When is the right time to buy a new Mac?

Apple tends to march to the beat of its own drum when it comes to new and updated product launches. Expect a new iPhone every October, but what about the less products “Popular” Apple markets its AirPods Pro and AirPods Max in-ear and over-ear headphones with a feature called, like iMac or Mac mini?

What is the best time to buy a new Mac? Well, Yes and no.

When can you get the most for your money?

The worst time to buy a new iPhone is (generally) late August or early September because Apple tends to release a new iPhone every year at the same price. This means you can get a newer iPhone and more “ready for the future” no additional cost if you wait until October.

Nevertheless, Apple's other products don't follow the same rigid launch pattern. While the company tends to release major updates once every few years for product lines like MacBook and iMac, small incremental hardware bumps are rarely advertised with the same fanfare.

While these releases are less predictable, still follow a trend. Incremental updates tend to follow new iterations of Intel CPUs or AMD GPUs; Nevertheless, These too depend on the whim of Apple's supply chain. Out of guesswork, leaks and rumors, only Apple knows when the next launch is on the way.

Fortunately, you can still make some informed purchasing decisions and get the most out of your investment. You can do this by analyzing Apple's existing hardware trends..

The MacRumors Buyer's Guide

the MacRumors Buyer's Guide is a comprehensive tool for evaluating whether you should buy a new Apple product right now. The tool lists how far along we are in the current product cycle, along with the average length of the product cycle (in days) and averages from previous updates.

As if this wasn't useful enough, the tool even provides tips like “Don't buy” for products approaching the end of their current cycle, O “Buy now” for newly updated hardware. Because the blog focuses on Apple rumors, they also play an important role in deciding whether it is a good time to buy.

There are also exceptions within existing product lines that the Buyer's Guide will identify.. For instance, when Apple released a new MacBook Pro from 16 inches in November 2019, the kind of 13 inches did not update. Therefore, the Buyer's Guide included a notice of “Precaution” next to MacBook Pro, notifying consumers that only the 16 inches had recently been updated.

Some product lines are more predictable than others. Apple has a habit of letting certain product lines stagnate, like the unfortunate “recycle bin” Mac Pro and the seemingly inactive Mac Mini. Nevertheless, in these cases, you can probably make a decision based on your own perspective.

Don't feel like paying for a machine that hasn't been updated in over a year? That is your decision. Apple rarely offers product discounts without updating or replacing the line entirely. If you don't want to pay Apple's prices for "outdated" hardware, A look at the MacRumors Buyer's Guide is essential!!

Do you need a new Mac?

Not everyone can afford to postpone an update. If you are replacing a product that died or shows signs of hardware failure, you may not be able to wait six months for the next hardware update. If you need a working Mac to do your job, even a week is too long to wait.

In these cases, buyer's guide is less important. If you are buying a basic Mac product, like an iMac, MacBook Air o MacBook Pro, you are unlikely to buy hardware that is more than one year old. Apple updates these lines quite regularly with new CPUs, Bigger SSDs and faster RAM.

You can still refer to the Buyer's Guide to make a more informed decision, but, as a last resort, your immediate needs and your budget must take priority.

RELATED: 8 warning signs that your Mac might have a problem (and how to fix it)

Refurbished Macs are another reason to wait

Some people only buy refurbished Macs at Apple program. In general, you can save between a 15 and a 25 percent of the price of a new product if you buy a refurbished one. They come with the usual warranty and are Apple Care eligible and Apple Certified to be like new.

According to MacRumors, you can expect a wait of three to four months before refurbished products start showing up after their initial release. Nevertheless, a Reddit thread from 2016 suggests that from eight to 12 months is more accurate. We've noticed that refurbished models tend to show up first in the US.. UU., But then in places like Australia and New Zealand.

If you are interested in purchasing a refurbished product, the Buyer's Guide is a useful resource. Models nearing the end of their product cycles may be available at discounted prices at Apple's Refurbished Mac Store. They could even be the same updated products that Apple sells at full price..

You are more likely to see one or two year old hardware. Buying a refurbished model requires a bit more attention on your part because Apple lists recent models alongside outdated ones.. You can filter by model and year to make things easier, but don't expect the most recent renovations to hang around.

If you have your eyes on a particular Mac model, Remodeling tracker allows you to set alerts when new stocks are available. Since refurbished Macs are often in short supply and demand for discounted Apple products is high, Refurb Tracker can give you a head start if you can afford to wait.

Refurbished Macs sold “as it is”, no CPU options, SSD or RAM storage. You will find all kinds of models with a variety of specifications, based on the options chosen by the original owner. It's a kind of lottery, so be prepared to compromise in some cases or be pleasantly surprised in others.

The bottom line

If you need a Mac, must buy a mac. The presence of a newer, updated model does not make your existing Mac less capable. You may get more computers for your money if you buy at the beginning of a product cycle. Nevertheless, you should not let this dominate your decision if you desperately need a new machine.

When you buy Apple, you already know that you will pay a premium. Nevertheless, if you really want to save some money, Some refurbished models are worth looking for that include a full Apple warranty.