Apple Certified Refurbished, Explained
Apple Certified Refurbished devices are tested, come in a new box with a one-year warranty and cost up to 15% less, but Monthly Installments do not apply.
By Olivia HarperContributing writer. Policy checked .
On this page
Store policies change. This is a summary in our own words of Apple's Certified Refurbished store and its Why Refurbished page, read on October 26, 2026, with two other Apple pages. The official pages are the ones that apply.
What the Apple refurbished store is
Apple sells used and returned devices it has restored itself under the name Apple Certified Refurbished. The store has sections for Mac, iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch, AirPods, Apple TV, HomePod and accessories. Stock changes all the time, because each listing is a specific model and configuration Apple has on hand.
Apple's store has no separate open-box section. Certified Refurbished is the way Apple itself sells devices that are not new.
What you get
Apple lists the following for every Certified Refurbished product:
- Full functional testing, plus cleaning and inspection.
- Genuine Apple replacement parts where a part needed replacing.
- A new battery and a new outer shell on refurbished iOS devices, which covers iPhone.
- All accessories and cables and an operating system. If the device ships with its original system, the latest version is a free download.
- A new white box, with free shipping and free returns.
- Apple's standard one-year limited warranty, with the option to add AppleCare.
Refurbished or new: what changes
| Certified Refurbished | New from Apple | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Savings of up to 15%, says Apple | Full price |
| Warranty | One-year limited warranty | One-year limited warranty on most hardware |
| AppleCare | Can be added | Can be added |
| Apple Card Monthly Installments | Not available | Available on eligible products |
| Box | New white box | Retail box |
| Choice | Only what is in stock | Every current model and option |
One example from the refurbished store on the day we read it: a 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 chip was listed at $1,439, marked down from a previous $1,599. Refurbished prices move, so compare the refurbished listing with the same configuration new before you buy.
Is it worth it?
That depends on what you value. Going by Apple's own pages, you give up two things: the free choice of model, color and options, since you buy what is in stock, and 0% installments, since Apple's Monthly Installments page excludes refurbished devices. You keep the same one-year warranty as a new device, the AppleCare option and Apple's free returns.
For an iPhone, the battery and outer shell are new. For a Mac or iPad, Apple does not promise a new battery, only testing and replacement parts as needed.
Returns and warranty claims
Refurbished items are bought directly from Apple, so Apple's Returns and Refunds page applies: 14 calendar days from the day you receive the item, in original condition with all parts. See our Apple return policy guide for the details.
Sources
Certified Refurbished, Why Refurbished, Apple Card Monthly Installments and Returns and Refunds, Apple. Policy checked October 26, 2026.
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Spec score 7.3
Intel Core Ultra 7 355, 24GB RAM, 1TB Storage, 16-inch
+16-inch OLED touchscreen for vivid display output
+Intel Core Ultra 7 processor
+24GB RAM for heavy multitasking
−Weighs 2.04 kg, heavier for daily carrying
$1,599.99-45%List: $2,899.99
as of 11/04/2026 15:27 PST - DetailsProduct details
$1,599.99as of 11/04/2026 15:27 PST - Details
View on AmazonSpec score7.3
Pros
+16-inch OLED touchscreen for vivid display output
+Intel Core Ultra 7 processor
+24GB RAM for heavy multitasking
+1TB SSD for a large storage capacity
+Convertible 2-in-1 design for tablet use
Cons−Weighs 2.04 kg, heavier for daily carrying
Compared with this page+Touchscreen: only 506 of 1517 here have one
−2.04 kg: 796 of the 1,136 here are lighter
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About this product
- 【UNLEASH NEXT-GEN PERFORMANCE】 Powered by the 8-Core Intel Core Ultra 7 355 processor (up to 4.7 GHz) and integrated Intel Arc graphics. Paired with 24GB high-speed LPDDR5 RAM, this laptop effortlessly crushes demanding tasks without a single hiccup. Perfect for complex coding, heavy data analysis, professional 4K video editing, and running multiple high-demand applications simultaneously.
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Spec score 7.3
AMD Ryzen AI 5 430, Radeon 840M, 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage
+Large 16-inch touchscreen with IPS panel
+16GB LPDDR5X memory for multitasking
+Windows 11 Pro for business features
−Heavy at 1.83 kg for daily carrying
−Only 512GB storage
$966.49-40%List: $1,599.99
as of 11/04/2026 15:27 PST - DetailsProduct details
$966.49as of 11/04/2026 15:27 PST - Details
View on AmazonSpec score7.3
Pros
+Large 16-inch touchscreen with IPS panel
+16GB LPDDR5X memory for multitasking
+Windows 11 Pro for business features
+2-in-1 design for tablet use
Cons−Heavy at 1.83 kg for daily carrying
−Only 512GB storage
Compared with this page+Touchscreen: only 506 of 1517 here have one
−1.83 kg: 630 of the 1,136 here are lighter
−512GB storage: 770 of the 1,447 here have more
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LenovoVisit store
About this product
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Spec score 7.5
Intel Core Ultra 5 125H, 8GB RAM, 512GB Storage, 14-inch
+16-inch OLED panel with high-resolution display
+120Hz refresh rate for smooth motion
+512GB SSD storage
−Only 8GB RAM for multitasking
−Screen listed at 14 inches, conflicting with the 16-inch name
$623.79-31%List: $899.00
as of 11/04/2026 15:20 PST - DetailsProduct details
$623.79as of 11/04/2026 15:20 PST - Details
View on AmazonSpec score7.5
Pros
+16-inch OLED panel with high-resolution display
+120Hz refresh rate for smooth motion
+512GB SSD storage
+Intel Core Ultra 5 125H processor
Cons−Only 8GB RAM for multitasking
−Screen listed at 14 inches, conflicting with the 16-inch name
Compared with this page−120 Hz screen: 259 of the 459 here refresh faster
−512GB storage: 770 of the 1,447 here have more
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About this product
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Spec score 7.6
Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite, 16GB RAM, 1TB Storage, 13.8-inch
+Snapdragon X2 Elite processor with 16 GB RAM
+1000 GB storage for a large file library
+Light at 1.36 kg for daily carrying
$1,549.99-23%List: $1,999.99
as of 11/04/2026 15:27 PST - DetailsProduct details
$1,549.99as of 11/04/2026 15:27 PST - Details
View on AmazonSpec score7.6
Pros
+Snapdragon X2 Elite processor with 16 GB RAM
+1000 GB storage for a large file library
+Light at 1.36 kg for daily carrying
+120 Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling
+Touchscreen for direct on-screen input
Compared with this page+1.36 kg: only 127 of 1,136 here are lighter
+Touchscreen: only 506 of 1517 here have one
−120 Hz screen: 259 of the 459 here refresh faster
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About this product
- A PREMIUM PERFORMANCE LAPTOP, Ready for work, school, and creativity. Built for busy days, big projects, and nonstop multitasking. Run video calls, school and work apps, 20+ browser tabs, and AI tools at the same time without slowing down.
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