Costco is well known for offering the best value when you buy items in bulk. But for certain single purchases — like a new MacBook Pro — you might be wondering if Costco still lives up to its low-price reputation.
Generally speaking, yes, Costco typically offers great deals on MacBook Pros — but with a strong emphasis on “typically.” Every now and then, Apple or another retailer, like Best Buy, will give you the best bang for your buck, especially if Costco isn’t running a promotion on its laptops.
Even so, Costco is worth considering when you’re shopping for a MacBook Pro, and not just because of the price. While its electronics selection isn’t vast, here are a few reasons to buy a laptop at the warehouse.
1. Prices are (usually) low
Costco’s MacBook Pros are usually cheaper than its competitors, including Apple itself. In the past, I’ve seen Costco selling new MacBook Pros $50 to $200 cheaper than other retailers, even without extra discounts.
That said, it really depends on the model you’re looking to buy. For example, let’s say you’re looking for a 14-inch MacBook Pro with the following specs: M3 chip, 8GB memory, 10-core GPU, 1TB SSD storage, and the color space gray. Both Apple and Best Buy sell this exact model for $1,799. Meanwhile, Costco has the same laptop listed on its website for $1,749.
But now let’s change up the specs. Let’s say you’re looking for a 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M3 Pro Chip, 18GB memory, 18-core GPU, 512 GB SSD storage, and space black color. Costco sells this model for $2,449.99, which is slightly cheaper than Apple’s list price of $2,499. But it’s not the cheapest price you’ll find — Best Buy is currently offering a $150 discount, which reduces the price to $2,349.
Now, if Costco were to offer its own promotion, it would likely be $150 to $200 off, which would put it on par with Best Buy. But since it’s not currently running laptop promotions, you’d be better off buying it at Best Buy — if price were the most important factor for you.
Pro tip: Get a cash back credit card that earns more at Costco to buy your new MacBook. Since your laptop will be pricey, it’s prudent to earn more than 1% back.
2. Generous return policy and two-year warranty
One unique benefit to buying your MacBook at Costco is getting a generous return policy. You can return your Macbook Pro to Costco for a full refund within 90 days after you purchase it. While there are some procedures you have to follow — such as performing a factory reset and unlocking the laptop — Macbooks fall squarely under its Satisfaction Guarantee.
For comparison, Best Buy will give you 15 days to return a MacBook (60 days if you’re a My Best Buy Plus or My Best Buy Total member), while Apple will also give you 14 days.
What’s more, Costco also extends the manufacturer’s warranty to two years, giving you two years of coverage for mechanical or electrical failures. Finally, it also sells AppleCare+ at a significantly cheaper price than other retailers: $319 for a three-year policy. In contrast, Apple and Best Buy all sell the same policy for $399.
3. Free technical and troubleshooting support
Lastly, when you buy a MacBook Pro at Costco, you get free technical support through its Concierge Service. This could come in handy if technology really — really — frustrates you, and you don’t have time or energy to troubleshoot your MacBook’s technical problems on your own.
What’s more, Costco will give you technical support indefinitely, whereas other retailers, like Apple, will give you support for a set amount of time, like 90 days. It’s these little extra touches — unlimited support, indefinite return policy, low prices — that make Costco an excellent place to buy your next MacBook Pro. When you’re ready to purchase one, wait until Costco offers a promotion of MacBooks, then strike when the iron is hot to save more money.
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