Just got a 27” 5k mid 2017 iMac. Basically new looking. Not a scratch or issue I did but it from a single owner. I’m also tech savvy so not to worried about something like the HD failing and me not being able to fix it. They wanted $600 but I offered $500 and took it home. I got all the original cords, mouse, and keyboard. Also my favorite thing for looking up macs is the App Mactracker, it’s a free app it’s easy to use and was super helpful back when I used to fix macs for people. Nice video!!
Thanks for the info and good luck with everything. I still use my 2017 imac with upgraded 24 GB ram to create my videos even though I have some M chip Macs. I just love the screen.
@@craigneidel hey thanks! The screen is amazing! I found some 32gb ddr4 for a good price on Amazon so I’m planning that for now! I use iMovie but also FCP and of course Lr and Ps. I used to do 3D work with Maya, Zbrush, and Unreal engine on a 2017 MacBook Pro i7 16GB Ram and I’m noticing similar performance out of the iMac with less ram. Hopefully that and a SSD upgrade of the Fusion Drive will hold me over awhile. Creating on a budget;)
@@Andyrewk Thanks for sharing and good luck. Yes, the ssd upgrade and increasing the ram should really help the iMac. The screens are amazing for sure.
Excellent tips! eBay can be dodgy but I've had generally good luck buying used Macs by doing just what you recommend (lucky coincidence). The only thing I would add is that I only buy from sellers with a 100% favorable feedback rating, and the more sales the better.
Thanks for the confidence in buying my first iMac. Found a mid 2017 21.5-inch iMac 4K, 3.6GHz Quad Core i7, 32GB DDR4, 256GB SSD, PRO 555/2GB, sold on OWC In “Very Good condition” for $200.
Not a bad price and just make sure it has the SSD. I like the 27" systems a bit more but when you can pick them up for a good cost they should perform good enough for a while and are good deals.
Great video, in my opinion the value is to be found on the upgradability of old iMacs, it’s not worth buying an old iMac say 2013 or earlier if it’s stuck on High Sierra, the patcher software (open core legacy patcher) allows Monterey 12.4 to run super smooth even on 2009 iMacs. I bought a 21.5 iMac 2009 for £90 added a 240gb ssd £25 and added 4gb ram £12 and I installed the patcher software and the latest Monterey runs perfectly, £127 for a perfected usable iMac in 2022 running latest Apple software, crazy.
Thanks for sharing and I totally agree. I might do a video in the future on the patcher software etc. to show people what is possible. I got a great deal on the 2013 iMac for $148 and it works great for sure.
Good video with sound advice. I highly recommend OWC; all the Macs I've purchased have been used and every one I've bought through OWC; great folks, no regrets. Something else to consider with the iMac is VESA mounting. Prior to 2011(?) the stands were removable and you could get a VESA adapter for them ...which means you could mount the iMac to a moveable arm and totally de-clutter your desk. If ever a computer screamed for that capability, it's the iMac; a "desk top" computer without the desk top stuff. Then, in true Apple fashion, they did away with the removable stand feature; if you wanted VESA mount capability, you had to order your iMac from the factory with the VESA set up ...which meant you couldn't use the factory stand with it; it was either or. I believe this VESA option continues, at least through 2022. If you *really* want or need to have your iMAC on an arm, you have to score a fairly old version or the late 2017 iMac Pro. For whatever reason, Apple decided to engineer the late 2017 Pro versions with the removable stand. And lest you think you could use the adapter off your old 2011 iMac, think again. The VESA mount is *specific* for this series of iMacs; the old version will not fit. Apple no longer carries any of the mounts and there is one company making this patented adapter. There is a work around VESA adapter for the non-removable stand versions of iMac; it clamps to the factory stand. It's a little awkward, IMHO, but that's the only option you have.
Thanks for all the additional info on this. I only have been using the stand and not a Vesa mount but it's great info for the viewers. Thanks again for watching.
I am not tech savvy but I was able to buy a 2020 iMac from a private seller and transfer my data from my 2013 iMac to it via iCloud and Migration Assistant. Also wiped the old iMac and reinstalled Catalina. I set up the old iMac just to stream videos and it works great! Love, love, love the 2020 iMac. So fast and the 5k screen is awesome. The new iMac will upgrade to Sonoma, but haven’t done that yet as I am happy with Catalina.
Thanks and congrats with the new iMac. Check out my latest video where I compare a M1 iMac to the 2017 27" iMac on a video export and I think you will be surprised.
I need one for music production, I built my PC in 2014 and I'd like to get into the world of Mac, kind of always needed one. I figure using apple will help me to be more productive musically.
Yes, but if you are buying an older Mac like this then I would look for one with an SSD for sure and 16 GB of ram. Also, you can use Open Core Legacy Patcher to put on the newest version of MacOS. Otherwise the m1 24" iMac used for about $650 on Ebay is the way to go.
I still love this old imac 🖥️ 21 comparing to the new one 😅 i could have upgraded to new one but the aesthetic vibe of this old mac 🍎 still captured my love for this old imac 21 inch
Excellent video thank you Craig. I’m looking to buy one for an interview usage. Do you think you can view some iMacs in Switzerland and recommend one please?
@@habenhidrom8090 thanks for watching. I get so many individual request per day it's hard for me to look up computers but do your best and I think you will get the correct computer. I love Switzerland and was there twice. I do know things can be more money out there so good luck in the search.
@@llowe312 Did you try to plug the Ethernet cable? I had to since it was not recognizing the wifi driver, but after that the driver tool in mint downloaded automatically
Hello and thanks for watching. You cannot remove certain programs that come with the Mac and you can see a video I made on how to remove programs etc. from the last month. But you just cannot remove some programs and I think Safari is one of them.
I found locally for $1800 iMac Pro 27 model 2017 Xeon 18, core 128 GB of RAM 1tb flash storage is this word blank performance versus price ratio in 2023 wondering if it’s upgradable to future OS X ? Or is it better to buy 2020 iMac 27 i9 for similar price or slightly cheaper same 64 gigs of RAM 1 TB storage?
You will get a few more years out of the 2020 (3) on the OS updates so it's going to be a hard choice there. Those systems are both nice and fast and I guess it depends on how you intend to use them. Personally I would just get the 2020 since I would not need the Pro model but everybody is different. Of course it also comes down to price and that could change my decision etc. Good luck and either way they should both run great it's just if you want a few more years on OS updates then get the 2020. The 2017 has about 1 year left but then it will still get updates for a few years but won't allow you to upgrade fully to newest version. Check out this page for more info - eshop.macsales.com/guides/Mac_OS_X_Compatibility
I didn't buy a used iMac. I was given one (2014 Model, 27" Retina 5k, magic mouse, keyboard, LED Cinema Display, 1TB Fusion HDD/SSD Combo, 16GB Ram). And I LOVE IT!!!
Do you get screen ghosting at all? I have pretty bad screen ghosting on menu bars and a couple pixels that are dead. Which is why I’m on the fence of not upgrading it to full SSD and adding more Ram, I think it’s going to just get retired or handed down to family.
I’m thinking to buy iMac 2017 21.5inc i5 ram dde 16 SSD NVMe 250 intel iris plus graphics 640 1.5gb and will add SSD Sata 250gb to do browsing, streaming, office, a lil bit of pic/vid editing and gaming. What do you think Craig? Any advice would help.
All I can say is I still do 4K 30 FPS edits using Capcut on my 2017 and it works great. I boot off external SSD. If you can find a 2020 for around 1K even better and I did a recent video on the 2020. Either way they are great for most basic tasks and the screen is the best. Just be warned that once you have a 5K imac you can't go back to a lower quality screen.
@@craigneidel thanks! But with all the basic tasks, should I add the SSD Sata 250gb to make it faster or just run it with the NVMe 250? Its around $480.
What to do with a IMac os big sur that my gson left behind when he moved out. It belonged to a former employer Who did not respond to requests for a label to return it. toss or upgrade???
Lots of useful info! I have an opportunity to buy a iMAC 21.5 in A2116 (2021?) its an estate sale, owner is going into assited living (dementia). They are having the hard drive wiped because because, they don't have the password....Anyway, they haven't taken to be wiped yet, I think I can ask them to check the ports, etc. I had a quick look at it, I couldn't see any cosmetic defects. Any suggestions on ball park price & what I should request the pc place that is wiping the drive? I am just starting to check that model out. I don't want to low ball an offer, but again there is a level of risk. And it would be my first MAC....
You might need the password or it may not work so I would check into that. I would do some research on Google to see if you can still use it but losing the main password may not let you wipe it. So check that first. Also, make sure it has an SSD drive as well and 16 GB is better than 8 GB if you can get it. It would come down to how much you can get it for also. Otherwise I recommend picking up a used 24" iMac for around $700 and you will be happier with that for sure.
It depends on your budget. You can get some 27" 5K iMac around 2017 which are great machines. They also have upgradeable ram. Those are maybe $650 on a great deal but it just depends on your budget. For gaming I would not recommend a Mac except if you are talking about games in the Apple Arcade or basic games.
Thanks for all of this info!! I’m between an iMac with a 2017 Core i5 (3.0GHz - HDD 1 TB - 8GB) and a 2019 Core i3 (3.6GHz - HDD 1 TB - 8G)-which would you choose?
Thanks for watching. Neither actually because for either of those to perform well you need an SSD. Make sure you search for one with internal SSD and you won't regret it I promise you.
@@craigneidel Not sure, This is I can see Processor 3.4 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 Graphics Radeon Pro 560 4 GB Memory 8 GB 2400 MHz DDR4 Serial number C02XP32D31G6 macOS Ventura 13.2.1
The 2012 is a pretty old system. The two issues are the OS updates but you can solve that with something like Open Core. But if you only got the HDD (spinning drive) then it will be slow. You need an SSD in this. Or you can easily boot off an external SSD which will make it 10 times faster. I have a few videos on that and there are a ton on TH-cam showing you how to boot off external drives.
Hi I'm on the verge of getting an iMac 27 inch 2014 second hand and it's an individual sale, so I'll be viewing it myself next week, it comes with 24gb of ram, 512gb ssd drive, 4.0GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 and AMD Radeon R9 M295X with 4GB for €500, it's in perfect condition comes with track pad and magic keyboard, is that a good deal, and would it be good for music production? Great video by the way, I'm in Ireland so we don't have any stores online here like ye have which is a pity.
Hello Gary, it's not a bad deal at all and thanks for watching. Just note that the OS can only be updated to the newest OS for so long with the older iMacs. But, as far as speed it should be fast with the SSD and Ram. They are still very capable but just make sure it will run all the software you need it to etc. and then it's not a bad deal. Another option is looking at the M1 Mac mini if you have an external monitor as those are very fast even with 8 GB ram.
@@craigneidel Ya I don't know what to do, I actually was thinking about the Mac Mini, for a couple of extra hundred euros, you would have security in updates and os for a long time. I had a 2011 iMac and it's just basically told me on native access I can't update any further, so kinda screwed. You had mentioned about doing a legacy patcher for older mac's, would that be an option for a 2011 iMac? Would there be issues with GPU? Great videos btw, I'm new to the Mac so it's nice to see videos which delve into iMac ,I find some videos to be very generic, yours seem, nice and straight to the point.
Should You desire a discount the I suggest going to the Apple Refurbishment and Clearance department. Just as nice as new with clearance machines being brand new...
Hi Graig, interesting tips and thanks for sharing. Do you by any chance know any trustworthy store in Europe (e.g., in Germany) that sells used/refurbished Macs? Many thanks. Bill.
I don't but will let you know if I come up with anything. I have been to Germany many times and plan to head to Munich in the next few years again. I love Bavaria for sure.
@@craigneidel Hi Graig and thanks for your reply. I did managed to find some stores in France and Germany that claim to sale 'refurbished' Macs but whether they are trustworthy or not, I don't know, so, I'm a bit hesitant buying from them. Aside from this, the 2019 iMacs sounds like a good deal and I would have bought a 21.5" by now, but the only thing that prevents me from doing so, is the fact that the RAM is not easily accessible. Again, many thanks.
This should be in the video but I should be making a future video soon with an updated list of where to purchase used Macs and I'll have a list in there for sure.
Hello Freddie. No, you really don't want a Mac that old and the oldest to even dabble with is 2012. I would shoot more for a 2015ish now if you can. Also, make sure it has 8 GB ram min and an SSD drive (no spinning hard drives or it will be super slow). The SSD is the key. Even the 2013 works great with an SSD but the only issue is the OS etc. Thanks again.
What do you thing about 2019 27 5K iMac i5 3.7ghz 32gb ram 2tb fusion drive and radeon 580x 8gb for 1000 dollar. Is it a good deal? I want to use next 5-8 years.
You will run into os update issues that far out but the actual machine and screen is great. If you can use open core legacy patcher that might help for os. But 8 more years might be tough. Maybe 4 to 5 though
Some might and I would just check out there shipping terms. Some won't also. It is a bit tougher to get good priced iMacs (used) in Europe for sure and if I find a good source I'll make a video.
Help post : I am thinking to buy imac27 5k 2019 model 94 GB Ram with 3.8 Gz i9 processor +Radeon pro 580 X S 8GB video card. And 1 TB SSD. Do u think its better than M1 macbook pro 14 inch with 16 GB Ram. I am using Davinci resolve and edit Blackmagic raw videos.
How much is the 27" going to be as that could be deciding factor? They will both work very well for sure but you will have a few more years of support from the MacBook Pro.
Thanks for the useful information. One think I don't quite get, though is the emphasis on avoiding non-SSD drives when it is such a straightforward (OK, not for everyone) and affordable option to upgrade to SSD?
Using a spinning HDD on these Macs are not a good experience and can be really slow. HDDs are great if you want to storage data longer term or large amounts of data but for the boot drives on any iMac you really need an SSD so that you get good performance from them. It my opinion of course as we are all different.
thank you for the video. i'm currently in the market for an older iMac and i'm using a 2015 retina Macbook Pro mainly for editing videos (1080p) and normal every day stuff. I have an offer for a 27in 2015 5k 32gb ram, 256 ssd, 2 gb graphics for 600 USD. Do you think it's a good buy for my activity? otherwise, he has another option for the same price but the 2017 21in 1TB HDD, 26gb Ram, 2gb graphics. I'm not sure if they're worth looking into or should i just go for a newer model? Thank you in advance! :)
It's a tough call but if the 2017 only has HDD I would not get that since it will be very slow. The 5K iMac is incredible and that should have enough power for sure. For 1080P it would be more than enough. But, just make sure you know what version you can update the OS to. I think if it's a Mid 2015 you can only upgrade to Big Sur and if a late 2015 then you can upgrade to Monterey. Here is the compatibility chart - eshop.macsales.com/guides/Mac_OS_X_Compatibility - It's a tough call but the screen on the 5K are so nice but of course you need to make sure you get what you need. The 21.5" is nice also and should run 1080P editing but if it's a spinning drive Apple uses 5400 Drives (unless a fusion drive) and they are very slow and you most likely won't be happy with that. You can always boot off an external SSD but that's another project (I have a few videos on that). Thanks.
@@craigneidel thank you so much. Also, I have another option of just upgrading my SSD to 1tb for 160 USD. I don't know if that will make any difference 😅
@@craigneidel No, in this case a fusion drive is worse than a pure HDD. I see you dont get it. (Or are a functional analphabet, as I explained already why.) Here again: I hope you know how a fusion drive works. Now what do you think happens when data is continuosly written to the SSD part of it? (Used data is continuously showeled temporarily from the HDD part to the SSD part.) Ofcourse that will give up. The HDD part will still be ok for many years, but the SSD part will fail much sooner. If you are recommending used hardware, than you should point out the specific failures of that used hardware. These are entirely different from new bought hardware, as seen in this example very pertinently.
@@craigneidel No, in this specific case a fusion drive is worse than a purely mechanical HDD. You know, I hope, how a fusion drive works. Now what do you think will happen after years of continuosly writing temporary data (the one in use is showelled from the hdd part to the ssd part ) onto the flash part? Ofcourse it will fail. The HDD will live 10 years longer, but the SSD part will fail in 1-3 years. If you recommend buying used gear, than point out the specific failure risk. These risk are completly different from buying a new machine.
@@horeageorgian7766 I have had 4 iMacs with fusion drives and not one has failed yet. So I can only go by my experience. In any case I said get SSD as first choice.
@@craigneidel Calculating the risk an unexeperienced thinkerer (aka the simple computer user) has breaking the glass of his iMac, I would say HDD. Sure, if somebody already installed the SSD than the better, but that usually translates in an excessive price. (SSD is somewhat a buzzword today, it rockets price in auctions.)
Hi I bought an iMac late 2015 21.5in, it came without icloud and everything seemed fine. But when i tried to reinstall the system Mac os Monterey at the end of the installation it showed up a message it said Remote Managemente "Name Institution" can automatically configure your computer. Instantly it started to create jamf profiles and anothers profiles automatically. Im scared, i would like to know if is there any way to fix this problem. I dont want to lose this computer that i bought doing big efforts to afford it. Is it possible to prevent this remote management ? Thank you
Not sure about that and maybe return the system to where you purchased it or try a full reset and clean install again. I would so some research online to see if others had this issue and what they did to fix it. Since I have not come across that I don't have any suggestions yet but will let you know if I find any. Thanks.
I list in it the video - www.ebay.com/str/isellimac . This is where I get most of mine but I'm not affiliated and just make sure you know what you are buying based on rating and description. Thanks.
Can you do that video on how to upgrade any old Mac to the newest OS? Also, is it possible to upgrade the SSD drive in the new M2 MacBook Pro or air lines? Your videos are very helpful and much insight
Good information 👍, I am about to buy used iMac 2017 3.4GHZ , 8 GB 2400MHZ DDR 4 , Graphic Radeon Pro 560 4Gb ,1 TB HHd used getting for £300 with Apple mouse and keyboard, is this worth buying?
The issue is the HDD. If it's a Fusion drive you should be OK. If just a normal 5400 RPM or even 7200 RPM spinning drive then they will be pretty slow due to the hard drive. But, you can just boot off external SSD and the system will fly. I boot off an external SSD on my 2017 27" iMac base model (with upgraded 24 GB RAm) and the thing is very fast after doing that.
many of us watch/listen to youtube on 2X. I know about OWC but I couldn't quite hear the website isellimacs or whatever. I looked in the description to click on a link to buy a computer. Why are you not making money referring me?
I appreciate the offer but I really don't do that and would feel back if it didn't work out. I would check out the ebay store isellimac as they sell some nice older Macs and also watch this video - th-cam.com/video/z6s-H4BUKYU/w-d-xo.html - it's updated. Thanks Jerry.
Thanks Jerry, I wish you luck. I would just pick the best model you can for your budget and when dealing with used you can just pick a good supplier and hope for the best. So far I have had good luck.
I'm a disabled veteran and don't have much money but I would like to buy a used 27 inch Imac for $280 delivered. Can you please assist me? Thanks for your time
I can only offer advice but here is the site I use for buying Macs - just find the best grade you can afford and the model you want. Make sure it has SSD or it will be too slow. Thanks - www.ebay.com/str/isellimac
I'm guessing it had a spinning HDD and not an SSD. With SSDs they are actually pretty fast compared to modern systems. Just curious what type of drive you had on it. Thanks.
Hey Neil, after advice please, looking to buy a Mac. This would bey first apple device. The advertised specs on Facebook are... Like New Condition Super Slim Apple iMac 27 inch 4K Retina Display with NVidia Geforce GT Gaming Graphics. Great For Graphic Design, Photo editing, games. Intel i5 Quadcore. Comes with Microsoft Office 2019 Package, Word, PowerPointl, Excel etc Apple IMac 27Inch Widescreen i5 Quad Core 3.20Ghz 16Gb Ram (1600 MHz) Graphics (NVIDIA GeForce GT 755M 1Gb) Good for Games and Designers, Photoshop etcDisplay (2560 x 1440) Retina Ultra Thin Dual Hard drive 1Tb (1000Gb) HDD 128Gb SSD Super Fast Comes with keyboard & mouse Good Condition. Ready to use. Fully working with 6 months warranty Good for Office Work/Video calling/ Video Streaming/ Students/ Photo Editing/ Music Production/ DJ'ing/ Programming. Catalina 0S X Latest version This is be sold for £399 Does this seem to good to be true? I don't really know apple products but am in need of a golf computer as the old windows laptop I was using is way too old, slow and underspecced to process my photos.
Has normal hard drive but not SSD. I would not get that unless you will replace internal drive with ssd or boot off external SSD. Don't get any used Mac with spinning hdd or you won't be happy.
Actually appears to have second drive that's SSD. Ask if os boots off that drive. If it doesn't you can reinstall macos on that SSD and it should be good. So it could be good deal but if you reinstall os on SSD you would lose most software and need to reinstall with new software ids on thing like office but that is safest way.
Don't buy from OWC! You might get a good product or you might not. It is when you don't get a good one that they FAIL as a company. Horrible customer service. Here's my story in a timeline: 1) I purchased a Macbook Pro 2015 from them. 2) It arrived after a little more than a week. (Within their estimated shipping time). I updated to newer OS and transferred files. 3) Within 2 days had a bad screen. Fair enough. If they have good customer service surely they'll take care of me. 4) I went back and forth with the first person giving them picture evidence, answering all their questions. This took two more days. 5) Radio silence for 4 days. 6) Finally some more back and forth, now with a different person. 7) It took more than a week for them to be willing to take it back since my first complaint. I shipped it according to their specifications. 8) Finally after they received the unit (6 days after I shipped it), they took a couple days to run some tests and "couldn't find anything wrong with it" 9) They plan on simply sending back the same unit to me. I had to fight with them to do better. 10) They finally gave in and offered to send me another unit of similar condition 11) I ask if they send me another unit and it has problems if they would allow me to do a refund. 12) They said wouldn't be willing to give me a refund if they send me another unit. 13) I told them that I'd just take a refund now and work with a different company. 14) They had the audacity (after a month from purchase date by this time) to make me pay a restocking fee! They wasted a month of my time, with poor communication, poor customer service, and they still wanted a restocking fee. Do not work with this company if you don't want a headache for a month trying to get your computer. Go with someone else that has better customer service.
I have not had that same experience and did return some items. I'm sure all places have a few misses and I'm not sure about your story so need to be careful. It's good to hear all sides so thanks for posting but I didn't have any issues like this I'm not sure we can say don't use them.
Just got a 27” 5k mid 2017 iMac. Basically new looking. Not a scratch or issue I did but it from a single owner. I’m also tech savvy so not to worried about something like the HD failing and me not being able to fix it. They wanted $600 but I offered $500 and took it home. I got all the original cords, mouse, and keyboard. Also my favorite thing for looking up macs is the App Mactracker, it’s a free app it’s easy to use and was super helpful back when I used to fix macs for people. Nice video!!
Thanks for the info and good luck with everything. I still use my 2017 imac with upgraded 24 GB ram to create my videos even though I have some M chip Macs. I just love the screen.
@@craigneidel hey thanks! The screen is amazing! I found some 32gb ddr4 for a good price on Amazon so I’m planning that for now! I use iMovie but also FCP and of course Lr and Ps. I used to do 3D work with Maya, Zbrush, and Unreal engine on a 2017 MacBook Pro i7 16GB Ram and I’m noticing similar performance out of the iMac with less ram. Hopefully that and a SSD upgrade of the Fusion Drive will hold me over awhile. Creating on a budget;)
@@Andyrewk Thanks for sharing and good luck. Yes, the ssd upgrade and increasing the ram should really help the iMac. The screens are amazing for sure.
Excellent tips! eBay can be dodgy but I've had generally good luck buying used Macs by doing just what you recommend (lucky coincidence). The only thing I would add is that I only buy from sellers with a 100% favorable feedback rating, and the more sales the better.
Thanks again. Thanks for the tip also.
Help me to do so
Thanks for the confidence in buying my first iMac. Found a mid 2017 21.5-inch iMac 4K, 3.6GHz Quad Core i7, 32GB DDR4, 256GB SSD, PRO 555/2GB, sold on OWC In “Very Good condition” for $200.
Not a bad price and just make sure it has the SSD. I like the 27" systems a bit more but when you can pick them up for a good cost they should perform good enough for a while and are good deals.
@@craigneidel I got a similar machine for $188 but it's the i5 3.0Ghz with only 16GB RAM. Comes with 1 year warranty too.
This is an excellent price! I just got a similar spec with 16GB RAM and the i5 3.0Ghz for $188. Great find!
Great video, in my opinion the value is to be found on the upgradability of old iMacs, it’s not worth buying an old iMac say 2013 or earlier if it’s stuck on High Sierra, the patcher software (open core legacy patcher) allows Monterey 12.4 to run super smooth even on 2009 iMacs. I bought a 21.5 iMac 2009 for £90 added a 240gb ssd £25 and added 4gb ram £12 and I installed the patcher software and the latest Monterey runs perfectly, £127 for a perfected usable iMac in 2022 running latest Apple software, crazy.
Thanks for sharing and I totally agree. I might do a video in the future on the patcher software etc. to show people what is possible. I got a great deal on the 2013 iMac for $148 and it works great for sure.
Can you do everything a modern iMac can do?
Good video with sound advice. I highly recommend OWC; all the Macs I've purchased have been used and every one I've bought through OWC; great folks, no regrets.
Something else to consider with the iMac is VESA mounting. Prior to 2011(?) the stands were removable and you could get a VESA adapter for them ...which means you could mount the iMac to a moveable arm and totally de-clutter your desk. If ever a computer screamed for that capability, it's the iMac; a "desk top" computer without the desk top stuff. Then, in true Apple fashion, they did away with the removable stand feature; if you wanted VESA mount capability, you had to order your iMac from the factory with the VESA set up ...which meant you couldn't use the factory stand with it; it was either or. I believe this VESA option continues, at least through 2022. If you *really* want or need to have your iMAC on an arm, you have to score a fairly old version or the late 2017 iMac Pro. For whatever reason, Apple decided to engineer the late 2017 Pro versions with the removable stand. And lest you think you could use the adapter off your old 2011 iMac, think again. The VESA mount is *specific* for this series of iMacs; the old version will not fit. Apple no longer carries any of the mounts and there is one company making this patented adapter. There is a work around VESA adapter for the non-removable stand versions of iMac; it clamps to the factory stand. It's a little awkward, IMHO, but that's the only option you have.
Thanks for all the additional info on this. I only have been using the stand and not a Vesa mount but it's great info for the viewers. Thanks again for watching.
Thanks for this I bought a new Mac a couple of years ago & found it vastly under spec for USB connections etc, I was very unimpressed!
Thanks, just make sure you get a SSD in the Mac and that is half the battle.
I am not tech savvy but I was able to buy a 2020 iMac from a private seller and transfer my data from my 2013 iMac to it via iCloud and Migration Assistant. Also wiped the old iMac and reinstalled Catalina. I set up the old iMac just to stream videos and it works great! Love, love, love the 2020 iMac. So fast and the 5k screen is awesome. The new iMac will upgrade to Sonoma, but haven’t done that yet as I am happy with Catalina.
Thanks and congrats with the new iMac. Check out my latest video where I compare a M1 iMac to the 2017 27" iMac on a video export and I think you will be surprised.
Excellent video! I love the upgrade possibility tip with website reference.
Thanks for feedback
I need one for music production, I built my PC in 2014 and I'd like to get into the world of Mac, kind of always needed one.
I figure using apple will help me to be more productive musically.
Yes, but if you are buying an older Mac like this then I would look for one with an SSD for sure and 16 GB of ram. Also, you can use Open Core Legacy Patcher to put on the newest version of MacOS. Otherwise the m1 24" iMac used for about $650 on Ebay is the way to go.
@@craigneidel def need to find a SSD, so I'm looking for something under 250. Not a M1 but an intel
I have made a few SSD videos but go with the most current sales.
I'm pretty happy with this Mac mini m1 2020, so these videos do help.
I still love this old imac 🖥️ 21 comparing to the new one 😅 i could have upgraded to new one but the aesthetic vibe of this old mac 🍎 still captured my love for this old imac 21 inch
Yes, I also liked the design of the older iMacs and have a few I keep around. You can get them super cheap now.
I really like the aesthetic of old imacs.. ❤ i just splurge on 2017 27inches because of your channel..
Excellent video thank you Craig. I’m looking to buy one for an interview usage. Do you think you can view some iMacs in Switzerland and recommend one please?
@@habenhidrom8090 thanks for watching. I get so many individual request per day it's hard for me to look up computers but do your best and I think you will get the correct computer. I love Switzerland and was there twice. I do know things can be more money out there so good luck in the search.
got a 27 inch 2010 iMac, upgraded the SSD and ram, running linux mint on it, marvellous screen
Yes that screen is perfect
I got a 2011. But I can’t connect to the internet. 😭😭 what do I need?
@@llowe312 Did you try to plug the Ethernet cable? I had to since it was not recognizing the wifi driver, but after that the driver tool in mint downloaded automatically
I have the Ethernet cable plugged in as well. I still can’t connect to the internet
A dedicated GPU is important for a pre-owned iMac, especially when doing video editing. Excellent video...
I agree and thanks for commenting. Dedicated graphics on the iMacs has always been great and I sure hope they come out with a new 27" iMac soon.
Hey Dude, Thanks for the tips and they really helped me but I need to get rid of Safari can you help me?
Hello and thanks for watching. You cannot remove certain programs that come with the Mac and you can see a video I made on how to remove programs etc. from the last month. But you just cannot remove some programs and I think Safari is one of them.
Yeah,theirs seem to be certain programs that don't wanna come off and Safari is one.But after trying n trying, I got Safari with all its files off!!!!
Great video! I have OS X Yosemite 10.10.5 and I am looking for a used newer iMac. It’s not allowing me to make updates or access college books.
Thanks for watching and leaving a nice comment.
I found locally for $1800 iMac Pro 27 model 2017 Xeon 18, core 128 GB of RAM 1tb flash storage is this word blank performance versus price ratio in 2023 wondering if it’s upgradable to future OS X ? Or is it better to buy 2020 iMac 27 i9 for similar price or slightly cheaper same 64 gigs of RAM 1 TB storage?
You will get a few more years out of the 2020 (3) on the OS updates so it's going to be a hard choice there. Those systems are both nice and fast and I guess it depends on how you intend to use them. Personally I would just get the 2020 since I would not need the Pro model but everybody is different. Of course it also comes down to price and that could change my decision etc. Good luck and either way they should both run great it's just if you want a few more years on OS updates then get the 2020. The 2017 has about 1 year left but then it will still get updates for a few years but won't allow you to upgrade fully to newest version. Check out this page for more info - eshop.macsales.com/guides/Mac_OS_X_Compatibility
@@craigneidel thanks for the advice you’re absolutely right it’s better to get 2020 model
Thank you.
I didn't buy a used iMac. I was given one (2014 Model, 27" Retina 5k, magic mouse, keyboard, LED Cinema Display, 1TB Fusion HDD/SSD Combo, 16GB Ram). And I LOVE IT!!!
Thanks for sharing. Yes, the 5K screens are the best and once you use one you understand you can't go back. Thanks.
Do you get screen ghosting at all? I have pretty bad screen ghosting on menu bars and a couple pixels that are dead. Which is why I’m on the fence of not upgrading it to full SSD and adding more Ram, I think it’s going to just get retired or handed down to family.
I’m thinking to buy iMac 2017 21.5inc i5 ram dde 16 SSD NVMe 250 intel iris plus graphics 640 1.5gb and will add SSD Sata 250gb to do browsing, streaming, office, a lil bit of pic/vid editing and gaming. What do you think Craig? Any advice would help.
All I can say is I still do 4K 30 FPS edits using Capcut on my 2017 and it works great. I boot off external SSD. If you can find a 2020 for around 1K even better and I did a recent video on the 2020. Either way they are great for most basic tasks and the screen is the best. Just be warned that once you have a 5K imac you can't go back to a lower quality screen.
@@craigneidel thanks! But with all the basic tasks, should I add the SSD Sata 250gb to make it faster or just run it with the NVMe 250? Its around $480.
The NVMe is faster so if that's in the computer I would just run it off that.
Are there ways to remove MDM locks and iCloud activation locks ? And not just Bypass but flat out removals ? Thanks ! Great video
Nope.... I would not even try to buy one like that as it most likely was stolen or more trouble than it's worth. Thanks for watching.
What to do with a IMac os big sur that my gson left behind when he moved out. It belonged to a former employer Who did not respond to requests for a label to return it. toss or upgrade???
If it has an SSD you can load Open Core to upgrade to the newest OS. Then it's quite usable (with an SSD) or it might be too slow.
Thanks for sharing. I am having trouble with finding the chart on compatibility on macs on owc even using the search box. Any thoughts
look up OWC Mac OS compatibility on Google and it should come up.
Thank you! I'm browsing on Black Market!
Thanks for watching.
Lots of useful info! I have an opportunity to buy a iMAC 21.5 in A2116 (2021?) its an estate sale, owner is going into assited living (dementia). They are having the hard drive wiped because because, they don't have the password....Anyway, they haven't taken to be wiped yet, I think I can ask them to check the ports, etc. I had a quick look at it, I couldn't see any cosmetic defects. Any suggestions on ball park price & what I should request the pc place that is wiping the drive? I am just starting to check that model out. I don't want to low ball an offer, but again there is a level of risk. And it would be my first MAC....
You might need the password or it may not work so I would check into that. I would do some research on Google to see if you can still use it but losing the main password may not let you wipe it. So check that first. Also, make sure it has an SSD drive as well and 16 GB is better than 8 GB if you can get it. It would come down to how much you can get it for also. Otherwise I recommend picking up a used 24" iMac for around $700 and you will be happier with that for sure.
What would you mostly recommend for the price and for gaming and work
It depends on your budget. You can get some 27" 5K iMac around 2017 which are great machines. They also have upgradeable ram. Those are maybe $650 on a great deal but it just depends on your budget. For gaming I would not recommend a Mac except if you are talking about games in the Apple Arcade or basic games.
Thanks for all of this info!! I’m between an iMac with a 2017 Core i5 (3.0GHz - HDD 1 TB - 8GB) and a 2019 Core i3 (3.6GHz - HDD 1 TB - 8G)-which would you choose?
Thanks for watching. Neither actually because for either of those to perform well you need an SSD. Make sure you search for one with internal SSD and you won't regret it I promise you.
iMac 2017 3.4GHZ , 8 GB 2400MHZ DDR 4 , Graphic Radeon Pro 560 4Gb , used getting for £300 with Apple mouse and keyboard, is this worth?
@@qj3278 does it have ssd
@@craigneidel
Not sure,
This is I can see
Processor 3.4 GHz Quad-Core Intel
Core i5
Graphics Radeon Pro 560 4 GB
Memory 8 GB 2400 MHz DDR4
Serial number C02XP32D31G6
macOS Ventura 13.2.1
Hard drive 1TB
I just bought a used iMac. It’s a A1418 model I paid $200 for. I hope it isn’t a bad computer. What are your thoughts?
The 2012 is a pretty old system. The two issues are the OS updates but you can solve that with something like Open Core. But if you only got the HDD (spinning drive) then it will be slow. You need an SSD in this. Or you can easily boot off an external SSD which will make it 10 times faster. I have a few videos on that and there are a ton on TH-cam showing you how to boot off external drives.
@@craigneidel thank you for your professional input! I’ll look into an external SSD
Hi I'm on the verge of getting an iMac 27 inch 2014 second hand and it's an individual sale, so I'll be viewing it myself next week, it comes with 24gb of ram, 512gb ssd drive, 4.0GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 and AMD Radeon R9 M295X with 4GB for €500, it's in perfect condition comes with track pad and magic keyboard, is that a good deal, and would it be good for music production?
Great video by the way, I'm in Ireland so we don't have any stores online here like ye have which is a pity.
Hello Gary, it's not a bad deal at all and thanks for watching. Just note that the OS can only be updated to the newest OS for so long with the older iMacs. But, as far as speed it should be fast with the SSD and Ram. They are still very capable but just make sure it will run all the software you need it to etc. and then it's not a bad deal. Another option is looking at the M1 Mac mini if you have an external monitor as those are very fast even with 8 GB ram.
@@craigneidel Ya I don't know what to do, I actually was thinking about the Mac Mini, for a couple of extra hundred euros, you would have security in updates and os for a long time. I had a 2011 iMac and it's just basically told me on native access I can't update any further, so kinda screwed.
You had mentioned about doing a legacy patcher for older mac's, would that be an option for a 2011 iMac? Would there be issues with GPU?
Great videos btw, I'm new to the Mac so it's nice to see videos which delve into iMac ,I find some videos to be very generic, yours seem, nice and straight to the point.
Should You desire a discount the I suggest going to the Apple Refurbishment and Clearance department. Just as nice as new with clearance machines being brand new...
I have a few videos on this topic about getting my iMac that way - if you search my channel.
Hi Graig, interesting tips and thanks for sharing. Do you by any chance know any trustworthy store in Europe (e.g., in Germany) that sells used/refurbished Macs? Many thanks. Bill.
I don't but will let you know if I come up with anything. I have been to Germany many times and plan to head to Munich in the next few years again. I love Bavaria for sure.
@@craigneidel Hi Graig and thanks for your reply. I did managed to find some stores in France and Germany that claim to sale 'refurbished' Macs but whether they are trustworthy or not, I don't know, so, I'm a bit hesitant buying from them.
Aside from this, the 2019 iMacs sounds like a good deal and I would have bought a 21.5" by now, but the only thing that prevents me from doing so, is the fact that the RAM is not easily accessible.
Again, many thanks.
Can you put a list of where we can buy it from
This should be in the video but I should be making a future video soon with an updated list of where to purchase used Macs and I'll have a list in there for sure.
Would this one that isellimac is selling be any good Apple 21.5" iMac 2009 3.06GHz Core 2 Duo 500GB HDD 4GB A1311 MB950LL/A +A Grade
Hello Freddie. No, you really don't want a Mac that old and the oldest to even dabble with is 2012. I would shoot more for a 2015ish now if you can. Also, make sure it has 8 GB ram min and an SSD drive (no spinning hard drives or it will be super slow). The SSD is the key. Even the 2013 works great with an SSD but the only issue is the OS etc. Thanks again.
What do you thing about 2019 27 5K iMac i5 3.7ghz 32gb ram 2tb fusion drive and radeon 580x 8gb for 1000 dollar. Is it a good deal? I want to use next 5-8 years.
You will run into os update issues that far out but the actual machine and screen is great. If you can use open core legacy patcher that might help for os. But 8 more years might be tough. Maybe 4 to 5 though
@@craigneidel Thank you!!
Welcome
Thank you for making video
Thanks for the message, appreciate it.
do those sites ship internationally?
Some might and I would just check out there shipping terms. Some won't also. It is a bit tougher to get good priced iMacs (used) in Europe for sure and if I find a good source I'll make a video.
Help post :
I am thinking to buy imac27 5k 2019 model
94 GB Ram with 3.8 Gz i9 processor +Radeon pro 580 X S 8GB video card. And 1 TB SSD.
Do u think its better than M1 macbook pro 14 inch with 16 GB Ram.
I am using Davinci resolve and edit Blackmagic raw videos.
How much is the 27" going to be as that could be deciding factor? They will both work very well for sure but you will have a few more years of support from the MacBook Pro.
Thanks for the useful information. One think I don't quite get, though is the emphasis on avoiding non-SSD drives when it is such a straightforward (OK, not for everyone) and affordable option to upgrade to SSD?
Using a spinning HDD on these Macs are not a good experience and can be really slow. HDDs are great if you want to storage data longer term or large amounts of data but for the boot drives on any iMac you really need an SSD so that you get good performance from them. It my opinion of course as we are all different.
thank you for the video. i'm currently in the market for an older iMac and i'm using a 2015 retina Macbook Pro mainly for editing videos (1080p) and normal every day stuff. I have an offer for a 27in 2015 5k 32gb ram, 256 ssd, 2 gb graphics for 600 USD. Do you think it's a good buy for my activity? otherwise, he has another option for the same price but the 2017 21in 1TB HDD, 26gb Ram, 2gb graphics. I'm not sure if they're worth looking into or should i just go for a newer model? Thank you in advance! :)
It's a tough call but if the 2017 only has HDD I would not get that since it will be very slow. The 5K iMac is incredible and that should have enough power for sure. For 1080P it would be more than enough. But, just make sure you know what version you can update the OS to. I think if it's a Mid 2015 you can only upgrade to Big Sur and if a late 2015 then you can upgrade to Monterey. Here is the compatibility chart - eshop.macsales.com/guides/Mac_OS_X_Compatibility - It's a tough call but the screen on the 5K are so nice but of course you need to make sure you get what you need. The 21.5" is nice also and should run 1080P editing but if it's a spinning drive Apple uses 5400 Drives (unless a fusion drive) and they are very slow and you most likely won't be happy with that. You can always boot off an external SSD but that's another project (I have a few videos on that). Thanks.
@@craigneidel thank you so much. Also, I have another option of just upgrading my SSD to 1tb for 160 USD. I don't know if that will make any difference 😅
I got a 5k 27" 2017 iMac last week with an i5, 16GB ram and 1TB HDD for $425
Is it a fusion drive. If not boot off external SSD and it will fly.
@@craigneidel It is a fusion drive.
@@dragonballjiujitsu it should be pretty snappy and nice buy.
Recommending a fusion drive is also not the smartest thing. The flash part of those disks are going first.
I said SSD first and Fusion is only worst case. It's better than HDD but not nearly as good as SSD.
@@craigneidel No, in this case a fusion drive is worse than a pure HDD.
I see you dont get it. (Or are a functional analphabet, as I explained already why.) Here again: I hope you know how a fusion drive works. Now what do you think happens when data is continuosly written to the SSD part of it? (Used data is continuously showeled temporarily from the HDD part to the SSD part.) Ofcourse that will give up. The HDD part will still be ok for many years, but the SSD part will fail much sooner.
If you are recommending used hardware, than you should point out the specific failures of that used hardware. These are entirely different from new bought hardware, as seen in this example very pertinently.
@@craigneidel No, in this specific case a fusion drive is worse than a purely mechanical HDD.
You know, I hope, how a fusion drive works. Now what do you think will happen after years of continuosly writing temporary data (the one in use is showelled from the hdd part to the ssd part ) onto the flash part? Ofcourse it will fail. The HDD will live 10 years longer, but the SSD part will fail in 1-3 years.
If you recommend buying used gear, than point out the specific failure risk. These risk are completly different from buying a new machine.
@@horeageorgian7766 I have had 4 iMacs with fusion drives and not one has failed yet. So I can only go by my experience. In any case I said get SSD as first choice.
@@craigneidel Calculating the risk an unexeperienced thinkerer (aka the simple computer user) has breaking the glass of his iMac, I would say HDD. Sure, if somebody already installed the SSD than the better, but that usually translates in an excessive price. (SSD is somewhat a buzzword today, it rockets price in auctions.)
Hi I bought an iMac late 2015 21.5in, it came without icloud and everything seemed fine. But when i tried to reinstall the system Mac os Monterey at the end of the installation it showed up a message it said Remote Managemente "Name Institution" can automatically configure your computer. Instantly it started to create jamf profiles and anothers profiles automatically. Im scared, i would like to know if is there any way to fix this problem. I dont want to lose this computer that i bought doing big efforts to afford it. Is it possible to prevent this remote management ? Thank you
Not sure about that and maybe return the system to where you purchased it or try a full reset and clean install again. I would so some research online to see if others had this issue and what they did to fix it. Since I have not come across that I don't have any suggestions yet but will let you know if I find any. Thanks.
Man! I appreciate you!
Thanks for watching
Owc doesn't have any computers right now and I can't get to isellimac selling place
Thanks.
Sir from which website can I buy a used MacBook Pro
I list in it the video - www.ebay.com/str/isellimac . This is where I get most of mine but I'm not affiliated and just make sure you know what you are buying based on rating and description. Thanks.
amazing video, ty sir
Thanks for the nice words.
So how do I know if it has a SSD drive.
It will list it as such. If it doesn't say SSD most likely not.
Thanks Craig Neidel
Thanks again for watching.
Good video.
Thanks for the feedback.
OWC doesn't seem to sell imacs
Here you go eshop.macsales.com/configure-my-mac/imac
Can you do that video on how to upgrade any old Mac to the newest OS?
Also, is it possible to upgrade the SSD drive in the new M2 MacBook Pro or air lines?
Your videos are very helpful and much insight
You can't really upgrade SSDs on the new M2 computers. If it fails I'm sure Apple can replace but you really can't do that yourself.
@@craigneidel so you’d have to take it to an Apple Store and have them replace it? Anyway, love the content keep it up!!
I upgraded my MacBook Air N1 with a super fast external SSD from OWC. It’s 2TB, and faster than the internal SSD.
It made a big improvement.
Are there any other good sellers of apple computers on ebay?
I'll do another video soon. Right now the best one I found is www.ebay.com/str/isellimac
Good information 👍, I am about to buy used iMac 2017 3.4GHZ , 8 GB 2400MHZ DDR 4 , Graphic Radeon Pro 560 4Gb ,1 TB HHd used getting for £300 with Apple mouse and keyboard, is this worth buying?
The issue is the HDD. If it's a Fusion drive you should be OK. If just a normal 5400 RPM or even 7200 RPM spinning drive then they will be pretty slow due to the hard drive. But, you can just boot off external SSD and the system will fly. I boot off an external SSD on my 2017 27" iMac base model (with upgraded 24 GB RAm) and the thing is very fast after doing that.
thank you for this !
Thanks for watching Bruce.
many of us watch/listen to youtube on 2X. I know about OWC but I couldn't quite hear the website isellimacs or whatever. I looked in the description to click on a link to buy a computer. Why are you not making money referring me?
www.ebay.com/str/isellimac .... Try this link. Thanks.
Can I pay you to help me find a good 27 iMac?
I appreciate the offer but I really don't do that and would feel back if it didn't work out. I would check out the ebay store isellimac as they sell some nice older Macs and also watch this video - th-cam.com/video/z6s-H4BUKYU/w-d-xo.html - it's updated. Thanks Jerry.
@@craigneidel all good Craig. I wouldn’t blame you. Not expecting a 2030 iMac from a 2017. I’ll watch your link.
Thanks Jerry, I wish you luck. I would just pick the best model you can for your budget and when dealing with used you can just pick a good supplier and hope for the best. So far I have had good luck.
I found one ☝🏾 on OWC that's upgradable to update IOS
Thanks for watching and good luck. Make sure it boots os off SSD drive as that's what makes it fast
@@craigneidel Thanks for the input.
its ok to buy refurbish from iMac store bcs they still expensive
Yes, they are basically new and I bought one. Check out my videos on the iMac I got from the Apple refurbished store.
tnks
Thanks for watching.
I'm a disabled veteran and don't have much money but I would like to buy a used 27 inch Imac for $280 delivered. Can you please assist me?
Thanks for your time
I can only offer advice but here is the site I use for buying Macs - just find the best grade you can afford and the model you want. Make sure it has SSD or it will be too slow. Thanks - www.ebay.com/str/isellimac
I look for Macs with a question mark folder, and get them at a HUGE DISCOUNT.
Yes, those are usually easy to fix for sure and good tip.
How do you fix those?
Tldr: look for one you can gut and make a PC monitor out of
Yes, you can do that or use it as a second screen with a cable but only certain models. Thanks for sharing.
Unfortunately prices got up, at least in Europe.
Yes, they did go up a little bit recently but should come back down.
I just sold my for 550$, it was too slow and wouldn’t open apps fast enough,
I'm guessing it had a spinning HDD and not an SSD. With SSDs they are actually pretty fast compared to modern systems. Just curious what type of drive you had on it. Thanks.
Hey Neil, after advice please, looking to buy a Mac. This would bey first apple device. The advertised specs on Facebook are...
Like New Condition Super Slim Apple iMac 27 inch 4K Retina Display with NVidia Geforce GT Gaming Graphics. Great For
Graphic Design, Photo editing, games. Intel i5 Quadcore.
Comes with Microsoft Office 2019 Package, Word, PowerPointl, Excel etc Apple IMac 27Inch Widescreen i5 Quad Core 3.20Ghz
16Gb Ram (1600 MHz)
Graphics (NVIDIA GeForce GT 755M 1Gb) Good for Games and Designers, Photoshop etcDisplay (2560 x 1440)
Retina Ultra Thin
Dual Hard drive
1Tb (1000Gb) HDD
128Gb SSD Super Fast
Comes with keyboard & mouse
Good Condition. Ready to use. Fully working with 6 months warranty Good for Office Work/Video calling/ Video Streaming/
Students/
Photo Editing/
Music Production/
DJ'ing/
Programming.
Catalina 0S X Latest version
This is be sold for £399
Does this seem to good to be true? I don't really know apple products but am in need of a golf computer as the old windows laptop I was using is way too old, slow and underspecced to process my photos.
Has normal hard drive but not SSD. I would not get that unless you will replace internal drive with ssd or boot off external SSD. Don't get any used Mac with spinning hdd or you won't be happy.
Actually appears to have second drive that's SSD. Ask if os boots off that drive. If it doesn't you can reinstall macos on that SSD and it should be good. So it could be good deal but if you reinstall os on SSD you would lose most software and need to reinstall with new software ids on thing like office but that is safest way.
Last thing. What is year of iMac? That makes huge difference.
If 2011 or 2012 I would stay away
Don't buy from OWC! You might get a good product or you might not. It is when you don't get a good one that they FAIL as a company. Horrible customer service.
Here's my story in a timeline:
1) I purchased a Macbook Pro 2015 from them.
2) It arrived after a little more than a week. (Within their estimated shipping time). I updated to newer OS and transferred files.
3) Within 2 days had a bad screen. Fair enough. If they have good customer service surely they'll take care of me.
4) I went back and forth with the first person giving them picture evidence, answering all their questions. This took two more days.
5) Radio silence for 4 days.
6) Finally some more back and forth, now with a different person.
7) It took more than a week for them to be willing to take it back since my first complaint. I shipped it according to their specifications.
8) Finally after they received the unit (6 days after I shipped it), they took a couple days to run some tests and "couldn't find anything wrong with it"
9) They plan on simply sending back the same unit to me. I had to fight with them to do better.
10) They finally gave in and offered to send me another unit of similar condition
11) I ask if they send me another unit and it has problems if they would allow me to do a refund.
12) They said wouldn't be willing to give me a refund if they send me another unit.
13) I told them that I'd just take a refund now and work with a different company.
14) They had the audacity (after a month from purchase date by this time) to make me pay a restocking fee! They wasted a month of my time, with poor communication, poor customer service, and they still wanted a restocking fee.
Do not work with this company if you don't want a headache for a month trying to get your computer. Go with someone else that has better customer service.
I have not had that same experience and did return some items. I'm sure all places have a few misses and I'm not sure about your story so need to be careful. It's good to hear all sides so thanks for posting but I didn't have any issues like this I'm not sure we can say don't use them.