How much is an old computer worth?

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Occasionally I get asked how much a particular used computer is worth.  Because computer technology continues to increase at a steady rate, computers loose their value quite quickly.

My general rule is that a computer looses about 30-50% of its value every year.  A computer which was purchased at the store for $1000 might be worth somewhere around $300 two years later.  Particular brands and technologies may loose value faster or slower, but generally, all computers loose their value quite quickly.

For this reason I recommend that no one ever buy a computer with the intent to sell it to someone else later.

I also recommend to most people that they do not buy more computer than they need right now.  This means that you shouldn’t buy excessively more memory, speed, or storage because you intend on needing that extra capacity in a year or two.  Ignoring this advice, people could buy too much computer that would be worth half as much when they actually need to use it all.

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