You should rename the title to something like "Buying used M1 Macbooks in 2023 - worth it?". Not much was actually said about the M2 Pro and M2 Max. I am buying a 16" M1 Max 32c 1TB 32GB for £1900 and can say this video will be very useful for anyone looking at something similar.
I think he did that on purpose. Your title would be more accurate and helpful, but probably gets less clicks than a more controversial sounding title. Its all part of the game.
I got my M1 Max top-end from apple refurbished, and I couldn't be happier. I'll use this thing for 5 years just like I did with my 2018 MacBook air. Used MacBooks are the greatest kept secret ever.
I think the Intel Macs are holding up their price because of Bootcamp support. It’s two laptops in one for a lot of people. And Bootcamp is better than Parallels.
Intel macs have lost significant resale value after apple sillicon. Though I loved bootcamp I still believe the market for windows users on mac is very small.
I have a 2021 M1 Pro Macbook Pro 14" and haven't heard the fan yet. I do video and audio for home studio. Blender, Obs, Reaper all play well together and still haven't heard the fan kick on. Great machine, buy used if you can and get Apple Care if you're old like me or a klutz also like me it's cheaper in the long run. Great channel, thanks for the tips!
I 16" have an M1 Pro MacBook Pro, and while pushing the machine like you described, the fans will typically turn on at some point, but will never go beyond idle speed which is actually barely hearable and will turn off shortly after
I bought my 2019 MacBook Pro 16" before Apple Silicon came out and maxed it out aside from storage. On the one hand, I want to get a newer Apple Silicon MacBook for all the great additions but at the same time, I find myself sticking it out with my current MacBook because Bootcamp support is something I need or at least prefer. I think Bootcamp is one reason why some people will continue to desire the Intel Macs.
That’s a tough call. Honestly you would get significantly better performance from a cheap gaming PC, and a better laptop experience from an m1 or m2, all day or multiple day battery life, silent fans, and significantly better screen. If people are buying an intel MacBook Pro for boot camp they are paying way too much for a poor windows experience and a sub optimal MacOS experience. But you already have the machine so that puts you in a unique position. Honestly after coming from a 2012 MacBook Pro, the M2 is another universe. You would find it’s a completely different experience with the silent operation and the processor is incredible. But if you need windows I would seriously recommend a cheaper mini PC specifically for that purpose, and just go for an m1 or m2 while you still have a machine with some decent resale value.
@@ghost-user559 Yea fair point, honestly I should consider it because it would be cool to build my own PC, I’d get better performance and efficiency in all areas and I wouldn’t have to reboot whenever I needed to switch OSes. With streaming clients with parsec and moonlight I can even get really good PC streaming capabilities. I might just stick it out till M3 or M4 comes out though because currently my MacBook is still solid for what I need it for.
@@jarboer Yeah you are lucky because you still could get a decent price for your MacBook Pro in the current market, or even a decent trade in price through Apple. Every year that trade in price drops significantly though. And honestly no need to wait for M3. I personally would avoid M1, but m2 has 50% faster neural cores, which means I can render a Stable Diffusion batch in the background using only those cores with almost zero CPU or GPU or memory usage. And the WiFi and Bluetooth issues and all the first gen issues are solved, and most apps are native to Apple silicon now. I would say take the leap while your machine retains value, and you can get a long term device that would last you for the foreseeable future.
@@jarboer And building a PC would definitely be the best way to go over a mini PC, and you would truly have the best of both worlds. Then you can get Linux on a partition, Windows on your main drive, and MacOS on your laptop. I personally got the M2 Pro Mini base model and honestly it’s incredible. Plus it’s got significantly better gpu performance over M1, and the faster neural cores, and no WiFi or Bluetooth issues, and HDMI 2.1, and 4 Thunderbolt ports makes it a significantly better machine than any Mini has ever been. The new M2 laptops have an incredible screen and the battery goes for days on a single charge, and they are just as fast on battery as on a charger. I’m even using my mini for Emulation and it makes a great sleeper gaming rig too as long as you stay from retro to around Xbox 360/PS3 era.
I've just sold my M1 pro macbook pro, because I wanted more ram and storage, should I put the trigger for an m2 chip macbook with 32 gb and 1 tb or should I just buy the m1 with 32 gb ?
I think that second hand deals is where it's at. I recently picked up a base model M1 Macbook Pro 13" for the equivalent of 370usd!! It had been dropped and there is a small dent on one corner, and a small crack in the corner glass. But it's within the black bezels of the screen, so doesn't affect viewing at all. It was an absolute steal, and more than enough for my casual usage (I have a primary desktop computer). Battery health was 100% too with only a handful of cycles.
I just bought the older version of the MacBook Pro 14-inch, just like you had. I bought it from Best Buy as an open box for about $1,700 with tax. But it has a one-year warranty.
@@luv2stack 😂🤡 Saying that Apple silicon laptops are the most powerful laptops ever is absolutely ridiculous. However, they do have great battery life for their performance.
I just bought a brand new M1 MacBook Air from Best Buy for $800. I think it’s a pretty sweet deal and if you don’t need the power and ports save your money. Honestly I was considering the m2 max but I decided to go with the least expensive brand new and lightest MacBook (maybe m2 lighter). I’m happy with all my money I didn’t spend and I have a good MacBook
One consideration buying refurbished is warranty and vendor reliability. I've bought Apple reconditioneds in the past, and they're all still running today - 2006 MBP1,1; 2010 MBP6,2; and 2015 MBP11,5 (great machine, BTW!) It was hard to beat Apple's price on a refurb'd 2021 16" M1 Pro 16GB/1TB, so bought one. Arrived yesterday... going back today, on their dime. Would not run without charger attached; battery 'charge' at 34%, orange light, but not charging. Called Apple last night hoping they had a magic fix, but no. So this sort of thing can happen, but if it does, no other seller I'd rather deal with than Apple. Another consideration is that the tight security on the M1/M2 machines makes it at least possible they're not properly wiped and re-verified (wrong term?). I think that might mean needing original owner ID/password. [Don't know the work-around for the fingerprint sensor.] For these and other unsavory reasons, I wouldn't consider e-Bay.
I recently bought a refurbished 16" M1 Max | 32GB RAM | 1TB SSD MacBook. I think it's well worth the savings because the M1 Max already was extremly fast and the M2 Max is just a bit more extremely fast which only matters in specific workloads. Note on the battery cycles: be careful with that. There can be a machine with < 10 cycles and a really bad battery condition because it was used at a charger permanently.
@@HStephens05 Yea but it degrates the battery really fast if it stays at 100% all the time. The "optimized charging" feature where the mac is supposed to stop charging at 80% doesn't really work well.
how can you "be careful" with that. there would be no way to tell beforehand or even after the fact until down the road, since what you are describing is a "prior usage habit" that the machine went thru
I got a second hand MBP M1 max 32GB, 1TB. The same week the M2 versions came out for only £1050 ($1200) . Deal of the century. It's a beast so powerful.
It all boils down to how one buys Apple Macs. Some want to upgrade almost every year, others (like me) want to buy the very best thing available at any given time and then keep it for 5-7 years. Apple has certainly made the more difficult in the Apple Silicon era. It may not be practical anymore to count on 5-7 years from ANY mac product.
08:55 I guarantee that laptop was used in some kind of live/travel entertainment use - DJ, live sound, A/V. If they don’t have proper road cases, they’ll get pretty banged up.
There must be a catch. No sane person would want to sell a MacBook at such a low price, if it is still in perfect condition. Apple products don't depreciate so fast.
Lol nice editing mistake 7:00. But honestly great video, glad to see used Apple Silicon getting cheaper, that's where the best deals will be for the next few years.
You ask why the older machines are higher in price than the M1 14 “ models… Hey, I lost 1000 bucks of music programs when I made the mistake of switching to Fat 64 on my 2015 MacBook Pro. I am looking to get another 2015 model to revive my programs which are outright purchases that I don’t have to pay stupid subscription fees for. There are lots of reasons to buy older models no?
I sold my Macbook Pro 16 M1 Pro base model for another with 1 TB SSD. Getting the M1Pro with 1TB new was almost just as expensive as the M2Pro new. So thats what I got. Sold the old one for 1800€. I dont buy things this expensive used, there is no warranty. If it craps out, you spent 1800€ for nothing....and there are gross people out there aaaand yes...for the "new mac smell" BUT 1200€ to get into the Macbook Pro realm with the 14" is CRAZY!
If I'm not mistaken, a refurbished 14" [M1 Max 10cpu 32gpu - 32gb ram - 1tb ssd] costs roughly the same as a 14" [M2 Pro 12 cpu 19gpu - 16gb ram - 1tb ssd]. If you had both machines in those configuration I think it would be a useful comparison. There's the idea of spending less, that you express on this video, but also the alternative of spending the same for getting a once more powerful machine.
In the past, in the Intel Mac era, I would never have purchased anything other than a MBP. But Apple Silicon has changed the equation, AND my needs have changed. 15 months ago I purchased an M1 MBA, and it’s an amazing machine. I would like a 14”-15” screen, so if the 15” MBA does come out, and the pricing is right, I might upgrade and sell my M1 MBA. But that depends on the specs and price, because the M1 MBA is truly an amazing machine.
I totally agree with your investigations on the used market and just decided to get a used Mac Studio with M1 Max 32GB and 32C GPU instead of a new Mac mini M2 pro. Got a deal for 1750€.
@@JT-oc2dn performance is amazing. The extra RAM makes a huge difference. Battery life is a little less when I’m editing but not terrible. I purchased AppleCare when it arrived no issues.
just checked and appears to be selling for a few hundred higher than the listings you showed, your point def still stands tho. there are some great deals for those in the used market.
The M3 MacBook Air looks like it’s going to be a M2 so M3’s are maybe next year. I would love a video on best way to migrate from one MBP to another since you buy new ones all the time.
Migrating MacBooks is stupid easy. Just have them sit next to each other and follow on-screen prompts to go through Migration Assistant, come back in a few hours. You don't need a video for that.
Migration Assistant. Use thunderbolt cable and you are set for fast transfer. You will have same mac as before. Down to the last icon position on desktop and last open window. Just faster. And newer.
@@mbvglider So it’s some kinda OG magic? Cause my MacBooks have been sitting next to each other for a day now. Ne’er seen a prompt appear according to your idea.
Good episode, Luke. I always enjoy a great value when buying the previous year's Apple product. I don't buy into the hype - the latest device is xx% faster than the previous version. Buy last year (excluding the 13" M1 MBP - junk) and enjoy saving a few $4.
The intel ones are more portable. Also, they're still used by professionals who require virtualization (a ton of pros in the tech industry). Pen testers like me need an intel-based machine so we could run windows server VM's along with kali.
You can still use the Apple chips for virtualization through Parallels tho. Or is that just not as practical as the intel based MacBooks? I use my M2 Max for virtualization thru parallels and it works great.
There is a lot of compatibility issues with the M1 and M2 graphics chips. A lot of monitors especially ultra wide have issues trust me I know.. can’t say how but I do, specific models of ultra widescreen monitors have issues such as flickering and lines across the display.
i'm looking to buy my first macbook, is better a macbook air or a pro? my budget is very limited, so i was thinking of picking up the base model, here in italy there is only 100€ of difference between the air and the pro (both with M2 8 core CPU but the pro has the 10 core GPU) is it worth it for going with the 10 core GPU? nobody does the base model vs base model comparison of the macs AFAIK. Thanks for any reply. Have a nice day
Aaaand... NO, things are not like that over the pond as of now. Maybe a little later? We'll see. I'm OK with that if "later" is just a few months, but not if that's at the end of the year or next year even. We'll see.
which is why I can't ever sell my 2018 13" MBP. There is no way I can get enough for it to make it worth it to sell.... so, I'm pretty much screwed. Same with me 9900k iMac.
When you produced this video I was like: Pff, no I am not upgrading my 16" M1 Pro MBP, three, maybe four months later I sold my 16" as soon I saw the prices drop, though here in Canada is it a little slower with the price drops. I got the 14" M2 MAX and this time I did not skimp on the memory (but I also did not completely go overboard), and it was the best decision I made, Apple refurbished is the way to go, and luckily they were available here. They were not at the first time I looked, so I was not that enticed to upgrade. Having a plethora of horsepower and memory is really making the experience very spiffy.
Hey bro, i just got pro 14" with m2 max chip (32gb rams, 12cpu-30gpu). Would really appreciate your help here (because i am waiting it from the US and i should blindly decide to return it or not, do not live there). Lately i was reading that the m2 max battery life is worse than m2 pro (because of the 30 gpu). Also that it overheats and the fans are very loud. Can you please share your experience with those 3 points, it will help me big time. Wondering if I should return it and get m2 pro 12cpu-19gpu cores 🙏🙏🙏
You can buy AppleCare+ within 60 days of your device purchase, but it changes here in italy within 30 days.. but luckily for Eu clients we have 2 years coverage mandatory for any seller.. so also apple gives 2 years included.
Tell casekoo to add images of the magic stand case in a standing view. There isn't even 1 pic of the case being used as a stand! I know this video has it, but anyone just going to the site won't see it.
I paid £30 for my macbook pro 5,5. No hard drive but I had a few spare, so managed to fix it. I've now got ventura running on it fine and given it to the wife as I'm now renting a 14,7 for £35 a month!
I just ordered a 14 inch M2 Pro Macbook Pro (12CPU-19GPU) 16gb ram, 1TB ssd for $2000 from BestBuy….but its an Open Box (for NEW its $2500). Do you think thats a good deal or should I have bought a cheaper used M1 Pro?
@@angelvelez139 Nope I returned it. It had a 1 inch deep scratch right on the screen. I got frustrated so I just went and bought a brand new M2 Pro from the Apple store instead
Great video as usual! Thanks for an informative video again. Love hearing your views. Wondering if you feel a used M1 Pro is better value than an M2 Air today even for casual users as well. Given the new prices - seems so to me! Interested in your view too.
I have seen the MB Air M2 for as low as £1050 in the UK, so as that is also moving through its life cycle, that is a better value. The base model of the Air is great and enough for most people, and now it can be had on deals. It is the better option for most.
@@andyH_England I think you’re totally right. For most it’s the best. However here in the U.K. I saw an open box M1 Pro 14 inch (base model) for £1100 at John Lewis. Was within 60 days of original purchase so was able to get apple care. I agree it’s more than a casual user needs but that screen and speakers are so nice for that price! But I have to admit that’s just a lucky price. It was discounted from an already discounted price.
@@sanasainani9098 That was a bargain price and you did great to get that. Obviously you made the correct decision and well done. I keep my eyes peeled but never seen such a discount!
The M1 Pro is a far better deal than the M2 Air. M1 Pro 14" offers so much more than the M2 Air, and the 14" has a far superior display than the Air. The M1 Pro also has far better cooling than the Air.
I can agree with the pricing on Intel being funky. I was on the search for a dual graphics 2015 MacBook Pro 15" and kept finding 2017 Retina macbook pros for less, in good condition. And on occasion would find a refurb Retina Macbook with a new battery for £299. Though i was able to snag one up with 102 cycles for £279
I’ll be likely looking at getting a 14” MacBook Pro at the end of next year (or early 2025) in prep for Uni, it’s probably too early to tell but would it be better to buy a brand new M3 version (which M3 should definitely be out by then), or get a refurbished or used M2 version? I won’t be considering the M2/M3 Max, only the M2/M3 Pro as I simply don’t need that power for an IT bachelor’s degree. I’d only consider an M2 Max 14” then if there was a crazy deal on one. It’ll also be my first Mac as well
You’re right, all the way down the lineup. I bought the M1-nothing 13-inch MacBook Pro just a few months before the M2 version replaced it. Got a great “clearance” deal on one with 16GB/1TB specs, like new certified-refurb under warranty. It’s the best Mac I’ve owned. For what I do, I’m good at least until M3 (even M4). Apple will support M1 with latest MacOS for a long time. For most people, M1 from late 2020 is more than enough power, even in 2023.
On one side i am a bit annoyed by the fact that i paid over a year ago beside the student discount „full price“ for a 16“ M1 Pro base model considering now affordable 1TB and even 32GB Ram versions. On the other side i waited already very long with my 2010 15“ MacBook Pro to upgrade, 12 years is enough. Luckily M2 doesnt give that much more (especially for my usecases its pretty much the same!) As soon Apple has 32GB Ram and 2TB+ base models and the 16/512 M1 Pro isnt enough i upgrade again, until that day the M1 Pro will serve me well as the 2010 did for long.
Apple Silicon Macs are somewhat "crippled" compared to the older Macs. For example, a Mac Pro 2019 has dropped to almost 20% of its original price, at the $3000 range. For $3000, you can get a 16-core CPU,, the ability to install 1.5 TB of RAM, as well as whatever GPUs or other harddware you would like. However, an apple silicon machine lost the access to almost all PCI-E devices, discrete GPUs, and Windows running capabilities. An Intel Mac may be inefficient, but it gets the job done. Over time the compatibility issues of the ARM Macs doesn't seem to get better either. A lot of hardware, such as firewire sound cards that cost thousands of dollars, do not work on the new Macs.
I'm still keeping my 2019 16inch i7 Intel MacBook Pro as it is till good. I only hear the fans when I run a Cinebench test. Obviously the new M2 MacBook Pros are much better. The killer sweet spot machines were the M2 pro Mac minis. But an M3 MacBook Air could be really good if it performs as expected and Apple don't cheap it out with a slow ssd and low ram. What ever happened to 'insanely great'.
I just got the 16 inch M1 Max with 32 gpu cores and 64GB ram and 2TB SSD. Parallels has come a long way on apple silicon, you can play some games inside a windows 11 install on the M1 chip. So the loss of bootcamp isn't so bad. Overall the M1 Max laptop is the best one I have ever had by far. If you can afford it, get the decked out model, you won't regret it later. Well maybe dont go above 2TB on the SSD
Just after release of M2's, I swaped my 3year old i9 32gb i1tb ssd for almost max spec m2 max 96gb ram 2tb ssd. I sold intel for ~$1000, when o bought was 3k, I hope that with arm will be little bi better :D Difference with performance between this two was gigantic, quiet and battery life even more.
@@vaskodikov6869 without power saving mode, full power available. Easily 10h+, from web developer job, from typical office job probably 16+. Fans are dead silent. Whit this mode one 20h will be available. I never manage them to kick stronger than almost nor hearable. Even when I try to run everything that I’ve installed, some hyper demanding games. Warhammer total war 3, 120fps 1440p mid/high setting, 4K ultra, 30fps+. And still dead silent.
If you don’t need a MacBook immediately, definitely wait for the M3. The new manufacturing process will make it run much cooler with much more processing power.
I keep my phone in the case and hate finger prints on it. I don't let people touch the phone with out the case. So when i sell it its perfect. If i ever had the money to buy mac boo pro I'd do the same thing and get a keyboard cover and other stuff but I'm never going to be able to buy one, there too expensive :(
Can any of you all help me im upgrading from an iPhone 7 Plus and i cant make up my mind if i go for a cheaper used iPhone 13 pro max (256gb) or the new iPhone 14 pro Max (256gb) please help me
These models are worth it but the base models with the slower SSDs are a tougher buy vs M1 models with better SSDs. This in combination with massive price increases outside of the US (here in the U.K. about £300 like for like) grabbing a M1 Pro even new is a better deal
For 2300€ I got the 10 Core M1 Pro 14” with the 1TB SSD and 32GB of memory about 8 months ago (+ 20€ for shipping because the seller was also in the EU) It’s easily my best tech investment ever, I wonder how Apple is going to make me upgrade in the upcoming years
It's no secret the M2 Pro & Max were not that bigger improvement on what is the best lap top in a decade, having said that, I would not buy a used one, if it didn't have Apple Care with it and also the camera is better on the M2 and the battery as well....I almost upgraded to a refurbished M1 Pro 14 inch, but decided to wait for the M3 for those 2 reasons
I just bought a Core 2 Duo Polycarbonate MacBook for £20. Cheap SSD and 4GB RAM I'm all in for £44. If I want to edit video I'll use Apple Silicon, but it's crazy the deals out there on the ancient but still usable stuff. What times we live in!
Hi Luke, I bought a Mac mini with 16 GB ram and a TB of storage, which I have coupled with a Samsung 28.5 inch HDR screen (a good deal under 250 Euro) and I use this to work from home, which is excellent as I have a Gigabit Ethernet connection to the net. I don't buy a laptop anymore because I have to use my HP Windows CRAP laptop for work. Although that one has 32 GB of memory, I don't care about it, because whatever strength this machine might have, it still has WINDOWS.
This just shows that anyone who buys the latest greatest Macbooks at RRP are suckers and that one should never buy them new. Which also means that you will always be one or two years behind the technology when you acquire them. And on another note, the fact that the intel macbooks still retains their value means a lot of people still want the option to have Bootcamp / Windows running on their Apple machines. It may also mean that there are now so many used Apple Silicon macbooks up for sale at low prices is because perhaps users are returning back to Windows machines after they found out they couldn't properly run their Windows applications and/or games.
good times, apple silicone really changed the game. i honestly think the times where mac where good but (at least new) never good deals pricewise are gone for good..
You should rename the title to something like "Buying used M1 Macbooks in 2023 - worth it?". Not much was actually said about the M2 Pro and M2 Max. I am buying a 16" M1 Max 32c 1TB 32GB for £1900 and can say this video will be very useful for anyone looking at something similar.
I think he did that on purpose. Your title would be more accurate and helpful, but probably gets less clicks than a more controversial sounding title. Its all part of the game.
I'm getting the same mac as you for a little less
🙏 I was gonna watch. I own an M1 Air so you saved me ten minutes
😂
I’m also considering buying the base 16inch in with m2 max
I love that you're always able to pull out banger deals, as well as banger music in your videos. Awesome job!
I got my M1 Max top-end from apple refurbished, and I couldn't be happier. I'll use this thing for 5 years just like I did with my 2018 MacBook air. Used MacBooks are the greatest kept secret ever.
They are kinda harder to find and sellout from apple refurbished quick ..
I think the Intel Macs are holding up their price because of Bootcamp support. It’s two laptops in one for a lot of people. And Bootcamp is better than Parallels.
Intel macs have lost significant resale value after apple sillicon. Though I loved bootcamp I still believe the market for windows users on mac is very small.
I have a 2021 M1 Pro Macbook Pro 14" and haven't heard the fan yet. I do video and audio for home studio. Blender, Obs, Reaper all play well together and still haven't heard the fan kick on. Great machine, buy used if you can and get Apple Care if you're old like me or a klutz also like me it's cheaper in the long run. Great channel, thanks for the tips!
I 16" have an M1 Pro MacBook Pro, and while pushing the machine like you described, the fans will typically turn on at some point, but will never go beyond idle speed which is actually barely hearable and will turn off shortly after
I bought my 2019 MacBook Pro 16" before Apple Silicon came out and maxed it out aside from storage. On the one hand, I want to get a newer Apple Silicon MacBook for all the great additions but at the same time, I find myself sticking it out with my current MacBook because Bootcamp support is something I need or at least prefer. I think Bootcamp is one reason why some people will continue to desire the Intel Macs.
That’s a tough call. Honestly you would get significantly better performance from a cheap gaming PC, and a better laptop experience from an m1 or m2, all day or multiple day battery life, silent fans, and significantly better screen.
If people are buying an intel MacBook Pro for boot camp they are paying way too much for a poor windows experience and a sub optimal MacOS experience.
But you already have the machine so that puts you in a unique position. Honestly after coming from a 2012 MacBook Pro, the M2 is another universe. You would find it’s a completely different experience with the silent operation and the processor is incredible. But if you need windows I would seriously recommend a cheaper mini PC specifically for that purpose, and just go for an m1 or m2 while you still have a machine with some decent resale value.
@@ghost-user559 Yea fair point, honestly I should consider it because it would be cool to build my own PC, I’d get better performance and efficiency in all areas and I wouldn’t have to reboot whenever I needed to switch OSes. With streaming clients with parsec and moonlight I can even get really good PC streaming capabilities. I might just stick it out till M3 or M4 comes out though because currently my MacBook is still solid for what I need it for.
@@jarboer Yeah you are lucky because you still could get a decent price for your MacBook Pro in the current market, or even a decent trade in price through Apple. Every year that trade in price drops significantly though.
And honestly no need to wait for M3. I personally would avoid M1, but m2 has 50% faster neural cores, which means I can render a Stable Diffusion batch in the background using only those cores with almost zero CPU or GPU or memory usage. And the WiFi and Bluetooth issues and all the first gen issues are solved, and most apps are native to Apple silicon now. I would say take the leap while your machine retains value, and you can get a long term device that would last you for the foreseeable future.
@@jarboer And building a PC would definitely be the best way to go over a mini PC, and you would truly have the best of both worlds. Then you can get Linux on a partition, Windows on your main drive, and MacOS on your laptop.
I personally got the M2 Pro Mini base model and honestly it’s incredible. Plus it’s got significantly better gpu performance over M1, and the faster neural cores, and no WiFi or Bluetooth issues, and HDMI 2.1, and 4 Thunderbolt ports makes it a significantly better machine than any Mini has ever been. The new M2 laptops have an incredible screen and the battery goes for days on a single charge, and they are just as fast on battery as on a charger.
I’m even using my mini for Emulation and it makes a great sleeper gaming rig too as long as you stay from retro to around Xbox 360/PS3 era.
@@ghost-user559 my 16“ M1 pro is also an amazing retro gaming rig, i wish iPad would support some emulators without jailbreak…
2015 Retina is still king when it comes to intel Macs. I have a few 2015s and a 16" M1. Awesome combo.
Just got a 2015 Retina 15 with the Radeon GPU and it’s one of my favorite laptop so far!
I've just sold my M1 pro macbook pro, because I wanted more ram and storage, should I put the trigger for an m2 chip macbook with 32 gb and 1 tb or should I just buy the m1 with 32 gb ?
I think that second hand deals is where it's at. I recently picked up a base model M1 Macbook Pro 13" for the equivalent of 370usd!! It had been dropped and there is a small dent on one corner, and a small crack in the corner glass. But it's within the black bezels of the screen, so doesn't affect viewing at all. It was an absolute steal, and more than enough for my casual usage (I have a primary desktop computer). Battery health was 100% too with only a handful of cycles.
I just bought the older version of the MacBook Pro 14-inch, just like you had. I bought it from Best Buy as an open box for about $1,700 with tax. But it has a one-year warranty.
I’ve seen absolutely incredible deals for 14” & 16” mbp. I’d honestly say it’s one of the best spec mac to ever come out
I found a Best Buy M1 for 2099 with 1tb Ssd. But I want it for 1500 bucks. I am gonna wait.
You mean the best specced laptop to ever come out
@@luv2stack 😂🤡
Saying that Apple silicon laptops are the most powerful laptops ever is absolutely ridiculous. However, they do have great battery life for their performance.
There must be a catch.
@@JeanLucConneryGet the M2, it’s faster.
I just bought a brand new M1 MacBook Air from Best Buy for $800. I think it’s a pretty sweet deal and if you don’t need the power and ports save your money. Honestly I was considering the m2 max but I decided to go with the least expensive brand new and lightest MacBook (maybe m2 lighter). I’m happy with all my money I didn’t spend and I have a good MacBook
Buying a 3 year old laptop for only 20% less than its list price is not a good deal.
@@vivek_v what brand new laptop would you recommend for $800?
One consideration buying refurbished is warranty and vendor reliability. I've bought Apple reconditioneds in the past, and they're all still running today - 2006 MBP1,1; 2010 MBP6,2; and 2015 MBP11,5 (great machine, BTW!) It was hard to beat Apple's price on a refurb'd 2021 16" M1 Pro 16GB/1TB, so bought one.
Arrived yesterday... going back today, on their dime. Would not run without charger attached; battery 'charge' at 34%, orange light, but not charging. Called Apple last night hoping they had a magic fix, but no. So this sort of thing can happen, but if it does, no other seller I'd rather deal with than Apple.
Another consideration is that the tight security on the M1/M2 machines makes it at least possible they're not properly wiped and re-verified (wrong term?). I think that might mean needing original owner ID/password. [Don't know the work-around for the fingerprint sensor.]
For these and other unsavory reasons, I wouldn't consider e-Bay.
Agree. There is always a catch because Apple products never depreciate that fast.
I recently bought a refurbished 16" M1 Max | 32GB RAM | 1TB SSD MacBook. I think it's well worth the savings because the M1 Max already was extremly fast and the M2 Max is just a bit more extremely fast which only matters in specific workloads.
Note on the battery cycles: be careful with that. There can be a machine with < 10 cycles and a really bad battery condition because it was used at a charger permanently.
Doesn’t the device stop utilizing the battery when it’s at 100% and plugged in? I thought all the power draw came from the charger at that point
@@HStephens05 Yea but it degrates the battery really fast if it stays at 100% all the time. The "optimized charging" feature where the mac is supposed to stop charging at 80% doesn't really work well.
how can you "be careful" with that. there would be no way to tell beforehand or even after the fact until down the road, since what you are describing is a "prior usage habit" that the machine went thru
keeping it plugged destroys the battery this should be natural to people
I paid $1600 for my MBP 16" M1 Pro and it is possibly one of the best value computers I have ever owned.
I got a second hand MBP M1 max 32GB, 1TB. The same week the M2 versions came out for only £1050 ($1200) . Deal of the century. It's a beast so powerful.
I have my original 15 inch late 2013 MacBook Pro and my M1 MacBook Air. I'm perfectly happy with the tech I already have.
It all boils down to how one buys Apple Macs. Some want to upgrade almost every year, others (like me) want to buy the very best thing available at any given time and then keep it for 5-7 years. Apple has certainly made the more difficult in the Apple Silicon era. It may not be practical anymore to count on 5-7 years from ANY mac product.
Very useful work 👍 simply explained. Great.
2019-2020 intel macs has also have a problem with SSD controller that can dies without any reason, and your data is gone.
08:55 I guarantee that laptop was used in some kind of live/travel entertainment use - DJ, live sound, A/V. If they don’t have proper road cases, they’ll get pretty banged up.
8:48 - this MacBook looks like it went through the jerryrigeverything durability test a few times. 😂
There must be a catch. No sane person would want to sell a MacBook at such a low price, if it is still in perfect condition. Apple products don't depreciate so fast.
Lol nice editing mistake 7:00. But honestly great video, glad to see used Apple Silicon getting cheaper, that's where the best deals will be for the next few years.
In Austria, too, used Macs, with the M1 and the latest Intel, are often more expensive than the new M1 or M2
great video man
Why? I have a MacBook Pro m2 pro and I’m super happy with it
How are the speakers on the M2 compared to the M1 ?
You ask why the older machines are higher in price than the M1 14 “ models… Hey, I lost 1000 bucks of music programs when I made the mistake of switching to Fat 64 on my 2015 MacBook Pro. I am looking to get another 2015 model to revive my programs which are outright purchases that I don’t have to pay stupid subscription fees for. There are lots of reasons to buy older models no?
I just picked up a Mac Mini M2 Pro base machine and it rocks.
I sold my Macbook Pro 16 M1 Pro base model for another with 1 TB SSD. Getting the M1Pro with 1TB new was almost just as expensive as the M2Pro new. So thats what I got. Sold the old one for 1800€. I dont buy things this expensive used, there is no warranty. If it craps out, you spent 1800€ for nothing....and there are gross people out there aaaand yes...for the "new mac smell" BUT 1200€ to get into the Macbook Pro realm with the 14" is CRAZY!
If I'm not mistaken, a refurbished 14" [M1 Max 10cpu 32gpu - 32gb ram - 1tb ssd] costs roughly the same as a 14" [M2 Pro 12 cpu 19gpu - 16gb ram - 1tb ssd]. If you had both machines in those configuration I think it would be a useful comparison. There's the idea of spending less, that you express on this video, but also the alternative of spending the same for getting a once more powerful machine.
i would like to have a video talking about apple care in which case worth to have it. great content!
I think the pro and max line of M chip should be updated to the next gen at least every 2 and half year to ensure people will buy it.
In the past, in the Intel Mac era, I would never have purchased anything other than a MBP. But Apple Silicon has changed the equation, AND my needs have changed. 15 months ago I purchased an M1 MBA, and it’s an amazing machine. I would like a 14”-15” screen, so if the 15” MBA does come out, and the pricing is right, I might upgrade and sell my M1 MBA. But that depends on the specs and price, because the M1 MBA is truly an amazing machine.
Why haven't you sold the older laptop you showed, while the prices are still inflated?
I totally agree with your investigations on the used market and just decided to get a used Mac Studio with M1 Max 32GB and 32C GPU instead of a new Mac mini M2 pro. Got a deal for 1750€.
You gotta love how cheap US prices are, cheapest 16" M1 MBP in Oz is over AU$2k
Man I was looking into getting a base refurb Mac Studio for a desktop, but now I don’t know what to do.
Used Macs are cool but what about the SSDs? In Older Intels like 2015 or Airs you can replace the drives but not in AS. It's not as simple...
Do an M1 Ultra vs M2 Max comparison
B&H has a 14 inch M1 Max with 64 GB and 2 TB for 2499. Almost picked up a M2 Pro with 16 GB/1 TB for the same price.
@@JT-oc2dn performance is amazing. The extra RAM makes a huge difference. Battery life is a little less when I’m editing but not terrible. I purchased AppleCare when it arrived no issues.
@@JT-oc2dn I get 5-6 hours under heavy editing between Lightroom and photoshop. Haven’t done video editing yet. I got the 14 inch.
when you do eBay searches you should filter by sold and completed listings, you find the prices more accurate.
just checked and appears to be selling for a few hundred higher than the listings you showed, your point def still stands tho. there are some great deals for those in the used market.
just picked up a MacBook Air at Costco for 799 pretty fast I'm impressed
You can get base 16" 2019s here in the UK from around £750 in really good condition.
I like that the new refurbished iPads at Apple come with brand new batteries. I’m not sure about laptops though.
Could you make a video about how to buy on eBay safely? Pretty scared of the place
The M3 MacBook Air looks like it’s going to be a M2 so M3’s are maybe next year. I would love a video on best way to migrate from one MBP to another since you buy new ones all the time.
Migrating MacBooks is stupid easy. Just have them sit next to each other and follow on-screen prompts to go through Migration Assistant, come back in a few hours. You don't need a video for that.
Migration Assistant. Use thunderbolt cable and you are set for fast transfer. You will have same mac as before. Down to the last icon position on desktop and last open window. Just faster. And newer.
@@mbvglider So it’s some kinda OG magic? Cause my MacBooks have been sitting next to each other for a day now. Ne’er seen a prompt appear according to your idea.
@@ZhuJo99 thanks,
@@JeanLucConnery new mac installs give the option to migrate on setup. But you can always initiate migration assistant.
Good episode, Luke. I always enjoy a great value when buying the previous year's Apple product. I don't buy into the hype - the latest device is xx% faster than the previous version. Buy last year (excluding the 13" M1 MBP - junk) and enjoy saving a few $4.
Which Mac do you use for your video editing? And which software? Just curious.
The intel ones are more portable. Also, they're still used by professionals who require virtualization (a ton of pros in the tech industry). Pen testers like me need an intel-based machine so we could run windows server VM's along with kali.
You can still use the Apple chips for virtualization through Parallels tho. Or is that just not as practical as the intel based MacBooks? I use my M2 Max for virtualization thru parallels and it works great.
There is a lot of compatibility issues with the M1 and M2 graphics chips. A lot of monitors especially ultra wide have issues trust me I know.. can’t say how but I do, specific models of ultra widescreen monitors have issues such as flickering and lines across the display.
Best mac youtuber but I will never understand why you changed the pinkish æsthetic for a lumberjack one
i'm looking to buy my first macbook, is better a macbook air or a pro? my budget is very limited, so i was thinking of picking up the base model, here in italy there is only 100€ of difference between the air and the pro (both with M2 8 core CPU but the pro has the 10 core GPU) is it worth it for going with the 10 core GPU? nobody does the base model vs base model comparison of the macs AFAIK.
Thanks for any reply.
Have a nice day
Old school Luke, going back to pricing Macs on reseller sites.
Aaaand... NO, things are not like that over the pond as of now. Maybe a little later? We'll see. I'm OK with that if "later" is just a few months, but not if that's at the end of the year or next year even. We'll see.
Picked up an M1 MacBook Pro 1tb 16gb 100% battery for 800 love it
which is why I can't ever sell my 2018 13" MBP. There is no way I can get enough for it to make it worth it to sell.... so, I'm pretty much screwed. Same with me 9900k iMac.
When you produced this video I was like: Pff, no I am not upgrading my 16" M1 Pro MBP, three, maybe four months later I sold my 16" as soon I saw the prices drop, though here in Canada is it a little slower with the price drops. I got the 14" M2 MAX and this time I did not skimp on the memory (but I also did not completely go overboard), and it was the best decision I made, Apple refurbished is the way to go, and luckily they were available here. They were not at the first time I looked, so I was not that enticed to upgrade. Having a plethora of horsepower and memory is really making the experience very spiffy.
Hey bro, i just got pro 14" with m2 max chip (32gb rams, 12cpu-30gpu). Would really appreciate your help here (because i am waiting it from the US and i should blindly decide to return it or not, do not live there).
Lately i was reading that the m2 max battery life is worse than m2 pro (because of the 30 gpu). Also that it overheats and the fans are very loud. Can you please share your experience with those 3 points, it will help me big time. Wondering if I should return it and get m2 pro 12cpu-19gpu cores 🙏🙏🙏
The 14 inch macbooks seem to have even more value now as there around the price of the 13 inch macbooks when refurbished...damn
Waiting for 2019 max pro to come down. I have a lot of need to upgrade when the price is right. Can’t use something without PCIe slots
Love the wallpapers. Can you please share the wallpaper links?
You can buy AppleCare+ within 60 days of your device purchase, but it changes here in italy within 30 days.. but luckily for Eu clients we have 2 years coverage mandatory for any seller.. so also apple gives 2 years included.
Tell casekoo to add images of the magic stand case in a standing view. There isn't even 1 pic of the case being used as a stand! I know this video has it, but anyone just going to the site won't see it.
I paid £30 for my macbook pro 5,5. No hard drive but I had a few spare, so managed to fix it. I've now got ventura running on it fine and given it to the wife as I'm now renting a 14,7 for £35 a month!
I just ordered a 14 inch M2 Pro Macbook Pro (12CPU-19GPU) 16gb ram, 1TB ssd for $2000 from BestBuy….but its an Open Box (for NEW its $2500). Do you think thats a good deal or should I have bought a cheaper used M1 Pro?
are you happy with it? I feel its a very reasonable price you paid.
@@angelvelez139 Nope I returned it. It had a 1 inch deep scratch right on the screen. I got frustrated so I just went and bought a brand new M2 Pro from the Apple store instead
Great video as usual! Thanks for an informative video again. Love hearing your views. Wondering if you feel a used M1 Pro is better value than an M2 Air today even for casual users as well. Given the new prices - seems so to me! Interested in your view too.
STOP! DON’T FEEL FOR THIS BOT! IS NOT LUKE MIAMI!!!
I have seen the MB Air M2 for as low as £1050 in the UK, so as that is also moving through its life cycle, that is a better value. The base model of the Air is great and enough for most people, and now it can be had on deals. It is the better option for most.
@@andyH_England I think you’re totally right. For most it’s the best. However here in the U.K. I saw an open box M1 Pro 14 inch (base model) for £1100 at John Lewis. Was within 60 days of original purchase so was able to get apple care. I agree it’s more than a casual user needs but that screen and speakers are so nice for that price! But I have to admit that’s just a lucky price. It was discounted from an already discounted price.
@@sanasainani9098 That was a bargain price and you did great to get that. Obviously you made the correct decision and well done. I keep my eyes peeled but never seen such a discount!
The M1 Pro is a far better deal than the M2 Air. M1 Pro 14" offers so much more than the M2 Air, and the 14" has a far superior display than the Air. The M1 Pro also has far better cooling than the Air.
I can agree with the pricing on Intel being funky. I was on the search for a dual graphics 2015 MacBook Pro 15" and kept finding 2017 Retina macbook pros for less, in good condition. And on occasion would find a refurb Retina Macbook with a new battery for £299. Though i was able to snag one up with 102 cycles for £279
I’ll be likely looking at getting a 14” MacBook Pro at the end of next year (or early 2025) in prep for Uni, it’s probably too early to tell but would it be better to buy a brand new M3 version (which M3 should definitely be out by then), or get a refurbished or used M2 version? I won’t be considering the M2/M3 Max, only the M2/M3 Pro as I simply don’t need that power for an IT bachelor’s degree. I’d only consider an M2 Max 14” then if there was a crazy deal on one. It’ll also be my first Mac as well
For normals I would say yes purchase Apple refurbished, or used.
You’re right, all the way down the lineup. I bought the M1-nothing 13-inch MacBook Pro just a few months before the M2 version replaced it. Got a great “clearance” deal on one with 16GB/1TB specs, like new certified-refurb under warranty. It’s the best Mac I’ve owned. For what I do, I’m good at least until M3 (even M4). Apple will support M1 with latest MacOS for a long time. For most people, M1 from late 2020 is more than enough power, even in 2023.
On one side i am a bit annoyed by the fact that i paid over a year ago beside the student discount „full price“ for a 16“ M1 Pro base model considering now affordable 1TB and even 32GB Ram versions.
On the other side i waited already very long with my 2010 15“ MacBook Pro to upgrade, 12 years is enough.
Luckily M2 doesnt give that much more (especially for my usecases its pretty much the same!)
As soon Apple has 32GB Ram and 2TB+ base models and the 16/512 M1 Pro isnt enough i upgrade again, until that day the M1 Pro will serve me well as the 2010 did for long.
The title is misleading. You are talking about used Macs.
M3 Max 64GB, Mac Studio Extreme, IPhone 15 Max is my menu.
Should I pick the 14 or a maxed m2 air?
14 imo
14 M1 Pro (or better 16“)
Trust me you dont regret the glorious 16“ screen and if the 16“ Model is too big for you, the 14“ will be as well
Apple Silicon Macs are somewhat "crippled" compared to the older Macs. For example, a Mac Pro 2019 has dropped to almost 20% of its original price, at the $3000 range. For $3000, you can get a 16-core CPU,, the ability to install 1.5 TB of RAM, as well as whatever GPUs or other harddware you would like. However, an apple silicon machine lost the access to almost all PCI-E devices, discrete GPUs, and Windows running capabilities. An Intel Mac may be inefficient, but it gets the job done. Over time the compatibility issues of the ARM Macs doesn't seem to get better either. A lot of hardware, such as firewire sound cards that cost thousands of dollars, do not work on the new Macs.
You are the best at Art
of the Value
The M 3eeeeeeee is the
Call of the wild
I upgraded from a late 2013 retina i7 and I got the 12c 32gb 1tb m2 pro.. its like wright brothers planes into f18s
I'm still keeping my 2019 16inch i7 Intel MacBook Pro as it is till good. I only hear the fans when I run a Cinebench test. Obviously the new M2 MacBook Pros are much better. The killer sweet spot machines were the M2 pro Mac minis. But an M3 MacBook Air could be really good if it performs as expected and Apple don't cheap it out with a slow ssd and low ram. What ever happened to 'insanely great'.
Is £1200 a good price for an m1 pro macbook pro 14?
I swapped my 2020 13 inch for a 14 late last year…pants-shitting difference
I just got the 16 inch M1 Max with 32 gpu cores and 64GB ram and 2TB SSD.
Parallels has come a long way on apple silicon, you can play some games inside a windows 11 install on the M1 chip. So the loss of bootcamp isn't so bad.
Overall the M1 Max laptop is the best one I have ever had by far. If you can afford it, get the decked out model, you won't regret it later. Well maybe dont go above 2TB on the SSD
Just after release of M2's, I swaped my 3year old i9 32gb i1tb ssd for almost max spec m2 max 96gb ram 2tb ssd.
I sold intel for ~$1000, when o bought was 3k, I hope that with arm will be little bi better :D
Difference with performance between this two was gigantic, quiet and battery life even more.
Hey bro, what is the average time you get on battery and is it overheating (+ noisy fans)?
@@vaskodikov6869 without power saving mode, full power available. Easily 10h+, from web developer job, from typical office job probably 16+. Fans are dead silent. Whit this mode one 20h will be available.
I never manage them to kick stronger than almost nor hearable.
Even when I try to run everything that I’ve installed, some hyper demanding games. Warhammer total war 3, 120fps 1440p mid/high setting, 4K ultra, 30fps+. And still dead silent.
@@Dadgrammer, fantastic! Thanks for the reply, broski! You own 16" or 14"? Guess it is a 16"
@@vaskodikov6869 16 private, 14 m2 pro from work. Same feelings about loudness and performance.
@@Dadgrammer thank you for the feedback bro, wish you all the best 🙏
The one thing the intel macs have is windows support. That might be useful for a dev who needs to develop for mac and windows.
Hey max, can you please make a video about framework laptop
hey luke, does the 12 core m2 pro run too hot in the 14 inch? should i wait for the m3 pro to see if they run cooler in the 14 inch?
If you don’t need a MacBook immediately, definitely wait for the M3. The new manufacturing process will make it run much cooler with much more processing power.
I was at an art college and everyone had Intel Mac's.
But they were running Windows on them.
I keep my phone in the case and hate finger prints on it. I don't let people touch the phone with out the case. So when i sell it its perfect. If i ever had the money to buy mac boo pro I'd do the same thing and get a keyboard cover and other stuff but I'm never going to be able to buy one, there too expensive :(
This reminds me of the M1 MBA vs M2 MBA debate.
There’s absolutely no reason to upgrade to M2 pro / M2 max from M1 pro / M1 max.
Can any of you all help me im upgrading from an iPhone 7 Plus and i cant make up my mind if i go for a cheaper used iPhone 13 pro max (256gb) or the new iPhone 14 pro Max (256gb) please help me
These models are worth it but the base models with the slower SSDs are a tougher buy vs M1 models with better SSDs. This in combination with massive price increases outside of the US (here in the U.K. about £300 like for like) grabbing a M1 Pro even new is a better deal
For 2300€ I got the 10 Core M1 Pro 14” with the 1TB SSD and 32GB of memory about 8 months ago (+ 20€ for shipping because the seller was also in the EU)
It’s easily my best tech investment ever, I wonder how Apple is going to make me upgrade in the upcoming years
M5 with 69 cores probably.
It's no secret the M2 Pro & Max were not that bigger improvement on what is the best lap top in a decade, having said that, I would not buy a used one, if it didn't have Apple Care with it and also the camera is better on the M2 and the battery as well....I almost upgraded to a refurbished M1 Pro 14 inch, but decided to wait for the M3 for those 2 reasons
I just bought a Core 2 Duo Polycarbonate MacBook for £20. Cheap SSD and 4GB RAM I'm all in for £44. If I want to edit video I'll use Apple Silicon, but it's crazy the deals out there on the ancient but still usable stuff. What times we live in!
Using macOS or Linux?
@@Mooooooof I've got it going with El Capitan, but am planning a dual boot with Linux.
If you upgrade from an Intel mac, or buying your first mac, go for an M2, if you already have an M1, just keep it...
Hi Luke, I bought a Mac mini with 16 GB ram and a TB of storage, which I have coupled with a Samsung 28.5 inch HDR screen (a good deal under 250 Euro) and I use this to work from home, which is excellent as I have a Gigabit Ethernet connection to the net. I don't buy a laptop anymore because I have to use my HP Windows CRAP laptop for work. Although that one has 32 GB of memory, I don't care about it, because whatever strength this machine might have, it still has WINDOWS.
This just shows that anyone who buys the latest greatest Macbooks at RRP are suckers and that one should never buy them new. Which also means that you will always be one or two years behind the technology when you acquire them. And on another note, the fact that the intel macbooks still retains their value means a lot of people still want the option to have Bootcamp / Windows running on their Apple machines. It may also mean that there are now so many used Apple Silicon macbooks up for sale at low prices is because perhaps users are returning back to Windows machines after they found out they couldn't properly run their Windows applications and/or games.
good times, apple silicone really changed the game. i honestly think the times where mac where good but (at least new) never good deals pricewise are gone for good..
I got MacBook Pro 14 16/512 1500 from best buy brand new . An I’m very happy with it. An its m1