Pricing desktop and gaming PCs at the pawn counter
Short answer: a desktop PC is priced by what is inside it. Read the graphics card, processor, memory and storage, check that it starts and runs, and price from real recent sales of similar configurations. In gaming PCs, the graphics card is often the most valuable part.
Read the configuration
- Graphics card. The biggest factor in a gaming PC's price.
- Processor. Model and generation.
- Memory (RAM). How much, and its type.
- Storage. Size, and SSD rather than an old hard disk.
- Power supply and case. Quality matters for buyers who know PCs.
The system information in the operating system shows most of this. Brand-name office PCs are simpler: the model number on the case identifies them.
Test before you lend
- It starts and reaches the desktop, or can be reset without the owner's password.
- No crashes, overheating or loud fans during a few minutes of use.
- Ports, Wi-Fi and the graphics output work.
Parts can be worth more than the whole
A custom-built PC is often bought for its graphics card. Note the exact card model; it may be worth pricing on its own if the rest of the PC is old.
Price from comparable sales
Two PCs that look alike can have very different parts. Compare with real sales of similar configurations, not with the price of the parts when new.
How PawnMeter helps
The clerk types the brand or main components and the condition. PawnMeter shows what comparable systems really sold for recently at participating shops, or that there are no comparable sales.
PawnMeter: Type the item. PawnMeter shows the resale price and a suggested loan, calculated only from what comparable items really sold for. When there is not enough data, it says so instead of guessing.
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