Apple MacBook Pro (2021)

There is one reliable check, and it takes about ten seconds.

Click the Apple menu () in the very top-left corner of your screen, then choose About This Mac. A small window opens. Read the Chip line. For this page, it must say Apple M1 Pro or Apple M1 Max. The window also names the model, for example "MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2021)", and gives you the memory and serial number. Write all four things down — model, chip, memory, serial — and you have everything needed for an accurate quote.

If the Mac will not switch on, turn it over and read the small print on the underside. You are looking for A2442 (14-inch) or A2485 (16-inch). The serial number is printed there too, and we can decode the configuration from it.

Three quick physical confirmations. This generation has no Touch Bar — the top row is twelve normal physical keys with Touch ID at the right end. It has a notch at the top of the screen. And it has a MagSafe charging port, an HDMI port, and an SD card slot. A MacBook Pro missing any of these is a different model.

For a fuller walkthrough, see our Apple model number guide or the Find Your Gadget's Model hub. If you are still unsure, send us the serial number through Custom Quote, and we will identify it for you.

This is the most important question on the page, because of one specific trap.

The 2023 MacBook Pro with M2 Pro or M2 Max is externally identical to this one. Same chassis, same dimensions, same notch, same three Thunderbolt ports, same MagSafe, same HDMI, same SD slot, same two colors. Model numbers A2779 (14-inch) and A2780 (16-inch). There is no way to tell them apart by looking. The only reliable test is About This Mac: if the chip reads M2 Pro or M2 Max, you have the 2023 model, not this one. Quoting the wrong year means a re-grade and a delay, so please check rather than assume.

Late-2023 M3 Pro and M3 Max models use the same body again, in models A2992 and A2991. One helpful shortcut: those introduced the Space Black finish. If your MacBook Pro is Space Black, it is definitely not a 2021 — this generation came only in Silver and Space Gray.

MacBook Pro 13-inch (2020 M1 or 2022 M2), model A2338. Much easier to spot: it has a Touch Bar, only two Thunderbolt ports, and no MagSafe, no HDMI, and no SD card slot.

Intel MacBook Pro 16-inch (2019), model A2141. Has a Touch Bar and four Thunderbolt 3 ports, with no MagSafe, HDMI, or SD slot. About This Mac will show an Intel processor rather than an Apple chip.

MacBook Air (M1 or M2). Thinner and lighter, no fan, only two ports, and no HDMI or SD slot. The M1 Air also has the older tapered wedge shape.

Browse everything Apple we buy on our MacBook trade-in page, or go straight to the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro listings.

Yes. We buy these in every condition. Cracked or delaminating screens, dented lids, scuffed aluminum, failed speakers, dead keys, liquid damage, a battery that will not hold charge, or a Mac that will not power on at all — all of it still has value. Describe it honestly in the condition selector above, and the price you see is the price we honor.

Two things specific to this model are worth knowing.

Battery health matters more than usual. Because the battery is glued into the chassis and not user-replaceable, its condition carries real weight. Check Apple menu → System Settings → Battery, click the ⓘ beside Battery Health, and note the maximum capacity percentage. Above 80% is healthy. If macOS reports "Service Recommended," say so when you quote.

Nothing inside can be upgraded, so the original spec is the spec. Memory and storage are soldered, which means no owner has ever added RAM or swapped the SSD on one of these. What it shipped with is what it has — and it is why a 32GB or 64GB machine holds its value so well.

If the bottom case is bulging or the trackpad has lifted, that is a swollen battery. Stop charging the Mac and tell us when you quote so we can arrange safe transit. Our shipping instructions cover packing, and How It Works explains the process end to end.

Five things move the number, and on this model they are unusually decisive:

• M1 Max over M1 Pro. The single biggest factor. Double the memory bandwidth, up to 32 GPU cores, two ProRes engines, and support for more external displays. Video and 3D professionals actively hunt these down.
• Memory. Because it is soldered and can never be added to, a 64GB machine is genuinely scarce and prices far above a 16GB one. This is the most under-appreciated value driver on the model.
• Storage. Same logic — 2TB, 4TB, and 8TB configurations were expensive options and remain rare.
• Screen size. The 16-inch generally out-values the 14-inch at matching specifications.
• Battery health and cosmetic condition. Above 80% capacity and a clean, undented lid protect the offer meaningfully.

Shipping the original 67W, 96W, or 140W adapter also protects your price.

Many people don't realize a Mac this capable is still worth serious money years later — and that Apple's own trade-in program is rarely the best return. Gadget Salvation has been a dedicated consumer-electronics trade-in service since 2008. You answer a few questions, get an instant quote, ship with a free prepaid insured UPS label, and get paid in actual cash. Apple Trade In hands back store credit that can only be spent on more Apple products; we send money you can spend anywhere. Selling privately on eBay or Swappa can net more, but you take on the listing, the photographs, the fees, and the risk of a dispute. For an honest comparison, read Which Used Apple Mac Retains the Most Value?, How Much Is My MacBook Worth?, and Apple MacBook Trade In: How and Where to Sell Your Old Laptop.

This step matters more on a Mac than on any other laptop. Apple Silicon Macs have Activation Lock, which ties the machine to your Apple Account. If it is still locked when it reaches us, the Mac cannot be reset or resold, and we cannot pay you for it until you release it remotely. Please do not skip this.

Before you box it up:

1. Back up your data using Time Machine to an external drive, or copy what matters to iCloud or another computer.
2. Sign out of iMessage and Music if you use them, and unpair any Bluetooth accessories you are keeping.
3. Erase and release in one step. Open Apple menu → System Settings → General → Transfer or Reset → Erase All Content and Settings. On this generation of macOS, that single action signs you out of your Apple Account, turns off Find My and removes Activation Lock, and wipes the drive. Follow the prompts and enter your password when asked.
4. Confirm it worked: after it restarts, you should see the Hello setup screen. If it asks for an Apple Account password instead, Activation Lock is still on — sign in and repeat the reset.

If the Mac will not switch on, you can still remove it remotely: sign in at iCloud.com, open Find My, select this Mac, and choose Remove This Device. Tell us when you ship it.

Because the SSD is soldered, there is nothing to remove — and no reason to open the machine. Every Mac we receive also goes through our certified sanitization process regardless. Details are on our data erasure protocols page, and 8 Things to Do Before Selling Your MacBook Pro covers the full checklist.

Payment: once your MacBook Pro arrives and clears functional testing, payment is approved within about two business days. Choose PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, or CashApp, or a physical check mailed to your address. Your shipping label is free and fully insured from the moment you drop the box off.