Apple's M3 MacBook Pro is a seriously high performance laptop – but unfortunately it also comes with a seriously high price.
However, if you've been hankering after an M3 and can't quite stomach the price tag, Apple is now offering high-spec M3s with up to £390 off. There are similar discounts in the US too.
The deals are on refurbished Macs in Apple's own refurbished store. Stock is constantly changing but at the time of writing there are 14-inch M3 MacBook Pros down from £1,699 to £1,439, a saving of £260, and higher specification versions of the same laptop down from £1,899 to £1,609. That's a saving of £290.
The biggest saving right now is on a 16-inch M3 MacBook Pro. That's down from £2,599 to £2,209, a saving of £390.
When we reviewed the MacBook Pro 14-inch (M3 Max, 2023) we said it was "out-of-this-world impressive"; whichever M3 processor you go for you're getting a state-of-the-art laptop built to Apple's usual standards.
Are refurbs worth buying?
Yes. I've been buying Apple certified refurbs – and refurbs from other firms, such as Dyson and Ninja, because refurbs aren't just for computers – since the days of the iBook G4, and I've never had a single complaint. It's saved me a fortune over the years.
The key thing to know about a refurb is that it's been made as good as new. Refurbs are usually machines that have been returned with a minor fault; that's then fixed with genuine Apple parts and the device is then resold with a year's warranty.
You're told to expect minor cosmetic imperfections but I've never really encountered that, although with third party refurbishers you'll often see devices graded A, B or C for their condition where A is close to new and C shows visible signs of wear and tear.
In addition to refurbs, you should also see more M3 MacBook Pro deals starting to appear in retail now that the laptops have been out for a little while: with demand softening post-launch retailers start to offer incentives to shift their stock, and while you shouldn't expect massive discounts on M3s just yet there are still deals to be had.
Naturally we're tracking them: check out our regularly updated guide to the best MacBook Pro deals to see what's available today.
