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What To Check Before Buying a Used Graphics Card

By / Tech / May 18, 2025

Discover the secrets to choosing the best used graphics card for yourself by weighing crucial factors such as testing performance and more.

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Image showing two last-gen GPUs, RTX 3080 Ti and RTX 3060 Ti (Image via MSI)

In 2025, the current GPU market might upset people when they are trying to buy a brand-new GPU. Factoring in new tariffs, shortages ever since COVID, and the prevalent problem of scalping. All of this forces a buyer to either continue with their existing hardware or just not buy, due to absurd new pricing. But there is always this option to buy old hardware, with or without the warranty, such as used or refurbished GPUs. Now, used and refurbished cards are two similar yet different aspects.

After the mining bubble popped, people sold their stockpiles of RTX 3000 series and many more AMD GPUs out in the used markets. Occasionally, a sketchy retailer might pick up these GPUs in bulk, use Ultrasonic Cleaning, and put up a fresh batch of wrapping material to sell as brand new. While ultrasonically cleaned GPUs cannot be identified, it’s best to buy from someone who confesses that they played games or mined. Refer to the guide below; this will help you be a smart buyer.

Note: Before deciding to buy a used GPU, ensure you have capable hardware on your end, such as a good PSU with a supported power connector, a good motherboard with either PCIe 4 or 5, and a cabinet with plenty of clearance. Otherwise, that new used GPU will create more problems for you.

Performing a Physical Inspection of a Used Graphics Card

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Image showing RDNA 3 and ADA Lovelace GPUs (Image via Amazon)
  • First, smell it. Yes, it sounds wild, but the smell of sulphur or a burnt capacitor will be imminent. It’s risky, but it works at best.
  • Look for visible damage, such as scratches, dents, bent heatsink fins, or broken fan blades.
  • Look for capacitors and other small elements that have disappeared from the PCB. Before making a choice, it’s best to look up the GPU’s PCB diagram online. It’s kind of hard to find, but not impossible. Someone on Reddit always has it.
  • Inspect the power connectors, looking for bent pins, burnt marks, etc. Smelling also helps, but if there is a lot of dust, yeah, your mileage may vary.
  • Thick layers of dust, in a specific pattern, such as a thick linear lining, over only cooler areas, will reveal that the GPU has been mined; traditional gaming usage cards have dust everywhere. Although you cannot identify a mined card explicitly, miners generally clean their card fans, so dust only in the memory / VRM section can hint if it’s mined.

Request Testing Performance (If Possible)

  • Asking the seller for data such as TJ-max, VRM, memory temps while running Furmark, MSI Kombustor, or Unigine Superposition can help you skip dead GPUs.
  • Ask for the flexibility to handle the testing yourself, such as going to the location and running it yourself, or playing a few games on it and checking for artifacts, BSODs, etc. 
  • While running tests yourself, monitor temps such as VRM, TJ-max, memory temps, etc, and look for clockspeed and voltage. MSI Afterburner and HWINFO 64 paired with RTSS will help the best with this task.

Card History and Usage

Although there is a chance that the person you are asking will outright lie, they may want to get rid of their old GPU and camp for the new RTX next time. Still, do the following, and don’t buy from them if they refuse to provide you with information such as:

  • Warranty status: Out-of-warranty cards can be lowballed for a good price, but for in-warranty cards, ask for the serial number and proof of purchase. 
  • Check the card age; just don’t buy relics such as GTX 950 or RX 480. It’s best to buy above the RTX 30 Series and RDNA 2 RX 6000 Series now. 
  • Check if the card has GDDR6X memory, specific to mining. If not, the wear and tear will be far greater. G6X is hard to cool, and it’s likely toast. Although not every time, consider thoroughly checking the card, even performing tests yourself.

Buying Advice and Red Flags to Watch For

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Image showing Ada Lovelace and Ampere GPUs (Image via MSI)
  • It’s natural for the average person to fall for traps such as extremely low prices. There are cases where a GPU is marketed as a 3080 but is software-modded; in reality, it’s an old GT610 or something like that. 
  • Some sellers will use FOMO and socially engineer you into avoiding the testing part. They will show a few of their directed testing procedures and get rid of their sketchy product. Say no, and move on if you detect that your requests are being politely denied.
  • Garner technical specifications before going in. Sometimes, the seller will fool you with a model that doesn’t exist. The RTX 3060 has 8GB and 12GB variants, and the RTX 2060 has a 12GB and 6GB variant. If the seller says the RTX 3060 has around 4GB, it’s most likely a scam; just move away from places that claim specs inaccuracies. 
  • The best option is to meet up with people and buy directly from them. Gamers don’t have trouble communicating with each other. Once you engage in communication, refer to terms from games and talk; that way, you can easily build rapport and get the GPU’s performance metrics, performance data, and temperatures.
  • Lastly, ask for the original box and accessories. If all the tests pass, and these are missing, you can bargain with the price. If not, then it could be a red flag. Be careful, as highly maintained products have their bill, box, and even the plastic wrap intact.

Conclusion

Always remember that used cards can offer tremendous value. The latest generation GPUs (RTX 50-series and RX 9000-series) are currently obnoxiously priced. So, if you are going for a second-hand, used, or even refurbished one from a trusted website like Jawa, be sure to double-check all the guidelines mentioned here once again so that you don’t regret going this route.

We provide the latest news and “How To’s” for Tech content. Meanwhile, you can check out the following articles related to PC GPUs, CPU and GPU comparisons, mobile phones, and more:

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