This is the English edition. The article body below is the publisher's English rendering of the original Chinese article; figures, license numbers and institutional names follow the original.
Layer one: can the machine still run
Pricing begins with a power-on test. A unit that boots, accepts an operating system and has working ports goes back into circulation and is priced against the second-hand market for complete machines. One that will not start, has a dead mainboard or shows corrosion from liquid damage can only be broken for parts or sold by material weight.
The spread at this layer is wide. Within a single model batch, working and non-working units can differ several times over in unit price. For bulk handover, the buyer usually samples a portion and then prices the whole lot by ratio, so the sample result effectively sets the grade for everything.
Layer two: specification and parts value
Specification sets the ceiling. Processor generation, memory capacity, drive type and graphics card all have publicly visible price bands in the second-hand market. Commercial models differ from consumer models as well: standardised chassis and interchangeable parts make bulk resale easier.
- Processor — newer generations hold value; older platforms fall to material price quickly.
- Memory and storage — capacity and type both matter, and solid-state drives retain more value than mechanical ones.
- Graphics — discrete-card machines carry a premium in some markets, while integrated graphics are priced as office machines.
- Accessory completeness — original power supply, battery and dock make the offer cleaner.
Layer three: condition, measured not guessed
Condition is not an impression. It is a set of checkable indicators: cracks in the housing, bright lines or dead pixels on the screen, unresponsive keys, a swollen battery, whether cooling still works. These decide whether a machine returns to resale as a whole unit, becomes a refurbished parts source, or goes straight to dismantling.
In bulk disposal, condition usually follows a distribution. If eight of ten units are sound and two are flawed, the quote is weighted rather than averaged. A client who sorts units into grades before pickup speeds up inspection and gets an offer closer to real value.
The data layer is priced separately
Data handling is the most overlooked layer in used computer pricing. An ordinary office machine needs logical erasure; anything carrying sensitive information needs physical destruction. The two routes cost differently, so the quotes differ.
Current requirements point to a dedicated technical standard: GB 46864-2025, the data security standard for information removal from electronic products, takes effect on 1 January 2027, and buyers should factor it into how they choose a disposal route. Where a destruction certificate is required, add the cost of witnessing, video records and issuing the document.
Three outcomes once the layers stack
First, whole-unit resale: mainstream specification, good condition and erasable data mean the highest residual value. Second, parts recovery: the machine will not sell whole, but memory, drives and power supplies still have a market. Third, material recovery: an aged mainboard with no parts demand is priced only as copper, aluminium and waste circuit board.
The order cannot be reversed. Ask whether it sells whole, then whether the parts sell, and only then fall back to material. Quoting by weight first gives away the value of the first two layers.
Practical notes
- Run a power-on sample before disposal and grade units as bootable, parts-only or material-only.
- Prepare a specification list covering processor, memory, drive, graphics and year of manufacture.
- State the data route up front: erasure or destruction, and whether a certificate is needed.
- Arrange bulk handovers by grade to cut inspection time and argument on site.
- Have the quotation name the pricing unit and deductions, with the final figure subject to on-site inspection.