Should I buy a refurbished iMac or continue to save for a new one?

Refurbished Macs (of all models) are functionally identical to new ones. You won’t get the aesthetic unboxing experience, but you’ll get everything else. If the new-computer smell is worth it, continue to save; but if you want the computer, not the shiny box, you may as well go for a refurb.

Every mac my family has ever purchased (with the exception of this one) has been refurbished. No complaints
do you perhaps qualify for a education or government discount?
Cheers!

I have a refurb’d MBP on the way. I recommend it as the way to go.

If in doubt, consider the AppleCare Protection Plan… especially for a laptop.

This is all encouraging. My Dell is 6 years old & I’m just holding my breath. When the time comes, I’ll go with a refurbished one. I’d always heard that they’re good, but y’all’s answers have convinced me.

Aside from the box, you won’t know the difference.

With the price drops on the 24”, you should get that one.

I have unboxed 4 Aluminum iMacs in my household (3 24s and 1 20”) WORTH IT

I would say:

save

I almost always buy refurbished and have had no problems. They have the same warranty and are individually inspected. The chances of them being good are actually better than new ones I think, as new ones on the assembly line are probably only inspected periodically like every 10th one (total guess on the number) but the refurbs are individually gone over. As others have said, the only thing you lose is the box, but you get to keep a few hundred bucks in your wallet.

@bluedoggiant
unboxing a Mac is quite an experience. I recommend everyone do it at least once in thier lifetime. But they functionality is quite the same. If you need the cash, get the refurb; if you need to get high, buy a new one.

I might as well add the two iPhones, 6 iPods, Time Capsule, and 2 macbooks + macbook pro then ;)

oh yea, and the ilife 09/08 boxes, and iwork 09/08 boxes

ALSO

the leopard family pack upgrade.

HAHA

@bluedoggiant OBVIOUSLY the cash savings of a refurb is not an issue for some people haha

He said he was 13. It’s his parents cash.

@Eambos wow this is a small community hah

well what’s MINE is one of the 24” iMacs, and the 80GB iPod Classic. :)

Just unboxed my refurb’d MBP.

Ain’t mindblowing… but it’s certainly still elegant and easy. Easily better than the unboxing of any new Dell I’ve ever done.

As far as I know you can get the full warranty on any refurbed Mac, plus add Applecare to it for another couple of years coverage. Which, BTW you SHOULD add to it. It is well worth the cost. I have to take my Macbook Pro up to the Apple Store again for repair. It’s overheating (again). This will be the 5th time I’ve had it in for servicing in about 2.5 years. Every time it’s been covered by Applecare. SO worth the $260 I spent on it!

I second @maccmann‘s quip. My refurb came with the full standard warranty that any new Mac would get… and I also purchased the Applecare Protection Plan.

For a desktop machine in a relatively protected environment, I might skip the APP… but for a laptop that is subject to all the rigors of rough-and-tumble transport, the APP is just smart.

Insurance on a portable is never a bad idea either. And a really well-padded bag!