Device category depreciation decides how much of your money comes back when you sell. Two devices that cost $800 new can be worth $550 or $185 a few years later, depending mostly on what kind of device they are. This guide compares phones, laptops, and game consoles using Swappa’s own sale prices, then shows what each pattern means when you buy and when you sell.
Quick Answer
On Swappa today, game consoles hold their value best: a used Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, or Steam Deck OLED sells for 88 to 112% of its original launch price, because new console prices rose in 2026. MacBooks come next, keeping 69 to 85% after one and a half to two and a half years. Phones lose value fastest, and brand matters more than tier: a two-year-old iPhone 16 keeps 66%, while a Galaxy S24 keeps 41%.
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How Depreciation Differs by Device Category
Depreciation is not one slope. Each category has its own mix of forces, which is why a five-year-old console can sell for more than it cost while a four-year-old phone sells for a third of its price.
Four forces do most of the work:
- Replacement cycle. Phones get a new model every year, and each launch adds a wave of used listings for the older ones. Console generations last six to seven years, so there is no annual reset.
- Software support. A device that still gets OS updates is worth more than one that has lost them. Phones and laptops get cut off on a schedule. A console runs new games for its whole generation.
- New prices. When the new version of a device gets more expensive, used prices follow. That is the main reason consoles look so strong in 2026.
- Brand demand. Apple devices keep more value in every category Swappa measures. Which Brands Hold Their Value Best? covers the brand side.
Every figure below is the average sale price on each model’s Swappa price page on October 13, 2026, divided by the US launch price of the same configuration. That is what buyers actually paid, not what sellers are asking. For the full methodology and 55 models across five categories, see Used Electronics Resale Data: What the Numbers Show. For how the general depreciation curve works, see Tech Depreciation: How Fast Electronics Lose Value. For everything that sets a used device’s price, start with Used Tech Resale Value: The Complete Pricing Guide.
How Well Phones Hold Their Value
Phones lose value faster than the other two categories, and most of the loss comes in the first two years. After that the curve flattens: an iPhone 15 still keeps 48% at three years, an iPhone 14 keeps 36% at four, and an iPhone 13 keeps 31% at five.
Flagship Phones by Age
| Model (Launch Price) | Age | Avg. Sale on Swappa | Value Kept |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 17 256GB ($799) | 1.1 years | $738 | 92% |
| iPhone 16 128GB ($799) | 2.1 years | $530 | 66% |
| iPhone 15 128GB ($799) | 3.1 years | $385 | 48% |
| iPhone 14 128GB ($799) | 4.1 years | $285 | 36% |
| Pixel 10 128GB ($799) | 1.1 years | $464 | 58% |
| Pixel 9 128GB ($799) | 2.1 years | $369 | 46% |
| Pixel 8 128GB ($699) | 3.0 years | $256 | 37% |
| Galaxy S25 128GB ($799.99) | 1.7 years | $414 | 52% |
| Galaxy S24 128GB ($799.99) | 2.7 years | $331 | 41% |
| Galaxy S23 128GB ($799.99) | 3.7 years | $235 | 29% |
Swappa average sale prices on October 13, 2026. Prices vary by condition, carrier, and storage.
The iPhone 17’s 92% is partly a price-increase effect. Apple raised the new iPhone 17 to $899 in September 2026, so used prices are measured against a more expensive new phone. iPhone 17 Price Increase: What It Means for Used Buyers explains the knock-on effect. For the full iPhone versus Android gap, see iPhone vs. Android Resale Value: A Data-Driven Comparison.
Budget Phones Hold More Than You Might Expect
A common claim is that budget phones crater while flagships hold. Swappa’s sale data does not back that up. Brand matters more than price tier:
| Model (Launch Price) | Age | Avg. Sale on Swappa | Value Kept |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pixel 9a 128GB ($499) | 1.5 years | $327 | 66% |
| iPhone 16e 128GB ($599) | 1.6 years | $368 | 61% |
| Galaxy A16 5G 128GB ($199.99) | 1.8 years | $102 | 51% |
| Pixel 8a 128GB ($499) | 2.4 years | $246 | 49% |
| Galaxy A35 5G 128GB ($399.99) | 2.5 years | $136 | 34% |
A Pixel 8a keeps a larger share of its price than a Galaxy S24 flagship of about the same age. The bigger difference is in dollars: a Galaxy A16 5G has lost about $98 since launch, while a Galaxy S25 has lost about $386 over a similar stretch. If you care about total money lost, a cheaper phone often wins even when its percentage looks worse.
To compare every generation before you buy, see Used iPhone Buyer’s Guide: Every Generation Ranked (2026). For buying and selling across brands, see Used Phones: The Complete Guide to Buying and Selling. You can browse used phones on Swappa or go straight to used iPhones.
How Well Laptops Hold Their Value
Laptops have a reputation as the worst category for resale. For MacBooks, Swappa’s data says the opposite: they hold value better than any phone.
| Model (Launch Price) | Age | Avg. Sale on Swappa | Value Kept |
|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) 256GB ($999) | 1.6 years | $846 | 85% |
| MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4) 512GB ($1,599) | 1.9 years | $1,216 | 76% |
| MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) 256GB ($1,099) | 2.6 years | $753 | 69% |
| MacBook Air 13-inch (M2) 256GB ($1,199) | 4.2 years | $626 | 52% |
Swappa average sale prices on October 13, 2026, for the base configuration of each model.
A four-year-old MacBook Air (M2) still sells for more than half its launch price, which beats a two-year-old Pixel 9. Two things help. Apple Silicon Macs get macOS updates for years, and Apple raised new Mac prices on June 25, 2026, which lifted used prices with them. Apple Hiked Mac Prices. Buy a Used Mac Instead. covers that change, and the Used MacBook Buyer’s Guide: Air vs. Pro, M1 to M5 (2026) helps you pick a model.
Windows Laptops Are Harder to Price
Windows laptops are where the category’s reputation comes from. They sell in so many processor, memory, and storage combinations that few models have enough sales in one configuration to measure reliably, so we have left them out of the numbers here. The pattern on the used market is a split: business lines like the Dell Latitude, Lenovo ThinkPad, and HP EliteBook keep steady demand from IT buyers and small businesses, while consumer models compete with a flood of near-identical machines and drop faster.
If you are buying a Windows laptop to resell later, a business line is the safer bet. Used Laptops: The Complete Guide to Buying and Selling (2026) sorts the tiers, and Best Used Laptops for Work and Creative Pros (2026) names specific models. Browse used MacBooks or used Windows laptops on Swappa.
Why Game Consoles Depreciate Differently
Consoles do not follow the phone or laptop curve. A console generation lasts six to seven years, games keep coming for the whole run, and manufacturers rarely discount hardware deeply. In 2025 and 2026 something unusual happened on top of that: new console prices went up, and used prices rose with them.
| Console (Launch Price) | New Price, Oct. 2026 | Avg. Sale on Swappa | Value Kept vs. Launch | Share of Today’s New Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steam Deck OLED 512GB ($549) | $789 | $614 | 112% | 78% |
| Xbox Series X ($499.99) | $799.99 | $551 | 110% | 69% |
| Xbox Series S 512GB ($299.99) | $499.99 | $318 | 106% | 64% |
| PlayStation 5 Slim with disc drive ($499.99) | $649.99 | $472 | 94% | 73% |
| PlayStation 5 original, with disc drive ($499.99) | No longer sold new | $442 | 88% | n/a |
| Nintendo Switch OLED ($349.99) | $399.99 | $199 | 57% | 50% |
Swappa average sale prices on October 13, 2026. New prices are US list prices after the increases from Sony (April 2, 2026), Valve (May 27, 2026), Microsoft (August 1, 2026), and Nintendo (August 3, 2025). Console sale averages can include bundled controllers or games.
Even the original 2020 PlayStation 5 sells for 88% of its launch price nearly six years on. A used Xbox Series X still costs about $250 less than a new one, which is why buyers have moved to the used market and pushed prices up.
The Nintendo Switch OLED is the exception, and it shows what normal console depreciation looks like. The Nintendo Switch 2 ($499.99 new) has replaced it as Nintendo’s main console, so the OLED now behaves like a previous-generation device and sells for 57% of its launch price. Expect the PS5 and Xbox Series consoles to follow that path once their successors arrive. Console prices also move fast: the PS5 Slim’s average sale price fell from $503 to $472 in the three weeks before this update.
Condition matters more for consoles than the category label suggests. Missing controllers, cables, or the original box all cut the price, so keep what came in the box. For grade definitions, see Used Electronics Condition Grades, Explained. For buying and selling advice by console, see Used Game Consoles: The Complete Guide to Buying and Selling, and for the Switch family, the Used Nintendo Switch Buyer’s Guide: OLED vs. Lite vs. Original.
Device Category Value Retention at a Glance
| Category | Value Kept at 2 to 3 Years | Value Kept at 4 to 6 Years | Depreciation Pattern | Main Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game consoles (current gen) | 94 to 112% | 88 to 110% (2020 consoles at about 6 years) | Flat, then a drop when the next generation arrives | Long generations, 2026 new-price increases |
| MacBooks | 69 to 76% | 52% (Air M2) | Gradual and steady | Long macOS support, Apple price increases |
| iPhones | 48 to 66% | 31 to 36% | Steep for two years, then slower each year | Annual launches, strong demand |
| Android phones | 29 to 49% | 23 to 28% | Steep early, keeps falling | Annual launches, crowded market |
| Windows laptops | Not measured | Not measured | Business lines steady, consumer models fall fast | Too many configurations to price |
Ranges come from the Swappa sale prices in the tables above. Android 4-year figures: Galaxy S22 (23%) and Pixel 7 (28%), same date.
Other categories follow their own curves. iPads keep 62 to 97% of launch price after one to four years, and smartwatches lose value fastest of all. Those numbers are in the resale data report, with buying advice in Buying and Selling Used Tablets: The Complete Guide and Used Smartwatches: The Complete Guide to Buying and Selling.
Buying and Selling for the Best Long-Term Value
Category depreciation is a buying tool as much as a selling one. What a device costs you is the price you pay minus the price you get back, so a device that holds value can be cheaper to own than one with a lower sticker price.
If You Are Buying
Judge by cost per year, not sticker price. Someone who bought an iPhone 16 at launch for $799 could sell it today for about $530, so it cost them about $130 a year. A Galaxy S24 bought at launch has cost about $175 a year. A MacBook Air (M3) has cost about $133 a year, and a launch-day Xbox Series X has cost nothing at all.
Use the previous generation to predict your resale. A used phone usually loses about what the generation before it lost over the same year. A used iPhone 15 sells for $385 today and an iPhone 14 for $285, so expect to lose roughly $100 if you buy the 15 now and sell it next year. That only holds while market conditions stay similar, so check again before you list.
Consoles cost the most used but carry little risk. You save less against new than in other categories, but you lose very little when you resell. Phones and Windows laptops give you the deepest discount off new, with more value lost after you buy. Storage, carrier lock, and condition also move the number within any category. See Does Storage Size Affect Resale Value? and Unlocked vs Carrier-Locked: Resale Value Impact for those.
If You Are Selling
Sell phones before the next launch. Each new iPhone (September) and Galaxy S (early in the year) launch adds a wave of used listings for older models, which pushes their prices down. The Best Time to Sell Electronics covers the calendar by category.
Sell Macs and Windows business laptops while demand is steady. Laptops decline more slowly, so you have more room to choose your timing, but a new chip generation still resets buyer expectations.
Check your console’s value now. If you own an Xbox Series X|S, PS5, or Steam Deck OLED, it may sell for close to what you paid. That window closes when a new generation launches. For pricing your exact model, see How Much Is My Used Device Worth?, and for what buyers want most right now, check Swappa’s best-selling devices.
Listing on Swappa is free. Sellers pay a 3% seller fee, and buyers pay a 3% buyer fee that is already included in the listing price, so selling fees are lower than other auction-site fees. Real people approve listings before they go live, and every device must have a clean IMEI or ESN, no activation or OS lock, be fully paid off, and have no water damage or cracked glass. If your device is broken, it will not meet those criteria, so the better move is to buy a replacement on Swappa. How to Sell Used Electronics: The Complete Guide walks through the full process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which device category holds its value best?
On Swappa in October 2026, game consoles hold their value best. A used Xbox Series X sells for about 110% of its launch price and a PlayStation 5 Slim for about 94%, because new console prices rose in 2025 and 2026. MacBooks come second, keeping 69 to 85% after one and a half to two and a half years. Phones lose value fastest.
Do phones or laptops depreciate faster?
Phones depreciate faster than MacBooks. A two-year-old iPhone 16 keeps 66% of its launch price on Swappa, while a MacBook Air (M3) keeps 69% after two and a half years, and Android flagships keep less than either. Windows laptops vary too much by configuration to measure reliably, but consumer models generally drop faster than business lines.
How much value does a phone lose in the first two years?
On Swappa, a two-year-old iPhone 16 sells for about 66% of its launch price, a Pixel 9 for about 46%, and a Galaxy S24 for about 41% at two and a half years. Most of that loss happens in the first two years, and the decline slows after that. Prices vary by condition, storage, and carrier, so check the model’s Swappa price page for current figures.
Do budget phones lose value faster than flagships?
Not always. On Swappa, a Pixel 8a keeps about 49% of its launch price after two and a half years, more than a Galaxy S24 flagship of the same age keeps. Brand matters more than price tier. Budget phones also lose fewer dollars in total, so they can cost less to own even when their percentage is lower.
Why do used game consoles sell for more than their launch price?
Sony, Microsoft, and Valve raised new console prices in 2026, so a new Xbox Series X now costs $799.99 against a $499.99 launch price. Used prices rose with them but still sit well below today’s new prices, which keeps used consoles in demand. The Nintendo Switch OLED is the exception, since the Switch 2 replaced it.
The Bottom Line
The category you buy into shapes how much you get back. Right now consoles hold value best, helped by 2026’s higher new prices. MacBooks hold steadily for years, and phones lose the most, with iPhones keeping far more than Android phones of the same age. Within each category, brand and model decide where a device lands, so check the specific model rather than trusting the category label.
For buyers, that means judging a device by what it costs per year to own, not its sticker price. For sellers, it means selling phones before the next launch, selling laptops while demand holds, and checking your console’s value before the next generation arrives. Start with current sale prices for your model on Swappa.
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