Is Buying Used Apple Products Based on Intel Technology Smart?

Ever since Apple started producing their own processors, and including them in their latest models, many have wondered how the markets would react in terms of pricing and availability, especially for those looking to get bulk refurbished Apple computers.

This is particularly true for companies and offices that make extensive use of Apple products in their day-to-day operations.

If your company and employees depend on the power and reliability of Mac computers, the introduction of the M2 chip in all of their future lines might impact the dynamics within your organization, especially when the time to upgrade your network and workstations comes.

How exactly?

When Apple finally ditched Intel as a chip manufacturer and introduced the M1-powered MacBook Air in 2020, there was a huge shift in consumer preferences.

This subtle change was fueled not only by the apparition of new and superior technology with slicker chassis and shiny Retina displays. Mac enthusiasts suddenly became worried that Apple would soon drop their support for their Intel-based machines. However, let's see how these factors might affect the demand for Apple products.

Up until last October, the tech giant continued to progressively phase out Intel-made models and replace their innards with their "Apple Silicon" chips. This included the 13-inch MacBook Air, all of their MacBook Pro sizes, the Mac mini, and the powerful 24-inch iMac.

While we can still find Intel-only models in the Mac Pro and the bigger 27-inch iMac, they are expected to be completely transitioned by the end of 2022.

Does That Mean That I Should Not Buy Older Models?

Not really. Even when the newer chips do provide noticeable advantages, making Apple products more efficient and snappier than ever, the company has not allowed software developers to have full access to this technology. Meaning that many of the apps that were designed with Intel chips in mind do not run as smoothly as one would expect.

What does this imply for the average user?

Important companies like Adobe have updated their most popular products to run on Apple Silicon Macs. However, many productive suites and apps rely on scrolling, clicking, or general user-interface interaction, which showed a noticeable loss in performance when running on the newer models.

This is because the developers have not had enough time to update their products and take advantage of the new chipsets.

Many expect this problem to fade away as more software houses and developers get their hands on the newer hardware and get the chance to optimize their apps for more recent processor architecture.

However, this process is expected to be very gradual. Companies and institutions that rely on old but trusty apps for their everyday workflows might not want to update their machines and networks just yet. In fact, this might be the right time to acquire bulk refurbished Apple computers that still use Intel architecture.

Schools and other institutions that rely on research and processing tasks might benefit greatly from buying high-quality Intel-based models. As we mentioned, older models still provide an edge in productive environments, and the investment is significantly lower, allowing companies and institutions to save money on equipment and guarantee peak performance for a few years while the world gets used to the new Apple Silicon architecture.

What Does This Mean for refurbished Apple Computers?

In the short term, newer machines with M1 chips are likely to retain very high price tags. While some might attribute this to the fact that they are still fairly recent, some also put some of the blame on the chip shortage crisis. Yes, Apple's move to become independent of big chip makers did give the company a huge advantage. However, their chips are still made overseas and the supply chain crisis (and other more recent problems) will slow the arrival of newer models down to a trickle.

All in all, the current situation is a bit complex, as it always is when big changes like these happen. Apple has always been a company that likes to keep its cards close to its chest. And, as always, time will tell how this move pans out.
However, right now is definitely the best time to buy bulk refurbished Apple computers, especially if you care about productivity and affordability. Keep your business or work environment future-proof by acquiring high-quality Apple products from certified and reliable companies like Mac of All Trades. Buying refurbished Mac products has never been easier.

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