MacBook Depreciation: Value Lost Per Year

A MacBook typically loses 30 to 40 per cent of its retail price in the first year, another 10 to 15 percentage points in each of years two and three, then flattens out from year four onwards. Apple silicon Macs depreciate noticeably slower than Intel models, which have fallen off a value cliff since 2023.

That is the short version. The longer version matters if you are deciding whether to sell now or hold on for another year, because MacBook depreciation is not a straight line - it is a curve with a steep start, a gentle middle and, for Intel machines, a nasty drop at the end.

How much value does a MacBook lose year by year?

The table below shows the share of the original UK retail price a MacBook in good condition typically retains at each age. These are indicative figures drawn from what we see across thousands of quotes, not guarantees - individual models vary with spec, condition and demand.

Two patterns jump out. First, the biggest single loss always happens in year one, before you have even worn the keyboard in. Second, the gap between the Apple silicon column and the Intel column widens every year - by year six an M-series Mac is worth roughly double its Intel equivalent as a share of launch price.

Why is the first year so expensive?

Year-one depreciation is brutal for a simple reason: a buyer choosing between a brand-new MacBook with a full warranty and your one-year-old machine needs a meaningful discount to pick yours. Apple's education discount, retailer promotions and interest-free finance all compress the price a nearly-new Mac can command.

There is also a psychological threshold. Once a model is no longer the current generation - which usually happens 12 to 18 months after launch - buyers mentally reclassify it as "old", even though its real-world performance has barely changed. The M4 generation did exactly this to M3 prices during 2025.

Do M-series Macs really depreciate slower than Intel?

Yes, and the mechanism is software support. Apple confirmed at WWDC 2025 that macOS Tahoe is the last major version for Intel Macs. Buyers of used machines price that in immediately: a laptop with two years of security updates left is worth far less than one with six or seven.

Apple silicon models also age better physically and practically. The M1 chip from late 2020 still handles everyday workloads without complaint in 2026, so demand for used M-series machines stays strong. Intel MacBooks, by contrast, run hotter, get shorter battery life and miss out on headline macOS features - a combination we call the Intel cliff, because it shows up in the numbers as a sudden drop rather than a gentle slope.

Worked example: MacBook Air M1

The MacBook Air M1 launched in November 2020 at £999. In July 2026 an indicative price for a good-condition unit is around £320 - about 32 per cent of launch price after five and a half years.

Averaged out, that is roughly 12 per cent of the original price lost per year. But the losses were heavily front-loaded: the machine shed around £330 in its first year and only about £60 between years four and five. If you sold an M1 Air today rather than a year ago, the extra year of use cost you comparatively little - which is exactly what a flattening curve looks like.

Worked example: MacBook Pro 14 inch M3

The base MacBook Pro 14 inch M3 arrived in November 2023 at £1,699. An indicative good-condition value in mid 2026 is around £900 - roughly 53 per cent retained after two and a half years.

That machine is currently in the steepest part of its curve. Our data suggests a comparable unit was worth around £1,100 a year ago, meaning it lost about £200 over the past twelve months. Hold it another two years and history says it will shed a further £250 to £300. For owners already eyeing an upgrade, that maths usually favours selling now.

Worked example: the Intel cliff in action

The MacBook Pro 16 inch from 2019 launched at £2,399 as Apple's flagship. In July 2026 an indicative value for a good example is around £350 - barely 15 per cent of what it cost.

Compare that with the M1 Air above: a machine that cost less than half as much new is now worth almost as much used, despite being only a year younger. The 2019 Pro's six-core and eight-core Intel processors, hot-running chassis and looming end of macOS support have compressed its value dramatically. Faulty examples still have worth, though - around £150 indicatively - so even a dead Intel Pro is not a write-off. You can sell a broken MacBook for parts value rather than letting it depreciate to zero in a drawer.

Does the type of Mac change the curve?

Within Apple's range, depreciation speed varies by line. Desktops shed value more gently than laptops - an iMac 24 inch M1 retaining around £450 of its £1,249 launch price after five years is a stronger result than most portables manage, largely because desktops avoid the battery wear, drops and daily abrasion that age laptops. Among the portables, Pro models start from higher prices but fall in larger pound amounts, while Airs lose less cash per year yet a similar percentage.

Spec also bends the curve in your favour. Higher-storage and higher-memory configurations depreciate more slowly in percentage terms, because the used market rewards capacity that can never be upgraded after purchase.

When is the best time to sell a MacBook?

Three moments on the curve reward sellers who act:

• Before a new generation launches. Prices for the outgoing model dip 5 to 10 per cent within weeks of an announcement. Apple's autumn events are the ones to beat.
• Before your macOS support window shortens. Each June, WWDC tells the market which Macs are losing future updates. Selling before that confirmation preserves value.
• Before the battery drops below 80 per cent health. Battery degradation quietly moves a machine from "good" to "fair" pricing bands, typically costing £30 to £60 on mid-range models.

The worst time to sell is the month or two immediately after a new release, when the second-hand market is flooded with upgraders' old machines and buyers can afford to be picky.

How do you stay ahead of the depreciation curve?

You cannot stop a MacBook losing value, but you can control which part of the curve you sell on. The owners who do best treat their Mac like a car with a resale plan: buy Apple silicon, keep the box, sell in year two or three while retention is still above 50 per cent, and put the proceeds towards the next machine.

When you are ready, get a fixed quote and trade in your MacBook - we lock quotes for 14 days, post is free with a fully insured shipping label, and payment lands by bank transfer within 24 hours of the device passing inspection. And if you want to squeeze the most out of whichever point on the curve you are at, our guide to what affects your MacBook's resale value breaks down the seven factors that move a quote up or down.