

A working USB and FireWire hard drive (preload it with a fully updated version of OS X if you can - at least use Snow Leopard, but OS X Lion is preferable).When you go to see the system for the first time, be sure to bring the following items if you can: These discs contain a hardware test that should be run on any used system you are considering buying, and also contain the OS version that shipped with the systems and should be kept with them. Also be sure the system comes with its recovery DVDs (these should be gray discs that were shipped with the system), especially if the system did not originally ship with OS X Lion. MacFixIt reader Nooruddin recently wrote in with such a concern: "I am looking forward to buying a pre-used MacBook and my question is what should I look for when I am buying a used Apple laptop? I would generally check for its config and price, but is there a way I can find faults in the computer (like life of the hard drive, RAM, screen, battery etc.)?"īuying used computers can be a hit-or-miss situation at times, but there are a few things you can do to ensure the system is working and does not need repair.įirst, be sure you have an option to test the system before you purchase it, or at least have the ability to return it if there is a problem. While new and refurbished Mac systems come with a one-year warranty and 90-days of free technical support, this likely will not be the case with a used system, so if you buy one you will need to be sure it is working properly.

While Apple offers discounts for refurbished systems, another option people have is to purchase a system second-hand from someone who has upgraded their older system. Apple's MacBook systems are stylish and quite popular, but also come at a relatively steep retail price that may be too much for some people.
