I had been hesitating to buy an Apple iPad Pro for a while, mainly because it was a very expensive device. the 12.9-inch iPad Pro 3rd generation with 64GB of storage it had the premium price of $ 999 and the lowest price I could find was $ 849 on Amazon and Bestbuy. It went on sale on Black Friday, but it was still out of my budget, so I had to look for other options like used or refurbished iPads.
Then I discovered some great deals on eBay that listed the Refurbished iPad Pro for just over $ 600. That means you could save at least $ 250 compared to a new device. The deal was too tempting and I decided to hit the Buy Now button. The seller described the item as in excellent condition and 100% functional, but did not include the headphones, OEM charger, or original packaging.
I trusted this seller as he has great reviews and almost all previous buyers were satisfied with their iPads. In addition, they also offered a 60-day seller’s warranty, so they could repair or replace the device should it stop working. My only concern now is where these units are coming from and will they last as long as my previous Apple products.
The iPad Pro came in a cardboard box and the seller also included a new non-OEM MFI certified power cord and a UL approved power adapter. I was very surprised when I took out the iPad because it looked like a new one. Obviously, this cannot be a used device that was returned to Apple or an authorized seller because it does not have the slightest scratch or scratch.
Please note that this is not Apple’s Refurbished iPad which is much more expensive therefore it does not include a 1 year warranty from Apple and I cannot buy AppleCare + either. When I checked his serial number with Apple for service and support coverage, both service coverage and phone support expired. Considering the fact that the product was released just over a year ago and that all new iPads come with a 1-year limited warranty, it appears that these iPads were never warranted in the first place or that Apple voided it.
I did some research and discovered 2 possible scenarios.
In the first case, this could be a unit that failed quality control during production. Since the cost to take apart, investigate problems, and put them back together is too expensive, Apple could sell it to some online retailers at a significant discount. The sellers will then fully test the iPad, repair the defect, and make sure it is in working condition before posting it online. That’s why it looks like new and doesn’t have any warranty from Apple.
The second scenario is that this iPad is a used one that was returned to an Apple seller. The seller could have ordered a new outer shell and possibly a new battery from Apple, put them in the used iPad to make it look like new, and then listed it as a manufacturer-refurbished iPad.
In any case, buyers always receive an iPad that is practically indistinguishable from a new one. I set up the iPad and have been using it for a few weeks with no problem. I use this iPad mainly to entertain myself and to take notes sometimes, so I think it will survive for a long time. If you are also considering an iPad, I highly recommend buying a refurbished / refurbished one from eBay or Amazon to save some money; It should work smoothly as long as you put a protective cover on it and make sure it was released less than 1 year ago.
