Older Apple iPads get sold as buyers clear the decks for the new models

On Tuesday, we showed you a number of places where you can try to unload your current Apple iPad in order to raise funds and clear the decks for the newer models. If you're trading in a full sized Apple iPad 2 or the third-gen iPad in order to buy the Apple iPad mini, you will have a pretty good shot at raising a large chunk of the funds. Of course, if you're moving from a third-generation iPad to the iPad mini, you are losing that Retina display and about 102ppi in pixel density.

So what can you can you expect to get for your current Apple iPad? According to Gazelle, a third-generation Apple iPad, with 16GB of storage and Wi-Fi only, will fetch you $250 in "flawless" condition. That means that your tablet looks like it has never been used. With some wear, the device will bring you $200 and if the tablet is broken, Gazelle will still give you $90.

Those with the Apple iPad 2, 16GB, Wi-Fi only can receive $190 in flawless condition, $175 in good condition and $65 if broken. Those with the Apple iPad 2 might be more open to selling it and buying the new byte-sized tablet. Despite the smaller size screen, the Apple iPad 2 and iPad mini share the same resolution meaning that the latter has a higher pixel density (162ppi vs 132ppi) and also includes Siri. If you can wrangle a price of $190 for the iPad 2, you would have to come up with $139 for the 7.9 inch version of Apple's tablet.

Of course, you might do better with a personal transaction. Craigslist has buyers willing to pay $400 for the 16GB Wi-Fi only Third-generation Apple iPad and $300 for the similarly equipped Apple iPad 2. With a price like that, iPad 2 owners would have 90% of the price for the Apple iPad mini.

Gazelle and other trade-in sites were swamped with requests to buy the third iteration of the Apple iPad once Apple announced the Apple iPad 4. Originally, owners of the third-gen tablet were planning on holding out until next year when it was assumed that the Apple iPad 4 would be introduced. But once Apple surprised everyone on Tuesday with the next full-sized iPad, everything changed. A record number of iPad 3 units were traded in to Gazelle once the Apple iPad 4 was made official.

On Tuesday, Gazelle made offers to buy 140,000 Apple iPads, a 700% jump from the prior day. Pre-orders for the new Apple iPad mini and Apple iPad 4 start on Friday with the devices due to launch on November 2nd.

source: Gazelle via USAToday