A lot of people think of Apple Mac computers as being more expensive that other laptops. While you cannot buy a Mac laptop for less than about $1000, this is not because Macs are more expensive. Instead, it’s generally because Apple chooses consciously to not compete in the least expensive and low margin categories of laptops. This is probably great for their margins and their shareholders, but it’s difficult for us users who want an affordable computer with the unmatchable Mac customer experience.

A great was to get the Mac experience affordably is to buy a used Mac which is about a year or two old. This often works quite well because the computers are built well and will still be in good condition most of the time. Mac owners also tend to take good care of their computers. You can often find a used computer being sold by someone who is upgrading to a more recent Mac.

Macs tend to have a higher resale value than most PCs but if you do your research and shop around, you should be able to find some good deals. Buying in person versus on a site like eBay is best so that you can examine it in person before committing to the transaction. It’s harder to tell the condition of a computer via small photos on a site like eBay. By carefully buying a used Mac, you can get the amazing mac experience on a limited budget without resorting to a cheap Windows PC!