How do I determine the value of my Powerbook?

June 3, 2006 5:22 PM

I'm looking to buy a new MacBook this summer and am hoping to sell my current 15", 1.3 GHz Powerbook (1.5GB RAM) to help cover some of the cost. How do I go about determining a reasonable price to ask for for my Powerbook? Are there any recommended routes by which I can sell my Powerbook whilst minimizing the risk of being ripped off?
posted by BioCSnerd to computers & internet (9 comments total)

Craigslist is safer than eBay. Determine the price by looking at recent sales in your area for similarly equipped Powerbooks; check Craigslist and eBay's completed listings as well.
posted by evariste at 5:28 PM on June 3, 2006

Powerbooks don't have the greatest resale value, especially considering the price of new ones with Applecare added. But yeah, Craigslist.
posted by jeremias at 5:39 PM on June 3, 2006

Minimizing ripoff risk: refuse to answer emails from people who want to pay you with exotic methods that you haven't heard of, whether on CL or eBay. If you're selling on eBay and you set a "Buy It Now" price, you should also set the "Require Immediate Payment", or some Nigerian motherfucker will end your auction early and then try to get you to ship them a laptop in exchange for well...some fake instrument of some kind. So of course you'll have to go through the hassle of relisting your item.

Really, if you can unload it on Craigslist, do it. eBay is a scammer's paradise and it's so much hassle.
posted by evariste at 5:39 PM on June 3, 2006

Yeah, search through the completed auctions on ebay for similar laptops and see what they've been going for.

You will definitely get replies from people out to defraud you if you post on craigslist. They will ask you to do all kinds of oddball things (like ship internationally or accept a cashier's check for more than the purchase price) which makes them rather transparent though.
posted by Rhomboid at 5:40 PM on June 3, 2006

All of the above....plus look for listings of similar-spec machines for sale from Mac resellers such as PowerMax or SmallDog.
posted by omnidrew at 8:45 PM on June 3, 2006

Apple seems to think it's worth $1300 refurbed, but that's with base ram, an airport Xtreeeem card and a one-year warranty.
posted by Orb2069 at 8:54 PM on June 3, 2006

yeah i am in the same situation and i decided the other day that my 1.5GHz 15" PBG4 is worth about $900, tops. this is based on what i saw on ebay completed sales and craigslist postings.
posted by joeblough at 12:37 AM on June 4, 2006

I haven't read one for a while, but Mac magazines like MacWorld used to have this kind of information in a table at the back.
posted by AmbroseChapel at 1:06 AM on June 4, 2006

You know this is the computer I am looking at getting right now. I would be interested to know how much its going for.
posted by Number27 at 12:06 PM on June 4, 2006