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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > Got my 2 Refubs today... Review

Got my 2 Refubs today... Review
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jmatero
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Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: White Plains, NY
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Dec 21, 2006, 10:43 AM
 
Hi All... I ordered 2 Refub macbooks... 1.8 white with combos... as they were only $699 and come with the full Apple warranty.. I figured... great way to upgrade from my ibooks! They were ordered very late Saturday night and arrived 2 days later in brown boxes (about 3x the height of a standard macbook box). I finally got to open them up last night and here's a little review:

Both units were built in week 44 which I was happy to see...

APPEARANCE: The condition of these two MacBooks is about what I expected. They were wrapped up carefully in plastic and the lids both seemed aligned well.. much better than my two white iBook G4's. There was a common issue with both however: Both external lids seem to have spots running on the left and right sides... almost as though they're lightly stained. However, it's ony on the left and right from the edges about 3 inches in towards the apple logo. The rest of the surface is pristine however. I tried boffing them out lightly with a microfiber cloth but that didn't help. I guess at this price point I shouldn't complain however I find it strange that BOTH exhibit this trait. Has anyone else seen this on New or Refubished white MacBooks? Also, the trackpad button takes a good CLICK to make it work in the center on both units so perhaps this will take some getting used to.

BATTERY: The Battery on one of the laptops has a sticking "charge" button but that's not really an issue for me I never really pushed it on my other Apple Laptops. The lights work fine however. The Battery on the other MacBook had a clear sticker over the foot-pad as though it was brand new.

CONTENTS: Again, both boxes were packed nicely. The laptops themselves are wrapped in a sealed plastic bag. The Original discs are included in the same small box as a new MacBook. Included are the AC Adaptor, the AC extension cord and Apple Remote. Both chargers were still wrapped in plastic and on one, even the removable plug was still covered in plastic as though it was never used. The extension cords looked brand new and were tied as though new as well. The Apple remote on one was in the original sealed bag, the other in a small bubble-wrapped bag... both pristine.

POWERED UP: Both units shipped with 10.4.6 and started with the welcome and setup screens. There were literally a zillion software updates to perform (most related to iLife/iWork) and both firmware updates needed to be performed. I did notice both units were SILENT until the SMC firmware update and now, a faint whirring of the fans can be heard on occasion.. however they are not as loud as the iBook G4's fan and totally acceptable so far. They both seem to run flawlessly so far. Two observasions so far:

1. I am able to see a MULTITUDE of wireless networks under the Airport menu vs 2-3 on both my 1.2Ghz and 800Mhz ibooks.. which I already thought had great reception.

2. BEFORE any software/firmware updates were applied, I had full bars on both units and flawless connections. FOLLOWING the software updates (I believe the move to 10.4.8) I have reduced Airport bars on BOTH MacBooks (although I still see the same multitude of wireless networks) and BOTH MacBooks disconnect from my Airport network randomly for no apparent reason. I'm using fully updated Airport Expresses (2 as wireless access points with WPA enabled) and the connection is dropped completely... randomly... and the only way to reconnect is to turn the MacBooks' wireless on/off... at which point it reconnects without a hitch.

As this is happening to BOTH systems and happened following the updates on both, it is clear the issue is OS/Airport related and a quick browse of Apple's discussion forums shows a number of people with the same exact issues.. however, in most cases it seems related to non-Apple base stations. I don't think it's reception-related as my units are on channels 1 and 3 with the other 15 being on either 6 or 11. I suppose I can try the "Robustness" option on the laptops/base stations to see if things improve.... or revert to 10.4.6 perhaps? I'll keep an eye on this and keep you posted!

FINAL THOUGHTS: As I only had a couple hours last night to play with my new toys, I was unable to REALLY test out EVERYTHING but overall, I must say I'm pretty impressed with the Refubished MacBooks. Cosmetically, the only thing I can complain about is the strange spots on the outside lids but this is not a deal-breaker as I essentially got $1100 MacBooks for $700. Tonight, it's Bootcamp for one of them and a lot of software to install. I'll let you know how it goes as I want to test the heck out of them both during my 14-day refund period.

Thanks for reading and I hope this helps answer any questions buyers may have!
     
stefanicotine
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Canada
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Dec 21, 2006, 03:18 PM
 
Not a bad deal!! And an excellent review
 Certified AppleCare Technician
     
macboy
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Join Date: Jan 2006
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Dec 21, 2006, 03:26 PM
 
$700 is a pretty good deal for the Macbooks. Apple's really competing hard and lowering those prices
     
craigb6
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: UK
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Dec 21, 2006, 04:16 PM
 
Yep, a nice review! There seem to be quite a few MacBooks which seem to randomly disconnect (I remember reading a post on TUAW). My MacBook sometimes disconnects, and I'm using a Linksys router.
MacBook 2.0GHz | 2GB RAM | 80GB HDD
http://craigb6.blogspot.com/
     
webb3201
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Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Dallas, Texas
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Dec 24, 2006, 07:51 PM
 
My refurb has been running like a champ. I got a black 2.0 core duo box for 999.00....could not be happier.
Read my MacWebb column and other great Mac articles at Lowendmac.com

Owner of a MacBook Pro and various other Macs.
     
   
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