[nsx_23]

I'm looking for a new laptop atm (around $1200AUD - $1500AUD), and a refurbished 13" unibody Macbook was an interesting option.

My main concern is - Are refurbished Macbooks reliable? I'm worried about stuff like the battery and hard drive being unreliable....

Also, what other laptops could I be looking at?

My main requirements are:

- 64-bit processor (Rules out netbooks)

- Must be able to run Windows 7 with ALL drivers working correctly (Research online so far suggests dual booting OSX with W7 should be fine, but I don't "need" OSX per se)

- Reliability - My current Asus has a habit of crashing out, and I am not going to put up with anything that needs constant fixing.

- Battery life - Minimum of 3 hours with wifi ON and the screen at a decent brightness setting

- Lightweight - Its a laptop, not a brick. I expect to be able to cart around my laptop without feeling like I have an elephant on my shoulders.

So, with all these in mind, what are some options that I could look at?

 

[craiglester]

by all accounts refurb macbooks are as reliable as a new one. Personally I don't like the keyboard, but theyre' solid enough machines, if a little pricey, if you're not needing OS X.

 

[nsx_23]

Well, my other main concern would be if I purchase in Hong Kong, would Apple cover me for anything that goes wrong whilst I'm in Australia?

The crux of the problem here is that I don't NEED or particularly WANT a mac, but I'm struggling to find something comparable for the same price as a refurb mac in the 12-13" segment.

 

[craiglester]

What about an IBM (Lenovo)..? the T61 is a pretty nice laptop as are the X series.. lenovo has a pretty big refurb program too.

 

[gore.rubicon]

The refurb should be better, being run through another string of tests to check for reliability. If you buy a new laptop there could be a chance it is defective, whereas the refurb is retested to work

 

[tattoou2]

Refurb Macs are an excellent buy. I purchased one last year and it has been reliable. Came in a different type of box, but looked new and has performed beautifully.

 

[Uncle Erik]

I've used refurbs only for several years now. I've had zero problems.

 

[thisbenjamin]

/signed I'm on my second refurb laptop, 2nd iMac refurb, 1 macpro refurb.. no issues at all.

 

[FallenAngel]

Refurbished laptops are definitely a great deal - every one hand tested unlike new units which test 1 in a thousand. Pretty good price differences too. Make sure you still get warranty, that's just smart.

 

[nsx_23]

Yeah, I'm not a big Mac person per se, but for my price range there isn't another 13" with that sort of spec....

What I REALLY want is a Lenovo, but they're hideously expensive...

 

[jinp6301]

I dont really get why you would want a mac if you dont want OSX.

I second the lenovo option. They make great laptops in your price range

 

[nsx_23]

^Really? The Lenovos here in Australia that are 13" start at over 2K whereas the refurb 13" unibody macbook is like $1200.....

I dont' particualrly need OSX, but I'm more than happy to have it as a bonus (I've been using a Hackintosh for a while, so I do know my way around macs

)

I forgot to mention I'm not looking at anything bigger than 13".

 

[jinp6301]

Oh wow. I just checked out the Australia lenovo site and its much more expensive then it is in the US.

 

[nsx_23]

^Exactly. We get charged an arm and a leg here.

I could go on ebay and get one from the US, but I'd be worried about warranty, counterfeits, etc

 

[M0T0XGUY]

My brother bought a white, refurb'ed Macbook for Christmas back in December of 2008. It has never given him any trouble in terms of speed or reliability, and still looks / feels new to this day. I would've sprung for a refurbished aluminum Macbook myself when I purchased one this November, but Apple wasn't offering them yet.

A note on OSX: Even if you don't think you'll need it, I'd play around with this native OS before giving up on it for Windows 7. I really do find OSX more efficient, logical, and better designed than even the best OS Microsoft has to offer - but, of course, to each his own.