Estimate the current market value of your used PC components.
Understanding PC Worth Calculation
This PC Worth Calculator aims to provide a realistic estimate of your computer's current market value. Unlike a loan calculator which deals with interest and principal, this tool focuses on depreciation and component value.
How It Works: Depreciation and Component Value
The value of computer components depreciates over time due to technological advancements and wear. This calculator takes into account:
Initial Purchase Price: The original cost of each major component.
Age of Components: The number of years the PC has been in use.
Usage Intensity: How heavily the PC has been used, which can affect component lifespan and perceived value.
The Formula Explained
The calculation is based on a simplified depreciation model. Each component's value decreases as it ages and is used. A common approach involves a depreciation rate that is influenced by both time and usage.
For this calculator, we use a weighted depreciation:
Base Depreciation: A percentage decrease applied annually to the original purchase price of each component. For instance, a component might lose 15-25% of its value each year.
Usage Factor: An additional depreciation factor is applied based on how many hours per week the PC is used. Heavy usage (e.g., 20+ hours/week) accelerates depreciation more than light usage (e.g., under 5 hours/week).
The formula for the depreciated value of a single component (C_depreciated) can be approximated as:
The Annual_Depreciation_Rate and Usage_Factor are internal parameters of the calculator, set to reflect general market trends. For example:
Annual_Depreciation_Rate might be set around 0.15 (15%) for core components like CPU/GPU and slightly higher for others.
Usage_Factor might be around 0.005 (0.5%) for each hour of weekly usage, meaning 10 hours/week adds an extra 5% depreciation.
The total PC worth is the sum of the depreciated values of all its key components. The PC case might have a lower depreciation rate, reflecting its durability.
Use Cases
This calculator is useful for:
Selling your PC: Determine a fair asking price for your used computer.
Buying a used PC: Assess whether the asking price is reasonable given the components' age and condition.
Insurance purposes: Get an estimate of your PC's current value.
Component upgrades: Understand the trade-in value of your old parts when planning an upgrade.
Limitations
This calculator provides an estimate. The actual market value can be influenced by factors not precisely captured by the formula, such as:
Specific component model and its rarity or demand.
Cosmetic condition (scratches, dents, dust).
Performance benchmarks compared to newer hardware.
Included software or operating system licenses.
The urgency of selling or buying.
Always research comparable listings for the most accurate pricing.
function calculatePCEquity() {
var cpuCost = parseFloat(document.getElementById("cpuCost").value);
var gpuCost = parseFloat(document.getElementById("gpuCost").value);
var ramCost = parseFloat(document.getElementById("ramCost").value);
var storageCost = parseFloat(document.getElementById("storageCost").value);
var motherboardCost = parseFloat(document.getElementById("motherboardCost").value);
var psuCost = parseFloat(document.getElementById("psuCost").value);
var caseCost = parseFloat(document.getElementById("caseCost").value);
var usageYears = parseFloat(document.getElementById("usageYears").value);
var usageHoursPerWeek = parseFloat(document.getElementById("usageHoursPerWeek").value);
var resultElement = document.getElementById("result");
resultElement.innerHTML = ""; // Clear previous results
// Input validation
if (isNaN(cpuCost) || isNaN(gpuCost) || isNaN(ramCost) || isNaN(storageCost) ||
isNaN(motherboardCost) || isNaN(psuCost) || isNaN(caseCost) ||
isNaN(usageYears) || isNaN(usageHoursPerWeek) ||
cpuCost < 0 || gpuCost < 0 || ramCost < 0 || storageCost < 0 ||
motherboardCost < 0 || psuCost < 0 || caseCost < 0 ||
usageYears < 0 || usageHoursPerWeek < 0) {
resultElement.innerHTML = "Please enter valid positive numbers for all fields.";
resultElement.style.backgroundColor = "#dc3545"; // Red for error
return;
}
// Depreciation rates and factors (can be adjusted)
var cpuGpuAnnualDeprRate = 0.20; // 20% annual depreciation for high-value components
var ramStorageMotherboardAnnualDeprRate = 0.15; // 15% annual for RAM, Storage, Motherboard
var psuCaseAnnualDeprRate = 0.10; // 10% annual for PSU and Case
var usageFactorMultiplier = 0.005; // 0.5% depreciation per hour of weekly usage
// Calculate depreciated value for each component
var cpuWorth = cpuCost * (1 – (cpuGpuAnnualDeprRate * usageYears) – (usageFactorMultiplier * usageHoursPerWeek));
var gpuWorth = gpuCost * (1 – (cpuGpuAnnualDeprRate * usageYears) – (usageFactorMultiplier * usageHoursPerWeek));
var ramWorth = ramCost * (1 – (ramStorageMotherboardAnnualDeprRate * usageYears) – (usageFactorMultiplier * usageHoursPerWeek * 0.5)); // Lower usage impact on RAM
var storageWorth = storageCost * (1 – (ramStorageMotherboardAnnualDeprRate * usageYears) – (usageFactorMultiplier * usageHoursPerWeek * 0.5)); // Lower usage impact on storage
var motherboardWorth = motherboardCost * (1 – (ramStorageMotherboardAnnualDeprRate * usageYears) – (usageFactorMultiplier * usageHoursPerWeek * 0.7)); // Moderate usage impact
var psuWorth = psuCost * (1 – (psuCaseAnnualDeprRate * usageYears) – (usageFactorMultiplier * usageHoursPerWeek * 0.3)); // Lower usage impact on PSU
var caseWorth = caseCost * (1 – (psuCaseAnnualDeprRate * usageYears) – (usageFactorMultiplier * usageHoursPerWeek * 0.2)); // Lowest usage impact on case
// Ensure no component is valued below a minimum threshold (e.g., 10% of original or a flat $10)
var minThresholdFactor = 0.10;
var minFlatValue = 10;
cpuWorth = Math.max(cpuWorth, cpuCost * minThresholdFactor, minFlatValue);
gpuWorth = Math.max(gpuWorth, gpuCost * minThresholdFactor, minFlatValue);
ramWorth = Math.max(ramWorth, ramCost * minThresholdFactor, minFlatValue);
storageWorth = Math.max(storageWorth, storageCost * minThresholdFactor, minFlatValue);
motherboardWorth = Math.max(motherboardWorth, motherboardCost * minThresholdFactor, minFlatValue);
psuWorth = Math.max(psuWorth, psuCost * minThresholdFactor, minFlatValue);
caseWorth = Math.max(caseWorth, caseCost * minThresholdFactor, minFlatValue);
// Ensure values are not negative after all calculations
cpuWorth = Math.max(0, cpuWorth);
gpuWorth = Math.max(0, gpuWorth);
ramWorth = Math.max(0, ramWorth);
storageWorth = Math.max(0, storageWorth);
motherboardWorth = Math.max(0, motherboardWorth);
psuWorth = Math.max(0, psuWorth);
caseWorth = Math.max(0, caseWorth);
// Total PC Worth
var totalWorth = cpuWorth + gpuWorth + ramWorth + storageWorth + motherboardWorth + psuWorth + caseWorth;
// Display result
resultElement.innerHTML = "Estimated PC Worth: $" + totalWorth.toFixed(2);
resultElement.style.backgroundColor = getComputedStyle(document.documentElement).getPropertyValue('–success-green'); // Reset to success green
}