With Cyber Monday over, there’s still time to shop for the holiday season. While we have been seeing really good deals since Black Friday, there are some products from Apple that we urge you not to buy. These products range from having the worst value to the most exorbitant prices. Without further ado, here’s our “Don’t Buy/Gift Guide”
1. Apple Watch Series 3
First introduced in September 2017, this model has remained in the lineup for years even after the introduction of the much newer Apple Watch Series 7 from this year. Not only does it feature such an antiquated design, but also it sports a much slower processor, not to mention that it’s the only ongoing product to have a 32-bit system-in-package. Because of its outdated hardware, watchOS 8 might be the last major version that Series 3 will support. Instead, you should spend a little more to get the Apple Watch SE – it’s the best-value smartwatch for most people as it features a lot more health-related features that might be essential for others such as Family Setup and fall detection.
2. 21.5-inch Intel-based iMac (with 1080p display)
This model was last updated in June 2017 with Intel’s 7th generation processors. While Apple has officially discontinued that model a month ago, other resellers have been selling this on clearance at a very steep discount. Although it might be tempting to get this long-outdated model at a lower price, the M1-based MacBook Air has also been seeing huge discounts, yet it provides much more performance/efficiency, not to mention that it provides the best value given its portability. Bottom line, you should really opt for any M1-based Mac.
3. Apple TV HD
First debuted in 2015 as the first model to revive the Apple TV interface with tvOS, this model actually sports a much slower A8 chip that the iPhone 6 had, yet Apple still sells it today alongside the second-generation Apple TV 4K, which was introduced earlier this year with the more modern A12 chip. Unless you have a crummy old 1080p television set, there’s absolutely no reason to buy this one because you would most likely own a 4K TV nowadays, especially if you’re planning to do some casual gaming from Apple Arcade and watch movies in stunning 4K HDR.
4. iPod touch (6th generation)
Last updated in May 2015, the iPod touch has remained the only product in the iPod lineup since the discontinuation of both the iPod nano/shuffle in 2017. This model sports an A10 chip, which at the time was very modern at the time. However, with iPhones and iPads receiving updates on a regular basis, this model has been getting rather long in the tooth. Even Apple’s most affordable iPad gets the more modern A13 chip, which includes the Neural Engine, whereas the iPod touch doesn’t. One thing to know is that it starts at 32GB, which is way too small to just load all of your content. If you want to give your kids something to play with, you’d be better off with the $329 10.2-inch iPad. It’s a much better value with its expansive display for kids to play games and watch movies on.
5. AirTag + Hermès ($299-$449) – Unless you want to win an Apple fan over by burning your wallet, you’re pretty much paying for the handmade design, yet it has the exact same functionality as the standard AirTag, which starts at $29. For $449, you could buy four of the 4-pack AirTag for a total of 16 of those.
6. Link Bracelet Kit ($49) – For the same price as the default Sport Band, you’d get six stainless steel links for your Link Bracelet. The catch is that the link bracelet is NOT included. You’d be better off with either of the following: Sport Band, Sport Loop, and Solo Loop.
7. Mac Pro Wheels ($699) – While these look really fun to play with if you’re thinking about rigging your skateboard or an office chair with these premium-designed wheels, don’t even consider these just to flex on your own stuff. For that kind of money, you could get the M1 Mac Mini.
8. Mac Pro Feet ($299) – Unless you actually own a Mac Pro, there is no reason to buy these since they come with feet by default.
9. Pro Stand ($999) – For the same price as the base M1 MacBook Air, this stand is only used to prop up with the most advanced Pro Display XDR, which is NOT included. Other than that, it’s just a large slab of aluminum for you to drool your eyes on if you’re ever obsessed with aluminum.
10. Polishing Cloth – For our honorable mention, don’t even think about buying the product. Now that it has been sold out everywhere for months, it’s really hard to find one in stock. However, if you do want one specifically from Apple, you could buy the $4999 Pro Display XDR instead because although it doesn’t include a stand, you’d get the polish cloth included. That way, you could wipe away your tears after trying/failing to impress an Apple fan by spending so much money.
Conclusion
Do NOT ever buy these products mentioned above. Instead, you should consider alternatives that we’ve mentioned before for various price ranges. Remember to shop smart and early because other Apple products have been seeing even longer shipping times. Until January 8, any purchases from today to December 25 can be returned free of charge. Make sure to keep track of when to order what you want for Christmas by going to this link here.
