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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Swappa today, game consoles hold their value best<\/strong>: a used Xbox Series X<\/a>, PlayStation 5<\/a>, or Steam Deck OLED<\/a> sells for 88 to 112%<\/strong> of its original launch price, because new console prices rose in 2026. MacBooks<\/a> come next<\/strong>, keeping 69 to 85%<\/strong> after one and a half to two and a half years. Phones lose value fastest<\/strong>, and brand matters more than tier: a two-year-old iPhone 16<\/a> keeps 66%<\/strong>, while a Galaxy S24<\/a> keeps 41%<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Shop Used Game Consoles<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Real people approve listings before they go live. Standard US shipping is included in the price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Selling a console instead? Sell your game console<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Four forces do most of the work:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Every figure below is the average sale price<\/strong> 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<\/a>. For how the general depreciation curve works, see Tech Depreciation: How Fast Electronics Lose Value<\/a>. For everything that sets a used device’s price, start with Used Tech Resale Value: The Complete Pricing Guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nHow Depreciation Differs by Device Category<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nHow Well Phones Hold Their Value<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Flagship Phones by Age<\/h3>\n\n\n\n