Which computer components are not smart to buy used?

How does the RTX 7700 XT sound for a good €250? Or the Intel i7-14700K for just under €300? The second-hand computer equipment market can be the right decision if you shop thoughtfully, on the right sites, and especially the right components. Graphics cards, processors, and RAM are fairly safe choices, even if they've been in use for a few years. By nature, these are more reliable components compared to drives.

With a used graphics card, you can just change the thermal paste and it will be almost "like new". Graphics cards that have been used for mining, for example, have been, or still are, sold without any problems, even though they have quite a few working hours behind them. It's the same with processors. In both cases, of course, it is considered that the components worked under normal conditions, and not, for example, with inadequate cooling, a broken fan or something similar.

However, there are components where saving by buying used makes less sense, or the purchase makes sense only under certain conditions.

Avoid buying used HDDs unless you…

... you are looking for large capacities for your home server, you regularly create data backups and you are aware that there is a greater chance of failure. You might be lucky and find HDDs with only a few hundred working hours. There are not many options, but it has already happened that some, often bankrupt companies, wanted to get rid of almost new components.

If you don't belong to this group and are a regular user, you should skip the used market in this segment. It usually doesn't work out financially either. The price of a new 2 TB HDD is around €50. Even if you get a used HDD for half the price, these are meager savings, and the risk is high - especially if you're not careful and buy a 4-5 year old drive.

If you really need to squeeze every cent out of your budget and an SSD isn't a viable option, then at least test the HDD before buying. If the seller mails it to you, you'll still have to hope that they package it properly and that it doesn't get damaged in transit. Use it for data you won't miss in the event of premature failure, or start thinking about backups.

What about SSD drives? Are they a safer choice?

Compared to HDDs, for sure, but like any component, they also have SSD drives have a certain lifespan. If an SSD is rated at 600 TBW (Total Bytes Written), this means that it can write 600 terabytes of data to it. In fact, this is the manufacturer's limit, which they guarantee and provide a warranty for. An SSD can fail earlier (rarely), but it can also last much longer, even for multiples of its guaranteed lifespan.

A more reliable metric is the health or the remaining life of the SSD drive, which can be viewed in the companion programs of each manufacturer or with the help of other programs, for example CrystalDiskInfo.

Before buying a used SSD drive, test it or ask the seller for snapshots of the drive's health data.

Similar to HDDs, it is considered that buying used SSDs is mostly not worth it due to the small savings and higher risk. If you'll be storing games and other data on it that you don't care about losing, and you'll save a fair amount by buying used, then it might make sense to buy, but still follow the advice above.

Water cooling systems can be a recipe for disaster

Water cooling looks a lot "cooler" than air cooling, but it also carries more risk. Air coolers are simpler, have fewer parts, so there are fewer points of failure. When buying used air coolers, a physical inspection is usually enough to make sure everything is in order with the ribs, that the cooler is not bent, etc.

With water cooling systems, it can be difficult to tell if there is something wrong with the pump, the hoses or the radiator. You shouldn't just rely on a physical inspection. Have the dealer run it in front of you. stress test, so that you can watch the temperatures live. And even that is no guarantee.

You can get a new water cooling system for as little as €50. Is it really worth taking the risk to save ten or twenty euros? It's better to buy new – and you get a warranty too.

It rests too much on the base plate

The savings can be much greater for the motherboard. However, it is more difficult to determine whether everything is in order with the motherboard. You can pay attention to the metal contacts (pins), which in newer processor architectures are on the motherboard and not on the processor. If you notice bent or even missing contacts, it is better to skip the offer unless you are confident and have experience in repairing motherboards and contacts.

This is the most obvious sign that something is wrong with the motherboard. It is more difficult to determine at first glance what condition the capacitors, resistors, fuses and other components are in. A slightly safer purchase is in combination with a processor, so that you can test both components before buying. It is even better if you buy the motherboard in an assembled computer, so that you can check whether everything is fine with the memory, whether all the connectors work, and the like.

The power supply is one of the most reliable components

The power supply is one of the most reliable components, but if it fails, a faulty power supply can send all the other components to an untimely grave. Because of this risk alone, buying a used power supply is not recommended. However, buying a used power supply of higher quality is a better decision than buying a new power supply of an unknown manufacturer or of inferior quality.

The power supply is also more difficult to test. The dealer should put it back in the computer, connect all the components and run some tests. A lot of work for someone who wants a few tens of euros for a used power supply. When buying used modular power supplies, you should also pay attention to the fact that the seller will provide you with the appropriate cables.

What is your risk tolerance?

How much are you willing to risk? How confident are you in your abilities to spot a good bargain and the most obvious signs of wear on individual components?

If you're clear about what you're getting into and it's a good compromise for the money you'll save, the used component market will be a goldmine for you.

For ordinary users, processors, graphics cards, RAM and cases represent the least risk among used components.

First, check with friends or acquaintances if anyone wants to get rid of a used computer or component. This will make it easier for you to check the background, how the component was used, for what and for how long, and also test the computer live. If there is an account, even better.

Don't avoid buying used components. Follow our advice, weigh every offer, inquire about every little thing before you buy, and it may happen that you will honestly reduce the final amount with used components.