www.stevegongphoto.com
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I know that some people get a new mac every year or every few months, selling their old one on Ebay. It's nice to always have the latest computer, but is it always guaranteed you get the right deals on ebay? Meaning, what's the general price depreciation of macs every year?
What do YOU do? Do you get a new mac every year and sell the old one, or do you get a new mac and use it for 4 years, keep it and get a new one? Which is a better way of life? |
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Veteran Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Chicago
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I keep mine till they are way too out of date to sell, so I hold onto them. I still have every Mac I've ever owned, including an Apple II, so it's not even a Mac.
Come waste your time with me |
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www.stevegongphoto.com
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A guy over at .com said he gets a new mac every 8-12 months, and sells his old one on ebay.
I sent him an email asking if one saves more this way than doing what you, DMBand and I have been doing. He replied with an attachment http://www.people.virginia.edu/~rg8s/1-3year.tiff But I have not the foggiest clue as to how that's a good example, because you need years that correspond when talking about a same subject. You change 1 variable. He's introducing a bunch of variables, length of use and price of the new mac. Can anyone tell me what this guy is trying to say? I don't feel like asking him again as I risk him calling me a shitbrain. |
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Cynical Old Bastard
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I tend to keep the computers that I buy.
I still have a B&W as primary computer at home. Of course, work gives me a Dual G5 and 12" PB to use so I have "no need" to buy another computer. Back a few years ago I started buying IBM Thinkpads on ebay. I bought a new one every 6 months and sold the old one. All this over 2 years. I figured that I ended up spending $120 for 5 thinkpads over 2 years. Not bad. Of course, I never got attached to them the way I've gotten attached to my smurf. |
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25 chars of wasted space.
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Get Murbot in here.
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Finally broke the seal
Join Date: May 2004
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i got a b&w g3/350 myself. i think that was '98 or '99. the 'bot is known around these parts for swapping comps pretty often. i dont know the economics of it, but its a tempting idea. my g3 does everything i need of it; my only complaint is its slow. but alas, the gods which govern the bank haven't endowed me. buying a new computer is on my todo list though, a few lines below "pay for college" and just above "get a motorcycle".
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BANNED
I am worthless beyond hope. Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Washington, DC
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He'll sell the old one when the difference in its eBay price and an equivalent computer's new price is 500 bucks. Over four years, with that method, it costs him less to own four computers than buying three computers over six years (and selling them at half their original cost). Really interesting that he came up with that, and it seems to work out. Me? I've only owned TWO -- an original RevA blueberry iBook and an 800 MHz G3 iceBook. I might want a significant bump in the next year or two, but the most important thing I need now is disk space (all these music & photo files really add up!). |
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Less than Stellar Member
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I'm selling my Rev. A powerbook after owning it for 18 months. My longest computer life ever (well since I became independent and bought my own computers). I almost ALWAYS do very well selling my computers. The only time I spent more than a couple hundred $$ on the new computer was when I went from a first edition iBook dual USB to a powerbook. Every other time it's cheaper to buy a new computer than to get AppleCare. That's been my philosophy for years. And it's worked out....
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M AH - ch ain saw
Join Date: May 2004
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Torifile, do you post your laptop as you are ordering the new one, or do you wait till you have the new one? What do you suggest, I am contemplating doing this but with delivery time, I'm not sure if I can be w/o a laptop during college for so long.
User formally known as Sh0eWax |
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Less than Stellar Member
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9" monochrome
Join Date: May 2004
Location: 🇦🇺
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This is not to say that I don't believe it can be done and some people do manage to do it succesfully, but for myself - I have not felt confident (or driven enough) to ride the upgrade path each year. Thus, I end up holding on to my Mac until a "quantum" change is introduced which suits me at the time - or a bargain/promo comes along which I think I should not ignore. I don't actually know how well this serves me financially, but I do claim depreciation and would probably claim loss on sale for tax purposes when (if) I actually trade in a computer for a new model. Last edited by Mac+ : 2004-08-11 at 21:25. Reason: typo - argh! |
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BANNED
I am worthless beyond hope. Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Washington, DC
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I think this guy would keep an eye on the going price on eBay of his soon-to-be-sold computer, and when it's in the target range, he'd move to sell. |
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www.stevegongphoto.com
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Sorry, just to clarify.
4 years... total cost = 2495 6 years... total cost = 2797 Aren't we saving more money in the second case, selling the computer every 3 years? (since over a 6 year period your total cost is only marginaly more than the 4 year cost of the first case) |
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BANNED
I am worthless beyond hope. Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Washington, DC
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Actually, that's correct -- the cost per year is cheaper in the 6-year example.
Well, doggone, I knew I was being as cheap as possible by buying one new computer every... oh, what is it... every FOUR years (so far, that is). |
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can't read sarcasm.
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Toronto, Canada
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What hasn't been mentioned is whether the new computer is better than the old one. I'm guessing for the most part, it would be.
But consider this scenario. I have been contemplating trading in a FP iMac 15/700 for an eMac 1.25ghz for a mere extra $200. While I almost double the speed and get a host of other improvements, the trade off is that I lose the LCD display, and coolness factor. And there's something to be said about nostagia. It's always wonderful to remember how much you paid for that doorstop Macintosh IIci. |
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