How bad is a mining card?

[GhostWindGamer]

So I found a good deal on a R9 290 but it was used for mining what issues will come from it if I buy one I want to use it for gaming. Cheers guys

[Unlikelyjoker]

Will work (maybe) for like 2-4 months max

[Guest]

Really okay if it was properly cooled and all

[Guest]

Will work (maybe) for like 2-4 months max

Woops accidently liked.

I think this is blatantly untrue and goes beyond madness, diving into the sea of insanity and running along the beach of over exaggeration to claim this

[GhostWindGamer]

Really okay if it was properly cooled and all

The seller said it was in an air conditioned room so I'm not sure if I should go for it

[Unlikelyjoker]

Woops accidently liked.

I think this is blatantly untrue and goes beyond madness, diving into the sea of insanity and running along the beach of over exaggeration to claim this

Depends on how long the thing was mined with.

6 + months is just a doa waiting to happen

[GhostWindGamer]

Two of my R9 280X Dual X that I bought at the beginning of 2014 died within a week of each other after mining for 6 months in an open air rig. So... depends.

 

 

Depends on how long the thing was mined with.

6 + months is just a doa waiting to happen

So should I ask about how much they were used and stuff?

[lani100]

Work just fine my friend has a 6950 that is already a few years old and mined 2,5 years 24/7 works perfect.

[Unlikelyjoker]

So should I ask about how much they were used and stuff?

Yes. infact if you dont i will find you..

and say hello and we can go out for a nice cup of coffee

[Badger906]

Depends on how long the thing was mined with.

6 + months is just a doa waiting to happen

cards don't have a life span or a life expectancy. mining puts no more stress on a card than gaming. if your gpu isn't running at 100 percent while gaming you've got a bottle neck.

a serious gamer who say games 12 hours a day will rack up 4380 hours a year on a care yet part time miner may do half of that..

not to mention someone who sells a gpu after using it to render animations day in and day out.. these things aren't brought up with second hand cards..

the fact you even put a date on it is ludicrous..

you could have a card running at100 percent 247 for years.. or you could have a brand new card play for an hour and go bang..

the only wear you may see on a mining card is to its fan bearing. but a new cooling block won't cost much.

[GhostWindGamer]

@Badger906 thanks man

[Faceman]

cards don't have a life span or a life expectancy. mining puts no more stress on a card than gaming. if your gpu isn't running at 100 percent while gaming you've got a bottle neck.

a serious gamer who say games 12 hours a day will rack up 4380 hours a year on a care yet part time miner may do half of that..

not to mention someone who sells a gpu after using it to render animations day in and day out.. these things aren't brought up with second hand cards..

the fact you even put a date on it is ludicrous..

you could have a card running at100 percent 247 for years.. or you could have a brand new card play for an hour and go bang..

the only wear you may see on a mining card is to its fan bearing. but a new cooling block won't cost much.

 

This is nonsense.  There are different types of loads that are being applied to the GPU.  Take Furmark and Unigine Heaven for example.  Both push the GPU to 100% utilization, but Furmark is way more dangerous and taxing.  Unigine Heaven is like gaming, and Furmark is like mining. 

 

Let me try and explain this with an analogy:

 

When you are gaming, changes are going on in the game, your GPU is basically using "adaptive mode" similar to your CPU to ramp up and down as the game calls for it.  Depending on the action, or lack thereof that is going on in game, the GPU adapts to that scenario.  It isn't going to use excessive amounts of power on a loading screen, or a cut scene, or something non-demanding.  When something demanding does happen, then the GPU will ramp up to meet that demand.  It is most definitely not always running at 100% utilization.

 

    Think of a Nascar Race, imagine the car as your GPU. When you are racing,  your car is always adapting to the situation around you.  You speed up, you slow down, you turn, you pit stop, things are going on that your car has to adapt to similar to your GPU when you game.

 

     Now, what Furmark does is not like a game, or a Nascar race.  Furmark is like a drag race.  A pedal to the metal, push the car/GPU as hard as it can possibly go in a straight line, no turning, no stopping, just full on, all out go, go, GO! In a realistic scenario of GPU use, you would never, ever encounter this type of load.  It is entirely unrealistic.

 

Mining with your GPU is a full on drag race, non-stop 100% utilization, max power draw, excessive heat, etc.. Its brutal.  It shortens the lifespan of the GPU and degrades the circuitry and components.  It is not a good idea to buy a GPU that was used for mining, unless it is under manufacturer's warranty, and even then, I would still be careful.

 

Don't go around telling people to buy GPUs that have been used for mining, unless they can come to you to collect on their lost money.

[GhostWindGamer]

@Faceman so I shouldn't buy the GPU?

[Faceman]

@Faceman so I shouldn't buy the GPU?

 

If it was used for mining, absolutely not unless it still comes with a transferable manufacturer's warranty.  Even then, I would still look elsewhere.  Remove that dodo brain's comment as answered.  He doesn't have a clue.

[GhostWindGamer]

If it was used for mining, absolutely not.  Remove that dodo brain's comment as answered.  He doesn't have a clue.

right so if I do buy one I'm a idiot 

[Faceman]

right so if I do buy one I'm a idiot 

 

Unless it still comes with a transferable manufacturer's warranty.  Even then, I would still not be comfortable buying it.  Buy a used GPU all you want, just don't buy a GPU that was used for mining.  It is two completely different types of applications and amounts of stress.  Mining is a non-stop drag race, gaming is a nascar race.  Read the analogy above.

 

You don't know how much mining has been done.  For mining to be profitable, those cards need to be running full tilt, 24/7 for months, maybe even a year non-stop.

 

Not worth the risk, unless Badger up top is going to reimburse you when your card fails.

 

[GhostWindGamer]

Unless it still comes with a transferable manufacturer's warranty.  Even then, I would still not be comfortable buying it.  Buy a used GPU all you want, just don't buy a GPU that was used for mining.  It is two completely different types of applications and amounts of stress.  Mining is a non-stop drag race, gaming is a nascar race.  Read the analogy above.

 

You don't know how much mining has been done.  For mining to be profitable, those cards need to be running full tilt, 24/7 for months, maybe even a year non-stop.

 

Not worth the risk, unless Badger up top is going to reimburse you when your card fails.

 

Ok I'll think about my options 

[sgloux3470]

Only if it's extremely cheap.

 

Anything more than $80-100 and I would pass.  Dirt cheap though and it may be a worthwhile gamble, and could still be covered by warranty.

 

I did mining for a few days and saw temperatures well in excess of 30+ degrees higher of my gaming load temperatures with the fans at jet engine levels.