Guides

In-House IT vs Outside Support: Does a Small Business Need IT Staff?
Compare an internal hire, outside support, and shared responsibility against the same tasks and availability needs. Start with a support log and name the person responsible for accounts, updates, backups, and staff requests; device count alone cannot decide the right arrangement. Read more...
How Much Does Small-Business IT Support Cost?
Compare the first-year total: setup charges plus 12 months of support, required subscriptions, and separately quoted work. Ask LC for a quote for your actual setup; the worked example below illustrates the calculation and is not LC pricing. Read more...
How to Choose Business IT Support in Marion, Ohio
Compare providers using the same device list, business problem, location, and deadline. Before agreeing to work, get the supported systems, support hours, travel charges, exclusions, and account handover arrangements in writing. Read more...
What Does Small-Business IT Support Include?
Compare five areas: computers, business software, internet and Wi-Fi, staff accounts, and backup/security responsibilities. Ask which tasks the provider owns, what costs extra, and who handles problems between repair visits. Read more...
What's slowing your business down? Try the free LC Business Problem Solver
Describe one business problem. Get a free useful first solution, then optionally ask LC to build the complete app or automation. Read more...
Best Used Mac Mini Deals in 2026: Where to Buy Smart
Best Used Mac Mini Deals — 2026 M1 from $349 · M2 from $449 Looking for a great deal on a used Mac Mini? Here's where to buy, what to look for, and what to avoid. Current Mac Mini Prices (August 2026) Model Apple New Apple Refurb LuxuriousComputers You Save Mac Mini M1 8/256 Discontinued N/A $349 Best deal available Mac Mini M2 8/256 $897.99 ~$509 $449 $150 vs new Mac Mini M2 Pro 16/512 $1,399 ~$1,189 $899 $500 vs new Where to Buy a Used Mac Mini Refurbished Retailers... Read more...
Apple Watch Ultra Renewed: Everything You Need to Know Before Buying
Apple Watch Ultra — Renewed Save vs New The Apple Watch Ultra is Apple's toughest, longest-lasting smartwatch. Buying renewed gets you the same titanium tank at a fraction of the price. What Does "Renewed" Mean? A renewed Apple Watch Ultra is a pre-owned unit that has been inspected, cleaned, and verified to work perfectly. The titanium case is nearly indestructible — most renewed Ultras look brand-new because the materials are built to survive extreme conditions. At LuxuriousComputers, every renewed Apple Watch Ultra comes with a 1-year warranty and 30-day hassle-free... Read more...
Refurbished MacBook Pro 16-Inch: Which Model Should You Buy?
Refurbished MacBook Pro 16-Inch From $2,780 The 16-inch MacBook Pro is Apple's biggest, most powerful laptop. Here's how to pick the right refurbished model for your work. Every 16-Inch MacBook Pro Compared Model Chip RAM Storage GPU Cores Our Price 16" M1 Pro (2021) M1 Pro 10-core 16GB 512GB 16-core $2,780 16" M2 Pro (2023) M2 Pro 12-core 16GB 512GB 19-core $1,299 16" M2 Max (2023) M2 Max 12-core 32GB 1TB 30-38 core $1,299+ Which 16-Inch Pro Is Right for You? Best Value: M1 Pro 16" — $2,780 Still incredibly... Read more...
MacBook Pro M2 Max: Refurbished vs New — Is It Worth the Savings?
MacBook Pro M2 Max Refurbished from $1,299 The M2 Max is Apple's most powerful laptop chip of its generation. Buying refurbished saves you $700+ — here's why that makes sense. Refurbished vs New: What's the Difference? Feature New from Apple Refurbished from LC Chip M2 Max (12-core CPU, 30/38-core GPU) Same M2 Max chip Performance Full speed Identical — chips don't degrade macOS Updates Latest + years of support Same — identical hardware Display 16.2" Liquid Retina XDR Same display Battery ~22 hours 80%+ capacity (Apple spec: 1,000 cycles) Warranty... Read more...
Refurbished MacBook Air 13-Inch: Is It Worth It in 2026?
Refurbished MacBook Air 13-Inch From $569.99 The 13-inch MacBook Air is Apple's bestselling laptop — and buying refurbished saves you hundreds without sacrificing anything. Is a Refurbished MacBook Air 13 Worth It? Short answer: yes. The MacBook Air M1 and M2 are fanless, silent, and get 15-18 hours of battery life. Apple Silicon doesn't degrade — a 2020 M1 Air runs the latest macOS and benchmarks the same as day one. Buying refurbished just means you pay $569.99 instead of $1,250. The 13-inch Air is the right laptop for 90%... Read more...
Refurbished Mac Mini: Complete Buyer's Guide 2026
Refurbished Mac Mini — Buyer's Guide From $349 The Mac Mini is Apple's most affordable desktop — and buying refurbished makes it even better. Here's everything you need to know. Why Buy a Refurbished Mac Mini? A refurbished Mac Mini gives you the exact same hardware as new — same Apple Silicon chip, same ports, same macOS updates — at 30-40% less. Apple Silicon Macs don't slow down over time the way old Intel Macs did. An M1 Mac Mini from 2020 still runs the latest macOS and handles everyday... Read more...
Refurbished MacBook Pro 14" M3 Pro (2023) — From $1,399 | LuxuriousComputers
Refurbished MacBook Pro 14" M3 Pro (2023) Save 30% vs. buying new From $1,399 $1,999 retail You save $600 Shop Now Specifications Year 2023 Chip Apple M3 Pro Performance 12-core CPU, 18-core GPU Memory 18GB unified memory Storage 512GB SSD Display 14.2" Liquid Retina XDR, ProMotion 120Hz, 1600 nits peak Battery Up to 17 hours Weight 3.4 lbs Best For Professional developers, video editors, photographers who want the latest silicon Why Buy Refurbished? The M3 Pro brings Apple's 3nm architecture to the Pro lineup — hardware ray tracing, 18GB of... Read more...
Refurbished Apple Watch Series 8 (2022) — From $229 | LuxuriousComputers
Refurbished Apple Watch Series 8 (2022) Save 43% vs. buying new From $229 $399 retail You save $170 Shop Now Specifications Year 2022 Chip Apple S8 SiP Performance Dual-core processor Memory 1GB Storage 32GB Display 41mm or 45mm Always-On Retina LTPO OLED Battery Up to 18 hours Weight 1.25 oz (41mm) Best For Health-conscious users, runners, swimmers, anyone who wants an always-on display Why Buy Refurbished? The Series 8 adds body temperature sensing, crash detection, and an always-on display over the SE. It's the full Apple Watch experience — ECG,... Read more...
Refurbished Mac Studio M1 Max (2022) — From $1,199 | LuxuriousComputers
Refurbished Mac Studio M1 Max (2022) Save 40% vs. buying new From $1,199 $1,999 retail You save $800 Compare listings on eBay Specifications Year 2022 Chip Apple M1 Max Performance 10-core CPU, 24-core GPU Memory 32GB unified memory Storage 512GB SSD Display Supports up to five displays Battery Desktop — always plugged in Weight 5.9 lbs Best For Professional colorists, VFX artists, music producers, developers running multiple VMs Why Buy Refurbished? The Mac Studio is Apple's compact powerhouse for pros who need more than a Mac Mini. 10 CPU cores,... Read more...
Refurbished iPad Air M1 (2022) — From $399 | LuxuriousComputers
Refurbished iPad Air M1 (2022) Save 33% vs. buying new From $399 $897.99 retail You save $200 Compare listings on eBay Specifications Year 2022 Chip Apple M1 Performance 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU Memory 8GB unified memory Storage 64GB Display 10.9" Liquid Retina, True Tone, P3 wide color Battery Up to 10 hours Weight 1.02 lbs Best For Students, casual artists, anyone who wants iPad Pro power at a lower price Why Buy Refurbished? The iPad Air M1 gives you the same M1 chip from the MacBook Air in a tablet.... Read more...
Refurbished iPad Pro 11" M2 (2022) — From $549 | LuxuriousComputers
Refurbished iPad Pro 11" M2 (2022) Save 31% vs. buying new From $974.99 $799 retail You save $250 Compare listings on eBay Specifications Year 2022 Chip Apple M2 Performance 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU Memory 8GB unified memory Storage 128GB Display 11" Liquid Retina, ProMotion 120Hz, True Tone, P3 wide color Battery Up to 10 hours Weight 1.03 lbs Best For Digital artists, note-takers, field workers, Apple Pencil users, portable creators Why Buy Refurbished? The M2 iPad Pro is more powerful than most laptops. ProMotion 120Hz display, Apple Pencil hover detection,... Read more...
Refurbished Mac Mini M2 Pro (2023) — From $899 | LuxuriousComputers
Refurbished Mac Mini M2 Pro (2023) Save 36% vs. buying new From $899 $1,399 retail You save $500 Shop Now Specifications Year 2023 Chip Apple M2 Pro Performance 12-core CPU, 19-core GPU Memory 16GB unified memory Storage 512GB SSD Display Supports up to three displays (one 8K, two 4K) Battery Desktop — always plugged in Weight 2.6 lbs Best For Software developers, video editors, server operators, triple-monitor setups Why Buy Refurbished? The M2 Pro Mac Mini packs workstation-class power into a 7.7-inch square. 12 CPU cores, 19 GPU cores, 16GB... Read more...
Refurbished MacBook Air 15" M3 (2024) — From $949 | LuxuriousComputers
Refurbished MacBook Air 15" M3 (2024) Save 27% vs. buying new From $1,280 $1,299 retail You save $350 Shop Now Specifications Year 2024 Chip Apple M3 Performance 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU Memory 8GB unified memory Storage 256GB SSD Display 15.3" Liquid Retina, True Tone, P3 wide color, 500 nits Battery Up to 18 hours Weight 3.3 lbs Best For Creative professionals who want big-screen portability, dual-monitor setups, content creators Why Buy Refurbished? The latest 15-inch Air combines the M3's ray tracing and dual external display support with the biggest, most... Read more...
Refurbished MacBook Air 15" M2 (2023) — From $749 | LuxuriousComputers
Refurbished MacBook Air 15" M2 (2023) Save 42% vs. buying new From $749 $1,299 retail You save $550 Shop Now Specifications Year 2023 Chip Apple M2 Performance 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU Memory 8GB unified memory Storage 256GB SSD Display 15.3" Liquid Retina, True Tone, P3 wide color, 500 nits Battery Up to 18 hours Weight 3.3 lbs Best For Anyone who wants a big screen without Pro bulk, remote workers, spreadsheet power users Why Buy Refurbished? Apple's first 15-inch Air gives you a massive screen in a fanless, silent, impossibly... Read more...
Refurbished MacBook Pro 16" M2 Pro (2023) — From $1,299 | LuxuriousComputers
Refurbished MacBook Pro 16" M2 Pro (2023) Save 48% vs. buying new From $1,299 $2,499 retail You save $1,200 Shop Now Specifications Year 2023 Chip Apple M2 Pro Performance 12-core CPU, 19-core GPU Memory 16GB unified memory Storage 512GB SSD Display 16.2" Liquid Retina XDR, ProMotion 120Hz, 1600 nits peak Battery Up to 22 hours Weight 4.7 lbs Best For Filmmakers, architects, data scientists, anyone who needs the biggest screen and longest battery Why Buy Refurbished? 22 hours of battery life. A 16.2-inch mini-LED display with 1600 nits peak brightness.... Read more...
Refurbished MacBook Pro 14" M2 Pro (2023) — From $1,099 | LuxuriousComputers
Refurbished MacBook Pro 14" M2 Pro (2023) Save 45% vs. buying new From $1,720 $1,999 retail You save $900 Shop Now Specifications Year 2023 Chip Apple M2 Pro Performance 12-core CPU, 19-core GPU Memory 16GB unified memory Storage 512GB SSD Display 14.2" Liquid Retina XDR, ProMotion 120Hz, 1600 nits peak Battery Up to 17 hours Weight 3.5 lbs Best For Professional video editors, 3D designers, machine learning engineers, music producers Why Buy Refurbished? The M2 Pro takes everything great about the M1 Pro and pushes it further — 20% faster... Read more...
Refurbished Apple Watch SE (2022) — From $149 | LuxuriousComputers
Refurbished Apple Watch SE (2022) Save 40% vs. buying new From $149 $249 retail You save $100 Shop Now Specifications Year 2022 Chip Apple S8 SiP Performance Dual-core processor Memory 1GB Storage 32GB Display 40mm or 44mm Retina LTPO OLED Battery Up to 18 hours Weight 1.09 oz (40mm) Best For First-time smartwatch buyers, fitness tracking, Apple ecosystem integration Why Buy Refurbished? The Apple Watch SE gives you 90% of what the Series 9 does at half the price — heart rate monitoring, crash detection, fall detection, Apple Pay, and... Read more...
Refurbished MacBook Air M3 (2024) — From $749 | LuxuriousComputers
Refurbished MacBook Air M3 (2024) Save 32% vs. buying new From $749 $1,720 retail You save $350 Shop Now Specifications Year 2024 Chip Apple M3 Performance 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU Memory 8GB unified memory Storage 256GB SSD Display 13.6" Liquid Retina, True Tone, P3 wide color Battery Up to 18 hours Weight 2.7 lbs Best For Anyone who wants the latest tech at a discount, creative professionals, students Why Buy Refurbished? The M3 Air is Apple's newest ultraportable. Hardware-accelerated ray tracing, support for two external displays (a first for the... Read more...
Refurbished MacBook Pro 13" M2 (2022) — From $649 | LuxuriousComputers
Refurbished MacBook Pro 13" M2 (2022) Save 50% vs. buying new From $649 $1,299 retail You save $650 Shop Now Specifications Year 2022 Chip Apple M2 Performance 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU Memory 8GB unified memory Storage 256GB SSD Display 13.3" Retina, 500 nits, True Tone, P3 wide color Battery Up to 20 hours Weight 3.0 lbs Best For Professionals who need sustained performance, Touch Bar fans, heavy multitaskers Why Buy Refurbished? The 13" Pro with M2 adds an active cooling fan over the Air, which means it can sustain peak... Read more...
Refurbished Mac Mini M2 (2023) — From $449 | LuxuriousComputers
Refurbished Mac Mini M2 (2023) Save 25% vs. buying new From $449 $897.99 retail You save $150 Shop Now Specifications Year 2023 Chip Apple M2 Performance 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU Memory 8GB unified memory Storage 256GB SSD Display Supports up to two displays (one 6K, one 5K) Battery Desktop — always plugged in Weight 2.6 lbs Best For Developers, home servers, media centers, budget-conscious power users Why Buy Refurbished? The M2 Mac Mini upgrades the already excellent M1 with faster CPU, significantly better GPU (10-core vs 8-core), and support for... Read more...
Refurbished iMac 24" M1 (2021) — From $749 | LuxuriousComputers
Refurbished iMac 24" M1 (2021) Save 42% vs. buying new From $749 $1,299 retail You save $550 Shop Now Specifications Year 2021 Chip Apple M1 Performance 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU Memory 8GB unified memory Storage 256GB SSD Display 24" 4.5K Retina, 500 nits, True Tone, P3 wide color Battery Desktop — always plugged in Weight 9.83 lbs Best For Families, home offices, creative work, anyone who wants an all-in-one setup Why Buy Refurbished? The 24" iMac is the most beautiful computer Apple has ever made. A stunning 4.5K Retina display,... Read more...
Refurbished Mac Mini M1 (2020) — From $349 | LuxuriousComputers
Refurbished Mac Mini M1 (2020) Save 50% vs. buying new From $349 $699 retail You save $350 Shop Now Specifications Year 2020 Chip Apple M1 Performance 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU Memory 8GB unified memory Storage 256GB SSD Display Supports up to two displays (one 6K, one 4K) Battery Desktop — always plugged in Weight 2.6 lbs Best For Home offices, media servers, developers, anyone with their own monitor Why Buy Refurbished? The Mac Mini M1 is the most affordable way into the Apple ecosystem. Same M1 chip as the MacBook... Read more...
Refurbished MacBook Pro 16" M1 Pro (2021) — From $999 | LuxuriousComputers
Refurbished MacBook Pro 16" M1 Pro (2021) Save 60% vs. buying new From $2,780 $2,499 retail You save $1,500 Shop Now Specifications Year 2021 Chip Apple M1 Pro Performance 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU Memory 16GB unified memory Storage 512GB SSD Display 16.2" Liquid Retina XDR, ProMotion 120Hz, 1600 nits peak Battery Up to 21 hours Weight 4.7 lbs Best For Filmmakers, 3D artists, data scientists, anyone who needs screen real estate Why Buy Refurbished? The 16" screen is a game-changer for anyone who works with timelines, spreadsheets, or code side-by-side.... Read more...
Refurbished MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro (2021) — From $879 | LuxuriousComputers
Refurbished MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro (2021) Save 56% vs. buying new From $879 $1,999 retail You save $1,120 Shop Now Specifications Year 2021 Chip Apple M1 Pro Performance 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU Memory 16GB unified memory Storage 512GB SSD Display 14.2" Liquid Retina XDR, ProMotion 120Hz, 1600 nits peak Battery Up to 17 hours Weight 3.5 lbs Best For Video editors, photographers, software engineers, music producers Why Buy Refurbished? The 14" Pro with M1 Pro was Apple's return to form — real ports (HDMI, SD card, MagSafe), a stunning... Read more...
Refurbished MacBook Air M2 (2022) — From $549 | LuxuriousComputers
Refurbished MacBook Air M2 (2022) Save 50% vs. buying new From $974.99 $1,720 retail You save $550 Shop Now Specifications Year 2022 Chip Apple M2 Performance 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU Memory 8GB unified memory Storage 256GB SSD Display 13.6" Liquid Retina, True Tone, P3 wide color Battery Up to 18 hours Weight 2.7 lbs Best For Creative professionals, developers, anyone who wants the latest design Why Buy Refurbished? The M2 Air introduced Apple's modern design language — thinner, lighter, with a notch display and MagSafe charging. The M2 chip adds... Read more...
Refurbished MacBook Air M1 (2020)
Refurbished MacBook Air M1 (2020) Save 55% vs. buying new From $569.99 $1,250 retail You save $974.99 Shop Now Specifications Year 2020 Chip Apple M1 Performance 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU Memory 8GB unified memory Storage 256GB SSD Display 13.3" Retina, True Tone, P3 wide color Battery Up to 18 hours Weight 2.8 lbs Best For Students, remote workers, everyday use, light photo editing Why Buy Refurbished? The M1 Air is the value king of the Apple lineup. Fanless, silent, all-day battery, and still faster than most new Windows laptops in... Read more...
MacBook NVMe vs SATA SSD Explained: Which Does Your Mac Use, and Does It Matter? (2026)
NVMe vs SATA on a Mac, explained simply: NVMe is the newer, much faster SSD connection and SATA is the older, slower one. Every M1-and-newer MacBook uses NVMe, so we cover how to check which your Mac has and whether it should change what you buy. Read more...
How to Check Your MacBook Storage (SSD) Health (2026)
Your MacBook SSD does not report a simple health percentage like a battery does. Here is how to actually read its condition: SMART status in Disk Utility, terminal checks, wear and write limits (TBW), the warning signs of a failing drive, and how to decide whether to repair, keep, or sell it. Read more...
How to Spot a Fake or Counterfeit MacBook Before You Buy (2026)
Counterfeit and misrepresented MacBooks are real — here is how to verify a Mac is genuine before you hand over cash: check the serial on Apple’s coverage site, confirm the chip in About This Mac, watch for tell-tale price and packaging red flags, and know why buying refurbished from a real shop removes the risk entirely. Read more...
Sleep vs. Shut Down on a MacBook: Which Should You Use? (2026)
Should you sleep your MacBook, close the lid, or shut it down every night? A plain-English answer for daily use, long storage, and battery health — plus when a full shutdown actually matters. Read more...
How to Use Activity Monitor on Mac (Find What's Slowing It Down) (2026)
Activity Monitor is the Mac version of Task Manager. Learn how to open it, read the CPU, Memory, and Energy tabs, and safely force-quit the process that is slowing your Mac down or draining the battery. Read more...
How to Put a MacBook in DFU Mode (2026): Revive or Restore the Firmware
DFU mode is the last resort for a MacBook that won’t boot even into Recovery. Here’s exactly how to enter it on Apple silicon and Intel T2 Macs, the difference between a revive and a restore, and what to do when it still won’t come back. Read more...
MacBook Won't Connect to Wi-Fi After a macOS Update? Fixes in Order (2026)
Just installed a macOS update and your MacBook won't connect to Wi-Fi? These are the fixes in order — forget network, renew DHCP lease, delete corrupted network preference files, reset NVRAM, and how to spot an Apple driver regression versus a failing antenna. Read more...
MacBook Typing the Wrong Characters or Symbols? Fix the Layout & Keys (2026)
MacBook typing the wrong characters or symbols — @ and " swapped, accents floating, # instead of £? It is almost always the wrong keyboard layout or input source, not a broken keyboard. Five quick fixes, in order. Read more...
Is macOS Tahoe Stable? Should You Update or Wait? (2026)
Is macOS Tahoe 26 stable enough to install now, or should you wait? The honest answer by Mac type, the Tahoe-specific changes to know first (yes, Launchpad is gone), how to check your apps before updating, and whether to jump to Tahoe or hold for Golden Gate 27. Read more...
Is macOS Sequoia Stable? Should You Update or Wait? (2026)
Is macOS Sequoia stable enough to install now, or should you wait? The honest answer by Mac type, the known Sequoia issues to know first, how to check your apps before updating, and the safe rollback path if you change your mind. Read more...
MacBook Slow After a macOS Update? Why It Happens and How to Fix It (2026)
Your Mac got slow right after updating macOS? Some of it is normal (Spotlight and Photos reindexing in the background) and some means an incompatible login item. Here is which is which, how long to wait, and every fix in order. Read more...
Mac Stuck on "Personalization Failed" or "Preparing Update"? (2026)
Your Mac downloaded a macOS update, restarted, and now sits on a black screen that reads "Preparing update" forever, or throws "Personalization Failed." Here is what that phase actually does and how to get past it safely, in order. Read more...
macOS Update "Server Not Responding" or "Couldn’t Be Installed"? Fix It (2026)
Getting "The update could not be completed. The update server is not responding" or "macOS couldn’t be installed on your computer"? Here is the fix in order: check Apple’s status, switch DNS, then retry cleanly. Read more...
Preview Won’t Open a PDF on a Mac? Every Fix, In Order (2026)
Preview won’t open your PDF, or it opens blank, crashes, or says the file is damaged? Work through these fixes in order — from a 30-second restart to repairing a corrupt PDF and rebuilding Preview’s settings. Read more...
Finder Not Responding on a Mac? How to Relaunch It and Fix the Hang (2026)
When Finder isn't responding on your Mac, you can relaunch just the desktop process without rebooting or losing any work. Here's how to relaunch Finder from Force Quit, the Dock, and Terminal — plus how to clear what's jamming it. Read more...
Mac Stuck on "Gathering Information" During a macOS Update? (2026)
Your Mac hangs on "Gathering information" while installing a macOS update. Here is why it happens and the exact fixes, in order, to get moving again. Read more...
Mac Stuck in the Setup Assistant Loop After an Update? How to Break Out (2026)
Your Mac finishes a macOS update, then keeps looping back to the "Welcome" or region screen instead of your desktop. Here is why the Setup Assistant loop happens and how to break out of it, step by step. Read more...
MacBook Update Stuck on "Less Than a Minute Remaining"? What to Do (2026)
Your Mac stuck on "Less than a minute remaining" during a macOS update? Here is what the timer really means and how to fix it safely, in order. Read more...
Notes or Reminders Not Syncing on a Mac? Fixes in Order (2026)
Notes or Reminders on your Mac out of sync with your iPhone? Work through these fixes in order — from the one iCloud toggle most people miss to the account rebuild that clears stubborn cases — and get everything syncing again. Read more...