What is a good price for a '09 or '10 Mac Pro?

[troy14]

Hi everyone,

Looking to upgrade my Mini to a Mac Pro. Don't do any Photoshop/movie editing, etc. Basic stuff with an occasional game (which is my reason for upgrading, plus, putting in a few more HDs for movie/tv show space rather than get another NAS).

There are so many choices when it comes to Mac Pros it's honestly exhausting. One minute I decide on an '09 with upgraded processor, next i'm looking at 2010s base model. I don't think I need any multiple processor systems.

I'm looking at getting a 2009 with the 2.66 processor, and ATI 4870 video card. What is a good price for this system? I'm looking at a few in the ~$600 dollar range, is that a 'typical' price? What is a 'bargain' price for this machine? I am most likely going to swap out the video card in a month or two, as well as add some HDs (SSD for boot drive) and add some RAM.

 

[GGJstudios]

As a starting point, you can check Mac2Sell, eBay (including completed sales), and Amazon for prices of similar models, to get an idea of what a reasonable price may be. Don't check just once source, but get an average from all sites for a more accurate idea. Some sites may be higher/lower than is realistic. Then adjust the price to account for condition, configuration, remaining AppleCare coverage (if any), etc. If the model is recent enough, you can also check the Apple refurbished store to see what similar models are selling for.

 

[z31fanatic]

If you are willing to spend $600, you shouldn't look at Macs with Core 2 Duo processors. $600 can get you a lot more computer power.