly from Apple, you won’t have to worry about battery or tips for years – and the company also offers free engraving. The final, and perhaps most important, argument against buying a used Apple Pencil is the lack of repairability. In fact, Apple doesn’t even list the stylus on its product service and repair information page. If you sell a defective item at a low price, you won’t have an easy way out. This lack of repairability is very concerning because if something goes wrong, you have no way of bringing the accessory back to life.

    The same risk applies to other Apple accessories, such as the Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse, both of which have internal batteries and cannot be repaired. This is why we do not recommend buying them second-hand, even if keyboards and mice do not wear out as much as the Apple Pencil.

     

    MacBooks equipped with an Intel processor

    Apple shifted to using internal silicon processors in its laptops in 2020, releasing new MacBook Air and Pro models powered by the M1 chip. Years later, you’ll now find Intel-based MacBooks on the second-hand market selling for much less, making them attractive to anyone on a tight budget. For example, while writing this article, we spotted a 15-inch MacBook Pro with 32GB of memory and 1TB of storage for just $599 on eBay. That might seem like a bargain considering Apple’s expensive memory and storage upgrades, but Apple’s M-series chips are much better than the Intel processors that powered older MacBooks.

    You should avoid used MacBooks with Intel processors, as it’s better to buy new ones. That’s because Apple laptops with M-series chips are more powerful and more efficient, and run more quietly than those based on Intel chips. If you want a cheap Apple laptop on a budget that offers more than enough performance for basic tasks, then you should consider the $599 MacBook Neo powered by an iPhone chip. However, if you need something more powerful, you can choose a used MacBook with an M-series chip. For example, the M2 MacBook Air is frequently found for $500 to $600 new at official retailers – a much better deal than the $599 Intel MacBook Pro.

     

    How We Picked Which Apple Products You Shouldn’t Buy Used

    Buying a second-hand product saves money, but some devices pose additional risks. To compile this list, we based our selection on the price difference between new and used purchases, a product’s repairability if a problem arises, and the cost of repairing specific parts. Based on these three factors, you should avoid buying Apple products on the second-hand market, as new is the best option.

    We also added Intel-based Macs to our selection because they are currently old and very slow compared to laptops powered by Apple’s in-house chips. We did this to ensure that no one would buy these laptops on the second-hand market.

     

    Recommended

    error: Content is protected !!