Apple

Do you have a fake Mac? So you can check it

The most important checks to perform

There are many points to take into account when you want to make a check on whether a Mac is original or a fake. Below we expose them to you so that you keep them in mind whenever you have questions.

There are no miracle prices

When buying a new product, one of the most important aspects is the price. Almost always having a product that you know has premium features for a practically ridiculous price does not make you think that it is a fake. But the truth is that sellers of this type of counterfeit products are going to follow this path almost always. In order to be able to sell them in a comfortable way and without asking many questions, the sellers are placed at a really attractive and low price. But this is why you should always be wary of those impossible prices.

Macbook

There are many sites where you can find these types of products that are counterfeits and have a really low price. One of the main sites is Wallapop although they can also be found on Aliexpress or Ebay. This means that you should not trust the purchase through these environments that may not be safe and always opt for physical purchase-sales or through stores that you know are authorized and have original products. Although obviously in the latter you will find a much higher price, and there are also physical stores that offer counterfeits of course.

Check the quality of the product

The Mac is a computer that undoubtedly stands out for having some high quality materials, as well as a very well achieved finish. In general, Apple uses an aluminum alloy for its computers, something that counterfeiters do not do in order to reduce the cost of production significantly. That is why when you have a counterfeit Mac in your hands you should review all these details, and check if it is built in aluminum or plastic, if the keyboard works in a correct way among other aspects.

The trackpad is also an important indication that you are not looking at a Mac that is original. That is why it is always recommended before buying a second-hand Mac to try a Mac that you know is original. Both in a store and that of a friend to Know what experience the trackpad or keyboard transmits. It should also be borne in mind that in ports there may be flaws in the finish. Apple takes great care in the plastics that surround Macs when new, and this can also be an important point in determining counterfeiting.

Operating system and internal components

One of the big surprises that you can find when you start a Mac for the first time is that it does not have macOS installed. Counterfeiters usually make a design that is quite similar to the original but when it comes to the operating system they don’t put as much ‘love’ on it. They choose to install operating systems that are free or open access, such as Windows or Linux. This is certainly an indication that you have a counterfeit Mac and makes it really important to test it in all its aspects.

In the internal section of counterfeit Macs you can also find large differences that are quickly appreciated. The processor is the brain of any computer and in a Mac it is responsible for being able to move all the processes so that it works correctly. But obviously state-of-the-art processors will not be found in counterfeits nor really powerful GPUs. This ultimately causes the performance of the device to be really bad, not being able to resemble that of an original Mac.

macos big sur

This means that we should always recommend checking the interior and exterior of a computer to the millimeter. Quickly look at the type of internal components that are inside such as the processor that is from Intel or Apple’s proprietary, or even the RAM. Storage is also relevant since in general in the original Macs they bet on an SSD system but this is very expensive. Counterfeiters are betting on HDD drives which are obviously slower and cheaper too. You should also clearly observe all these small details when you go to get a new computer to check its originality.

Other additional checks

In addition to everything we have listed above, other checks can also be performed, as well as preventive measures that are important. We will explain them to you below.

Check the serial number with Apple

Apple make available to users the possibility of checking the originality of the Mac. This is ideal especially for those people who have already bought a Mac and have doubts about whether it is authentic or not. It is done through an official support space that is focused above all on the warranty of the device. As you well know, all Apple products are registered with a unique number which is the serial number. With this, you can make a timely check on whether it is a device that has the legal guarantee.

But in this case we are interested know if it is an original device. If, when entering the different data required by the Apple website and it is recognized, an image of the Mac and the information of the entire guarantee will appear. On some occasions it may be the case that an error appears with the date of purchase of the device. But this is not something alarming since it can occur when the device has not been bought in Apple itself but in another establishment. It also remains a totally original product.

The problem comes when the website itself says that the serial number you have entered does not exist. This makes the Mac quite safely a fake since it is not registered with Apple. But if, although the web gives you the information that is original but you continue to distrust, it is possible that the forger has used a serial number from an original equipment. Something that may be quite smart, but it is something that can finally be confirmed in an Apple store where all the components are tested.

check warranty mac apple

Always buy from trusted sites

There are many checks that we have discussed throughout this post, but it is important to do these checks before making the purchase. In many online points of sale when you buy a product and receive it, you will hardly be able to return it, especially if it is a private individual. The use of false identities or the inability to locate the seller makes it impossible claim a product that is not original when you bought it thinking that it was. This makes it important to choose online sites that are highly trusted and have legal guarantees, such as Amazon.

This is where the fact of buying in physical establishments also stands out, especially when acquiring second-hand equipment. In this way, before making the payment of the device, all the omprobations that we have been commenting, with regard to the design or also to the internal specifications. Once you have tried it, you will be able to know perfectly if you are facing an original or a counterfeit device. In the event that it is false, you can not pay it and inform the buyer of this, thus avoiding wasting your money on something that is not original. Obviously you also have to always resort to sites that are safe and reliable, avoiding those of doubtful trust.

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