How MacBooks Really Depreciate (Based on 6 Years of Our Own Data)

Most people assume all laptops lose value fast, but Macs don’t behave like most laptops.

At MacFinder, we buy thousands of MacBooks every year. That gives us something most reviews and buying guides don’t have: real-world depreciation data, based on what we actually paid customers, not theoretical resale values.

So we decided to dig into it.

We analysed MacBooks purchased by us from 2019 onwards, comparing:

• The original retail price
• The price we paid at the time
• The age of the device

From that, we calculated the percentage of the original value each MacBook retained and mapped it against age to reveal clear depreciation trends.

What we found surprised even us.

MacBook Depreciation by Age

This chart shows how MacBook value changes over time based on real purchase data.

The horizontal axis represents the age of the MacBook (in months) when we purchased it, while the vertical axis shows the percentage of its original retail price that we paid.

How to read this chart:
Points higher up represent better value retention. Points further right represent older devices.

Here is a an average of the chart above showing the trend line.

The Big Picture: How MacBooks Lose Value

A few patterns stood out immediately:

Most MacBooks lose around 50% of their value in the first year.
But the range is wide: 35% to 60%, depending on model and timing.

Devices sold during the 2020 COVID period were significantly more valuable.
Demand massively outstripped supply, as the data clearly shows.

Depreciation slows noticeably between years 2 and 3.
In some cases, devices lost as little as 5% across that entire year.
After 4 years, the value starts to drop quickly but steadily across all models.

That gives us two really useful questions to answer:

1. When should you upgrade?
2. Which MacBooks were the best, and worst, for depreciation?

When Should You Upgrade Your MacBook?

If you care about value retention (and most people do, whether they realise it or not), the data points to a very clear sweet spot.

Year 1: The biggest hit

The first year is brutal.

Across most models, we saw:

• 35–60% depreciation in just 12 months
• High-end models often fall harder.

If you upgrade every year, you’re almost always selling at the worst possible time.

Years 2–3: The sweet spot

This is where things get interesting.

Between 2 and 3 years of ownership, depreciation:

• Slows dramatically
• Often flattens almost completely
• It can be as little as 5% total loss across the year, depending on the model

This is the best time to upgrade if you want to:

• Get strong resale value
• Avoid the steep first-year drop
• Still move on while demand is healthy

For most people, this is the optimal balance between ownership cost and performance.

After 4 years: steady decline

Once a MacBook hits the 4-year mark:

• All models start losing value more consistently
• Even reliable machines decline as software support horizons come into view

They’re still perfectly usable, but from a value perspective, you’re now on the downward slope.

If resale value matters, upgrading between 2 and 3 years is the smartest move.

Best and Worst MacBooks for Depreciation

Not all Macs are equal when it comes to holding value. Some aged gracefully. Others… didn’t.

Worst depreciation after 1 year

16-inch M4 MacBook Pro
Lost up to 60% of its value in the first year

This wasn’t because it’s a bad machine, far from it.

The issue appears to be:

• How good the previous generation already was
• A lack of genuine pressure to upgrade every cycle

When improvements are incremental, resale values suffer. However it does make them a great deal for refurbished buyers and we’re always selling out!

Worst depreciation after 2 years

16-inch MacBook Pro (2019)
Lost up to 75% of its original value

This one’s easy to explain.

The release of Apple Silicon (M1) completely reshaped the market. Intel-based high-end machines took a huge hit almost overnight.

Worst depreciation after 3 years

13-inch MacBook Pro (2018)
Also down around 75%

Again, this wasn’t isolated.

Once Apple Silicon landed:

• Intel models across the board lost value rapidly
• Buyers overwhelmingly favoured M-series Macs, even older ones

To put that into perspective. A 3-year-old M1 MacBook Air (2020) had only lost 52% of its value at the same point. That gap is enormous.

The Best Long-Term Value Macs

Now for the good news.

The unexpected legend

13-inch MacBook Pro (Mid-2012)
Still retained 14% of its original value after 10 years.
That’s almost unheard of in consumer electronics. We would highly recommend not buying one now though!

The modern value champion

13-inch M1 MacBook Air
Still holds around 29% of its original value after five years

And here’s the bit that really matters:

The M1 Air launched at £999, the same price Apple charged for the 13-inch MacBook Pro (Early 2011).

Yet:

1. The M1 Air is faster
2. More efficient
3. Better supported
4. And depreciates far more slowly

By any reasonable measure, it’s an inflation-beating Mac, and one of the best value Apple laptops ever made. We expect it to outlast many newer models in resale value.

What This Means for You

If you’re choosing your next Mac, or deciding when to upgrade, the data tells a clear story:

• Don’t chase annual upgrades
• Avoid selling in the first year if you can
• Aim for the 2–3 year window
• Apple Silicon models hold value dramatically better than Intel ever did

And if you’re buying refurbished?

You’re often picking up a machine after the steepest depreciation has already happened, which is exactly where the smart money sits. Check what your Mac is worth.