Apple is facing criticism online for offering poor Mac trade-in values following this week's launch of new MacBook Pro and Mac mini models.
Yesterday, MKBHD researcher David Imel tweeted that Apple offers just $970 in trade-in credit for a Mac Pro configuration that it still sells for $52,199. The viral tweet caused an uproar among Twitter users towards Apple's trade-in program: "That's a slap in the face," said one user. "Apple trade-ins have always been boo boo. I'm surprised you thought you would get even 1/5 of the price," another one said.
Fun fact: If you plug in a 4 year old $50,000+ Mac Pro into Apple's trade-in site, you don't even get enough credit to buy an iPhone 14 Pro https://t.co/CzPzoymWAa
— Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) January 17, 2023
This is brutal:
MacBook Pro M1 Max 10-Core CPU and 24-Core GPU 16" (Late 2021) 4TB SSD
Apple trade-in: CAD 720 (USD 540).
I don’t know what to say. ♂️ pic.twitter.com/3hJeSImHMf
— Jason ❄️ (@jasonbshew) January 17, 2023
these apple trade-in prices are hilarious
— Jason Million (@JMillionNYC) January 17, 2023
Apple is running a scam. The M1 Max, maxed out stock configuration was selling for AED14,799 until yesterday before the new M2 versions came out. Look at the trade-in value of the M1 Max 16-inch 2021 MacBook Pro... pic.twitter.com/5IK3YAVxIv
— Vaibhav Pradip (@VaibhZ_JCVP11) January 17, 2023
Hey @Apple, $285 trade-in for a max-spec 16" M1 MBP in good condition is the most hilariously bad offer I've ever seen in my life.
— matt.ts (@mattisadev) January 17, 2023
On Reddit, users also piled on, sharing their past experiences with Apple's trade-in program and the "low value" returned for their Macs. "My base model M1 Pro trades in at $725. 63.7% drop in value in a single generation. Not great," one Reddit user said. Another user, on the flip side, shared how Apple gave them $700 last year for an Intel-based 2016 MacBook.
I got $700 for my 2016 i7 last year using Apple trade in. Blew my mind I was able to get anything for it. Used it to buy a M1 Pro. Only deprecating 60% in 6 years for a machine that's basically at the end of its life, was pretty good. Looks like Apple doesn't really need used Apple Silicon, so the price is a lot lower.
On the MacRumorsforums, users are also sharing their thoughts about Apple's trade-in program regarding Macs after the launch of new models. One user said Apple quoted them the same $970 value for a 14-inch M1 MacBook Pro, while a third-party offered almost $1,100.
The credit Apple will give you for trading in an old Mac depends on several factors, including its specific configuration and condition. On its website, Apple offers a list of estimated trade-in values for its Mac lineup, quoting up to $670 for the MacBook Pro and up to $1,250 for the Mac Pro.
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i thought you trade in your old device, not because you want to buy new device for half the price, but because device you trade in will be properly recycled and you're filthy rich, otherwise you sell your old gear on craigs list
No, the reason to do it is that you may get a lower but still somewhat decent amount and don't have to deal with weird buyers, friends who complain that the item you sold them is now defective and so on.
I'm sorry but Apple's own trade-in policy is terrible. Better to venture out and look for a third party. They will pay 2x more as Apple. Also, it's better to sell your product yourself.
Maybe it's just me but if I had spent $50k on a Mac Pro in 2019 I wouldn't be trying to trade it in just because they launched a new Macbook Pro. A machine that is as high spec'd as that one has either already earned its cost or is destined for a long service life. Until the software stops supporting it at least.
i thought you trade in your old device, not because you want to buy new device for half the price, but because device you trade in will be properly recycled and you're filthy rich, otherwise you sell your old gear on craigs list