Like many products, an Apple Mac computer can be bought for a heavily reduced price second hand. While I would not dream of buying a PC or windows laptops second hand, I would not hesitate to purchase a used Mac.

Why? Well firstly I trust the build quality  of Apple products – they are built to last. Mac and MacBook computers usually outlast their usefulness and are still going when it’s time to upgrade to a newer model. Compare this to your average PC. Many are so full of dust and buzzing components that they are just ready for the bin within a few years of purchase.

Another consideration is the reliability of the Apple operating system and other software. A second hand PC will probably need a comprehensive clean up as it will have accumulated no end of spyware and junk over its lifetime. The Mac doesn’t generally suffer from this problem and it will be highly unlikely you’ll need to do a full format and reinstall of the operating system when you buy. Simply delete the stuff you don’t want, defrag the disk and away you go.

The final major reason I’d buy a second hand Mac is the price. Apple Mac computers are very expensive. You do get what you pay for, but sometimes they are just too pricey to justify buying brand new. Rather like a brand new car that is driven off the forecourt, a nearly new Mac will instantly lose enough value to make it affordable. However after this initial loss it will keep its value nicely for a few years. You may even be able to sell it on third hand!