It doesn’t matter if you use your Mac for work or play, there is no doubt that purchasing a Mac is the equivalent of making an investment. After all, these are very top-notch computers that can create, process and compete multiple tasks at once. This is also the reason why MacBooks come with a very high price point upon purchase. Moreover, many come to inevitably realise that the price tag usually justifies the quality of the product very well.

However, down the road after owning a Mac for some time, you may decide that you want to get a newer version, trade it in or even simply sell it to someone else. In doing this, you can either recover some of the money you initially invested or trade it in and purchase a new version in the process. This then raises the question of just how much is your Mac worth?

Factors to Consider

When assessing the value of your MacBook, you have to take into consideration a few important factors. Moreover, there are two main methods by which you can sell or trade-in your Mac. You can either utilize Apple’s Buyback Program or simply sell it to someone else. The first option allows you to trade in your Mac to Apple for a new device. Meanwhile, the selling amount will depend on the condition of the machine that you have.

Regardless of whichever option you decide to use, one thing is constant, the quality of your Mac must be as pristine as possible. This is because the more faults the device has, the less it’s going to be worth, even at the Apple store. As such, the physical condition must be faultless in terms of performance. This also includes lacking any obvious scratches, dents, or have any major damages, eg. cracked screen. This is also why many Mac uslaptop stand deskers are advised to invest in a MacBook Screen Protector upon purchase. If you don’t already have one, then we recommend purchasing one from Lention, as they offer some of the best MacBook accessories in the market. They will not only keep off any slight damages such as; scratches or smudges but also reduce screen glare, which can be harmful to your eyes, as well. Moreover, you should consider investing in a protective MacBook Skin. These accessories are highly useful as you can apply one on your keyboard which should protect your Mac from scratches, dust or even accidental water spills. Moreover, the ones from Lention come made up of a premium thin and light material that offers effective heat dissipation, high scratch resistance, and easy installation.

Trade-In

If you want to know the value of your Mac, you can head to Apple’s Buyback website. Once there, you will be prompted to answer some questions to determine the value of your device. One of the first things you will have to do is input your Mac’s serial number. You can usually find this on the About This Mac page on your menu. The serial number may also be engraved at the bottom of your computer. Once you input the details, the website will then ask you questions. These are to help determine the condition of your device.

Some of these questions include;

1. Is you computer in good physical shape?
2. Does the Mac turn on and does your macOS load?
3. Is your power adapter included in the trade-in?

When it comes to the first question as stated keeping your Mac in perfect physical shape is crucial. For instance, if your Mac is visibly damaged in any way, then that will automatically reduce its value drastically. In this respect, you should consider purchasing a laptop stand desk as it does well to protect your Mac from any accidental physical image, eg. dropping it off the table. Moreover, it does well to keep your Mac’s health in good condition, as it can help prevent overheating, due to the extra airflow they offer the undercarriage of your Mac. In regards to the third question, we suggest that you invest in one of the Cable Organizers from Lention. These are highly useful, as they will protect your cables from any form of external damage, while also allowing you to easily store multiple cables, external disk drives, and accessories.

Once you answer all the questions, you will know how much your device is worth. You can then decide to use the estimated value to help you buy a new device. Or simply opt for an Apple gift card instead.

Selling It

If you decide not to trade in your device, then you can always opt to sell it to a private party. However, the process of figuring out an accurate estimate of your device then becomes slightly more complicated. In most cases, you can end up selling your device for more money than if you traded it into Apple’s buyback website.

However, you will still have to determine the model of Mac that you own, its key features, and its current condition. In this regard, you can use the same serial number process that we mentioned before to determine the exact make and model of your Mac. Once you’ve determined the model, you will then need to figure out all the extra details about it. This includes; the amount of RAM that it has, the type of graphics card, the current OS, storage capacity, etc. This is important information that buyers will want to know about. When it comes to the final price, you will have to determine that yourself. You can propose a higher starting price, then bargain downwards from there. Or search online for similar Macs being sold online and see what prices other sellers are offering.