M1 512GB for 1140$ refurbished or M3 256GB new for 1.709$?

[Sensamic]

I can buy one of these right now. Which one would you choose? I do light video editing, use a lot of Word, web surfing and not much more.

The M1 offer is very tempting, since the M3 512GB is almost 2000$ where I live.

The M1 is "refurbished" at a local retailer, but it's unopened. Only the packaging is not new.

 

[MRxROBOT]

At those price points, I would go with the M1 512.

 

[Chuckeee]

Major price difference. Do they both have the same amount of RAM? If so, then the M1/512 is the clear choice in my opinion

 

[Sensamic]

Major price difference. Do they both have the same amount of RAM? If so, then the M1/512 is the clear choice in my opinion

Yes, same RAM.

For video editing, will I notice a big difference? On other day to day tasks I'm sure I won't notice much difference, if any at all.

 

[Fishrrman]

Who did the "refurbishing" ???

 

[curnalpanic]

I like to estimate the monthly cost in these kind of situations. Basically divide the up front cost with the number of months the Mac will be used, before it gets obsolete or replaced. Keep in mind that the M3 is 2.5 years newer than M1, so likely you will get a lot more use out of it before it becomes obsolete. Also M3 is significantly faster. The risk of buying old stuff is that you need to go and buy something else again soon.

 

[picpicmac]

The M1 is "refurbished" at a local retailer

To repeat what someone else wrote, who did the "refurbish"?

If it was Apple, then good. Otherwise I'd be wary.

Apple refurbished good come in Apple boxes, just plain white Apple boxes, but clearly it has Apple on it.

 

[Sensamic]

To repeat what someone else wrote, who did the "refurbish"?

If it was Apple, then good. Otherwise I'd be wary.

Apple refurbished good come in Apple boxes, just plain white Apple boxes, but clearly it has Apple on it.

The box is slightly damaged, but is unopened. The local retailer calls it "refurbished" but it's not.

I decided to buy the M3 because I need the extra power for future proofing.