Your experience with buying used PC hardware

[Crijix]

Hello, and first off I don't know if this belongs here, so my apologies.

 

Since I know for a fact that I am not gonna buy the new 20 series, because it will be way, way out of my budget. I thought that I will just either get the GTX 1070 or Ti version. But since I live in Denmark, the cards here a pretty expensive, even today, the GTX 1070 will cost me around 550 USD for a new one, but I can get a used one for around 400 USD give or take.

 

I'm really tempted to just go ahead and buy a used card, but I have never bought any hardware form someone. Whenever I ask the seller for some benchmark or pictures (They usually take a picture form Google) they will shut down and refuse faster than a rain drop. Shouldn't that ring the alarm bell?

 

So I wanna hear your guys experience on buying used parts and how well or bad that went for you.

[Hip]

I have good experience with used RAM. But I wouldn't buy used GPU's to be honest. Maybe if you can see the GU running at the sellers computer first then it should be ok.

 

edit:

Maybe there is a shop near you that has a outlet store? I'm buying everything in outlet stores. You can get refurbished or returned items very cheap and with full warranty for much lower prices if you are patient.

[voiha]

I bought a used gtx 660 not long ago, first thing what I asked them was them doing a Furmark test for at least 1 min, giving me a screenshot/video of the test + date and time in a windows + GPUz picture. If they refuse, I just search for another card it's an instant red flag. If you see that everything is ok, buy it 80% of the time it is gonna be fine, you just have to take some procations.

[Crijix]

Yeah, when I ask if I can do that, they will either say no or just come with an excuse. So I guess that should be a no go then?

[NotKalo]

 - Ask them questions regarding when the card was purchased.
 - Ask them to show you a receipt for it. 
 - Ask them if they have kept the box it came with. 
 - Ask them if they have OTHER cards, most miners have shitload of those. 
 - Something you can try, call them form another number and say: Hey I found this mining card here on this website that you sell, I would love to buy it. 
Check how will they react. Ask them what type of currency they prefer etc. You will be able to determine if it was used for mining. 

You are basically trying to avoid cards used in mining rigs. 

And remember: YOU ARE THE BUYER, you have the money, you make the calls. Be confident when you talk to the seller. You can always decide to "shut down and refuse faster than a rain drop" as well. 

Don't give up, don't be in a hurry. 

If you have further questions, ask away! 

[voiha]

3 minutes ago, Hip said:

I have good experience with used RAM.

Was your experience good ? Is most of the ram sticks good or they were bad ones ? What do you ask them before buying it ?

[voiha]

1 minute ago, Crijix said:

Yeah, when I ask if I can do that, they will either say no or just come with an excuse. So I guess that should be a no go then?

Absolutely, you buy only if they provide you with enough information that the card is working and in good state

[HanZie82]

5 minutes ago, voiha said:

first thing what I asked them was them doing a Furmark test for at least 1 min, giving me a screenshot/video of the test + date and time in a windows + GPUz picture. If they refuse, I just search for another card it's an instant red flag.

I've sold some hardware but that way to much effort for me. And i only sell working stuff. So you might be ruling out perfectly good hardware with that firm of a stance. ;-)

 

 

Also depends on where you buy it. Some country's have more scammers than others. But like said above. You have the money you are NOT OBLIGATED to buy anything.
Just take the time and make sure it works.

[NotKalo]

I have a friend of mine who shows straight up to the seller's house with a test bench and benchmarks everything he purchases, he is a miner tho

[Hip]

8 minutes ago, voiha said:

Was your experience good ? Is most of the ram sticks good or they were bad ones ? What do you ask them before buying it ?

Ask them first if they are running of course. And if you can come by and see if they are running.

Also ask for production date, you can find it on stickers on the RAM or GPU itself. Maybe also for a sales slip, if you want to make sure it's not stolen!

If the seller doesn't want to show you real pictures of the item beside example pictures of the internet it is probably a scam anyway.

Ask him also if he overclocked the parts.

 

To me most important is to see the items in reallife running!

 

I sell a lot of my used hardware online, but I would never buy it myself without seeing the items I buy! Especially not when it's above 100 $.

[HanZie82]

Oh yeah and most important question to ask is, "Why are you selling".
Of the answer makes no sense, RUN! hahaha

[Crijix]

Thanks for the reply guys! Guess when I'm playing with so much money that I really should just get everything I possible can from the seller, even if it annoys him.

 

Kinda had a weird run with one seller the other day. I asked him when he bought it and why he was selling it. The seller said he actually bought it from someone else who had it for about a year and now he got it and used it for a month, and decided to sell it again, because he wanted something new. That doesn't sound fishy at all lol.

[Origami Cactus]

40 minutes ago, NotKalo said:

 - Ask them questions regarding when the card was purchased.
 - Ask them to show you a receipt for it. 

I really hate people who do that.

No im not gonna show you the receipt with every single one of my personal details(address, phone, bank number, full name, personal email, national identification number) on it, no thanks, i dont like to be an identity theft victim.

[HanZie82]

4 minutes ago, Origami Cactus said:

I really hate people who do that.

No im not gonna show you the receipt with every single one of my personal details(address, phone, bank number, full name, personal email, national identification number) on it, no thanks, i dont like to be an identity theft victim.

To be honest that sounds more like an invoice than a receipt...
As the receipt should just show purchase date and prices.
But hiding your personal info should be an option then if nothing else.

[NotKalo]

7 minutes ago, Origami Cactus said:

I really hate people who do that.

No im not gonna show you the receipt with every single one of my personal details(address, phone, bank number, full name, personal email, national identification number) on it, no thanks, i dont like to be an identity theft victim.

Well mate, here receipts include no such details. You only see where it got purchased from. 
Or are you referring to an invoice? 

[Agonizel]

56 minutes ago, Hip said:

I wouldn't buy used GPU's to be honest

1 year old or less. this year, I bought a 1070 & a 1080 2nd hand (near as new condition) - just look at the date on the original bill and you'll be fine !

[mrchow19910319]

i've only purchase one used GPU before. 

the owner showed me the GTX780, showed me when he purchased it, where he bought it. 

also promised me if there is anything wrong with this card, he will help me contact the retailer and ask them to send my card to asus for repairing.

the card had a 3 year warranty, and the owner only used it for less than a year

so I bought it, and it cost me less than buying a brand new GTX970

 

a year later the card had some fan issue, when it speeds up, one of the fan kind of got stuck

I contacted the owner which then contacted the retailer and they help me fixed the issue, just like the owner promised.

asus send back the card, it was fine this time. 

 

the only thing I don't really like is that right after the warranty expired, like literally right after 3 years time, the card broke. 

bluescreen, screentearing, you name it.

so I dont know whether it is me got unlucky or asus's card is not that reliable.

[Origami Cactus]

1 hour ago, HanZie82 said:

To be honest that sounds more like an invoice than a receipt...
 

 

1 hour ago, NotKalo said:

Well mate, here receipts include no such details. You only see where it got purchased from. 
Or are you referring to an invoice? 

Maybe, is a invoice just a check on stereoids?

Because here if you buy a computer/part you get an invoice then.

[Automobili3XF]

So far my experience has been great.

I bought a bunch of used hardware through the years, never had one fail on me so far, including an X58 motherboard. 

[LogicalDrm]

As for parts themselves, only good. One thing I won't do again is deal with minor. That guy was nervewreck for €55 and ready to make criminal case of me even before time to pick package was out. And even then he would have lost price for shipping, €15. The 2nd monitor I picked had sketchy ad, but when I met with the guy all was good.

[YonathanZ]

I buy most of my stuff used these days, and I do mean most: computer equipment, photography equipment, smartphones, etc. 

 

Out of dozens of used products that I’ve purchased, I’ve only had one problem so far: a computer psu that failed after 1.5 years or so. 

 

 

[Speakerator]

I recently bought a 2600k to replace my 2500 non-k (replacing a 7 year old chip with another 7 year old chip, smart move ) Worked rather well for me, runs like a charm  and was a way cheaper upgrade than Board + CPU + RAM, especially at todays ram prices 

[Rethilgore]

I Only tend to buy retro parts used (think DDR2 Era and below) but ive really never had many issues. i probably purchased 100+ Parts for retro machines used and ive only ever had an issue with a stick of Ram once being faulty. 

 

If you stick to reputable places to shop then its pretty safe. if a part is faulty then you have lots of recourse to get your money back. in most cases just let the seller know and they will offer you a refund. 

[Guest]

The only new parts I ever buy are cases and fans because not many people sell the stuff I want used

 

Id say the majority of my parts are used and I've never had any issues besides sometimes dust 

[suchamoneypit]

18 hours ago, NotKalo said:

 - Ask them questions regarding when the card was purchased.
 - Ask them to show you a receipt for it. 
 - Ask them if they have kept the box it came with. 
 - Ask them if they have OTHER cards, most miners have shitload of those. 
 - Something you can try, call them form another number and say: Hey I found this mining card here on this website that you sell, I would love to buy it. 
Check how will they react. Ask them what type of currency they prefer etc. You will be able to determine if it was used for mining. 

You are basically trying to avoid cards used in mining rigs. 

And remember: YOU ARE THE BUYER, you have the money, you make the calls. Be confident when you talk to the seller. You can always decide to "shut down and refuse faster than a rain drop" as well. 

Don't give up, don't be in a hurry. 

If you have further questions, ask away! 

I think you've got the wrong idea about mining GPUs. They can be a great deal. I explained it a bit in this thread. When i wouldn't purchase, is if I noticed a seller intentionally trying to deceive you, like for example a listing for used "used for gaming only" GPUs but he's selling a quantity of 10 cards. No one has 10 used GPUs for gaming, and the fact they would intentionally lie is a deal breaker for me.

 

to OP, that link is worth a read to give you further insight into used hardware even with something like mining cards. As for used hardware in general, 100% of my PC is parts, some heavily overclocked, all purchased used. CPU, mobo, RAM, gpu, case, cable kit, storage drives, psu, liquid cooler, RGB lighting. Everything.