Is It Worth Refurbishing a MacBook?

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If you have an older MacBook model, you have two options: either sell it as it is, refurbish it to sell it at a better price, or continue using it. But is it even worth it to renovate a MacBook and pay the expensive repair costs?

It is not worth it to refurbish a MacBook, it will cost hundreds of dollars to repair and refurbish your MacBook. Instead, you are better off selling it or trading it in at an Apple Store for a new MacBook saving you time and money.

Refurbishing a MacBook requires replacing all the faulty parts with new ones and repairing the MacBook. Part replacements can cost you anywhere between $200 to $800, depending on your MacBook’s model and the faulty parts.

Read on to find out why it is not worth it to refurbish a MacBook, whether it is worth repairing an old MacBook Air, and whether you should improve your 2015 MacBook Pro.

Why Is It Not Worth It to Refurbish a MacBook

Refurbishing a MacBook is not worth it as it is very costly, refurbishing requires a lot of time, finding original Apple parts is difficult, and you don’t get the same value in return when you resale it. Moreover, it’s hard to find interested buyers as they are hesitant to buy refurbished products.

There are many reasons why you should not consider refurbishing your MacBook. For starters, it is inconvenient and time-consuming. Here are some more reasons why it is not worth it to remodel a MacBook:

  1. It is extremely expensive. Refurbishing a MacBook requires you to replace all the faulty parts. Authentic Apple parts for MacBooks are really expensive and can cost you anywhere between $200 to $800.
  2. You don’t get the same value in return. If you want to refurbish your MacBook to resell it at a better price, you don’t get the same price. Buyers will not be willing to pay a fair price for an old refurbished MacBook. The older your MacBook is, the lower the price you will get.
  3. Buyers are hesitant to buy refurbished products. Let’s face it. We are always reluctant to buy refurbished products, especially when it’s a MacBook, as we never know when these devices will come up with an issue.
  4. You may not find authentic Apple replacement parts easily. If you are giving your MacBook to a third party to refurbish it, you will not get the assurance of getting genuine Apple replacement parts for your MacBook. Your refurbished MacBook will not be an Apple-certified refurbished product.

Think about it if your 2015 MacBook Pro needs refurbishing it will cost $100s depending on what it needs, what’s the point of doing that when you can buy arguably the best laptop ever made the M1 MacBook Air for around $800 on Amazon?

The older the MacBook is, the less refurbishing is worth it, but I always reccomend buying the M1 MacBook as that will future proof your machine for 5-10 years.

However it is different if only one part of your MacBook has an issue such as a faulty battery, to learn more please read my helpful article.

Is It Worth Repairing an Old MacBook Air?

Generally, you should only repair your MacBook if the repair cost is lesser than a newer MacBook model. For example, if your MacBook Air is more than three years old, you are better off buying a new MacBook, as repairing would cost you hundreds of dollars, and you’ll still have an older model.

Without AppleCare+, repairing your old MacBook Air can cost you $900. The starting repair costs of MacBook Air can be $300, which is substantial considering it is only the starting cost.

What’s more, you will have the same old MacBook Air model even after you spend so many bucks on repairing it. Additionally, the repair costs of an old MacBook Air can be almost the same as a new MacBook if the damage is substantial and you don’t have AppleCare+.

So you should always compare the repair costs of your MacBook Air with that of a new MacBook to determine whether or not you should get it repaired. However, getting it repaired is not worth it in most cases. 

Instead, you should resell your old MacBook Air and add in some more money to buy a brand new MacBook M1 Air . Then, you will get to enjoy all the latest cool features, upgrades, and performance improvements.

If you ever considered trading in your old MacBook to Apple, stop right there and read my helpful article, most of the time it isn’t a good idea.

Should I Repair My 2015 MacBook Pro?

As a general rule it is not worth repairing a 2015 MacBook Pro ,especially if several things are wrong it. Instead sell it and buy a newer MacBook Pro model as it will be a cheaper option for you in the longer run. Unfortunately, getting your MacBook Pro would be costly, and the resale value wouldn’t be worth it.

There’s no use in getting your 2015 MacBook Pro repaired as the model is already more than seven years old. Moreover, the repair costs for MacBooks are very high and are not worth it. For example, a MacBook Pro screen repair can set you back up to $799 if you don’t have AppleCare+.

Getting your MacBook Pro repaired at such a high cost is not worth it because you will still have an old model at hand. Instead, you should sell your MacBook Pro and add in some more money to get a newer MacBook Pro model.

This option would prove much cheaper for you in the longer run. Because even if you get your MacBook Pro repaired and try to sell it, you will get a very low price as it is an old model. So buy a new MacBook Pro to have a laptop with a longer life and enjoy all the latest upgrades and features in the newest model.

If the battery is the issue then it is 100% worth repairing, please read my helpful article for more information.

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