I'll go with 16" as well.
Better speaker.
Better thermal.
Better Keyboard.
Bigger screen.
Better internal components (newer processor and GPU).
5Bs.
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The Secondhand Mac market is having a rough time
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Better speaker.
Better thermal.
Better Keyboard.
Bigger screen.
Better internal components (newer processor and GPU).
5Bs.
Apple has flooded its distribution channels with low priced brand new machines. They just took $300 off new 16" and $200 off new 13" MBP. It is no surprised that prices in the used market have collapsed.
A lot of other companies are doing the same thing in their markets. Telsa has trimmed $5,000 off the price of many of their models to move units. This has resulted in decrease in used prices and trade in value. The Tesla forums are full of people complaining that the trade-in offers for their old Teslas dropped $4,000+ overnight.
Companies need to move units and keep their companies busy and bringing in money. Doesn't matter if that it is computers, cars, or other widgets. It is a great time to pick up some bargains.
How do Mac desktop prices compare to MacBooks? Might be a clue to how much of it is related to the butterfly keyboard issue.
You can find 2006-2007 Mac Pros for $100 - $200 in my area.
Then you can find 2008-2012 Mac Pros from $750 to $2,000 (asking prices). It seems to me that some are buying up the cheaper models, maxing out the CPU, adding a modern video card and bumping up the RAM to ask $1,500 - $2,000. There are a ton of videos on YouTube showing how to do major upgrades to the old Mac Pros and they just do them with the Cheesegraters as they are so easy to upgrade.
I suspect that there are too many of these upgraded models out there but they do serve people looking for production machines that don't start at $6K.
I'm going to make one myself today or tomorrow. 66% of asking price. The thing has been for sale for a month in a hot COVID area. I don't need the machine but wouldn't mind having one at that price so I could tinker and experiment with it.
Because some people are truly believe that "you'll never know until you ask".
Unfortunately lowball offers are still indirectly represent the current market conditions which is impossible to ignore if you are serious about selling.
Taking losses is normal if you trade stocks unless you're willing to hold forever. In the trading world, if you want out, just sell at market. If you think that you can get your price, then set a limit order. Demand for used goods changes all the time but the general direction is down because hardware depreciates with time. It may be components degrading or Apple deciding that your machine isn't going to get the next operating system update or your machine moves into Vintage status so you can't get Apple to repair it or your battery starts swelling.
I reckon that anyone with a "knowledge of Macs" is going to AVOID the 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 MacBook Pro 13" and 15" models due to the butterfly keyboards.
A $750 repair when one key goes bad on you.
So... I'd expect buying prices for these to be about 50-60% of what they would be if the keyboards weren't defective "out-of-the-box".
I wouldn't buy one of those, regardless of how well it was equipped, for more than, say, $500.
Well, actually, I wouldn't buy one AT ALL, and would recommend that anyone else avoid them, as well.
A $750 repair when one key goes bad on you.
So... I'd expect buying prices for these to be about 50-60% of what they would be if the keyboards weren't defective "out-of-the-box".
I wouldn't buy one of those, regardless of how well it was equipped, for more than, say, $500.
Well, actually, I wouldn't buy one AT ALL, and would recommend that anyone else avoid them, as well.
Why do you that its not universal? The derision and hatred of the butterfly keyboard is well reported and known. I understand there are some who do like the keyboard, but that doesn't change the fact that its a flawed and defective design. Also with apple abandoning the design only reinforces that perception and depresses the price point of the used market further
I should have been more specific. The 16" is not reselling well even as nearly new or open box. I see them quite low.
In a weird turn of events I have been in Italy since before the pandemic hit (dual US/EU citizen). I was also gifted a top of the line 16" while Ive been here so Im selling my own machine at the moment. I knew they were more expensive in EU but my friend paid 5k Euros for this 16" w AppleCare, 32gb, and 1tb with the 2.4ghz 8c. That is cray.
I noticed some of this late last year when Apple dropped the prices on trade-in's so I'd say it has more to do with the trickle down from them that has shifted to a similar trend elsewhere.
I just happened to be curious what they would pay for my 2015 4c 16GB/1TB when the 16" MBP's were relatively new. Back then, they were offering $1200. Within 2 months, it was $600. I sold mine on eBay for just under $800 to help fund a new 13" MBP.
Even a few months ago when I sold my 2017 12", I got over $900 for it and others were getting that on up to near $1100 so sellers can still make out okay...
The 16 was a gamechanger. As a person who buys used Apple Gear, your $800 at the time sounds fair. I bought one for a bit ofer $1,100 early 2018. I'd pay $700 for it today.
Agreed- I have no complaints about getting what I did for 5 year old (Apple refurb purchase) and 3 year old (eBay used purchase) computers respectively. I actually made money on the second one- paid <$700 and sold for >$900.
The 2020 models as a whole (to a lesser extent the base 13" maybe) are all quite impressive- even the MBA's.
I am a bit concerned about MBA resale value in the long term with so many people continuing to grouse about "thermal design flaws" which I consider to be rubbish. That wasn't my experience with the i7 MBA at all and a number of base model and i5 users here and elsewhere have echoed similar observations.
We are in the midst of a global pandemic and social crisis. Small and large companies are filing for Chapter 11 and unless you're a doctor or working in a government position your job isn't 100% secure, the hammer can drop anytime without warning.
Combined with the fact that most Americans have record debt and little savings I can see people scaling back on even essentials.
Combined with the fact that most Americans have record debt and little savings I can see people scaling back on even essentials.
Doctors aren't safe either. Depends on what kind of doctor and how your hospital is doing financially.
You would think so... I've been amazed how many people are bidding things up on eBay (both as a buyer and seller). I sold quite a bit of stuff over the past 2-3 months and one (esoteric non-computer) item auto-relisted and sold the second time.
I've been diligent, disciplined and fortunate enough to avoid debt almost my entire life. Bought my first new Apple computer a couple of months ago. Every one I've had since Pismo G3 days was acquired used from eBay or Apple direct refurb.
eBay surprises me too sometimes, I recently sold my RTX 2080Ti Founders Edition on eBay for almost exactly what I bought it for 2 years ago.
Computer components have gone up a lot.
I bought two Dell 28 inch 4Ks last year for $330 each. I looked at them last week and they were $630. RAM, video cards, etc. cost about 20% more than before the pandemic.
Apple's asking €449.00 for Apple Care. The machine itself is "only" €3,954.00.