Skip to main content

Now you can buy refurbished 2016 MacBook pros without Touch Bars

Apple has introduced MacBook Pros without Touch Bars from its 2016 range to the refurbished store, meaning anyone who wants one of the latest generation of Apple’s laptops can get one without having to splash out as much. Sure it won’t be able to play Doom in quite the same way, but did you really need that function anyway?

One of the more standout additions to the 2016 MacBook Pro was the Touch Bar, though Apple did launch a version without it in October 2016. It’s that version of the Pro which is now available in the refurbished store, in somewhat limited varieties. There are a few different configurations of internal hardware, with discounts over new versions by several hundred dollars.

Recommended Videos

Since these are refurbished models, the stock Apple has available is dependent on people sending them back, so there’s never a guarantee of a specific model in there. At the time of writing though there are two options for second-hand buyers.

The first, is a 2GHz dual-core, Core i5 model, with retina display. It features 8GB of RAM and 512GB of PCIe-based solid state storage and makes use of Intel’s on-board Graphics 540 chip. It’s priced at $1,440.

Although there are a number of older MacBooks available, too, the only other 2016 model packs a 2.4GHz dual-core, Core i7 CPU and 16GB of LPDDR3 memory, so it is a little more powerful, which is why its price tag is higher too: $1,870. As MacRumor’s listings show though, what’s available changes all of the time, so keep your eyes peeled if you’re looking for a specific deal.

Apple offers free shipping and free returns on all refurbished purchases.

Now sure which refurbished products you should consider? We have a handy guide that will help you know what’s safe and what’s not safe to buy used.

Jon Martindale
Jon Martindale is a freelance evergreen writer and occasional section coordinator, covering how to guides, best-of lists, and…
The long overdue MacBook Pro design refresh might land in 2026
MacBook Pro

Apple likes to stick around with each product design refresh for at least a few generations. Take for example the M4 MacBook Pro, which is still carrying the same design language that was first introduced atop the M1 series models back in 2021.
Things could finally change next year. “In terms of major new Mac designs, I don’t expect the MacBook Pro to get an overhaul until around 2026 — when the M6 model is due to come out,” says a Bloomberg report.
Apple is currently working on refreshed MacBook Air and Pro models with M5-series processors. They might, however, stick with the same aesthetic formula as their respective M4-series counterparts. It’s not bad, but not without its flaws either.

“It’s no joke to lug around. Some will appreciate the extra screen real estate, no doubt, but there’s definitely a trade-off in mobility,” said Digital Trends’ review of the current-gen MacBook Pro.
“The one eyesore in the whole experience to me is still the notch in the display. I find it quite ugly and intrusive, and the way it cuts into the menu bar can be clumsy, especially on the 14-inch model,” the review adds.

Read more
Apple silicon has made the MacBook Pro a consumer favorite
Someone using a MacBook Pro at a desk.

Apple’s computer lineup has greatly benefitted from its update to the M4 chip in 2024. The brand introduced the M4 MacBook Pro and iMac lines in the last year– and research has further indicated that Apple’s decision to shift from Intel processors to proprietary silicon was a solid move. It has made consumers favor Apple laptops more. 

According to statistics from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), MacBook form factors, in either MacBook Pro or MacBook Air made up 86% of Apple’s PC market share in 2024. Consumers especially favored the M4 MacBook Pro at a rate of 53%, while 33% of MacBook Air models shipped during the year, and 14% of iMac models. These figures vary only slightly from the year prior; however, CIRP noted that Apple appears to have weathered any fluctuations that may have occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Read more
Here’s how Apple’s first foldable MacBook might win me over
The Zenbook Fold 17 open on a table.

Rumors have persisted for years now that Apple is working on a touchscreen MacBook, but I’ve never been truly convinced. For one thing, I don’t see how a touchscreen could improve my MacBook experience enough to justify the inevitable price rise. This is Apple we’re talking about, after all, and there’s just no way that a touchscreen MacBook will possibly come cheap.

As well as that, I’ve long agreed with Steve Jobs’ belief that adding a touchscreen to a regular MacBook is an ergonomic nightmare. Constantly reaching up to the display is a quick way to exhaust your arms, and paining its users isn’t really part of Apple’s playbook. The Mac operating system isn’t designed for touch either, and in any case, adding a touchscreen would result in all manner of greasy fingerprints on your monitor. It’s never seemed like a good idea to me.

Read more