ThinkPad T61 resale value, is it important? 8 Tips to protect your investment.

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Having sold literally 1000’s of refurbished ThinkPad models in the past from venerable 600 Series models, through to T20’s and T40’s we appreciate the fact that in general, a pre owned ThinkPad will fetch more than most other second user laptops.

As ThinkPad users in our own business we also appreciate the overall benefits that the lower ‘Total Cost of Ownership’ the ThinkPad Range has. With its rock solid build quality, superb engineering and great usability a ThinkPad T61 or X61 Series machine should reward you over the next 3 or 4 years with great service. It may cost you a little more at the outset but you’ll be rewarded over the lifetime of ownership and if you follow our tips, you should get more for your pre owned machine when its time to trade up.

Tips for preserving the value of your ThinkPad

1. Always, always keep the box! If anything, this is the number one thing when you come to resell your laptop that will put far more on the value than anything else. Believe me, we have sold 1000’s of pre owned ThinkPad’s and a genuine box, can put a couple of $100’s on what you will get.
2. Open your new machine carefully without damaging the box, remove all the poly bags and packing. Place all the packaging back in the box, put the box in a trash bag to keep it clean, and store the box safe in the loft at home or the IT store room in the Office to keep it clean. Label the outside of the bag with the model and serial number of the machine.
3. Fill out all the registration cards, post them, and then store all the manuals and original literature in a plastic file. You can put that in the bag with the box or store it in a file drawer. These first two items will really enhance the value of your laptop down the road when you’re advertising it as ‘boxed, as new, with all original literature’
4. Leave all labels on the lid and palm rest, and cover the lid with a film to protect it from scratches! Think we are being pedantic? You won’t when it gets you more money in 3 years because its ‘like new’. I have a ThinkPad Z60m that I use every day as my office hack. Close the lid and it looks like it has just come out of the factory!
5. Once you have installed and configured the operating system and all the basic utilities, take a an image of this basic installation using an Imaging and back up package such as the award winning Acronis. This really does make it easy to restore your laptop to pristine condition when you’re ready to sell. Acronis will also incrementally backup your hard drive on the fly for added security. Great little piece of software
6. The Battery. Keep the battery in good condition by allowing it to run down completely every so often. If your brand new ThinkPad is your primary machine and its continually running off a power socket, take the battery out and store it until you go on a trip.
7. Close the lid at night or when your laptop is not in use, to avoid the inevitable accumulation of dust.
8. Get yourself a light weight memory foam neoprene slip case to use when 1), your carrying your laptop around, or 2) when you store the machine in a cupboard, drawer or even your laptop bag, and 3) while you’re going through airport security! You’ll still have to slip it out while it goes through the x ray machine, but it’s so easy then to slip back in and zip up.

Keep your new ThinkPad in tip top condition over the years and you’ll reap the rewards when it’s time to upgrade. Who knows, in 3 or 4 years time you maybe the lucky owner of a ThinkPad T80 and be putting $300 or $400 towards it from the sale of your ‘pristine, pre owned’ and much loved ThinkPad T61!