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mymemory

macrumors 68020
Original poster
May 9, 2001
2,495
-1
Miami
1st. Sorry for the serial # stuff I placed in another thread.

2nd. I have seen the used computer market for Mac have been growing lately. I think the reason of that is because (at list I do) people think "if my computer won't be the fastest in the market I can get a cheaper one any way".
Another reason would be that 90% of the aplications ar running fast enough with current systems (except video related), so, why spending such amount of money in a new computer when I can get a lot of speed for almost half the price?
 

dricci

macrumors 6502a
Dec 15, 2001
540
157
I'd guesstimate that Apple's Marketshare is really around 7% when you factor in the people with old beige G3s with upgrade cards
 

flanders

macrumors member
Jul 24, 2002
40
0
Atlanta, GA
I believe it...I would never think of selling a used PC on ebay, but a used mac--no problem whatsoever. I think the reasons are that the macs will run software longer than PCs and you're relatively sure what you're getting with a pre-owned mac. Not just some no-name boards with or without good drivers, etc.

I for one have no reservations about buying used macs, if you're not doing the latest video-thingy then you'll generally have plenty of power at your disposal and you know the h/w quality will be there.
 

bbarnhart

macrumors 6502a
Jan 16, 2002
824
1
Still use an old Mac

I still use my 8500 with a 300 Mhz G3 upgrade card for all of my home needs. Quicken, PS Elements, FTP Transfer, email, Excel, Word, Filemaker and several others.

What is funny is that I've been looking at buying an older powermac G4, like the dual 500 on eBay. When I first started looking I thought, 'Well, I can pick that up for a few hundred dollars.' I couldn't have been more wrong.

One is on eBay now for 995. They really hold their value.

ebay dual 500 g4
 

green68

macrumors newbie
Jun 6, 2002
4
0
The Markets Speak

Capitalism is a beautiful thing. Apple is dropping the ball on updating the Powermac/Powerbook making a used Mac a better choice than a new one in many instances. I am somebody that said, "Hum, $3500 for a 800Mhz powerbook, or $1000 for a 500 Mhz Powerbook, I saved the money, and I"ll probably be able to sell it in 6 months for what I paid."

I love Apple but their pathetic upgrades are getting almost insulting. I imagine that people like me buying used might become a cancer if they don't get their act together.
 

mymemory

macrumors 68020
Original poster
May 9, 2001
2,495
-1
Miami
Look, 3 days ago a friend of mine with an iBook tested my pismo and he said mine was really fast, faster than his computer. The only reason I do not get the G4 upgrade for the pismo is the shipping cost from my country, otherwise would be totally worth it.

And he is right, there is plenty of used options out there for macs, why should I pay 2299$+ for a 933 Mhz computer if I can get a dual 500 for less than $1000! it is $1299 difference!

Here in Venezuela I can get a dual 450 for less than a $1000. A friend of mine who owns a Mac store is dealing with used computers and he is making a fortune, just because to import parts is cheaper than the entire unit, he gets a G4 400 and gives you a dual 500 for $370, now I'm getting a super drive for $ 500. It is a better deal than paying $3000 for a system as versatile (not as fast).

But, why should I pay 100%+ more for a 25%- of diference?

That is why used market is taking over I think.

I do not really care if my sys bus is 100 or 133 mhz, or if I have a 16MB or 32MB video ram. Memory ram is what counts more than the processor speed. My next stop is gonna be 1.5GB Ram:)

If Apple comes out with a 2Ghz unit (hehehe, yeah right), that would be something else, but forget about it, not until next month... in 2 years may be.

If I need more speed is for rendering, and I do a heavy render once or twice a month. I would be pleased with a dual 800. I'm gonna wait for the next line to come out and get the used dual 1Ghz at 50% less, from the speed freaks!
 

elgruga

macrumors 6502
Dec 31, 2001
434
1
Canada
Interesting thread

I have been buying and selling used macs for a few years, mostly powerbooks and mostly to keep myself up with the 'last great computer', and its true that the old machines are just as fast.
I sold my Pismo 400 for $1500 CAD ($1000 USD) and put the cash towards a new Tibook 667. My first new computer in a long time.....
Is it faster? Well, a bit, but not much. Video perfomance seems the same, screen brightness is exactly the same (I put them next to each other).

The extra cost was $3000 CAD ($2000 USD) - for 10 gigs more drive space, same (512) ram, and of course, my main reason a built-in dvd/cdrw drive.
I sold my burner for another $200, so I guess thats $2800 CAD extra.

If my company hadnt kicked in most of the extra cash, I wouldnt have purchased.

No question that these newer machines arent really any faster or better - sometimes they have less facility than the old ones.

Perhaps the real issue here is 'Human Speed' - for most of us who just want to write documents, surf the web, email, program small databases, listen to music - computers now are as fast as they need to be.
More speed will not allow me to type faster, and there would be no point in playing my music at double speed!
I like that ripping a CD to iTunes is faster, but would my life be better if it ripped a CD in 5 seconds? We only have so much time to listen to music, and I know many people who would have to quit work and listen to music for 15 hours a day for the rest of their lives and still they wouldnt get to hear all the music they own.

We may have reached the max. "human speed" levels a year or two ago.

Mac market share including all the old used? More like 7 - 10%.

One of the reasons that Macs attract the college crowd, and the more upmarket crowd is because they last longer and are well built.

Yes, we have two Volvo's (1981 and 1983) and they still run great!

We also have a Nakamichi mini-system stereo, over 6 years old, expensive when new, but I dont see it being replaced for at least 10 or more years.

Is this a problem for Apple? Well, unfortunately, our global capitalism world doesnt allow Apple-like companies to exist for long. Its likely that Apple will be bought by a much larger entity in the next few years, just as Volvo was and Jaguar Cars was, and many other small and great companies.
Even Lands End has been bought by Sears.

Apple computers will be around for many years, even if Apple isnt around in its present form.
 

jelloshotsrule

macrumors G3
Feb 7, 2002
9,596
4
serendipity
i actually have been considering selling my dp 800 and buying a low or mid range new pmac if they have ddr and other big boosts....

but i don't think i'll have the money unfortunately to make up the difference....

but yeah, used macs go a whole lot further than used pcs... fo sho.
 
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