02-12-2007, 08:34 PM

Okay, so I'm getting an itch for a new MacBook Pro and want to sell my PowerBook G4... I'm gonna list what it has (hardware and software) and what I originally paid for it... could you all tell me what you think I can sell it for?

PowerBook G4 17"
2GB RAM
1.5 GHz
80GB hard drive
128MB Graphics Memory
Adobe Creative Suite
Adobe Font Folio 9
Extensis Suitcase Fusion
Microsoft Office 2004
Quicktime Pro
iLife '06
Norton Antivirus 10
Apple Remote Desktop 3

Price from Apple w/o software: $3911.25

02-12-2007, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by glenn.sorrentin

Okay, so I'm getting an itch for a new MacBook Pro and want to sell my PowerBook G4... I'm gonna list what it has (hardware and software) and what I originally paid for it... could you all tell me what you think I can sell it for?

PowerBook G4 17"
2GB RAM
1.5 GHz
80GB hard drive
128MB Graphics Memory
Adobe Creative Suite
Adobe Font Folio 9
Extensis Suitcase Fusion
Microsoft Office 2004
Quicktime Pro
iLife '06
Norton Antivirus 10
Apple Remote Desktop 3

Price from Apple w/o software: $3911.25

I find that when I'm trying to gauge a fair market value for a piece of computer equipment, eBay is a pretty good indicator of what the market will bare. Looking around, similarly equipped units seem to hover around $1000 (haven't seen any with all that software). Unfortunately, with the introduction of Intel processors, PPC Mac resale values have dipped pretty low.

I'd recommend you keep the major software packages, as otherwise you'd need to purchase them all over again since it sounds like you're sticking to Mac. I also don't think that software is a major draw for those shopping used machines since most people will just do a clean install.

02-12-2007, 10:27 PM

I agree with cwa107.. I would say $900-$1000. $1000 tops.

02-12-2007, 10:29 PM

here is a good site that I use to price macs. they seem to be pretty much on the money.

http://www.everymac.com/

02-12-2007, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by KoDorSean

here is a good site that I use to price macs. they seem to be pretty much on the money.

http://www.everymac.com/

Welp, Everymac.com estimates $1200-1300 (great link, by the way - hadn't seen that before). I'd say with the 2GB of RAM and all the software he might be able to fetch $1300 if he found just the right buyer (i.e. someone who had a professional need for the packages and is steadfast on buying used / sticking with the PPC platform).

But again, I wouldn't hope to get a good price based on the software you're including. Most people buying used are likely going to be home users, those trying to save a few bucks and not necessarily pros who need the best of the best. With those packages, you might be pricing it out of the market, even though there's true value there.

Let's put it this way, it would be akin to putting granite countertops into a 800 sq. ft. house. Granite countertops have a lot of value, but they won't be fully appreciated by someone who's in the market for a house that small. Is that a reasonable analogy?

02-12-2007, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by cwa107

Welp, Everymac.com estimates $1200-1300 (great link, by the way - hadn't seen that before). I'd say with the 2GB of RAM and all the software he might be able to fetch $1300 if he found just the right buyer (i.e. someone who had a professional need for the packages and is steadfast on buying used / sticking with the PPC platform).

But again, I wouldn't hope to get a good price based on the software you're including. Most people buying used are likely going to be home users, those trying to save a few bucks and not necessarily pros who need the best of the best. With those packages, you might be pricing it out of the market, even though there's true value there.

Let's put it this way, it would be akin to putting granite countertops into a 800 sq. ft. house. Granite countertops have a lot of value, but they won't be fully appreciated by someone who's in the market for a house that small. Is that a reasonable analogy?

good point.. and as we all know what something is worth and what someone can get out of it are two totally different things. its retail value might be $1200-$1300 but what someone will actually pay might be quite a bit lower.

02-13-2007, 12:42 AM

But the key to ask is: Are you going to include the original software disks when you sell it? If you aren't then you cant include the software in the selling price.