M3 MacBook Pro 16 inch help

[JSENNY25]

Hi folks! I’m the happy owner of an M2 15 inch MacBook Air.

I like the device a lot and I think it fits my needs pretty darn well.

With that being said, I like to scour pawnshops sometime to time to look for deals on vintage video game systems and the like.

I just came across a m3 16 inch MacBook Pro 512 GC 18 gigs ram at a local pawnshop and they are asking 550 for it. They are not a Mac store and don’t really have much knowledge about the system, but it just came in recently and they are looking to sell it quickly.

Even though my MacBook Air is less than five months old, this is a really good deal, right? The kind where I’d be pretty silly to pass up because I think I could just flip my MacBook Air and still come out ahead.

Right? I’m just looking for a little bit of confirmation here if I’m going to be honest. I was interested in getting a new iPad Pro because my 11 inch GEN one is getting a little bit long in the tooth, but this would definitely seem to be a much better option And value for the use of the same cash.

30 day warranty from the store and then obviously Apple still has a warranted because this is a new device.

 

[Bigwaff]

Even though my MacBook Air is less than five months old, this is a really good deal, right?

It is an incredible deal. Almost too good to be true. I would be concerned the MBP is activation locked.

 

[JSENNY25]

It is an incredible deal. Almost too good to be true. I would be concerned the MBP is activation locked.

I know.... and I thought about that. seems to open right up to the welcome screen and all the splash pages when a Mac is new. If I was going to buy it, does anyone know how far into set up before I am notified there is something is locked?

 

[cbum]

Pawnshop?
Sure it's not stolen?

 

[JSENNY25]

Pawnshop?
Sure it's not stolen?

at this point, it does not seem so. Not locked, and comes complete with box and all accessories.

 

[NT1440]

Doesn’t activation lock only come up after the first few welcome screens?

Honestly it’s likely a stolen unit.

 

[JSENNY25]

I will have to investigate further. likely will try to activate it in store before payment / decide to purchase

 

[JSENNY25]

Doesn’t activation lock only come up after the first few welcome screens?

Honestly it’s likely a stolen unit.

I will have to investigate further. likely will try to activate it in store before payment / decide to purchase

 

[Tdude96]

I will have to investigate further. likely will try to activate it in store before payment / decide to purchase

That seems like a wise way to go, probably worth running a hardware diagnostic before leaving the shop as well to make sure there's nothing wrong with it that's not immediately apparent. If it's able to be activated and a diagnostic comes out clean, this sounds like a Must Buy.

 

[steve123]

m3 16 inch MacBook Pro 512 GC 18 gigs ram

18 gigs? Is that a typo or did they quote you that number? It is definitely wrong, there is no model with this amount of RAM.

 

[JSENNY25]

That seems like a wise way to go, probably worth running a hardware diagnostic before leaving the shop as well to make sure there's nothing wrong with it that's not immediately apparent. If it's able to be activated and a diagnostic comes out clean, this sounds like a Must Buy.

No activation lock.

Hardware is good and normal.

Once cycle on the battery.

Charger has never been removed.

Apple Care plus can be added for another two months.

 

[ipaqrat]

18 gigs? Is that a typo or did they quote you that number? It is definitely wrong, there is no model with this amount of RAM.

Are you just trolling? 18GB is absolutely a correct base RAM for an MBP M3 Pro.

 

[ipaqrat]

No activation lock.

Hardware is good and normal.

Once cycle on the battery.

Charger has never been removed.

Apple Care plus can be added for another two months.

Superficially, it just feels dodgy... That Pawn Shop absolutely knows what that machine is, and probably how it got there. They paid out $200 to a thug under 18 in a traveling theft ring, or to a junkie casing cars in shopping centers with Apple Stores. Or... well, the imagination runs wild...

On the other hand, be a crying shame to pass up a simple lucky break. Not every scenario is criminal, but...

• Hypothetically, if a store theft were recognized some time later, could the MBP be bricked by remote?
• Hypothetically, in some states, possession of stolen property charges do not allow exceptions for having obtained the stolen property through a cutout like a pawn shop. And if it crossed a state border, charges might be federal.

Maybe use a hotel business center PC, or a burner phone, to float the serial number in Apple's warranty lookup tool.

Maybe search the local news around Apple stores for store stock-room burglaries.

Some communities operate searchable databases of stolen property. In some jurisdictions, Pawn Shops and Consignment shops are required to use those tools before reselling merchandise over a certain retail value. Yeah, that pawn shop knows exactly what they're doing.

 

[JSENNY25]

Superficially, it just feels dodgy... That Pawn Shop absolutely knows what that machine is, and probably how it got there. They paid out $200 to a thug under 18 in a traveling theft ring, or to a junkie casing cars in shopping centers with Apple Stores. Or... well, the imagination runs wild...

On the other hand, be a crying shame to pass up a simple lucky break. Not every scenario is criminal, but...

• Hypothetically, if a store theft were recognized some time later, could the MBP be bricked by remote?
• Hypothetically, in some states, possession of stolen property charges do not allow exceptions for having obtained the stolen property through a cutout like a pawn shop. And if it crossed a state border, charges might be federal.

Maybe use a hotel business center PC, or a burner phone, to float the serial number in Apple's warranty lookup tool.

Maybe search the local news around Apple stores for store stock-room burglaries.

Some communities operate searchable databases of stolen property. In some jurisdictions, Pawn Shops and Consignment shops are required to use those tools before reselling merchandise over a certain retail value. Yeah, that pawn shop knows exactly what they're doing.

All great points!

The shop did a search. Held for 15 days. Came back clean. Have 40+ days to add apple care plus.

When I went back to buy it, a manager from another store audibly gasped out loud and said something along the lines of “that is too cheap… you labeled it
wrong” to the other employees.

Apple serial number is clean.

Agreed to honor the price after inspection. Paid and left with no issues.

Mind. Blown.

My wife uses adobe suite daily on an m1 MacBook Air, but not after today. Was thrilled I could surprise her.

 

[ipaqrat]

Awesome! Congratulations on a great find and due diligence. I use an M3 Pro, for Lightroom and Affinity. I sprung for 36 GB for lightweight modeling in Blender.

 

[JSENNY25]

Awesome! Congratulations on a great find and due diligence. I use an M3 Pro, for Lightroom and Affinity. I sprung for 36 GB for lightweight modeling in Blender.

Thanks!

I appreciate you folks being my sounding boards.

It it certainly a hefty beast and I know my wife is happy