Holiday shoppers searching for affordable computing options ahead of the festive season can secure an Apple laptop for under £150 through a pre-Black Friday promotion, though the steep discount requires compromising on hardware age and condition.
The deals website Wowcher has slashed the price of a 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro featuring an Intel Core i5 processor and 128GB of storage to £149. When the device originally debuted in 2011, it carried a retail price tag of £999. In contrast, current high-end models equipped with an M5 chip and 16GB of RAM start at £1,999, making the refurbished offer an appealing alternative for consumers unwilling to invest heavily in modern hardware.
Despite lacking the advanced capabilities and top speeds of newer releases, the 2011 machine includes 8GB of RAM, rendering it a viable option for everyday tasks such as web browsing and video streaming. Its lightweight and slim architecture also maintains the portable profile typically sought by students and commuters. Wowcher states that all discounted devices undergo testing to ensure proper functionality, though buyers should expect minor signs of wear and tear that could affect its appeal as a pristine holiday gift.
Customer experiences with refurbished electronics on the platform vary. Trustpilot feedback highlights mixed satisfaction, with some buyers praising exceptional savings on past tech purchases like iPads and Chromebooks that arrived in reliable condition. Conversely, other consumers have reported logistical hurdles, including delayed deliveries despite paying for expedited shipping, missing accessories requiring additional purchases, or extra postage fees.
For shoppers exploring alternative ways to acquire discounted Apple hardware, several other retailers provide pre-owned options. Amazon Renewed offers more than 150 professionally inspected and cleaned pre-owned models, with prices beginning at £300 for a 12-inch MacBook with an M3 Core and 256GB of storage from 2017. Meanwhile, second-hand marketplace Back Market reports strong demand for the M1 MacBook Pro series launched in 2020, where prices start at £521 with customisable options for screen size, storage, memory, battery condition, and colour.
Consumers open to brand-new non-Apple alternatives can also find budget-friendly choices on the market. Argos lists the Samsung Galaxy 11-inch Celeron laptop with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage as its top-rated choice for £159, backed by a 93% approval rating from shoppers seeking a portable device for study and daily connectivity.
