Bought new Windows hardware? Trade in your old devices with Microsoft's Buy Back scheme

Microsoft is currently running a buy back scheme in partnership with Clover Wireless, enabling consumers to trade in their old hardware for funds after purchasing a product running Windows. If you've recently bought a new Pc or Windows Phone and want to get rid of the old tech, this program will pocket you some funds in return to sending the products in. Microsoft is accepting products from top brands and is seeking not only personal computers, but also tablets and smartphones too.

Microsoft Surface BuyBack

With new hardware slated for release this year, now is an ideal time for consumers to commence saving for the next hot piece of kit. But this is a great scheme to reward loyalty and also to welcome new consumers to Microsoft's ecosystem. It's also better than leaving the device in a box. Interested in finding out how much your old devices are worth? Get a free quote over on the Microsoft Buy Back website. Please note that this scheme is for those who have actually bought Microsoft products.

Source: Microsoft, via: Rafael Rivera (Twitter)

Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.

123 Comments
  • Now this is interesting
  • $200 for vaio z, $4000 piece of engineering... Interesting, might hold on to my beast i think!
  • The only thing interesting is why is this not hosted at a Microsoft site? It looks like some third party company trying to make a quick buck off the surface pro 3
  • But we probably need a receipt or something...
  • $40 for 920 in perfect condition is a sick joke ;D why do you even post such crap deals here?
  • 30$ for 925, they are mentally retarded
  • Yes I think they are mentally retarded mate. For example, they will give you $80 for an iPhone 4s (16gb).
  • $120......for a once $1,100 machine a little over a year ago (Surface Pro 128GB.)
  • That's straight BS
  • I got $330 for my SP1 directly from the MS store when I bought my SP3. They also took my battered RT for $120 as well.
  • How did you manage this? I'd love to get $330 for mine.
  • I know right? Anywhere else that accepts trade ins for old hardware would offer twice this. What a joke.
  • Same here, 40$ for my 920 and 40$ for my Surface RT. I may as well try to give it away to someone I know
  • Comparing RT to 2 other stores: Best Buy $80, Amazon $91. So not great certainly.      
  • You can get more in store credit at Best Buy. My "fair" condition 920 netted me an ok $80.
  • I just tested it for the value of my Surface RT 32GB and Nokia 928 (both in perfect condition). They both came up as being worth $40 for trade in. I guess the word scam is a bit too strong, but if you really don't mind throwing away 75% of the value of your used device, then use this option.
  • RIP OFF ALERT
    WHY WOULD I TRADE IN MY LUMIA 822 FOR $2
  • LOL! You can buy TWO things off the dollar menu with that!
  • Lol!
  • I'll offer you $4!
  • Okay...fine...I'll give you a dollar
  • You ruined it.
  • What will they do to those traded products? Just curious
  • Resell them through a 3rd party most likely
  • Probably, and to all the people screaming "scam" it is common to only get half the value the reseller will try to resell the item for. If you want the full resale amount, sell it direct yourself.
  • Its just the way that type of business works if u want more use ebay etc.
  • A lot of big companies have requirements to recycle a certain percentage of the materials they produce. Since MS is making so many more devices now, you will see more of this.
  • That word "scheme" is being thrown around a bit too much for my liking in this article...
  • That caught my attention as well. Scheme is an ugly word...
  • No kidding. It makes it sound like Microsoft is trying to defraud you or they have something evil planned.
  • Don't take this the wrong way but, it might be a brit thing?  I know they have a totally different vernacular than americans and the author is the UK editor.
  • lol Another MS fail
  • I would get 80$ for my 1020, sadly i can't say anywhere this is the 64GB Version.
  • $125 for a 1520, is this a joke?
  • I'll buy it!
  • Worth more than 128GB Surface Pro! And I spent $1,100 on that damn thing.
  • Given that you can get a SP3 for $1100 today, did you really expect to get an offer of even half that?
  • No but I would expect at LEAST $300 this is ridiculous.
  • Most likely US only. :/
  • are you seriously sad bout that?
  • lol
  • Dont be mad people. This just shows how much the real value is or our beloved windows phones. :P
  • 30$ for 925 & 15$ for 820 ok gtfo
  • $120 for a 128GB Surface Pro? Motherf**ker
  • Oh wow then my 64gb pro wont be worth Jack shit
  • my 64 gb surface pro is $120 too lol
  • The Lumia 2520 doesn't appear.
  • iPhone 5s 32 GB For 90$ OMFG ROFL
  • At least the 1520 is worth more, as it should be
  • this ;D
  • Wow, at work we buy them for anywhere from 300-400 AUD. This scam is an absolute joke.
  • $120 for my precious Surface Pro 128 GB. MICROSOFT THIS IS HOW YOU TREAT YOU LOYAL CUSTOMERS!!!!!! YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME. I spent over $1000 on this tablet a little more than a year ago and now!!! 120. ****
  • Lol!!! Im in the same boat :'( I want a Surface Pro 3.
  • I really want one too. I was reviewing the Macbook trade ins just now and its $650 that they get towards their sp3. WOW
  • You can walk into Best Buy with the device and they will give you $257 provided it is working, has a pen, and ac power adapter. Still not much but more closely in line with a first gen trade in. Microsoft in comparison really seems to almost be trying to insult Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2 owners of late.
  • Wanna trade my vaio
  • Microsoft be like.... I can get you $2.
  • Same here vaio n Lumia 520
  • Have experienced that all devices have low resale value except iPhone
  • Flog it yourself on Ebay - simples
  • Yes its official MS thinks we are stupid loyal customers.
  • Global or US only? Just asking because we Europeans tend to laugh at shit-offers such as this one here.
  • Some people don't want to deal with the hassle of trying to sell it privately for a higher value. When I worked in retail people would simple leave old devices that were less than a year old BC they wanted to next Great thing. Of you don't like this deal (and I am one that doesn't) move along and sell your device yourself.
  • dude are you serious? id rather give my phone to any member of family or friend... or even a hobo than sell it back for a couple of $... my time is more precious than having to mess with this whole buyback process for $40...
     
  • +925 private sales almost always yield more, so I don't get all the crying
  • Thing is, I work in a second hand store, and these prices are downright pathetic compared to what we would pay.
  • Really by posting this article your are showing to the wp fans how much assh**le is microsoft!.... And Microsoft is showing that we are dumm n stupid to sell brand new stuff fr 80$
  • Better sell your device somewhere else this is shit
  • Future Xbox Music update, The Live Tile
    http://oi58.tinypic.com/2conear.jpg
  • Photo shopped lol There is no google chrome & No Skype Transparent Tile, unless you turn on High Contrast, but if you do that it should show white lines around the edges of Skype Tile :)
  • Maybe he is using skinnery themes? Cool mockup though, hope it's like the music tile in 7.8. :/
  • The site is not in Microsoft domain. Looks like scam
  • How about providing us with a link at the bottom of the article? Or maybe i'm asking too much
  • Well, is it valid in India?
  • Same question I too asked? Nobody is replying
  • Company choose windows 7 because they can buy full desktop in only $20. Than $400 windows 8 desktop.
    $400 = 1 windows 8 desktop vs $400 = 20 windows 7 desktop for company offices.
  • Sorry, who let this guy in?
  • You mean,who let him out !?
  • Starting to think I do..
  • Just sharing, But thanks next year i can be able to upgrade my windows 7 to windows 8 because it will be free.
  • Great. US only I guess? In Portugal we get the 'great' 930. But a decent compensation for my broken 820 would be swell.
  • There are some bullshit calculations happening on that site.
    Coolest Man Alive
  • Is it applicable for the people of India? I have a Sony vaio, with win 7 64 bit professional converted to ultimate
  • No Surface Pro 2 buy backs?
  • W feel bad. Judging from their other prices, you would probably only get $100. Buy back programs usually are bull shit anyways but this one takes the cake so far. $40 for a good working L920? Just use amazon and you'll get 4 times the cash back.
  • A 256GB Surface Pro 2 will get you $457 as a gift card at Best Buy.
  • MS shouldn't advertise this at all. Advertising BS has more damage than benefit.
  • These buy back programs are always a joke. Just sell it on amazon or eBay, you will get much more.
  • Microsoft is nuts,they offer me $50.00 for HP6830S,they think People are stupid.
  • lumia 1020 for £120 in uk through a trade in scheme at Mazuma. MS only offering $80 what a joke
  • If you don't like it, then keep your things with you, whiners! MS don't ask you by force. You have your own mind. You can say NO. You can even say nothing and proceed with your life. Duh!
  • We just want to piss off blind fanboys like you. The only way they learn I'd by is us using our voice. You take everything from MS with pleasure, you are an idiot.
  • +1520 given that my phone, bought for $800aud, six months ago, is worth a whopping $125...microsoft can suck it. I'm not looking to sell, but if market value/product confidence is so low that they can only sell a 2nd hand, perfect condition flagship device for less than half price?? Even apple squeeze more out of refurb'd iPods than that. If they want us to continue to buy their products they're gonna have to stop treating us like idiots...
  • The problem is that this kind of bullshit suckers in people who may not know any better into selling their item to this dodge s says a strewn rather than getting a reasonable amount. I wouldn't expect peer to peer level prices but these offered are ludicrously low and are in the realms of a 400% potential markup in some cases. Even higher by the looks of some of these posts.
  • If anyone would like to sell their 925 for $30 or their Surface RT for $40 please contact me first. Wtf.
  • Man only wish MS has such nice deals over here in Netherlands...
  • Please read the comments.
  • Has anyone here ever looked at any other trade-in programs?! They are all like like this, regardless of whether or not they are MS sanctioned. Electronics depreciate more than anything else I know of. Sell it yourself if you want money. Or else you'll get "Pawn Stars" deals like this.
  • Just took a look at the Apple store,they offer $300 for a Lumia 1020 if you buy an Iphone 5s.!!!!
  • lol.... my rebate quote is   $0
  • $150 for a Core i5 Macbook?!? Don't think so. Amazon offers way better buy back values than that. I'll do eBay, thanks. These guys and Gazelle are a total ripoff.
  • This is a terrible deal.  $40 for MacBook Pro, $80 for 1020, $120 for Surface Pro.  Yeah I don't think so.
  • These are truly awful prices, however most buyback deals are like this. Best to just sell your stuff on eBay or even Craigslist to get better money.
  • To be fair, in comparison to Gamestop/Ebgames Microsoft is offering alot
  • Interesting, but the quotes are all in dollars. Can anyone provide the link for the UK version of this page please? Ta.
  • Folks, you have to factor in the cost of the whole process. It cost money to advertise, collect, process and manage the inventor of these traded in devices. What isn't monetized has to be disposed of and that has to be done following government regulations. If these device's end up on a trash barge off the coast it will become national news. This is for people who would otherwise through there devices in the trash in the US not resell an otherwise useable device on eBay, etc. They value they give take into account factors other than just resale, it the cost of doing business to do so.
  • No we don't have to factor in the whole cost. These prices are an outright joke. Someone posted $2 for an 822. Really? I would rather dunk my devices in oil and then drop it in the ocean myself and get no money back than do anything like this. Even though I won't. But you get my point.
  • Hey Rich, WPCentral really needs to think twice before they publish this kind of nonsense.  After having checked out the site myself and priced some high-quality equipment and seeing the pittance they are offering, I have to agree with several of the comments already posted.  This looks more and more like a rip-off artist trying to bilk unwitting consumers who go to the trap because WPCentral gave it a nice write-up...thus an "air of respectability".  Ludicrous!!! 
  • My HD2 got a rousing quote of $0!
  • This is an absolute joke. $40 for a Surface RT 32GB. I can get `$180 on ebay. Buy back programs should be no less than half what you can get with private party. That would $90-$100 for my Surface RT. This site is a joke. And I'm curious how the site is a direct copy of Microsoft's site but the domain is not Microsoft.
  • Did anyone happen to notice that the article says the program is ACTUALLY being run by Clover Wireless and if you notice in the center of first line of the very MS looking add, it says Clover Wireless.  My guess is that Clover Wireless is setting the prices, not MS.  MS simply approved the use of their name with the buy back program.  If my hunch is correct, then it's Clover that thinks we are all stupid, not MS.  Maybe MS and WP Central should pay alittle more attention to what they promote.  Just a thought.
  • Oh, I know it's through CloverWireless, the problem is they literally pulled the code from Microsoft main site and slapped on this non-Microsoft website. Giving any novice the impress it's Microsoft. It wouldn't be so bad if the prices weren't such a joke. I mean they are literally offering less than what people could get if they sold their BROKEN device on eBay. It's insulting and MS should just drop this.
  • MS doesn't want my Nokia Lumia 2520 tablet
  • $40 for original Surface RT, no thanks.
  • The 1020 successor could be real! I sent a tip in to WPC, but they never seen to post any of my tips: http://news.yahoo.com/leak-reveals-sleek-unreleased-microsoft-smartphone...
  • there is no option for lumia 720 & 620......i think they didn't count it as a microsoft device.....
  • Just called Microsoft....As for trade in's in their stores, the only surface they offer trade in's on is the Surface Pro 2 for up to $650 (obviously).....   Sadly for us original Surface Pro users its more of a recycling program and they give you $20.
  • Please don't tell me you're getting rid of your Acer Aspire S7, Rich! That thing is gorgeous!!
  • Also in India??
  • YOUR REBATE QUOTE $0.
  • 120 for a 120gb surface pro these prices are a f'ing joke.
  • Walmarts trade in site gives more money for things than this site from what I looked up.
  • Went to local MS Store for an estimate on my SP2 with backlit Type Cover keyboard and Complete Care warranty and they gave me a hard estimate of $495...really?!?! I got it in February for about $1600! $495?!?! Not gonna happen...They're offering more to Mac-heads...   Guess I'll wait for SP4 to be released then by an SP3 at heavy discount...