Buying a used GPU

[coaltown992]

Looking at buying a used GPU, either a vega 56 or 64 (I've got a free sync monitor) but I'm not sure if it's a bad idea. If only be using it for gaming and movies. Maybe VR at some point in the future. I'm mostly concerned with the card failing. I'm assuming most of the ones on ebay were used for mining and I don't know enough about it to know if it affects the life of the hardware.

[VK707]

Mining can affect the Life expectancy of the Hardware but its not a death sentence for Hardware used that way.

 

You will however loose out as far as Warranty is concerned should it fail down the line unless you luck out trying to contact the Manufacturer. In my own experience i got lucky with an RMA for a pre-owned EVGA GTX 600 series card but its very much up to them.

[voiha]

@coaltown992

I understand your concern, you can try and see if the seller sells multiple GPU's or other kind of PC parts, this would alert you if he was a miner.

Always ask for video proof that the card works and some stresstest/benchmark for atleast 1-2 minutes as it will show if the card is in working condition, everything else is just on luck.

 

Good luck !

[seduce_me]

If the miner undervolted his GPUs and always kept the GPUs running constant and well maintained it would actually last quite long. The problem is that miners kill the fans on the GPU so if you can get those replaced it would be quite reliable I'd reckon.

[coaltown992]

Thanks all, this is is some great advice.