Skip the iPhone 18 Launch — Buy These Refurbished iPhones Instead
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro event is four days away. Rumors put the starting price at $1,249–$1,399 — up to $300 more than the iPhone 17 Pro you can already buy refurbished for ~$1,026.
We've said it before: buying a brand-new flagship at MSRP is the worst deal in smartphones. The iPhone 18 launch is the perfect moment to prove it with real numbers from our price database.
The math: new iPhone 18 vs refurbished last-gen
| If you spend… | You could get (excellent refurb) | Savings vs iPhone 18 Pro MSRP |
|---|---|---|
| ~$725 | iPhone 16 Pro (27% off $999 MSRP) | ~$524–$674 less than rumored iPhone 18 Pro |
| ~$577 | iPhone 15 Pro (42% off $999 MSRP) | ~$672–$822 less |
| ~$319 | iPhone 14 (60% off $799 MSRP) | ~$930–$1,080 less |
The iPhone 16 Pro runs the A18 Pro chip with a titanium frame, Action Button, and Camera Control. The iPhone 15 Pro adds the first USB-C Pro iPhone with a still-excellent camera stack. Both do 95% of what an iPhone 18 Pro will do for daily use — at 40–55% lower cost.
Our top picks by budget
Best Pro under $750: iPhone 16 Pro (~$725)
The iPhone 16 Pro is one generation behind but not a legacy phone. You get:
- A18 Pro chip (still flagship-fast)
- 48MP main camera with 5x telephoto on Pro Max sibling
- Camera Control button and Action Button
- Apple Intelligence support
At 27% off MSRP, it's in our weak-to-fair depreciation tier today — but the iPhone 18 launch should push it toward fair (40%+) within months. Buying now locks in a price that may not last.
Best Pro under $600: iPhone 15 Pro (~$577)
Our iPhone 15 Pro refurbished guide already made the case: at 42% off MSRP, this is the Pro iPhone value champion.
- A17 Pro chip handles everything except the most demanding future AI features
- Titanium build, USB-C, ProMotion 120Hz
- Excellent camera system with 3x telephoto
TechShave classifies 42% off as "fair" depreciation — approaching "good" (55%+). For a phone that launched at $999, ~$577 excellent is the kind of deal timing guides tell you to wait for.
Best iPhone under $350: iPhone 14 (~$319)
If you don't need Pro features, the iPhone 14 at 60% off MSRP is in our good depreciation tier:
- A15 Bionic still smooth for everyday apps
- Solid dual-camera system
- Years of iOS updates remaining
Budget wildcard: iPhone 16e (~$401)
Apple's budget lane — A18 chip, single camera, no ProMotion — at 33% off a $599 MSRP. Not as steep a discount as the iPhone 14, but you get modern internals and longer software support runway.
Side-by-side: the phones worth comparing
Why not wait for the iPhone 18?
Fair question. Buy the iPhone 18 Pro new if:
- You need the variable-aperture camera or A20 Pro performance on day one
- You're trading in a device that offsets the $1,300+ price
- You want the smallest Dynamic Island and C2 modem first
Buy refurbished last-gen if:
- You want Pro performance under $750 today
- You agree that phones depreciate fast and you'd rather let someone else eat the launch premium
- You're shopping on the comparison table and filtering for good or strong depreciation tiers
The iPhone 17 Pro is also an option at ~$1,026 — but at only 6.6% off MSRP, you're paying nearly full price for a phone about to become "last gen." We'd skip it unless you specifically want the newest slab before the 18 lands.
How to buy
- Open the phone finder — set budget, pick excellent or very good condition
- Compare savings % on each model page — look for fair (40%+) or better
- Check price history to confirm the curve isn't spiking (our iPhone 15 Pro data shows occasional listing-mix bumps)
- Buy Renewed through our tracked Amazon links
Bottom line
The iPhone 18 Pro will get the headlines on September 9. The iPhone 16 Pro at ~$725 and iPhone 15 Pro at ~$577 will get you the better deal.
Don't preorder a $1,300 phone when last year's Pro is sitting on the refurb market at half the price. That's the entire point of TechShave.
