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View Full Version : Selling slightly used computers? Or trading?



Mysticfyre
11-15-2010, 09:11 PM
My issue is that I have way too many computers right now. And they're all PCs. I'd love to get rid of a few and pick up for a Mac for my graphic design stuff. How should I go about doing this?

For example, the one I'm on now I barely turn on. It's built by me, has a 3.2 P4, 2gigs of ram, 260 gig HDD, running Windows 7, nice video and sound cards, wireless mouse and keyboard, cool case. I used to use it for gaming, but I only play PS3 now. What should I ask for it? Where should I post it for sale/trade?

Jeremy C
11-16-2010, 12:06 AM
Depending on the vid card, you're not going to get much for it. It's a two generation old pc. Even with Win 7, I wouldn't pay more than $75-100 for it. For simplicity I would Craigslist it.

Also, why go mac if you're doing graphic design? For the cost, you can get a pc that will be better since the newest macs out use last gen video cards. There is nothing different hardware wise between a mac and a windows pc, and if the performance in video games (OpenGL) is an indicator, the OSX software lags severely behind an equally equipped windows machine for 3s rendering.

reallyxxxxxxloud
11-16-2010, 02:43 AM
I buy sell on ebay.... Im usually making $200-400 a pop. But thats refurbished laptops mostly.

Mysticfyre
11-16-2010, 01:22 PM
Wow, I thought 3.2 was really fast still? What's the difference- is it the P4 versus what's out now?

$75-100 is nothing. I paid more for just Windows 7. Guess I'll just hold onto it.

Jeremy C
11-16-2010, 01:56 PM
The p4 was a very slow processor when matched with any processor of similar frequency. A Core2Duo 1.86GHz will beat that 3.2 p4 in almost everything you do.

Comparison of the Q6600 (2.4GHz X 4 cores), E6300 (1.86GHz X 2 cores), and the Prescott 3.2GHz p4 (http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/cpu-charts-2007/compare,340.html?prod[664]=on&prod[674]=on&prod[697]=on)

The C2D is long dead, Core2 Quads are starting to look out dated (more poor C2Q@ 3.0 is starting to feel old...), and the current i3/i5/i7 chips are slated for replacement starting early next year. The only people that are still buying p4 based systems are people looking for cheap computers.

Alan92RTTT
11-16-2010, 03:25 PM
3.2 is slow by current standards. It might actually run better with XP but I am not sure.

If you take the money you woiuld have spent on a mac you will end up with a faster/better system in the long run if you stay PC.

DrGonzo
11-16-2010, 04:51 PM
Depending on the Mac you look at. Some of their graphic designers series come with top end Quatro cards which granted are not good for gaming but they are great for graphic design. Now if you were doing 3D design work they stay away form Quatro cards as you will need the higher end OpenGL supported cards. I'm currently running 3 9800gtx cards SLI's together just to run my Maya 3D software. I also have two other separate machines linked as a cloud just to render out the designs.

Jeremy C
11-16-2010, 05:13 PM
If you want anything better than a 5670, you have to get a mac pro. Just checking their site, there are no quadro cards offered on any mac pro, with the highest option being a 5870 (which is a good card, but not worth having to buy a $2,900 pc without a monitor).

Seriously - When macs actually were different than their windows counterparts, there was a valid argument that they were "different." With them being shiny pc's built by slave labor in China right next to the retail parts for general computers, there is no reason to buy a mac anymore. ONLY thing I can think of is that you prefer their OS, which is a valid decision. Beyond that, the price:performance crown is indisputably in the Windows camp.

GTOJOE
11-16-2010, 06:21 PM
P4 was replaced by the P4D which was replaced by the core duo which was replaced by the core 2 duo which has been replaced by the icore series. i3, i5 and i7

Mysticfyre
11-16-2010, 08:05 PM
I was actually looking at an iMac. Some of the refurbs aren't so bad. Unfortunately it's completely unaffordable if I can't knock a few hundred off or so by selling other things. I do think they're neat because you can run the Mac and the PC OSes on them too. Maybe it's just the fun of having another OS to play with too. There's totally nothing wrong with the computers I have now though- can't complain at all about the speeds.

Thanks for the explanations of the processor speeds. I really had no idea. I just sort of thought all 3.2s were equal. So I guess my laptop is technically faster because it has a Core 2 Duo!

Jeremy C
11-17-2010, 12:02 AM
Quite honestly, I would say yes - your laptop (if you benched it vs the desktop) would be faster. I'm holding out for Sandy Bridge which is the replacement for the current generation processors to be released before I upgrade again. When the 2011 platform is released in the second half next year (quad channel memory... yum!) I'll finally retire the Core2 Quad that I've been running for near on 4 years. This is the longest I've had the same platform since I started building my own pc's back in '98.

Alan92RTTT
11-17-2010, 12:50 AM
I'm still on my AMD 5000 3+ years. The ATI 4850(2 years?) is still performing well.

blackrob
11-17-2010, 04:54 PM
If you are looking to unload your PC's fast and don't care too much about how much you get for them, check out powermax.com. I bought my Macbook through them and traded in my old powerbook. There is one thing that no one mentions when they are comparing Mac to PC, resale value. I purchased my PBG4 (powerbook G4) from compusa back in 2006 for around 1200 bucks. when i went to trade it in, powermax game me about 780 for it. That's after I owned it for a little over 3 years. My advice is to start at a place like powermax so you can pick up a used one.

blindmist
11-19-2010, 03:50 PM
You could seriously make more if you were to just throw in a cheap CPU/Mobo combo with a core2 or something of that sort.

Jeremy C
11-19-2010, 05:00 PM
If you are looking to unload your PC's fast and don't care too much about how much you get for them, check out powermax.com. I bought my Macbook through them and traded in my old powerbook. There is one thing that no one mentions when they are comparing Mac to PC, resale value. I purchased my PBG4 (powerbook G4) from compusa back in 2006 for around 1200 bucks. when i went to trade it in, powermax game me about 780 for it. That's after I owned it for a little over 3 years. My advice is to start at a place like powermax so you can pick up a used one.

My pc's generally are used to the point that there's really no resale. After it gets done as my primary machine, It'll be broken down and if there's upgrades compared to what is in my partner's pc, she'll get those parts, and the rest go together for a pc for the kids. Anything from there would go into the HTPC. Anything that comes out of the HTPC isn't worth a dime at that point as it's lived multiple generations of parts. :D Resale only matters if you have to keep upgrading all the time with only one box that can't be upgraded on it's own (i.e. - apple products).

CoopKill
11-19-2010, 05:34 PM
If you want anything better than a 5670, you have to get a mac pro. Just checking their site, there are no quadro cards offered on any mac pro, with the highest option being a 5870 (which is a good card, but not worth having to buy a $2,900 pc without a monitor).

Seriously - When macs actually were different than their windows counterparts, there was a valid argument that they were "different." With them being shiny pc's built by slave labor in China right next to the retail parts for general computers, there is no reason to buy a mac anymore. ONLY thing I can think of is that you prefer their OS, which is a valid decision. Beyond that, the price:performance crown is indisputably in the Windows camp.

One of the best statements I have seen on the site. What was is no longer...

CoopKill
11-19-2010, 05:36 PM
My wife's I5 SMOKES my core2duo

GTOJOE
11-19-2010, 10:17 PM
My wife's I5 SMOKES my core2duo

So it should LOL

CoopKill
11-19-2010, 10:23 PM
So jealous, I bought it for her because hot chocolate kill her last one. All my puter funds are going in, um well you know...

-dLs-
11-20-2010, 12:12 AM
I find that macs are annoying to work on if you're non comp lit in a lot of cases. Its unfortunately at how fast the computer world revolves with the technology going round and round with processors and ram and all that hullabloo honestly.

When it comes to processing power and ram to fit what you're doing, look at precisely that...the compair and contrast is a dangerous game sometimes because something will merely be 6 months older and outdated but not released yet.

http://osxdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/steve-jobs-bill-gates-talk-netbooks-macbook-air-418x800.jpg

And yes i realize how vague i was being...i've used both Pent and AMD ... and AMD makes a helluva work horse (we use it at the shop i built the network and comps for) and its gone through some hellish heat and dust bunnie plagues and still goes strong. The pentiums however of the same build died rather quickly. So i tend to stick AMD wise. Now for Mac's and PC's...see above.

-dLs-