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by nisegami 1759 days ago
Is buying a used M1 Mac an option?
3 comments

Unfortunately not. Buying used Apple products benefits Apple indirectly by helping sustain resell value, which affects consumers willingness to part with more money for new products... I'd merely be indirectly funding Apple.

Perhaps it's over principled, I know I'm an insignificant spec in the market. However I cannot tolerate the idea of them obtaining monetary support from me - because then i'd be complicit in their immoral behaviour.

What would be wonderful is if the M1 was an effort independent of Apple. But the capitalist world is moving in a direction of more merging and vertical integration which makes it difficult to vote with your money when it gets redistributed into one enormous corporation... so the only remaining option is to not vote.

I bought my M1 refurbished from Apple, so far zero problems.

https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished

I think the GP didn’t mean “in non-new condition”, but rather “from the secondary market, so that you aren’t giving Apple your money.” Getting a refurbished Mac from Apple still involves giving Apple money.
Also, supporting the secondary market, supports the primary market.

Additionally, being seen with Apple hardware supports Apple's legitimacy.

I'm in the same boat. If I need one, I'll buy it used.
To add to your torment, sustaining the used market provides additional incentive to those buying new since they know the hardware will preserve its value longer. You'll still be indirectly supporting the company by justifying the value of their products.