Trading in an old laptop: what is yours still worth?

Written on 17 September 2026

There is an impressive amount of old equipment lying in drawers and cupboards. A laptop that still works but is no longer used loses value every month while it gathers dust.

In this article you read where the trade-in value comes from, how to estimate it yourself, and which route brings in the most. You also read what to do before the device leaves the house.

What determines the trade-in value of your old computer or laptop?

The generation of the processor weighs heaviest. If the device supports Windows 11 it stays usable and holds value; if it falls outside that, the price drops hard.

After that, memory and storage count. A laptop with 16 GB and an SSD can be used straight away, where 8 GB with a hard disk first needs an upgrade before anyone works comfortably on it.

The condition of the battery and the casing determine the rest. A tested battery with a healthy percentage makes a difference, and visible damage to the screen or the chassis pushes the price down immediately.

The brand plays a part too. A Lenovo ThinkPad, an HP ZBook or a Dell Latitude holds its value better than a consumer model, because there is demand for them and parts stay available for a long time. With Apple it is different again: a MacBook usually holds its value high, even after years.

How do you get a fair assessment of the value?

First look up your exact model. That is on a sticker on the underside, or you find it through Settings, System, About.

Then look at what comparable used computers fetch on second-hand platforms and at refurbished shops. The difference between those two prices is roughly the margin a trader needs for inspection, cleaning, service and warranty.

For the maximum trade-in value, a PC or laptop that is complete and tested is the starting point. Be honest about the condition. A laptop with a battery that still manages an hour is worth less than the same model with a healthy battery, and you can measure that percentage yourself. How that works is in battery life of a refurbished laptop.

Selling or trading in: which route do you choose?

Selling it yourself usually brings in the most, because there is no middleman. You pay for it with your time: advertising, answering questions, shipping and sometimes a discussion afterwards.

Trading in at a shop or through a trade-in promotion is less money for considerably less work. You often receive a voucher towards a new laptop, and some parties send a shipping label so you can post the device.

Donating is an option that is often forgotten. Schools, neighbourhood initiatives and foundations can make good use of a working laptop with a fresh installation.

Recycling is the route when there is no usable life left in it. That is free at a municipal recycling centre or at a shop that sells electronics.

What do you do before the device leaves?

First make a backup of your files. Once the device is gone, there is no second chance.

Then sign out of your Microsoft account and unlink the device, because otherwise the next user runs into a locked laptop. Also switch off BitLocker or note down your recovery key.

Then reset the device to factory settings with the option to clean the drive. The steps are in resetting a laptop to factory settings, and how to take your files with you is in transferring files.

Do not forget the accessories. Including the original charger raises the trade-in price, because otherwise a buyer has to purchase one separately.

What if the laptop is broken?

A faulty device is usually worth nothing for sale, and sometimes still something for parts. A working screen, a healthy battery or an SSD from a popular model get reused.

Take out your storage if you have doubts about your data. If you can no longer start the laptop, you cannot wipe it either, and then removing the disk is the only way to be sure.

Hand the rest in at a recycling point. That is free, and the metals and raw materials come back into the chain.

Why handing it in beats leaving it in a drawer

A laptop lying unused loses value and gains nobody anything. Meanwhile the battery runs flat and ages, which makes the device less usable every year.

Most of the environmental impact of a laptop arises during production, not during use. So a device that gets a second owner saves the production of a new one.

That is exactly the principle behind refurbished. There is more about that in buying a laptop sustainably.

How does that work with a business fleet?

At companies it is rarely about one device. If you replace ten or twenty workplaces at once, the residual value of the old fleet is an item that counts in the budget.

More important is the data side. Business laptops contain company data, so you want demonstrable wiping and no stray device that ends up somewhere else via an employee.

These fleets are precisely what feeds the refurbished market. What that cycle looks like is in leasing or buying a laptop.

What pushes the price down hardest?

A broken screen is the most expensive damage. On many models replacement costs a considerable part of the residual value, which means a device with a cracked screen mainly has parts value left.

A worn battery weighs less heavily than people think, certainly on business series where the cell is easy to replace. Simply state the percentage honestly; a buyer who discovers it themselves negotiates harder.

Missing accessories cost money too. Including the original charger makes a difference, because on some models a universal power supply is not a full replacement.

The biggest invisible factor is the processor generation. If the device falls outside the list for Windows 11, the group of buyers is suddenly much smaller and the price drops disproportionately.

Cosmetic wear counts for surprisingly little. Scratches on the casing lower the price slightly, while they say nothing about how it works, and that is exactly what buyers of refurbished look at.

In brief

The value of your old laptop depends above all on the processor generation, the memory, the storage and the condition of the battery, and business top series hold their value longest. Selling it yourself brings in the most, trading in costs you less time, donating gives the device a purpose and recycling is the route when there is nothing left in it. Always wipe the device first, sign out of your Microsoft account and include the charger. A laptop lying in a drawer is worth less every month.

Why refurbished at DSL Tech?

Every laptop at DSL Tech is checked on more than 30 points and comes with a 2-year warranty. Customers rate us 9.0 on average, you pay securely by iDEAL or in three instalments with in3, and order before 12:00 and your laptop arrives tomorrow.

This article is part of our complete guide buying a refurbished laptop, with grades, warranty, the right specs and the brands set out side by side.

Sources

• Milieu Centraal: handing in and recycling electrical devices
• Wecycle: where to hand in old electronics
• Dutch government: discarded electrical and electronic equipment