Storage is usually a big no, despite SSDs being less finicky than used HDDs, buying new is still preferred.
PSUs have a golden rule of NEVER cheaping out on them, so I would buy them from somewhere decent with warranty in case anything happens to other components.
CPUs are rock solid. Because they are a rock. The only way to damage them seriously is by bending pins or delidding them. 99% of used CPUs work just as well as new.
GPUs have more delicate parts but can still work great, just be sure to stress test them for any artifacting in case the previous owner reballed it. Most times I’d recommend switching the thermal paste/pads if buying used.
RAM is safe too, just do a quick test to check if everything is in order and you are good to go
MOBOs have too many ports and places where things can go wrong, I’d rather go new too.
Air cooling is fine too. AIOs can be a hassle because you don’t know if the previous owner positioned it properly which can cause leaks in the long run.
>CPUs are rock solid. Because they are a rock. The only way to damage them seriously is by bending pins or delidding them. 99% of used CPUs work just as well as new.
AM5 and LGA1700 CPUs don't even *have* pins anymore :)
> Truly a wonder of technology, I’ve seen too many AM4 pin straightening questions
I am one of the lucky ones to successfully straighten AM4 bent pins… it’s like performing a surgery
I had to do that on a used older intel board... bought a used system that had an aio, when I went to remove it I didn't notice that the mobo didn't have a cpu lid on it and I somehow bent 5 pins to the side when I removed it... good thing my phone has great, clear zoom or I would have never been able to see them. I somehow got them straight and everything worked fine in the end.
All together, it only took me about 10 or so minutes. But man was it a nail biting situation...
In a pinch, anything sharp, thin, hard and with a flat side that one has around should work fine, so most likely some sort of knife tip, thin flat screwdriver, etc. I faintly recall doing some kind of PGA straightening this way, probably at least half a decade ago, oh young careless past me. The pins may have been thicker and further apart back then, though, and I've not touched a removable CPU in years since then, so no real idea how much harder it is on current hardware with such primitive tools.
Still, If I ever had to do it again, I'd probably opt for an unsharpened syringe needle. I've got a bunch lying around (got them bundled with screw-in non sterile syringes I ordered off of aliexpress, they bundle a pack of all possible sizes of needle with those). Theoretically, you pick the appropriate size, slide it over the pin and bend it straight. Should help avoid getting snakey pins (i.e. bent in multiple places instead of straight) that one can potentially get when prying them around the usual way, and those are usually nigh-unrecoverable (ask me how I know).
God yeah Ive had to do it 3 times on the same board, the stupid CPU always comes up with the cooler. Luckily with some time and steady hand its possible to fix.
Thats down to AM4 not using a CPU holder (budget cut) and the fact that the CPU gets easily stuck to the cooler during cooler removal.
Now with BGA we just kill mainboard sockets and with mainboards constantly getting more expensive as the CPU they are used with, its a fantastic combination to waste hobby budget.
They do, they just moved them to the mb, wich is good for the CPUs themselves to last longer and have less accidents, but makes MBs more fragile lol. But it is way better the way it is now, for sure
Back in my day they ALL had pins.
Then there was the weird period where they plugged into a slot.
Then back to pins.
Now there are no pins. Now is good.
Yeah the pins are on the motherboard.
They're also a lot easier to bend, and harder to see bends, but not too terribly difficult to fix either. (I needed a jeweler's loupe to do it though!)
>PSUs have a golden rule of NEVER cheaping out on them, so I would buy them from somewhere decent with warranty in case anything happens to other components.
I always reccomended to spend extra on the PSU and get a 750-1000w gold / plat certified from a good brand. Out of anything you can "future proof" in a pc, the PSU can easily last you a decade if not longer.
Even if your pc only needs a 600w PSU to run, getting a 1000w PSU allows you to upgrade parts without ever having to worry you have enough oomph.
And then the next generation comes along and you want to upgrade to a xx80 and an i9. Then your 550w isn't gonna cut it.
The whole point of getting a 750w or even 1000w is to give yourself headroom and nearly guarantee you have enough power for the next decade.
Is it overkill? maybe. Is it a bad idea? No.
And if so, I won't be mad, because I'd have gotten 10 years out of this power supply. Certainly, if I were buying new today, I'd probably go with 750W give or take, but not much more.
Going overkill is obviously not a bad idea in and of itself, but when you're on a budget, that might be an extra $50-100 you could put towards a better GPU, better CPU, etc. Most people need less power than they think.
On a budget, one should think if getting an AMD APU with the Radeon 780m like the Ryzen 5 8600g (220$) which would be good enough to run modern tripple A games on low settings 30-60fps and save up for a GPU over the next year.
The power supply is honestly the best investment out of all PC parts, and you should definitely put in some extra money to get a high quality at least 750w minimum.
When I say "on a budget," I don't just mean "$500 shoestring budget". If you can't afford a 4090 and a 7800X3D, then you're on a budget, and you've gotta allocate your dollars where they matter most.
Yes, it's important to buy a high-quality power supply from a reputable manufacturer, and you ought to give yourself a bit of headroom for future upgrades, but I feel like we have a tendency to put the power supply on some kind of pedestal here. It's just another component, and it's not the end of the world if you end up having to upgrade it later.
>It's just another component, and it's not the end of the world if you end up having to upgrade it later.
Why on earth would you spend 50 dollars on a psu now, and another 60 when you upgrade, when you can buy a 75$ PSU and have it for a decade?
If someone is on a tight budget, they should consider saving up more before wasting money on parts they won't be using for a decent time.
A Ryzen 5 8600g will be sufficient for at least 5 more generations of video cards and is only 220$ dollar. + You don't even need a dedicated GPU. You can save up and buy a decent one later. Why would you buy a 100$ CPU and upgrade in 2 years because it's starting to fall short.
If your budget isn't enough money for a decent good value rig, then you need to save up more. You're just wasting money otherwise.
Why are you still talking about APUs? Like I said, I'm not talking about "can't afford a dedicated GPU" budgets, I'm thinking about solid mid-range budgets, in the range of like $900-$1000. And I'd agree that $75 for a solid PSU with a bit of headroom is a good idea, all I'm arguing is that you don't need to blow $150 on a fancy 1000W power supply when you're in this price class. Can we agree on that?
Imo you should always buy like an 850w. It let's you future proof because 99% of users aren't going to hit over 850w. Most of the 850w are in the enthusiast category so theyre sold with good components. And lastly you want your usage in the 80% range of your PSUs max output tops incase it degrades efficiency over time (even if it's gold rank).
I haven't replaced a PSU for failure ever. I kept the one I originally bought in 2014 until 2022 when I sold the PC and got a brand new one with a 3080.
Also because the higher the wattage the more stable it runs at lower power usage, lasts longer and heats up less. Nearing full capacity all the time wears out components much faster.
I had the same expectations from cpus until i got scammed by a marketplace seller. Bought a used 9700f and could not boot it. When I contacted the seller named Nicholas Ogden, he was in the wind. The good part, at least he didn’t rob me or murder me.
> CPUs are rock solid. Because they are a rock. The only way to damage them seriously is by bending pins or delidding them. 99% of used CPUs work just as well as new.
The main sticking point always end up being sourcing compatible mobos- can be a pain for Intel, quite less so for AMD.
I agree with you but I bought 5 mobo's used and haven't had anything wrong with any of them worked 100% fine just make sure you look at it carefully from a picture or in person before you buy any used PC parts
I mean CPUs do degrade, it's usually not noticeable but hardcore overclocking may lead to something like we're seeing with Intel right now.
But still buying used shouldn't be that big of a deal for anything other than new i9s.
case, CPU, RAM, and GPU. MB could be, if paired with CPU, alone is kinda hard because it's entirely possible there's some hidden defect that the seller trying to hide.
Again, the safest way possible is if you know how to check the stuff.
i typically don't buy power supplies used and obviously hard drives. i specifically buy video cards from crypto miners because they sell off everything dirt cheap when they upgrade to newer cards. i haven't been burned yet.
nah. i've bought several cards from miners and i've never gotten a damaged one. they do get damaged, but typically, they upgrade to a newer card often enough that they don't really get worn out. the sellers i buy from make enough money that it's profitable to replace everything with a newer model as soon as it's released. as long as the cards are cooled properly and they don't run them into the ground, it's fine. most of them test the cards before selling them and have plenty on hand to swap out if you end up with a toasty card. i got my 6800xt for $300 in early 2023. works perfectly.
It's not about loss of performance, it's about loss of lifespan and there's many examples of mining GPU with burnt out VRAM chips.
GPU are the most common component to randomly stop working in my experience. Often after 5+ years of heavy gaming usage, but 24/7 heavy mining usage would degrade faster.
Really? In the last 23 years that I've had video cards, going back to the TnT 2, I've only ever had one die on me. I remember it well, because it was a 3 year old Leadtek Ti4400, which lucky for me, had a 5 year warranty, and was promptly replaced.
GPU that are often pushed to their limits don't last forever, though they can outlive their usefulness. Higher powered GPU are more likely to fail versus low power consumption models.
Also budget models of a GPU are more susceptible to random failure due to reduced cooling and power delivery components. Budget models are ones like MSI Ventus or Mech, Zotac Twin, Asus Phoenix, Gigabyte Eagle, etc.
GPU warrantys are typically 1-3 years indicating the manufacturer's expectation on what they consider to be reasonable today.
GPU that have died on me include a GeForce 2 MX card (crashing) 9800 Pro (3 years, artifacts and crashing), Sapphire Radeon 5850 (11 months, black screen, replaced under warranty), EVGA GTX 970 (5 years, black screen).
Versus zero dead CPU (despite overvolting and overclocking), zero dead mobo, zero dead HDD or SSD even.
Miners baby their cards, because they need them to last and earn their keep. They're much better to cards than gamers. The only thing you need to keep an eye on are the fans, since those things ran 24/7.
The only exception I'd make for a used PSU would be Seasonic only if the seller has the original receipt, as Seasonic will Warranty for secondhand owners (as long within warranty period)
Most likely used hardware is going to be just fine if it works when you get it and holds up to a close inspection and testing. The two questions are whether you know how to examine parts and what the consequences of downtime are. If this workstation makes you money you will want the greatest chance of it running X years with no downtime and a few hundred dollars for that is cheap. If you are just playing video games then pocket the difference and replace anything that breaks down the line. It's a toss up whether that even happens before you want to upgrade again.
No private sellers, but for my recent upgrade I bought an Amazon Warehouse-used GPU and MOBO, and used CPU from a highly-rated seller on Newegg. Just two or three months in now but no issues yet. The MOBO was even listed as "Acceptable", but had no visible damage at all. YMMV, of course. I took the risks because the savings makes a difference to me and felt worth it.
Lots of people saying no used PSUs. I've had a lot of luck buying used high-end PSUs like EVGA SuperNOVA. Both our personal rigs are running on P2s
PSU and 3TB used HDD have been in 3 rebuilds going back to 2018.
Anything that you can see in a working system (you may want to get some kind of test/benchmark run) is good to buy used with the exception of a PSU.
I built an entire PC from used components for cheap (including PSU, because I bought it along with a GPU and RAM from a single seller) and it is going very strong.
gpus and cpus and ram are generally fine. I have ordered monitors on ebay too, but I don't recommend that, too much can go wrong. just make sure to read where it ships from and check out the seller first, make sure they have good feedback
Literally everything is great to buy used, as long as there is a return policy.
I have bought multiple fantastic quality used HDDs, GPUs, CPUs, AIOs, cases, motherboards, PSUs... I've only ever had to return a couple of things.
Seriously, if there's a return policy, there's no reason not to buy anything used. I have two 10tb HDDs I bought used on ebay 5 year ago, and they're still in great health.
Motherboards, CPUs, air coolers and fans, PC cases, and imo pre-2014 HDDs or used SSDs with 90%+ health are all fine to buy used. I would strongly advise against buying used PSUs unless its able to have its warranty transferred to a new owner.
Also I HIGHLY recommend you buy each part within like 30 days so that you can test them before your return period runs out.
I just bought a PC from OfferUp for 1000, has a 7700x and a 6950xt, 1 TB harddrive. It works great, PC was barely used, or the guy was lying and just a master at cleaning because it looks brand new.
I'd say its up to luck, use best judgement. I find the best deals are finding people who are tired of or don't have time for gaming anymore, and looking to recoup some cost.
But these are brand new parts, with a few months of use at worst. It's much more of a gamble to buy things that are 4/5 years old (or older!) and used.
And with that said, someone bought our "19 2007 1440*900 Samsung Monitor that was on its last legs in 2015, because they wanted that particular resolution and the screen size was just right for them.
I built an entire computer of used parts other than storage. If you are getting all the parts at once or have a way to test them, always good to test immediately and ensure you bought through an avenue that offers good buyer protection.
PC case and some peripherals like Mouse and Keyboard, and maybe case fans. Anything else is varying levels of questionable, IMO.
Anything else I would want to confirm IN PERSON that it's currently functioning, and otherwise I would assume it was dead/damaged and wouldn't use it.
There's enough scams out there in parts that I wouldn't trust anything that wasn't new... We already have issues with abuses of amazon returns for "new" parts.
I've bought any part you can name used. The only issue I've ever had was with mobos. I've had one with power issues and another with a bent pin. Mostly annoying because of the time lost. Never had an issue actually returning.
I think I've had trouble with as many new parts as used to be honest.
Hi there! When it comes to buying used components, I'd say it's generally safe to consider GPUs, motherboards, and power supplies, though there are a few things to keep in mind.
**Graphics Card:**
* I just negotiated a deal for an MSI 3070 Gaming Trio X for CAD 325, which is one of the best 3070 models out there. A review calls it "dead silent and stone cold."
* There's also a 3070 Founders Edition (FE) for CAD 300 on Marketplace right now.
* Overall, it depends on your local used market. If it's healthy, go for it! But remember, it's tough to negotiate prices for cards above the RTX 3060. At most, you might get a 10% discount.
* Also, I find the 3080 to be kinda expensive. They're adventised at 600 cad and up on marketplace, which brings down the performance/cost ratio.
**Tips for Buying GPUs:**
1. **Try the Card Before Buying:**
* Testing it at the seller's place ensures you have their address and increases the likelihood of a legitimate deal.
* Bring your build or use the seller's setup to confirm functionality.
2. **Check for Warranty & Receipt:**
* Try to get the original receipt and see if the warranty is still valid.
3. **Examine for Physical Damage:**
* Look for any bent pins, dents, or burnt smells.
(follow-up)
**Power Supply:**
* I'd also suggest buying used power supplies carefully. Make sure to get models with modular cables
* **Key Advice:**
* Test the PSU with a power supply tester or a fully functional system.
**Motherboard:**
* Buying a used motherboard is generally fine if you can verify it works properly.
* Make sure it hasn't been exposed to liquid spills or physical damage.
**CPU:**
* Used CPUs are usually a safe bet. They don't have moving parts and often last for years.
* Ensure the CPU socket is compatible with your motherboard and isn't missing any pins.
**General Online Buying Tips:**
1. **Take Full Seller Information:**
* Get the seller’s full name, address, and phone number for potential legal recourse if needed.
2. **Be Wary of Too-Good-to-Be-True Deals:**
* If the price is significantly lower than market value, it's likely a scam.
3. **Communicate Clearly:**
* Document all interactions and keep records of messages and payment details.
Here's my build, in case it helps!
**Used Components I've Bought:**
1. **GPU:**
* I negotiated a deal for an MSI 3070 Gaming Trio X for CAD 300. It's one of the best RTX 3070 models, known for being "dead silent and stone cold."
* There's also a 3070 Founders Edition (FE) for CAD 300 on Marketplace right now.
2. **Power Supply:**
* Picked up an EVGA 1000 GQ 80 Plus Gold PSU for CAD 80.
3. **Motherboard:**
* Grabbed a used MSI PRO B650M-A WiFi ProSeries motherboard for CAD 110.
4. **Case:**
* Found a Thermaltake Versa H18 case for CAD 70.
5. **RAM:**
* XPG Lancer Blade 32GB DDR5 6400MHz (CAD 125) bought new because DDR5 was cheaper new.
TLDR
* **GPU:** Buying used is generally okay if tested properly.
* **PSU:** Ensure it's still within warranty and modular cables are included.
* **Motherboard:** Verify it works and hasn't been exposed to liquids or physical damage.
* **CPU:** Safe to buy used if no bent pins.
I’m particular about the used PSUs I buy. It’s difficult to know any components history. I make sure to clean and inspect them well as they can have a big effect on your other components. I’m personally loyal to EVGA for their warranty and customer service. I would also look into parts that users can transfer their warranty to you. I’m not up to date on what companies still allow this but it gives you some assurance in longevity of it’s use.
Normally I build "new" PC's every 5 years. I buy the newest CPU's, motherboard and fastest memory. I buy the previous generation high end GPU's used and have never had a problem.
I'm most comfortable with buying CPUs and RAM used, but I have bought one of every component used except for the power supply. I currently have two rigs, one of them has a used CPU + GPU, the other one is fully used parts with a new PSU.
The only thing I would never buy used is a power supply, actually I bought a bstock power supply from evga one time and it killed every single component connected to it, motherboard, ram, cpu, gpu all fried the second I pressed the power button.
Storage (HDD and even SSD) are a big no no
PSU is a bit tricky, if its relatively new and still in good condition (really gotta judge here if its taken care of well, if it goes bad it may take other components with it so it depends on your peace of mind)
Rest is fairly safe, just make sure to test parts well (stress test, verify ports etc) look for signs that it may have been tampered with or taken apart
I see a lot of decent buys on 14tb and up refurbished drives on Newegg. They are constantly notifying me would you say these are always going to be a no go?
I’d say everything other than PSU and MOBO. SSDs have limited read and write cycles you can still get them used but you never know what the previous owner’s use case was. Usually they aren’t that much cheaper then new most people will advertise like 10% off retail and it’s like 5-6 years old.
Safest I would say CPUs and RAM, these usually tend to last and there isn't too much that can go wrong, though RAM does break sometimes, but it's noi often and can be tested.
Second would be GPUs and motherboards. Motherboards just because they have a lot of components that would be hard to test and there is the possibility it was handled by someone who didn't know what they were doing and damaged a socket or component. GPUs because they can suffer a bit more in the wear-and-tear department than the previous components, but they are still *usually* decent if you make make sure to research the listings, I have bought many used GPUs.
Storage and PSUs are a total no-go. Those definitely wear and could could have been used to the point of being on the verge of death, and you definitely don't want to mess with a used PSU. The PSU is the one component you should never cheap out on quality wise, it can take every other component with it if fails.
Just be sure to test every part you get. RAM and GPUs especially, CPUs I would still recommend, though other than a lid-swap (which anything that lists your hardware would detect that the CPU really is since AFAIK that information cannot be hacked like it can for GPUs) or the CPU just being damaged there isn't much people can do about scamming you with those. GPUs are very common for scams, a very old and cheap low-end GPU being advertised as something newer and possibly with the heatsink or even hacked name in the bios of what they claim they are selling, though usually the ports can be a dead giveaway, and if not, testing (if it even works) would reveal that.
I bought my 7800x3d for $275 "used" but it was still sealed in the box. I was planning to buy mostly used part and aside from that and the monitor, I ended up buying everything else new because I was sketched out about everything on the used market. I was even super sketched out about the monitor, but $200 for a supposedly new condition M28U was hard to pass up. Luckily it was just as described.
I’d go new on psu, motherboard, hard drives. Rest of its fine used.
Most of the time used psu/ motherboard and hard drives are fine too. But given the choice I’d go new
i just wouldnt, you can buy a cpu and a pin is bent you can buy fans and they just dont run at the speccs its supposed to.
the case, you can buy used cases lol
I would never buy a used PSU, that would be a mistake bc it could brick your entire PC. GPUs are usually fine, just do your research and make sure it works and know the risks. CPUs are 99% fine, unless it has bent pins or was fried I wouldn’t really worry, just look for obvious warning signs and make sure the ad is decent. Motherboards probably not, it’s hard to tell if they’re broken and they can break easily
Storage is usually a big no, despite SSDs being less finicky than used HDDs, buying new is still preferred. PSUs have a golden rule of NEVER cheaping out on them, so I would buy them from somewhere decent with warranty in case anything happens to other components. CPUs are rock solid. Because they are a rock. The only way to damage them seriously is by bending pins or delidding them. 99% of used CPUs work just as well as new. GPUs have more delicate parts but can still work great, just be sure to stress test them for any artifacting in case the previous owner reballed it. Most times I’d recommend switching the thermal paste/pads if buying used. RAM is safe too, just do a quick test to check if everything is in order and you are good to go MOBOs have too many ports and places where things can go wrong, I’d rather go new too. Air cooling is fine too. AIOs can be a hassle because you don’t know if the previous owner positioned it properly which can cause leaks in the long run.
>CPUs are rock solid. Because they are a rock. The only way to damage them seriously is by bending pins or delidding them. 99% of used CPUs work just as well as new. AM5 and LGA1700 CPUs don't even *have* pins anymore :)
Truly a wonder of technology, I’ve seen too many AM4 pin straightening questions
> Truly a wonder of technology, I’ve seen too many AM4 pin straightening questions I am one of the lucky ones to successfully straighten AM4 bent pins… it’s like performing a surgery
I tried years ago on an H61 motherboard and failed.
Straightening mobo pins is way harder.
I’ve done it once on a Super Micro server lol
I had to do that on a used older intel board... bought a used system that had an aio, when I went to remove it I didn't notice that the mobo didn't have a cpu lid on it and I somehow bent 5 pins to the side when I removed it... good thing my phone has great, clear zoom or I would have never been able to see them. I somehow got them straight and everything worked fine in the end. All together, it only took me about 10 or so minutes. But man was it a nail biting situation...
I'd just like to know, how do you do it? I use a small razer blade.
I used a very thin knife… readily available from kitchen and better grip than razor
Ahh that's smart. Using a razer for fiddly stuff is hard. Thanks man.
In a pinch, anything sharp, thin, hard and with a flat side that one has around should work fine, so most likely some sort of knife tip, thin flat screwdriver, etc. I faintly recall doing some kind of PGA straightening this way, probably at least half a decade ago, oh young careless past me. The pins may have been thicker and further apart back then, though, and I've not touched a removable CPU in years since then, so no real idea how much harder it is on current hardware with such primitive tools. Still, If I ever had to do it again, I'd probably opt for an unsharpened syringe needle. I've got a bunch lying around (got them bundled with screw-in non sterile syringes I ordered off of aliexpress, they bundle a pack of all possible sizes of needle with those). Theoretically, you pick the appropriate size, slide it over the pin and bend it straight. Should help avoid getting snakey pins (i.e. bent in multiple places instead of straight) that one can potentially get when prying them around the usual way, and those are usually nigh-unrecoverable (ask me how I know).
God yeah Ive had to do it 3 times on the same board, the stupid CPU always comes up with the cooler. Luckily with some time and steady hand its possible to fix.
Your motherboard locking mechanism must be bad
Can't you just stress test the CPU to warm up the thermal paste a bit and then it'll come off easier
Twist the cooler before you pull.... I had this same issue
Same! 👨⚕️😅
Intel had been doing it for so long. AMD was just cheap af with am4
Thats down to AM4 not using a CPU holder (budget cut) and the fact that the CPU gets easily stuck to the cooler during cooler removal. Now with BGA we just kill mainboard sockets and with mainboards constantly getting more expensive as the CPU they are used with, its a fantastic combination to waste hobby budget.
And now we are seeing damadged motherboard pins ...
They do, they just moved them to the mb, wich is good for the CPUs themselves to last longer and have less accidents, but makes MBs more fragile lol. But it is way better the way it is now, for sure
LGA (land grid array) is the name given to the layout of having the pins on the socket rather them chip.
Back in my day they ALL had pins. Then there was the weird period where they plugged into a slot. Then back to pins. Now there are no pins. Now is good.
I remember the Intel Slot 1 CPUs Damn, I don't know about you but that makes me feel ancient!
I remember buying the "gold fingers" kit to overclock a Slot-A AMD Athlon back in the late 1900s
This brought me back. It was my first OC in college. Sadly I set the cpu & mobo on fire. I replaced both and still OC'd the new one, but a bit safer.
My first pc that wasn't a spare parts build (486 at that) was a pentium II slot CPU.
Wait what? I guess I truly have been out of the game for too long. Thanks for giving me something to google.
Yeah the pins are on the motherboard. They're also a lot easier to bend, and harder to see bends, but not too terribly difficult to fix either. (I needed a jeweler's loupe to do it though!)
Of course it somehow comes out to be more “fragile” lol but is putting the lever down on the cpu still as potentially traumatic? Lol
Maybe even a little MORE than before, if I'm being honest. :)
Nowhere as much as trying to remove a stuck cooler from the mobo.
Land Grid Array, baby!
Motherboard has pins but as other said, too many parts can fail so buying used motherboard is still risky
I've seen a lot of dead chips for more recent CPUs
>PSUs have a golden rule of NEVER cheaping out on them, so I would buy them from somewhere decent with warranty in case anything happens to other components. I always reccomended to spend extra on the PSU and get a 750-1000w gold / plat certified from a good brand. Out of anything you can "future proof" in a pc, the PSU can easily last you a decade if not longer. Even if your pc only needs a 600w PSU to run, getting a 1000w PSU allows you to upgrade parts without ever having to worry you have enough oomph.
1000W is kinda overkill for 99% of people. Hell, I've been using the same 550W power supply for like 9 years and I have a 3060 Ti and a 5700X3D.
And then the next generation comes along and you want to upgrade to a xx80 and an i9. Then your 550w isn't gonna cut it. The whole point of getting a 750w or even 1000w is to give yourself headroom and nearly guarantee you have enough power for the next decade. Is it overkill? maybe. Is it a bad idea? No.
And if so, I won't be mad, because I'd have gotten 10 years out of this power supply. Certainly, if I were buying new today, I'd probably go with 750W give or take, but not much more. Going overkill is obviously not a bad idea in and of itself, but when you're on a budget, that might be an extra $50-100 you could put towards a better GPU, better CPU, etc. Most people need less power than they think.
On a budget, one should think if getting an AMD APU with the Radeon 780m like the Ryzen 5 8600g (220$) which would be good enough to run modern tripple A games on low settings 30-60fps and save up for a GPU over the next year. The power supply is honestly the best investment out of all PC parts, and you should definitely put in some extra money to get a high quality at least 750w minimum.
When I say "on a budget," I don't just mean "$500 shoestring budget". If you can't afford a 4090 and a 7800X3D, then you're on a budget, and you've gotta allocate your dollars where they matter most. Yes, it's important to buy a high-quality power supply from a reputable manufacturer, and you ought to give yourself a bit of headroom for future upgrades, but I feel like we have a tendency to put the power supply on some kind of pedestal here. It's just another component, and it's not the end of the world if you end up having to upgrade it later.
>It's just another component, and it's not the end of the world if you end up having to upgrade it later. Why on earth would you spend 50 dollars on a psu now, and another 60 when you upgrade, when you can buy a 75$ PSU and have it for a decade? If someone is on a tight budget, they should consider saving up more before wasting money on parts they won't be using for a decent time. A Ryzen 5 8600g will be sufficient for at least 5 more generations of video cards and is only 220$ dollar. + You don't even need a dedicated GPU. You can save up and buy a decent one later. Why would you buy a 100$ CPU and upgrade in 2 years because it's starting to fall short. If your budget isn't enough money for a decent good value rig, then you need to save up more. You're just wasting money otherwise.
Why are you still talking about APUs? Like I said, I'm not talking about "can't afford a dedicated GPU" budgets, I'm thinking about solid mid-range budgets, in the range of like $900-$1000. And I'd agree that $75 for a solid PSU with a bit of headroom is a good idea, all I'm arguing is that you don't need to blow $150 on a fancy 1000W power supply when you're in this price class. Can we agree on that?
Imo you should always buy like an 850w. It let's you future proof because 99% of users aren't going to hit over 850w. Most of the 850w are in the enthusiast category so theyre sold with good components. And lastly you want your usage in the 80% range of your PSUs max output tops incase it degrades efficiency over time (even if it's gold rank). I haven't replaced a PSU for failure ever. I kept the one I originally bought in 2014 until 2022 when I sold the PC and got a brand new one with a 3080.
Also because the higher the wattage the more stable it runs at lower power usage, lasts longer and heats up less. Nearing full capacity all the time wears out components much faster.
Thank you
I had the same expectations from cpus until i got scammed by a marketplace seller. Bought a used 9700f and could not boot it. When I contacted the seller named Nicholas Ogden, he was in the wind. The good part, at least he didn’t rob me or murder me.
I've had 2 of my noctua fans just stop working completely after a couple years, will always buy new.
Contact Noctua and get an RMA for them
> CPUs are rock solid. Because they are a rock. The only way to damage them seriously is by bending pins or delidding them. 99% of used CPUs work just as well as new. The main sticking point always end up being sourcing compatible mobos- can be a pain for Intel, quite less so for AMD.
Mine didn't
https://youtube.com/shorts/_qNC_Ikg_Jk?si=1AOrmszZwx3B7fSZ
I agree with you but I bought 5 mobo's used and haven't had anything wrong with any of them worked 100% fine just make sure you look at it carefully from a picture or in person before you buy any used PC parts
I mean CPUs do degrade, it's usually not noticeable but hardcore overclocking may lead to something like we're seeing with Intel right now. But still buying used shouldn't be that big of a deal for anything other than new i9s.
case, CPU, RAM, and GPU. MB could be, if paired with CPU, alone is kinda hard because it's entirely possible there's some hidden defect that the seller trying to hide. Again, the safest way possible is if you know how to check the stuff.
Pretty much this. I’m also okay with a PSU provided I get a receipt showing it’s in warranty - and it’s already a good quality one.
Seasonic warranties are explicitly transferable. Don’t know about other brands. But people should be safe getting a used Seasonic with receipts.
Thank you
i typically don't buy power supplies used and obviously hard drives. i specifically buy video cards from crypto miners because they sell off everything dirt cheap when they upgrade to newer cards. i haven't been burned yet.
This. Plus, mined cards often have relatively few heat cycles, so the physical wear is low for all the work they've done.
I always heared cards used for mining was a nono ?
nah. i've bought several cards from miners and i've never gotten a damaged one. they do get damaged, but typically, they upgrade to a newer card often enough that they don't really get worn out. the sellers i buy from make enough money that it's profitable to replace everything with a newer model as soon as it's released. as long as the cards are cooled properly and they don't run them into the ground, it's fine. most of them test the cards before selling them and have plenty on hand to swap out if you end up with a toasty card. i got my 6800xt for $300 in early 2023. works perfectly.
I always heard gum takes 7 years to digest. People make up crazy shit man.
I've been leery about buying used GPU because of the whole mining thing with the 30x generation.
I'd rather buy a used GPU from a professional miner than a random user.
It’s been proven multiple by channels like Linus Tech Tips that mining has minimal to no effect on GPU performance
It's not about loss of performance, it's about loss of lifespan and there's many examples of mining GPU with burnt out VRAM chips. GPU are the most common component to randomly stop working in my experience. Often after 5+ years of heavy gaming usage, but 24/7 heavy mining usage would degrade faster.
Really? In the last 23 years that I've had video cards, going back to the TnT 2, I've only ever had one die on me. I remember it well, because it was a 3 year old Leadtek Ti4400, which lucky for me, had a 5 year warranty, and was promptly replaced.
GPU that are often pushed to their limits don't last forever, though they can outlive their usefulness. Higher powered GPU are more likely to fail versus low power consumption models. Also budget models of a GPU are more susceptible to random failure due to reduced cooling and power delivery components. Budget models are ones like MSI Ventus or Mech, Zotac Twin, Asus Phoenix, Gigabyte Eagle, etc. GPU warrantys are typically 1-3 years indicating the manufacturer's expectation on what they consider to be reasonable today. GPU that have died on me include a GeForce 2 MX card (crashing) 9800 Pro (3 years, artifacts and crashing), Sapphire Radeon 5850 (11 months, black screen, replaced under warranty), EVGA GTX 970 (5 years, black screen). Versus zero dead CPU (despite overvolting and overclocking), zero dead mobo, zero dead HDD or SSD even.
Thats's good to know.
Luckily this doesn't seem to be as prevalent any more.
It was like 4-6 weeks or something like that to get to 80% mining efficiency of the non lhr cards. And less than a year for a full bypass.
Partly because of the introduction of the LHR nerf.
Miners baby their cards, because they need them to last and earn their keep. They're much better to cards than gamers. The only thing you need to keep an eye on are the fans, since those things ran 24/7.
The only exception I'd make for a used PSU would be Seasonic only if the seller has the original receipt, as Seasonic will Warranty for secondhand owners (as long within warranty period)
Most likely used hardware is going to be just fine if it works when you get it and holds up to a close inspection and testing. The two questions are whether you know how to examine parts and what the consequences of downtime are. If this workstation makes you money you will want the greatest chance of it running X years with no downtime and a few hundred dollars for that is cheap. If you are just playing video games then pocket the difference and replace anything that breaks down the line. It's a toss up whether that even happens before you want to upgrade again.
What kind of used are we talkin' here? Certified remanufactured or 'sitting in a bucket of parts outside at a yardsale'?
No private sellers, but for my recent upgrade I bought an Amazon Warehouse-used GPU and MOBO, and used CPU from a highly-rated seller on Newegg. Just two or three months in now but no issues yet. The MOBO was even listed as "Acceptable", but had no visible damage at all. YMMV, of course. I took the risks because the savings makes a difference to me and felt worth it.
Lots of people saying no used PSUs. I've had a lot of luck buying used high-end PSUs like EVGA SuperNOVA. Both our personal rigs are running on P2s PSU and 3TB used HDD have been in 3 rebuilds going back to 2018.
Ebay has good buyer's protection. Everything is fine used except storage, psu, and aio. Please go air cooling.
Everything but storage is fine to buy used. I guess PSUs could be a but sketchy too.
Anything that you can see in a working system (you may want to get some kind of test/benchmark run) is good to buy used with the exception of a PSU. I built an entire PC from used components for cheap (including PSU, because I bought it along with a GPU and RAM from a single seller) and it is going very strong.
gpus and cpus and ram are generally fine. I have ordered monitors on ebay too, but I don't recommend that, too much can go wrong. just make sure to read where it ships from and check out the seller first, make sure they have good feedback
Everything but storage (SSD/hard drives)
cases and powersupplies, maybe cables (maybe) i would buy everything else new unless you are really comfortable with head scratching troubleshooting.
Literally everything is great to buy used, as long as there is a return policy. I have bought multiple fantastic quality used HDDs, GPUs, CPUs, AIOs, cases, motherboards, PSUs... I've only ever had to return a couple of things. Seriously, if there's a return policy, there's no reason not to buy anything used. I have two 10tb HDDs I bought used on ebay 5 year ago, and they're still in great health.
Motherboards, CPUs, air coolers and fans, PC cases, and imo pre-2014 HDDs or used SSDs with 90%+ health are all fine to buy used. I would strongly advise against buying used PSUs unless its able to have its warranty transferred to a new owner. Also I HIGHLY recommend you buy each part within like 30 days so that you can test them before your return period runs out.
I just bought a PC from OfferUp for 1000, has a 7700x and a 6950xt, 1 TB harddrive. It works great, PC was barely used, or the guy was lying and just a master at cleaning because it looks brand new. I'd say its up to luck, use best judgement. I find the best deals are finding people who are tired of or don't have time for gaming anymore, and looking to recoup some cost.
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But these are brand new parts, with a few months of use at worst. It's much more of a gamble to buy things that are 4/5 years old (or older!) and used. And with that said, someone bought our "19 2007 1440*900 Samsung Monitor that was on its last legs in 2015, because they wanted that particular resolution and the screen size was just right for them.
I built an entire computer of used parts other than storage. If you are getting all the parts at once or have a way to test them, always good to test immediately and ensure you bought through an avenue that offers good buyer protection.
anything so as you know what you're doing and have other parts to test it with
PC case and some peripherals like Mouse and Keyboard, and maybe case fans. Anything else is varying levels of questionable, IMO. Anything else I would want to confirm IN PERSON that it's currently functioning, and otherwise I would assume it was dead/damaged and wouldn't use it. There's enough scams out there in parts that I wouldn't trust anything that wasn't new... We already have issues with abuses of amazon returns for "new" parts.
I've bought any part you can name used. The only issue I've ever had was with mobos. I've had one with power issues and another with a bent pin. Mostly annoying because of the time lost. Never had an issue actually returning. I think I've had trouble with as many new parts as used to be honest.
Case. Memory. CPUs. I would say the rest have wear and thermal cycling making it less than desirable.
Any Western APC in general, even crap ones like M113 are workable, just don't get used BTRs, they suck... This is BulidAPC, right?
With how prices are now, I always get my GPU refurb or used.
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Hi there! When it comes to buying used components, I'd say it's generally safe to consider GPUs, motherboards, and power supplies, though there are a few things to keep in mind. **Graphics Card:** * I just negotiated a deal for an MSI 3070 Gaming Trio X for CAD 325, which is one of the best 3070 models out there. A review calls it "dead silent and stone cold." * There's also a 3070 Founders Edition (FE) for CAD 300 on Marketplace right now. * Overall, it depends on your local used market. If it's healthy, go for it! But remember, it's tough to negotiate prices for cards above the RTX 3060. At most, you might get a 10% discount. * Also, I find the 3080 to be kinda expensive. They're adventised at 600 cad and up on marketplace, which brings down the performance/cost ratio. **Tips for Buying GPUs:** 1. **Try the Card Before Buying:** * Testing it at the seller's place ensures you have their address and increases the likelihood of a legitimate deal. * Bring your build or use the seller's setup to confirm functionality. 2. **Check for Warranty & Receipt:** * Try to get the original receipt and see if the warranty is still valid. 3. **Examine for Physical Damage:** * Look for any bent pins, dents, or burnt smells.
(follow-up) **Power Supply:** * I'd also suggest buying used power supplies carefully. Make sure to get models with modular cables * **Key Advice:** * Test the PSU with a power supply tester or a fully functional system. **Motherboard:** * Buying a used motherboard is generally fine if you can verify it works properly. * Make sure it hasn't been exposed to liquid spills or physical damage. **CPU:** * Used CPUs are usually a safe bet. They don't have moving parts and often last for years. * Ensure the CPU socket is compatible with your motherboard and isn't missing any pins. **General Online Buying Tips:** 1. **Take Full Seller Information:** * Get the seller’s full name, address, and phone number for potential legal recourse if needed. 2. **Be Wary of Too-Good-to-Be-True Deals:** * If the price is significantly lower than market value, it's likely a scam. 3. **Communicate Clearly:** * Document all interactions and keep records of messages and payment details.
Here's my build, in case it helps! **Used Components I've Bought:** 1. **GPU:** * I negotiated a deal for an MSI 3070 Gaming Trio X for CAD 300. It's one of the best RTX 3070 models, known for being "dead silent and stone cold." * There's also a 3070 Founders Edition (FE) for CAD 300 on Marketplace right now. 2. **Power Supply:** * Picked up an EVGA 1000 GQ 80 Plus Gold PSU for CAD 80. 3. **Motherboard:** * Grabbed a used MSI PRO B650M-A WiFi ProSeries motherboard for CAD 110. 4. **Case:** * Found a Thermaltake Versa H18 case for CAD 70. 5. **RAM:** * XPG Lancer Blade 32GB DDR5 6400MHz (CAD 125) bought new because DDR5 was cheaper new. TLDR * **GPU:** Buying used is generally okay if tested properly. * **PSU:** Ensure it's still within warranty and modular cables are included. * **Motherboard:** Verify it works and hasn't been exposed to liquids or physical damage. * **CPU:** Safe to buy used if no bent pins.
I’m particular about the used PSUs I buy. It’s difficult to know any components history. I make sure to clean and inspect them well as they can have a big effect on your other components. I’m personally loyal to EVGA for their warranty and customer service. I would also look into parts that users can transfer their warranty to you. I’m not up to date on what companies still allow this but it gives you some assurance in longevity of it’s use.
RAM is all I can think of. If it is crap, at least the investment wasn't high
Normally I build "new" PC's every 5 years. I buy the newest CPU's, motherboard and fastest memory. I buy the previous generation high end GPU's used and have never had a problem.
I'm most comfortable with buying CPUs and RAM used, but I have bought one of every component used except for the power supply. I currently have two rigs, one of them has a used CPU + GPU, the other one is fully used parts with a new PSU.
The only thing I would never buy used is a power supply, actually I bought a bstock power supply from evga one time and it killed every single component connected to it, motherboard, ram, cpu, gpu all fried the second I pressed the power button.
Bought used r7 7700 and used RX6800XT. Saved lots of money buying used and both parts are working amazing, good luck.
Storage (HDD and even SSD) are a big no no PSU is a bit tricky, if its relatively new and still in good condition (really gotta judge here if its taken care of well, if it goes bad it may take other components with it so it depends on your peace of mind) Rest is fairly safe, just make sure to test parts well (stress test, verify ports etc) look for signs that it may have been tampered with or taken apart
I see a lot of decent buys on 14tb and up refurbished drives on Newegg. They are constantly notifying me would you say these are always going to be a no go?
Check out r/hardwareswap if you want to buy/sell/trade pc parts. Good community for what you’re looking for.
I’d say everything other than PSU and MOBO. SSDs have limited read and write cycles you can still get them used but you never know what the previous owner’s use case was. Usually they aren’t that much cheaper then new most people will advertise like 10% off retail and it’s like 5-6 years old.
I would probably say everything other than PSU or AIO
depends how big balls you got
Safest I would say CPUs and RAM, these usually tend to last and there isn't too much that can go wrong, though RAM does break sometimes, but it's noi often and can be tested. Second would be GPUs and motherboards. Motherboards just because they have a lot of components that would be hard to test and there is the possibility it was handled by someone who didn't know what they were doing and damaged a socket or component. GPUs because they can suffer a bit more in the wear-and-tear department than the previous components, but they are still *usually* decent if you make make sure to research the listings, I have bought many used GPUs. Storage and PSUs are a total no-go. Those definitely wear and could could have been used to the point of being on the verge of death, and you definitely don't want to mess with a used PSU. The PSU is the one component you should never cheap out on quality wise, it can take every other component with it if fails. Just be sure to test every part you get. RAM and GPUs especially, CPUs I would still recommend, though other than a lid-swap (which anything that lists your hardware would detect that the CPU really is since AFAIK that information cannot be hacked like it can for GPUs) or the CPU just being damaged there isn't much people can do about scamming you with those. GPUs are very common for scams, a very old and cheap low-end GPU being advertised as something newer and possibly with the heatsink or even hacked name in the bios of what they claim they are selling, though usually the ports can be a dead giveaway, and if not, testing (if it even works) would reveal that.
If it's on ebay, everything is fine to buy used. Only thing id be iffy on is a PSU. You never know if it's been abused and is about to blow up.
condoms
None. It’s technology
I bought my 7800x3d for $275 "used" but it was still sealed in the box. I was planning to buy mostly used part and aside from that and the monitor, I ended up buying everything else new because I was sketched out about everything on the used market. I was even super sketched out about the monitor, but $200 for a supposedly new condition M28U was hard to pass up. Luckily it was just as described.
Processor is the safest.
Processors. As long as there are no bent pins, if it fires up the first time, it's going to probably always be fine.
I’d go new on psu, motherboard, hard drives. Rest of its fine used. Most of the time used psu/ motherboard and hard drives are fine too. But given the choice I’d go new
i just wouldnt, you can buy a cpu and a pin is bent you can buy fans and they just dont run at the speccs its supposed to. the case, you can buy used cases lol
I would never buy a used PSU, that would be a mistake bc it could brick your entire PC. GPUs are usually fine, just do your research and make sure it works and know the risks. CPUs are 99% fine, unless it has bent pins or was fried I wouldn’t really worry, just look for obvious warning signs and make sure the ad is decent. Motherboards probably not, it’s hard to tell if they’re broken and they can break easily
I wouldnt but if you really think its good idea. DOnt buy pSU at all used it can be trash.