thoughts on buying used graphics cards

[Sunburn74]

I've been contemplating buying a new GPU for a while to replace my gtx 570. I've been eyeing mostly the 280x and 290 series as I game in 1080 p and generally spend about 300 on a gpu every now and then. However I haven't bought a new card because I just don't think the value is there right now.

However I noticed that used sapphire 7970s are going for $170 to $200 on eBay. I suspect these are mining cards. Should I make the jump? What should I look for if buying a used card to ensure I don't get a lemon?

 

[n0x1ous]

the real concern with a mining card is the fan. you can find 290's for 250-300 on ebay right now so stick to those if thats the route you want to go as they wont have had as long a life mining as a 7970 may have. you could ask the seller for a recording of the card running so you could hear the fan for any issues, but thats about it. try to but a model from a vendor with good warranty as 290 cards should still be under original warranty.

 

[Zanovar]

Thats not unreasonable imo,asking for a recording of the fan.the thing is though with failing/noisy fans and rattling fans is that they sometimes only exhibit this annoying sound at certain rpm speeds,easy enough to bypass these speeds but you shouldnt have to when buying a card.

 

[Silverforce11]

These days even reference design have fans that are rated for 50,000 hours or more, a card that's used for a few months shouldn't be a concern. Especially with warranty still intact.

The worse is the card dies for whatever reason and you wait for RMA. Then you get a brand new replacement, for dirt cheap.

R290s going for $250-300 A FEW MONTHS used is a no brainer.

 

[Zanovar]

I agree 290s shouldnt be a concern,as for warranty im not sure if they are transferable with some?

 

[MeldarthX]

Some are and some aren't.....I bought my tank 6870 used; fan failed on it and I just slapped aftermarket fan on it.....damn thing oc awesomely....

UK I'm seeing 290s for 200 quid....its extremely tempting to pick one up; though I can get PCS+ new for less than 300 with 3 games.... first world problems

 

[tulx]

Bought a used 5870 a few years back for a CFX setup which I just now replaced with a 290x. I did add an Artic Accelero cooler to it later, but only because the CFX setup got quite hot with reference coolers when OC'ed.
In shot: my experience with used graphics cards has been rather good. All the barely used mining 290'ies that are being sold now after the mining bubble burst are great deals!

 

[Dribble]

All sounds very optimistic. These are consumer cards designed to be gamed on for a few hours a day, instead they've been run flat out 24-7 for months. I wouldn't touch an ex-mining card without a very long warranty, you know they could die at any moment.

 

[seitur]

Used card is always a risk. there is also case of no / reduced / problematic warranty.

Anyway - it is a question - are you willing to pay with uncertanity for lower price or are you willing to pay more $ for warranty and no-stress purcharse?

 

[tulx]

All sounds very optimistic. These are consumer cards designed to be gamed on for a few hours a day, instead they've been run flat out 24-7 for months. I wouldn't touch an ex-mining card without a very long warranty, you know they could die at any moment.

I'd definitely disagree with that. The products are designed to run at 100% capacity for at least the duration of manufacturer warranty - anything else would be commercial suicide for the manufacturer.
And since no manufacturer wants a reputation for bad products that break just after the warranty runs out, all products are built to last. Instances where a graphics card just "breaks" on its own while operating within specification are incredibly rare compared to the amount of cards in circulation. We only hear about those cases because we're on a forum where people build and break their PC's for the sake of it.

Buying a mining card is safer than many people think - it was probably run in an open-air setup with good cooling and was not overclocked to reduce failure risk and keep power costs down. It was just run at 100% load - something that every card is designed for.

 

[Dribble]

I'd definitely disagree with that. The products are designed to run at 100% capacity for at least the duration of manufacturer warranty - anything else would be commercial suicide for the manufacturer.
And since no manufacturer wants a reputation for bad products that break just after the warranty runs out, all products are built to last. Instances where a graphics card just "breaks" on its own while operating within specification are incredibly rare compared to the amount of cards in circulation. We only hear about those cases because we're on a forum where people build and break their PC's for the sake of it.

Buying a mining card is safer than many people think - it was probably run in an open-air setup with good cooling and was not overclocked to reduce failure risk and keep power costs down. It was just run at 100% load - something that every card is designed for.

Not true, just like everything else these were designed with a market in mind, and that market was not meant to be burning these 24-7. If you want to do that you buy a professional fire pro one. These are cheap consumer cards built to a budget and compromised because of that.

 

[Silverforce11]

Not true, just like everything else these were designed with a market in mind, and that market was not meant to be burning these 24-7. If you want to do that you buy a professional fire pro one. These are cheap consumer cards built to a budget and compromised because of that.

You must work for MSI.. thats what they claimed when their Gaming series had a terrible fan design. Except its rubbish.

Hardware from good brands are built to last running 24/7, PSU, CPUs, Motherboards, Ram, everything. GPUs aren't different.

My 5850 reference still works and mines full load like a charm.

ps. AMD Firepro are the same as their Radeon reference design, the heatsink and cooler is reused. Just slap on a different sticker and bios.

 

[Zanovar]

You must work for MSI.. thats what they claimed when their Gaming series had a terrible fan design. Except its rubbish.

Hardware from good brands are built to last running 24/7, PSU, CPUs, Motherboards, Ram, everything. GPUs aren't different.

My 5850 reference still works and mines full load like a charm.

ps. AMD Firepro are the same as their Radeon reference design, the heatsink and cooler is reused. Just slap on a different sticker and bios.

And who do you work for again?*laughs*

 

[seitur]

Not true, just like everything else these were designed with a market in mind, and that market was not meant to be burning these 24-7. If you want to do that you buy a professional fire pro one. These are cheap consumer cards built to a budget and compromised because of that.

No.

Firepro is made for diffrent reasons.

Normal GPUs are supposed to work 24/7 too if properly mainteaned.

 

[ZippyBanger]

I wouldn't touch any used pc product, let alone a video card unless I knew for a fact that the warranty was 100% transferrable and still in effect. If its not then pass.......especially with AMD cards which are not built great to begin with.

 

[IEC]

I wouldn't touch any used pc product, let alone a video card unless I knew for a fact that the warranty was 100% transferrable and still in effect. If its not then pass.......especially with AMD cards which are not built great to begin with.

Source?

 

[tulx]

I wouldn't touch any used pc product, let alone a video card unless I knew for a fact that the warranty was 100% transferrable and still in effect. If its not then pass.......especially with AMD cards which are not built great to begin with.

You do know that the cards aren't build by AMD but usually by the same partners that build Nvidia cards, right?
AMD reference cards are built by Sapphire, if I remember correctly.
Companies like MSI, Asus, HIS etc. build both AMD and Nvidia cards.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

I've bought and sold many a used card. Never had a problem. A 7970 for around $160.- would be my target if I was in your shoes. As long as it is functional I wouldn't care too much if the fan was on it's way out. Take off the stock fan and put the card under water

 

[ZippyBanger]

Source?

Break down a typical AMD board and its components..........there is a number of reasons why AMD video cards are cheaper than their nivida counterparts. Parts content/quality is one big reason.

 

[ZippyBanger]

You do know that the cards aren't build by AMD but usually by the same partners that build Nvidia cards, right?
AMD reference cards are built by Sapphire, if I remember correctly.
Companies like MSI, Asus, HIS etc. build both AMD and Nvidia cards.

It doesn't matter who builds the cards, they are built to a minimum reference standard set forth by the chip maker and go from there.

 

[Zanovar]

Break down a typical AMD board and its components..........there is a number of reasons why AMD video cards are cheaper than their nivida counterparts. Parts content/quality is one big reason.

Erm,and what cards are these?just curious.

 

[SlowSpyder]

Break down a typical AMD board and its components..........there is a number of reasons why AMD video cards are cheaper than their nivida counterparts. Parts content/quality is one big reason.

I've always thought that, at least when discussing reference boards, AMD had the more robust cards. I'd say Nvidia has had a few more big blemishes on their record than AMD has, especially over the last four or five years.

 

[GrumpyMan]

Bitcoin miners ruined the videocard market for gamers (well, except for the rich ones), so in my opinion they can take all those used cards stick them up their arse, I wouldn't buy one myself. Now get off my lawn!

Whew.....glad I got that out, I feel better now.....

 

[blastingcap]

Source?

Nvidia.

Seriously though, this guy is a real piece of work, EXAMPLE: look at the GTX 680 vs the HD7970. Look at how damned CHEAPLY the GTX 6xx series is made, truncated board, the reference GTX 670 cooler an absolute JOKE. Reference GTX 670:

Compare that to the reference 7970 which is a freaking tank in comparison:

ZipperBanger, do not even for a second spread FUD about how AMD uses cheap components and NV does not. Puh-LEEEEEEEEEZE.

GTX 670's underbelly... the cheaped out PCB so short that the fan overhangs it:
http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image//skymtl/GPU/NV-GTX-670/NV-GTX-670-3.jpg

HD7970 underbelly:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/HD_7970/images/card2.jpg

Looking at the VRMs, chokes, etc. it doesn't seem that NV cards are built any better, either.

 

[Zanovar]

I've always thought that, at least when discussing reference boards, AMD had the more robust cards. I'd say Nvidia has had a few more big blemishes on their record than AMD has, especially over the last four or five years.

Haha,did you agree with his post or disagree.*scratches head*