Who says you can only rely on online shopping promotions to find bargains? Sometimes, the real deal is hidden behind the counter of a humble pawn shop. Recently, a Reddit netizen shared an experience in a foreign forum that is the envy of all Apple users: He found a top-spec M4 Max MacBook Pro in a pawn shop, and finally took it home for only US$1,501 (approximately NT$48,000): the new market price of this machine was US$4,899 (approximately NT$157,000), which is less than a 30% discount.
Pawn Shop Treasure Hunt: Almost New M4 Max MacBook Pro
This Reddit user Ben10dee Shared his unexpected gains at the pawn shop on the macbookpro version. He said that this M4 Max MacBook Pro is equipped with 64GB unified memory and 4TB SSD solid state drive, which is an out-and-out top-end special edition. The most surprising thing is that the cumulative use time of this laptop is only 8 days, and the battery health is still maintained at 92%, which is almost the same as a new machine.
Ben10dee ran various tests in-store and passed them all. He excitedly wrote on Reddit: “I found a used M4 Max, 64GB RAM, 4TB SSD MacBook Pro at a pawn shop today. Run all tests in the store, 92% battery health. Priced at $1,501. Originally I was just looking at the 4TB external hard drive, ended up taking both together for a total of $1,501 plus tax. I kept waiting for something to go wrong, but Cinebench It runs beautifully. Everything is normal and I’m happy to be a part of this community!”
At the same time, he also checked that the machine did not belong to a certain company or allow other people to remotely control it. The store also provided 24-hour unconditional returns, so he was very satisfied with what he had found.
Save over NT$100,000 with this lucky deal
Judging from the current price on Apple’s official website, the MacBook Pro, which is also equipped with M5 Max, 4TB SSD and 64GB memory, costs US$4,899 (the price has now risen to NT$175,000). And a previous-generation M4 Max top-spec model finally changed hands to this lucky buyer for less than one-third of the original price.
This MacBook Pro is currently successfully logged into Ben10dee’s Apple account and is still covered by AppleCare+, which is valid until July this year. This means that the original owner may have sent the machine to a pawn shop in a hurry to cash in before the expiration of the term, and the pawnshop owner purchased it at a relatively low price after appraising it, ultimately allowing the new owner to get a big deal.
Pawn shop treasure hunt opportunities and risks coexist
There are actually many similar pawn shop treasure hunt stories in foreign Reddit communities. Some people shared their experience of buying Powermac at half price from pawn shops since 1998; others mentioned that pawn shops usually only give precious metals and diamonds a purchase price close to the market (and then deduct their profits). As for 3C products such as MacBook Pro, the purchase price is often far lower than the actual value. If you are lucky, you will indeed have the opportunity to pick up a good deal, as has happened beforeOther netizensI bought an M3 Pro 512GB case with only 15 Apple Care battery cycles for three years for $1,500.
For consumers who intend to hunt for treasures in pawn shops or second-hand stores, it is recommended to do their homework before making a purchase: confirm the model, understand the market, test various functions on site, and confirm whether the Apple account can be logged out and logged back in smoothly. If you have the opportunity to encounter similar luck like Ben10dee, luck is certainly a factor, but preparation in advance is definitely the key.
Source: KOCPC Chinese