Opinion on Trade In Value and 16" Model Selection

[drober30]

1. Do you think the trade in value is a good deal? Apple is offering $1030 as trade for my:

• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
• 3.1 GHz Intel Core i5
• 16 GB 2133 MHz LPDDR3
• 500GB SSD
• Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650 1536 MB

I checked ebay and the pricing is not very consistent so would like opinions on the trade offer.


2. I pretty much never leave home with my laptop, I just like the option of computing everywhere in the house instead of a fixed location. My last couple of Macbook Pros have been 13" models because I remember thinking I want a lighter computer that was easier to have on my lap. It has been 7 years since I made the switch but now I'm thinking I would like a bigger screen as the trade off.

I'm thinking that the $400 dollar difference between base models to go from:

• i7 (6 core) to i9 (eight core)
• 500GB SSD to 1TB SSD
• AMD 5300m to 5500m

might just be worth it for storage and graphics alone? I think the upgrade in processor might not have the return on investment because I mostly surf the net and stream videos. I do run Parallels for the times I might need Windows 10 but I think in a three years from now if I was looking to sell/trade the 16" to upgrade again, an i7 might seem outdated much older and not as attractive to buyers?

Anyways, I would like to hear some opinions, many times someone will say something I was not thinking about that makes a decision easy.

 

[4sallypat]

Same here, I was also disappointed with the Apple trade in offer I got for my 2015 i7 15" MBP which costed $2200 when I got it in 2016. AppleCare just ran out....
Apple offered $820 for trading it in for a base 16" MBP i7.

Even with the $200 Education discount which I qualify for, after adding back in the tax, and getting 3% back on the Apple Card, I am not convinced...

Maybe best to sell the 15" MBP on eBay ?

BTW my everyday use laptop is the 12" Retina Macbook that I love dearly due to the super light and thin design made for portability.
The 15" stays on a desk connected to a Thunderbolt 27" display....

 

[chabig]

I think Apple's pricing for trade-ins is reasonable. I traded in my 2016 13" MacBook Pro for a 2019 model and took the $780 they offered. I paid about $1800 for the machine so to me, I just wrote it off as $1/day. If you're willing to accept it, it's the easiest way to receive credit for your old machine. If you're not, you might be able to get more by selling it on other eBay or Craigslist, but you accept more risk and hassle doing it that way. If you're going to compare pricing, remember to include the fees you'll pay to both eBay and PayPal--shipping and insurance too. And then you're at the mercy of eBay if the buyer complains.

 

[velocityg4]

1. That's actually an amazing deal for that model. Looking at used sold prices on eBay. You'd probably only get $950 to $1,000 for it. Which means you'd actually get about $800 to $850 after eBay fees, Paypal fees, shipping and insurance.

2. Couldn't say if the higher spec model would make much difference to you. Take a look at your used storage space and memory pressure under your maximum usage load. Outside of pro media creation, scientific tasks, heavy VM usage and gaming. RAM and storage are the most common performance problems for people. As modern CPU and GPU are far more powerful than the average non-gamer has use for.

CPU and GPU: You may not even notice a difference given your usage.

RAM: If memory pressure is in the yellow or red. You may be better off with 32GB RAM in the base model rather than those other upgrades.

Storage: If you are using more than 256GB storage. You should consider the 1TB SSD so you have room to grow.

 

[Zen_Arcade]

Take Apple’s offer and run. Don’t forget you’ll also get sales tax added back, which can be 5-10% more. And you don’t have to think about it ever again.

 

[Nacho98]

I've kicked around the idea of the base i7 model with just a 32 GB RAM upgrade vs. the higher stock configuration which has worse RAM but better CPU/GPU/SSD, at a price differential of only +$40 for the latter with education discount.

While I think most people would be tempted to go for the higher i9 stock configuration, I'm grossly attracted to the base model with more RAM. Will run cooler/quieter and have better battery life, and we've had 16 GB RAM for going on 8 years now, so for me, as someone wanting to keep the machine for 5-8 years, the 32 GB RAM just seems like the next step up I would need to last me a while. Thinking about tossing in the 4GB 5500M for just another $90, but my current computer doesn't even have a dGPU and the 5300M already outdoes Vega 20, so it's pretty much of no use despite the tiny cost increase - gotta draw a line somewhere.

I figure the base model with 32GB RAM, compared to my base mid-2015 model, gives me 6 cores vs. 4, double the RAM, double the SSD, 70% brighter screen, and all the other goodies like more battery life, better speakers, etc. A base with upgraded RAM would be a huge upgrade in every department.

 

[chabig]

Don’t forget you’ll also get sales tax added back

That's a very good point, too.

 

[MareLuce]

Don’t forget you’ll also get sales tax added back, which can be 5-10% more.

I didn't realize that!

 

[Donnation]

What size is the SSD in your current MBP?

 

[drober30]

What size is the SSD in your current MBP?

500GB

I updated my original post, thanks!

 

[alphaod]

That's a pretty good upgrade offer... Apple says my 2016 model is worthless.
[automerge]1574010116[/automerge]

 

[drober30]

Take Apple’s offer and run. Don’t forget you’ll also get sales tax added back, which can be 5-10% more. And you don’t have to think about it ever again.

I didn't know I would get some sales tax added back, does that depend on what state were from? I know it does with trading in cars.

 

[alphaod]

I didn't know I would get some sales tax added back, does that depend on what state were from? I know it does with trading in cars.

Well Apple issues you a refund, it will include sales tax. You don't get it separately back from the state.

 

[drober30]

I've kicked around the idea of the base i7 model with just a 32 GB RAM upgrade vs. the higher stock configuration which has worse RAM but better CPU/GPU/SSD, at a price differential of only +$40 for the latter with education discount.

That would be the only other thing I would consider is going with the i7 and bumping up the RAM to 32GB. What do you mean by "the higher stock configuration which has worse RAM" they both start with 16GB.

 

[Donnation]

I think that's actually a very fair price. You could possibly squeeze a couple hundred more dollars out of it on eBay but then you still have to ship it and hope that your buyer doesn't change their mind as they have 30 days to return an item for any reason. To me its not always worth that hassle and I don't think it is in this situation.

 

[Zen_Arcade]

To expand on the choice half of the question:

I bought and have a 2.3/16/1 TB/5500 - 4 GB model. I'm going to order a 2.4/16/1 TB/5500 - 8 GB model to replace it but needed one to work with (I suppose that makes me a borderline mis-user of Apple's return policy . . . ).

I'm going to swap out mainly because some of the work I do is CPU and GPU intensive and it's convenient to be able to do at least some of it while on the road. So upping the CPU and GPU VRAM seems a reasonable value proposition for the $270 it will cost. I still SMH at the cost of RAM and storage upgrades - they're double what they should reasonably be.

 

[Nacho98]

That would be the only other thing I would consider is going with the i7 and bumping up the RAM to 32GB. What do you mean by "the higher stock configuration which has worse RAM" they both start with 16GB.

The higher stock config at 16 gigs RAM would be worse than the base model upgraded to 32 GB. Those two configs are basically the same price.

 

[drober30]

I think I have made a decision:

I think the trade-in value is good at $1030. I might be able to get a couple hundred more, maybe, from selling locally because selling on ebay with a 10% fee and shipping would eat that up.

If I pull the trigger, I will get the base i7 model. I decided on this because I think it will be better to save $400 right off the bat, I will not worry about Apple Care and save another $360 because I will upgrade when Apple introduces a completely redesigned Macbook Pro with WiFi6. This will also give me time to try the 16" screen to see if I like having a bigger laptop.

So with the mindset of upgrading sooner, managing my storage on a 512GB and not truly needing the increase in CPU, it is easier to buy a base model.

 

[ilikewhey]

thats a very generous quote from apple, they only offer 800 for my 15inch 2016. your not gonna get much more from ebay or swappa.

 

[jterp7]

honest question...i keep reading about horror stories with both the iphone and macbook pro trade-ins directly to apple. Normally I'd assume them to be outliers but it seems like a lot of people are getting reduced offers once the device is received.

 

[Nacho98]

honest question...i keep reading about horror stories with both the iphone and macbook pro trade-ins directly to apple. Normally I'd assume them to be outliers but it seems like a lot of people are getting reduced offers once the device is received.

iphone problems are easily avoidable by doing it in store.

for whatever reason apple doesnt accept laptop tradeins in store and you have to send it out and many accounts indicate the third party is really, really scummy.

 

[Donnation]

I think I have made a decision:

If I pull the trigger, I will get the base i7 model. I decided on this because I think it will be better to save $400 right off the bat, I will not worry about Apple Care and save another $360 because I will upgrade when Apple introduces a completely redesigned Macbook Pro with WiFi6. This will also give me time to try the 16" screen to see if I like having a bigger laptop.

So with the mindset of upgrading sooner, managing my storage on a 512GB and not truly needing the increase in CPU, it is easier to buy a base model.

You’re going to be waiting a while.