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How well do Mac Pros hold their value?

Are you saying that one could replace a Mac Pro every 2 years for only about $500 in additional costs every 2 years?
 
Hmm... If you wanted to, you could sell a 2006 Mac Pro now and... yes, use that money plus around $500 to get the current standard Mac Pro. You could break even or possibly get more if you do some hardware upgrades and include software.

But that's not what the Mac Pro is all about.
 
To me, it's not about replacing it every two years like a Windows computer, but if you're in a position where you can not only afford to replace it that frequently, but also NEED to update (for work or whatever reason), then do.
 
Hmm. Back in my days as a PC user I would ride out the computer as long as I could, updating bits of hardware to keep it up to date as possible.

I do sell my Macs about every 2.5 years. I try to sell them while they have a little AppleCare left on them to make the purchaser feel better. I usually get 50% of the original value. The buyer usually gets extra RAM and an unused Mighty Mouse along with the remaining AppleCare.

Doing video production, the every two year rule has worked out pretty well for me.
 
Tallest Skil said:
Same as any other Mac. Around 85% after two years... seeing as it took Apple a year and a half to update. There have only been two Mac Pros.
Click to expand...


I wish the market were as generous as your prediction. You're lucky to get 50% for your machine in 2 years.

Since they moved to Intel or the downturn of the economy, don't expect people to pay top-dollars for your electronics; Apple or otherwise.

So realistically what you can expect to get is probably at a rate of 25% depreciation after a year andthat is already generous!
 
Maybe more than $500, but it is certainly possible to replace last generation with new as Apple release them for a reasonable amount.

I tend to respond with this suggestion when people are asking about processor upgrades and talking about future proofing. Right now there is no point in future proofing a Mac Pro purchase. Let us be clear though. Buying a Mac Pro to last 4 years isn't future proofing. Buying the 3.2GHz upgrade for the purpose of it lasting you longer is. This in my opinion is foolish as it seems likely that the base Nehalem Mac Pro will out perform the current 3.2GHz and you should have no trouble selling a current base Mac Pro for $1200* come next January, infact I'd expect it to fetch alot more.

Things are a little bit different at the moment perhaps as the current platform is a dead end and Nehalem offers so much more for both the short and long term.

If you are in a position where you want performance, have the free time to deal with the logistics and will have the down time to make the change overs, buying and selling used/refurb Mac Pros can work out really good for you if you do it early in the product life.

*$1200 being the difference between the $4,400 for 3.2GHz MP and, $5,600 assumed for Current base MP and Nehalem MP.
 
Has anyone sold an Apple product, purchased in the U.S., in another country to get a better price? Perhaps on EBay? If they start out costing 1.5X as much...
Shipping can't be that expensive.
 
supercooled said:
I wish the market were as generous as your prediction. You're lucky to get 50% for your machine in 2 years.

Since they moved to Intel or the downturn of the economy, don't expect people to pay top-dollars for your electronics; Apple or otherwise.

So realistically what you can expect to get is probably at a rate of 25% depreciation after a year andthat is already generous!
Click to expand...

Even that would be very generous.

I've sold a few Macs in the last couple of years, and the best I could get (with AppleCare and other bonus add-ons) was 50% of it's original sale price after 6 months of age.

The problem, is that when Apple updates the product line, the maximum value shifts.

People look at what they can get the new machine for with all these standard features that you had to buy as options for yours.

So, options you paid for, are frequently standard in the new configuration. And, the new configuration is usually the same price or less. So, then you've got your machine being compared against a new one which has all your features, faster processors, a full new warranty, and is NEW.

So, when people start doing deductions, they come in with pretty low offers. I've played the game and lost every time.

The only times I've felt that I've come out O.K. are when I've kept a Mac for multiple years. Then, selling it at a significant loss isn't as hard because I've gotten a lot of use out of it.

But, selling a nearly new machine, just isn't worth it. Don't ever buy a computer with selling it in mind. If you are already planning to sell it, then it isn't enough computer for you (or isn't the right fit for you).

I purchased this Mac Pro with a timeline of 4 to 5 years of use expected. If I were to consider using it for any lesser amount of time, I wouldn't have purchased it at all.

And, beyond that 4 to 5 years, I expect I will still keep it. It will just get handed down through the family.

If you are already worried about resale value, you are not buying the right machine.

From my experience, the last two Macs I purchased and sold cost me $2300 (with a corporate discount) and $1600 (with a corporate discount).

The $2300 system was about 5 months old when I sold it. Apple had just released a new revision. And, the absolute best I could get for it was $1100.

The $1600 system was about 3 months old when I sold it. And, the best I could get for it was about $900.

Both systems had AppleCare coverage for 3 years.

And, these were sales that took place in the last 3 years.

The problem, is that Apple will release a new revision. That new revision will come with the stuff you paid extra for. So, the value of those extras will be depreciated. The value of the machine will be depreciated since it is no longer the current model. And, it's price will partly be set by:

1) The price of the new machine with all it's standard options

2) The price of a refurbished machine similar to yours

3) The fact that yours is not option 1 or 2 and will therefore receive offers lesser than both.



If you are going to spend the money, get something that will serve you for a long time.

Or, if you are looking short term, buy the cheapest model that will serve you for that amount of time.
 
Tallest Skil said:
Same as any other Mac. Around 85% after two years... seeing as it took Apple a year and a half to update. There have only been two Mac Pros.
Click to expand...

lol i would slap any dofus that paid that much for a USED, LAST GEN computer

so many people that electronics depreciate by about 20-30% as soon as you open the box it came in, than add in usage, plus its using old technology, quite a bit slower than the new one

i have no idea why people sell a comp they bought 2 years ago, to me if it only lasts you 2 years you bought the wrong one, i buy with the intent of it lasting at least 3 years with a wanted life expectancy of 5 years.
 
iSpoody 1243 said:
lol i would slap any dofus that paid that much for a USED, LAST GEN computer

so many people that electronics depreciate by about 20-30% as soon as you open the box it came in, than add in usage, plus its using old technology, quite a bit slower than the new one

i have no idea why people sell a comp they bought 2 years ago, to me if it only lasts you 2 years you bought the wrong one, i buy with the intent of it lasting at least 3 years with a wanted life expectancy of 5 years.
Click to expand...

Exactly... If you are going to buy a computer, buy enough computer to last you quite a while. In the long run, it's cheaper than buying half steps every year or two.

I plan to wait until my machine is beyond all hope of being useful before I buy another one.
 
Tallest Skil said:
Same as any other Mac. Around 85% after two years...
Click to expand...
Willing to make a long term commitment deal with you. I will sell you my Mac Pro in 2 years for 80% of what I paid for it (a special 5% discount just for you) and will do this every two years for the next 10 years.
 
They keep their value

NSNick said:
Has anyone sold an Apple product, purchased in the U.S., in another country to get a better price? Perhaps on EBay? If they start out costing 1.5X as much...
Shipping can't be that expensive.
Click to expand...

I bought a Mac mini 1.8GHz core duo for £450 from Apple and got £365 for it on Ebay over a year later, I'd never have been able to do that with a Windows PC.

My Mac mini introduced me to OSX, then I was hooked. I'm expecting my Mac Pro to last much much longer, but who knows....................................
 
iSpoody 1243 said:
i have no idea why people sell a comp they bought 2 years ago, to me if it only lasts you 2 years you bought the wrong one, i buy with the intent of it lasting at least 3 years with a wanted life expectancy of 5 years.
Click to expand...

Exactly. I expect my Mac Pro (and with Nehalem and Snow Leopard, my MacBook Pro) to last me through grad school. Two years? The only thing that I can think of lasting two years is a Mac Mini in the hands of a sub-power user. A casual user could use it for four or more, and a professional wouldn't even give it a second glance.
 
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