• Choose MacBook or MacBook Pro

• Select Apple Laptop Features

• Consider a Retired Apple Laptop

• Find Apple Laptop Computers on eBay

• Buy Apple Laptops With Confidence

Choose MacBook or MacBook Pro

Choose MacBook or MacBook Pro

You’ll get the same new Intel Core 2 Duo processor with either MacBook or MacBook Pro. MacBook is something of an entry-level laptop, while the MacBook Pro is more powerful, with more options.

MacBook: The budget-friendly MacBook just might give you everything you need. Get it in black or white with a glossy 13.3” screen, a built-in iSight camera for easy videoconferencing, Airport Extreme for wireless Internet connectivity, and iLife software. See the chart below to see how the MacBook stacks up to the MacBook Pro.

MacBook Pro: Get the same great features on the MacBook Pro—iSight camera, iLife software and Airport Extreme—plus faster processor speeds, larger screen options, and a matte aluminum finish. See the chart below for more details on the MacBook Pro.

Select Apple Laptop Features

Select Apple Laptop Features

Make sure you’re getting all the features you want.

• Hard drive: The bigger the hard drive, the more programs and files you can store on your computer. If you want to store your program files and some text documents, 60GB should be sufficient. If you plan to store photos and your iTunes music collection, look for a 80GB or larger hard drive. Also consider an external hard drive for extra storage.

• Memory: Your computer needs a certain amount of memory, or RAM, to run its operating system and various programs. More RAM can give you better performance.

• Drives: To watch DVDs, play CDs, and write data to CDs, you’ll need a Combo Drive. In order to write data to a DVD, get a SuperDrive.

• Ports: Look for a FireWire port to connect your iPod along with one or more USB ports to connect other devices. USB 2.0 ports work faster than first-generation USB ports. You’ll also want an Ethernet port for online access. Many Apple laptops also come with video ports.

• Wireless networking: The built-in Airport Extreme gives you the ability to quickly connect to your wireless home network or to Wi-Fi hot spots so you can surf the Internet wirelessly. Apple laptops also include Bluetooth so they can wirelessly connect to your Bluetooth-enabled PDA or cell phone.

• Touchpad: With laptop computers, you usually use a touchpad instead of a mouse. If you prefer the feel of a mouse, you can get an external USB mouse or Bluetooth wireless mouse.

• Software: Apple laptops come with Mail, an email program, iCal, a calendar program, iChat, for videoconferencing, and the iLife software suite. iLife includes iTunes for music storage and playback, iMovie for video editing, iPhoto for photo storage and editing, iDVD for DVD creation, GarageBand for sound editing, and iWeb for Web site creation.

• Graphics card: A graphics card processes video, freeing up memory (RAM) for other system tasks.

Consider a Retired Apple Laptop

Consider a Retired Apple Laptop

Older Apple iBook and PowerBook laptops with G4 or G3 processors are available on eBay. Many run an older version of Mac OS X. When buying a retired Apple laptop, look at the minimum system requirements of the software programs you want to run and make sure the laptop you choose can support them. For example, programs made to run on Intel-based Apple laptops may not run on PowerPC-based Apple laptops. On eBay, sellers typically provide the laptop's technical specifications. If you have additional questions, click the “Ask seller a question” link under the seller’s profile.

Find Apple Laptop Computers on eBay

Find Apple Laptop Computers on eBay

Once you know what type of Apple laptop computer you want, go to the Computers & Networking portal, click the Apple Laptops, Notebooks link under Apple, Macintosh Computers, and start searching for items on eBay.

• Categories: The Categories list on the left side of each page will help you narrow down your listings by item type. You'll find links for Apple MacBook, Apple MacBook Pro, Apple iBook, Apple PowerBook, and Other Apple Laptops, Notebooks.

• Product Finder: Use the drop-down menus on the Apple Laptops Finder to quickly narrow down item listings by product family, processor type, processor speed, screen size, and condition.

• Keyword search: Search eBay listing titles for specific words. For example, if you want to find a MacBook, type "MacBook" (without quotation marks) into the Search box. Click "Search title and description" to expand your results. Visit eBay's Search Tips page for more tips on searching with keywords.

If you can't find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay Community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay will email you when a match becomes available.

Buy Apple Laptops With Confidence

Buy Apple Laptops With Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

• Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

• If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

• Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay protection programs.

• Never pay for your eBay item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller                       

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

• What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

• What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

• Most top eBay sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay and PayPal are there for you.

• Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorized payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to $2,000.

• eBay Security & Resolution Center: Visit the Security & Resolution Center to learn how to protect your account and use eBay's quick and efficient resolution tools.