used hardware
- Thread starter robwigan
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Man of Honour
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- 12 Jul 2005
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- 21,506
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- Aberlour, NE Scotland
Loads of us have second or even third hand components. We even have a thriving members market on here (you need 1000 posts to access it). Just be careful where you buy from and don't pay too much.
Just bear in mind that it's very hard to know the history of a part. And if you buy it from Joe Bloggs on the internet, if it goes faulty you're unlikely to get much help from them.
It's a bit different when you're buying from a fellow enthusiast who has been posting on a tech forum for a year or more.
It's a bit different when you're buying from a fellow enthusiast who has been posting on a tech forum for a year or more.
Associate
- Joined
- 27 Aug 2005
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- Coventry, UK
I tend to be more comfortable buying some parts used than others (CPU, GPU, mobo tend to be fine, I'm more wary of SSDs and HDDs), and always consider how much you value the security of a warranty for buying new.
If the seller is willing to give details on how the part has been used that usually helps in trusting that it's not been mistreated.
If the seller is willing to give details on how the part has been used that usually helps in trusting that it's not been mistreated.
I've bought and used a 2nd hand GPU. As long as the seller is willing to be open about the parts history (overclocking, bitcoin mining, etc) then i feel quite comfortable with it. You can make considerable savings (though the K series chips seem to hold their value extremely well)
90% of my set up now is second hand working just fine. When I see that some one is saying that they didn't mine bitcoin or OC I know they did just that
As for CPU "K" holding price is stupid, you cant expect some one to pay 80/90% of the price for 3/4 years old CPU if you think that you need to rethink couple of thing. Don't give me examples of inflated prices on famous auction site.
Associate
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- 22 Jul 2015
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- Aberdeen
Getting a second hard part is not an issue. as soon as you are saving enough to accept the risk of having no warranty with that item. It can be a very good move indeed. I have a mixed experience with 2nd hand stuff and I will try to get a new one if the cost difference is not really huge enough.
To be honest I would buy everything 2nd hand except storage. Mainly I look locally and go see it before buy. But if this is not a case I would look as above people say "if seller seems honest and is willing to talk about product history." But I hate when people say never overclocked k series cpu. Really?! I would save myself 20-30 pounds and get non-k cpu.
For example I got myself a Hd 7970 for 70 and it serves me well for almost 18 months without issues. But again it's all down to luck as I got a 760 2gb last month from bay and it was fine for until I started a game then show many artefacts so sent it back.
For example I got myself a Hd 7970 for 70 and it serves me well for almost 18 months without issues. But again it's all down to luck as I got a 760 2gb last month from bay and it was fine for until I started a game then show many artefacts so sent it back.
Soldato
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- 17 Aug 2012
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- Tamworth, UK
My entire current WC build is second hand parts, besides the tubing, fittings and SSD's.
I haven't purchased a new gfx for myself since an 8800 ultra..... Since then its been GTX 285 OC (RMA replacement). Then second hand: GTX 560ti then GTX 470 as I let the gf have the GTX 560 ti. Then GTX 960 2gb followed by GTX 970 so the gf could have the GTX 960. I did try a AMD 270X 4GB B-Grade in between the 470 + 960. But that went back.
Associate
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- 24 Jun 2003
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- 1,647
As people have already said "yes" nothing wrong with 2nd hand stuff as long as you know who you are buying from .. that is what trust , feedback etc is for .. also how long have they had said account that they are selling from .. if it's a newish account I would deffo pass.