Often, yes, if you buy the Excellent grade and check the laptop inside the return window. Best Buy says open-box items “in many cases” come with “the same manufacturer warranty as a new product,” and its return policy treats them like new: 15 days for most customers, 60 for paid members.
The savings can be small. On October 22, 2026, the cheapest open-box 13-inch MacBook Air M5 at Best Buy was about 10% below Best Buy’s own sale price for a new one. Compare it with a refurbished unit that carries its own fresh warranty before you buy.
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Best Buy’s open-box grades, in its own words
Best Buy sorts open-box items into three grades, which it calls “Geek Squad-verified conditions.” All three are “restored to factory settings.”
| Grade | Best Buy’s definition | What may be missing | Returns | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent | “works and looks like new” | Nothing: “all original parts, packaging and accessories (or a suitable replacement)” | Same as new | “In many cases” the maker’s |
| Good | “works like new”; “may have minor scratches or dents” | Parts Best Buy doesn’t count as necessary, plus “accessories or original packaging” | Same as new | “In many cases” the maker’s |
| Fair | “works like new”; “may have larger dents or scratches” | “could be missing parts and accessories” | Same as new | “In many cases” the maker’s |
Source: Best Buy, “The best deals on open-box items at Best Buy” (no date on the page) and its Return & Exchange Policy (effective February 23, 2026), read October 22, 2026.
Best Buy open-box Excellent vs Good
For a laptop, the charger decides it. Excellent promises every original accessory or a suitable replacement. A Good unit “could potentially be missing” parts Best Buy doesn’t count as necessary, accessories or the original packaging, and Best Buy doesn’t list which parts.
Our reading: pay for Excellent unless the Good unit is cheaper by more than a replacement charger costs, and open the box to see what’s inside before you pay.
Does Best Buy open-box mean it was used?
Sometimes. Best Buy says open-box items “may be customer returns, display models or items with damaged packaging.” The page doesn’t say how a shopper can tell which of these a given laptop was.
Best Buy says it “examines its open-box products and then prices them based on their condition.” Its page doesn’t say how long a returned laptop was used, so the battery check below matters.
Does an open-box laptop have a warranty?
Usually the maker’s, but check when it started. Best Buy’s own wording is that open-box items “in many cases” carry “the same manufacturer warranty as a new product.”
The start date is the open question. Apple’s US warranty runs “ONE (1) YEAR from the date of original retail purchase by the end-user purchaser” (Apple). It also excludes “damage caused by accident” and “normal wear and tear.” Before you leave, enter the serial number in Apple’s Check Coverage or Lenovo’s warranty lookup, or the maker’s own tool, and keep your receipt.
Best Buy’s open-box return window
Open-box laptops get the same window as new ones. The policy “applies to new, clearance, open-box, refurbished and pre-owned products,” and the clock starts “the day you receive your product.”
| Buyer | Return window, most products | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| My Best Buy (free) | 15 days | Standard policy |
| My Best Buy Plus ($29.99 a year) | 60 days | Not on Marketplace items |
| My Best Buy Total ($199.99 a year) | 60 days | Also includes Best Buy Protection |
| Marketplace purchases | 15 days | “extended return timeframes do not apply” |
Sources: Return & Exchange Policy and membership page, read October 22, 2026. Membership prices change; check the live page. The policy page listed no extended holiday return dates for laptops on October 22, so if you’re buying for the holidays, check it again before you rely on a later deadline.
One catch for Good and Fair units: Best Buy says “Items need to be returned in a like-new condition,” and items that are “dented, scratched or missing major contents may be denied a return.” Our reading is to photograph every existing mark at pickup, so you can show they came with it.
Is open box the same as refurbished?
No. Open-box items are returns, display units and damaged-box stock, reset and graded. Best Buy’s search filter describes refurbished products as “Previously owned products priced by condition,” and its refurbished listings say “All refurbished products include a warranty. Warranty length varies by condition.”
| Open-box | Best Buy refurbished | Marketplace listing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Returns, display models, damaged packaging | “Previously owned products priced by condition” | A third-party seller’s item |
| Grades | Excellent, Good, Fair | Excellent, Good on the listings we read | Excellent, Good on the listing we read |
| Warranty | “In many cases” the maker’s | “90-day warranty” on the listings we read | “90-day warranty” on the listing we read; no backer named |
| Returns | 15 days, or 60 for members | 15 days, or 60 for members | 15 days; member windows don’t apply |
Sources: Best Buy’s open-box page and return policy (above), its refurbished laptop search condition filter, its Geek Squad Refurbished listing, SKU 6677061 and Marketplace listing, SKU 11885176, read October 22, 2026.
Our refurbished laptop guide compares the warranty terms of Apple, Dell, Lenovo, Back Market and other refurbished sellers.
What open-box saves, with dated prices
Here’s one laptop on one day, the 13-inch MacBook Air M5 with 16 GB and 512 GB, plus a Windows example.
| Laptop | Condition and seller | Price (store, date) |
|---|---|---|
| MacBook Air 13 (M5), 16 GB, 512 GB, SKU 6397846 | New, sold by Best Buy (sale) | $1,149, our arithmetic from “Comp. Value: $1,299.00” and “Save $150”, Oct 22, 2026 |
| Same | Open-box at Best Buy | $1,027.99 to $1,149.00, Oct 22, 2026 |
| Same configuration | Apple Certified Refurbished | $1,099, apple.com, Oct 22, 2026 |
| Same configuration | New at Apple | $1,299, apple.com, Oct 22, 2026 |
| ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (Ryzen AI 9 465), SKU 6671016 | New, sold by Best Buy (sale) | $899.99, Oct 22, 2026 |
| Same | “New, Open-Box and Refurbished” range | $737.99 to $1,299.99, Oct 22, 2026 |
Sources: Best Buy MacBook Air listing, Best Buy Zenbook 14 listing, Apple refurbished FDHE4LL/A and apple.com, October 22, 2026. Best Buy prices were read by our tools, not in a browser; the MacBook page showed them the open-box range and “Save $150” but no printed sale price or open-box grades.
Two lessons from that table. The Zenbook’s range mixes three conditions, so open the selector and confirm which one you’re buying. And the cheapest open-box Mac undercut Apple’s refurbished one by only about 6%, while Apple’s unit came with “Apple’s one-year limited warranty” stated on its page.
Is an open-box MacBook worth it?
At Excellent, with a low cycle count and coverage that runs a full year from your receipt, yes. If Check Coverage shows less, the refurbished Mac above was the cleaner deal that day. If you’re still choosing between Mac and Windows, compare the open-box Mac’s price with a Windows rival such as the IdeaPad Slim 5.
Can I add Geek Squad Protection to an open-box laptop?
Best Buy’s protection-plan FAQ doesn’t mention open-box items either way. It says “both your product and the specific Geek Squad Protection Plan need to be purchased from Best Buy,” and “you have 60 days after your purchase to add Geek Squad Protection” (Best Buy FAQ). Best Buy shows the plan price per product at checkout, so check it and ask about open-box eligibility before you pay.
What to check before you leave the store
Run these checks at the counter, or at home on the first day.
The battery. Apple’s steps: “Hold the Option key and click the Apple menu, then choose System Information,” then under Hardware select Power; the cycle count is under Battery Information. Apple rates the M5 MacBook Air at 1,000 cycles and says the battery is “designed to retain up to 80% of its original charge capacity” at that count (Apple). On Windows, Microsoft says powercfg /batteryreport “Generates a report of battery usage characteristics over the lifetime of the system” as an HTML file (Microsoft).
The lock. With Activation Lock on, Apple says “your Apple Account password or device passcode is required before anyone can turn off Find My, erase your Mac, or reactivate and use your Mac” (Apple). If setup asks for an account that isn’t yours, hand it back.
Our picks
| Pick for | Laptop | Why it’s here | Price (store, date) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mac to look for open-box | Apple MacBook Air 13 (M5), 16 GB, 512 GB | Best Buy sells it itself and listed open-box copies | $1,299, apple.com, Oct 22, 2026 |
| Windows to look for open-box | ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (Ryzen AI 9 465), 16 GB, 512 GB | Sold by Best Buy; its selector listed new, open-box and refurbished options | $899.99, Best Buy, Oct 22, 2026 (sale) |
We picked laptops on our shortlist that Best Buy sells itself and whose pages listed open-box options on October 22, 2026. We haven’t tested them; how we work explains our sources. Open-box stock changes by the hour, so check the current price and grade.
Gamers on a tight budget, say under $800, should check an open-box laptop’s graphics chip against each game’s requirements. The same battery and port checks apply to an open-box Windows laptop such as an IdeaPad Slim 5.
FAQ
Can I trust an open-box from Best Buy?
You can trust the written rules: the grades, the return window and the factory reset are all on Best Buy’s own pages. The laptop itself still needs the six checks above.
Is it safe to buy open-box laptops?
Yes, if the return window is still open while you test it. Buy in person if you can, so you can inspect the grade and accessories before paying.
Does an open-box laptop have a warranty?
In many cases, the maker’s, per Best Buy. Check the start date with the serial number, since Apple’s warranty runs from the original retail purchase.
What are the best open-box laptop deals at Best Buy?
They change daily. Open the condition selector on a laptop you already want, check that the condition reads “Open-Box,” and compare the price with the maker’s refurbished store.
What to do next
- Choose the grade first: Excellent, unless the Good unit’s discount covers a missing charger.
- On the product page, confirm the condition says “Open-Box” and the seller is Best Buy.
- Run the six checks at pickup, and photograph any marks.
- Put your return deadline in your calendar: 15 days, or 60 for paid members.
- Check the warranty start date with the serial number and keep the receipt.
Sources
All read October 22, 2026, unless a date is given.
- Best Buy: The best deals on open-box items at Best Buy (no date shown), Return & Exchange Policy (effective February 23, 2026), membership tiers, Geek Squad Protection FAQs, refurbished laptop search (condition filter text), MacBook Air 13 M5, SKU 6397846, ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED, SKU 6671016, Geek Squad Refurbished MacBook Air 15, SKU 6677061, Marketplace refurbished Latitude 7480, SKU 11885176
- Apple: US one-year limited warranty for Mac (version April 22, 2022 to present), Check Coverage, Determine battery cycle count for Mac laptops (published March 10, 2026), Activation Lock for Mac (published June 5, 2026), refurbished 13-inch MacBook Air M5, FDHE4LL/A, MacBook Air store page
- Lenovo: warranty lookup
- Microsoft: Powercfg command-line options (updated December 15, 2021)