Don't buy these Apple products: March 2021 edition

Apple products go through cycles of updates, and this means that some products are fresh, and others are getting ready of an update, with some being long overdue for an update.

Here are seven products that you should avoid buying.

Must read: No more Lightning port: What will that mean for us?

13-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro

What you should know: Less of a “don’t buy” and more of a beware, as there are a couple of things here at play. 

First, the Apple Silicon timeline says that it would be a two-year rollout, so we know that updates are coming. The lower-end 13-inch MacBook Pro was updated with M1 Apple Silicon November 2020, but the others are still waiting for an update.

Also: Best laptop in 2021

The other factor here is that there’s talk of a 14-inch MacBook Pro coming (similar to the 15-inch to 16-inch bump the bigger brother got), so the 13-inch MacBook Pro might be coming to the end of its life.

Keep this in mind if you are planning a purchase. 

Hardware last revamped: The Intel 13-inch MacBook Pro was updated May 2020, with the 16-inch MacBook Pro updated November 2019.

iMac Pro

What you should know: Once a powerhouse, and still pretty powerful, it’s hard to justify a price tag starting at $5,000 for something as old as this.

Also, there’s the Apple Silicon rollout timeline to keep in mind. 

Hardware last revamped: December 2017.

Also: Want a fully-loaded iMac Pro? Better sit down. At more than $17K, this is gonna hurt

Apple TV fifth-gen

What you should know: Apple’s 5th-generation Apple TV, built around the A10X Fusion processor and coming with a choice of 32GB or 64GB of storage, was last updated over a year ago. It’s still a great device, but the starting price of $179 feels hefty for something over a year old.

Don’t be confused between this and the 4th-generation Apple TV HD which is also still for sale. This was first released in October 2015.

Hardware last revamped: September 2017.

iPad mini

What you should know: The forgotten iPad. It seems that the demand for a small iPad was such that it hasn’t been updated in almost two years. Only a good choice if you want a small tablet with Apple Pencil support.

Hardware last revamped: March 2019.

Also: Apple iPad Mini 2019 review: A beloved classic with internal improvements and Apple Pencil support

HomePod

What you should know: The current HomePod is a first-generation device that was released over three years ago to offer a challenge to devices such as the Amazon Echo and Google Home speaker. But three years in the tech industry is a long time, and so it might be worthwhile holding out on buying one until we get a clearer idea of whether Apple is planning a refresh. 

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Hardware last updated: February 2018.

AirPods

What you should know: There are rumors that these second-generation AirPods are headed for a revamp, so bear this in mind if you are thinking of dropping $159 on a set.

Hardware last updated: March 2019.

Also: Why buy AirPods? Great earbuds don’t have to cost $250

iPod touch

What you should know: The last of the iPods! It’s coming to the two-year old mark, which isn’t all that old, but it is worth considering how long of a lifespan this has in terms of iOS updates. You have to decide if the A10 Fusion chip, 4-inch display, with maximum capacity of 256GB is worth the $199 to $399 price tag that Apple has attached to the legacy product.

Hardware last updated: May 2019.