Used macbook pricing

Hey guys I've been looking to get a macbook of some kind for iphone development and all the prices are pretty high.... even for 3 or 4 year old laptops. Now, I understand the whole 'keeps their value well' side of things but are there really people buying it at the prices I see (700 - 800 for a 13'' 2008 macbook for example)? I mean, I don't doubt that a luxury good can be worth more than the sum of their components but, at the same time, there are used 13'' mbp from 2011 with an i5 for maybe 800-900ish and even new in box ones are approaching 1000... why would anyone in their right mind buy the 2008 model??

 

maybe someone who wants one mostly for iphone development, has primary computer or laptop already, and would prefer the $200

 

you tell me.

 

Having owned a netbook before because I figured that I only needed it to take notes in class, and that I'd rather save the money, I can say that the $100-200 more is worth it to go for a machine that is many times more capable. The way I see it, I would be paying either $700 for purely testing/coding-only machine (with possibly longer coding/compiling/etc...) times that would be severely performance limited (opening too many documentation windows might cause the machine to slow down significantly... ) or I could be paying 800-900 for a 2nd actual laptop that I can also use for things other than purely coding (a lot lighter than my primary machine... but powerful enough to play 1080p videos, have several things open at once and also drive any external displays if needed.. I could leave my heavy thinkpad at home).

Of course, this is just my point of view. I am interested in this because I consider all aspects when making a purchase.. in this case, if the macbooks really DO hold their value so well and there is still demand even for 4 year old macbooks at those price then I can factor that potential resale value into my decision...

Comment count must be really important to you I'm guessing?

 

Students who wants anything but a Macbook, but can't afford $200 more

 

opening documentation windows isn't going to cause performance problems on a 2008 era apple laptop.

second, i think you've just figured out for yourself why some people might be interested in the option but you are not. you have a heavy thinkpad and have come up with a potential value-adding proposition for the more expensive model. maybe the hypothetical person doesn't have that same value proposition. maybe they have a light computer already. maybe a hundred different scenarios and different interpretations that drive the market price to whatever it is.

 

Are you talking about a late-2008 aluminum MacBook 13 with nVidia graphics or the earlier white 2008 MacBook with Intel GMA graphics? Paying $800 for the former is questionable but I wouldn't disparage somebody for buying it if it meets their requirements. Paying $800 for the latter is nuts...

I think classified ads for used computers (not just Apple) often reflect wishful thinking by the seller.

 

Sorry, my closing question "why would anyone... buy the 2008 model??" was poorly worded and might have been a bit misleading... I was just wondering if anyone knows whether the used mbp are going for the prices they are listed at (if they bought or sold one at the relatively high listed prices) and, in case no one really has a solid answer for that, whether there are any 'hidden' features (ones I am not aware of) that would justify the higher prices.

I figured that some people would pay more simply because its a macbook, but I guess I was looking for reasons that go beyond just the name. For example, things that carry on throughout the macbook generations such as the magsafe adaptor, the 16:10 display ratio, some superior mac-only software, etc...

It's good to know if the build quality and OS optimizations help older macbooks age gracefully... my experience with windows laptops are that either they fall apart physically before long or some forgotten component inside becomes unsupported and an assortment of patches and hacked drivers are required to hold the system together.

 

The older ones aren't going for the listed prices. As previously pointed out, the higher prices are just a starting point for the sellers. Often times people will put abnormally high prices on their old Macs in the hopes of some idiot coming along and paying that much. However, if you actually contact the seller, they will lower their price to something more reasonable. It's the same thing when you see a 3G or 4G 30GB iPod on eBay for $200 when you can buy a busted one for $25 and fix it for an additional $30.

 

Omg how did it never occur to me to just see how low sellers are willing to go? haha thanks!

Also this might be going a bit off topic, but do have any idea of how much it would cost to fix some of the more "common" problems on a macbook? I am actually part of a startup with no funding yet so no company credit card to use... gonna be financing my own development tools so I'd appreciate the lowest possible cost for something that can get the job done

 

Problems such as what?

 

Perhaps, use your existing PC and run hackintosh? Cheapest possible solution

 

yup or a d620, a copy of SL and a cheap broadcom wireless card. grand total $200 tops

 

Well to be honest... I have *ahem* access to osx but I figured if I'm going to be making money off it I should keep everything legit =P

What is the general opinion of running a paid copy of osx lion on a non-apple system for commercial purposes?

Either way, a tiny bit of me has always wanted a macbook pro... I've never been able to justify the cost to myself but now I have a good 'excuse'. That magsafe sorcery is hard to resist

Uh I think the ones I see a lot are... minor water damage (some keys don't work), major water damage (computer wont start... ads say just need to replace a motherboard), and screen damage (replace screen + connector?).

 

I think Hackintosh is fine for personal use/experimentation/fun, but when you get into the commercial side, you might be opening a can of worms that's best left sealed.

MacBook Pros frequently come up for sale in this forum at reasonable prices from folks who treat their systems well. Check there often. Craigslist might be a good place as well, especially since you can see what you're getting in person.

All those issues are difficult to tackle, very time consuming, and potentially extremely expensive. Again, check this forum or Craigslist. I think you'll find that you can get a fully functional Mac in good cosmetic shape at a reasonable price.

 

Ohh good idea... I generally browse local classifieds though (I don't trust mailing things/sending payment.. too many things out of my control and makes me feel powerless. Not meant as a comment on this community btw, I don't order stuff online from big retailers either. I just feel a lot safer holding the item I want to buy before I let go of my hard earned cash Also dealing locally makes sure there's not enough time for second thoughts to ruin my shopping enjoyment

But I might as well try... is there any easy way for filter ads that deal locally in toronto only? I can't figure out the search either... when I go to advanced search it doesn't let me select the marketplace as the forum to search through.... I'm sure I'm just missing something obvious though ><