Buying an used computer

[Cantcomeupwithgoodusername]

Hello

I'm going to check one nearby pc deal this weekend. I was just wondering if there was somekind of benchmark so i could compare results with similiar setups, and see if the values are similiar (so the gpu or cpu is not damaged or underperforming with no reason) And also what should i do when checking out used computer to minimize the risk of getting screwed.

Thanks.

 

[Barty1884]

There are numerous tests/benchmarks you can compare with, but I would focus on:
1. It working (and booting to OS)
2. A legit, activated OS
3. The hardware being what you expect to see (as listed)
4. Reasonable temps at idle/load (HWMonitor, Speccy or MSI Afterburner for temps, Prime95 and Heaven benchmarks for stress testing)

You could run Furmark benchmarks to ensure you're getting performance relative to others with the same setup (keeping whether a setup is OC'd or not in mind for comparison).

As far as not getting "screwed", trust your gut. If something feels 'off',it probably is.

Ask questions:

How long they've owned it?
You want to hear a relatively decent amount of time, preferrably first owner. You don't want to hear X weeks/days etc.

Why are they selling?
You'll want to hear a reasonable reason (upgrading - and they'll probably tell you all about it), need the money etc.

Was it overclocked? Some people will shy away after hearing "yes", but if it's somebody knowledgable, then get the info:
What speeds/voltages/temps etc


I doubt this is the case, but don't necessarily be scared off by a little dust or overheating (within reason), as lots of people don't take care of their setup. You can have a nice little rig for fairly cheap if you use that to your advantage (and clean it yourself, of course). I bought a first gen i7, 8GB DDR3 and a decent GPU for $40 CAD because it was pretty gross and nobody was interested

What are the specs, out of curiosity? and what do you anticipate paying for it?

 

[Cantcomeupwithgoodusername]

It has a
i7-4790k
MSI 980ti
Asus Z97 -pro gamer
16gb of ddr3
hyper 212 processor cooler

Other parts are pretty useless to tell i guess.

Im paying about 900 euros for it. In finland its pretty ok deal.

 

[Barty1884]

It;'s be a little cautious there, in all honesty.

If components are similar in price to their counterparts in Germany (as an example), it's not really that great of a deal:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor (€356.99 @ Amazon Deutschland)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler (€35.89 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Motherboard: ASRock Z170A-X1 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard (€111.51 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Memory: GeIL EVO X 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory (€97.28 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (€55.83 @ Mindfactory)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB 6GB GAMING Video Card (€277.21 @ Mindfactory)
Case: BitFenix Nova ATX Mid Tower Case (€35.50 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 620W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply (€71.83 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Total: €1042.04
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-12-16 16:33 CET+0100

Sure, the 980ti is a little more powerful than a 1060 6GB, but the setup is also used. You could have Skylake, DDR4, a quality PSU etc - for only marginally more and get a manufacturer's warranty etc.

Of course, prices can vary dramatically - so if you pay substantially more in Finland, then 900EUR may well be a decent deal.
You have to ensure you know what you're getting in terms of PSU, Case & Storage too. Looks like the setup was/is pretty hgh end, but might be totally imbalanced if it's paired with a poor PSU.

I would look at that more in the ~600EUR range if the above build is comparably priced in Finland.

 

[Cantcomeupwithgoodusername]

Yes, i found another one deal.
It has: i5-6600k
z170 mobo,
Corsair h100i
GTX 960 (needs upgrading in the near future)
120gb ssd and 1tb hdd.
This costs 700 euros. But it has warranty for Finnish pc part shop.
My friend bought a brand new pc from mindfactory but it might be pain in the ass getting replacements, and it cost a bit more and is not that good (apart from it has 1060 gtx). I dont personally see problem with with a used computer as long as all the warranties are ok. Also this build is very high end apart from the gpu. Im all the time looking new deals but this is one im really considering.
I dont mind if i only save a little, its still something.

 

[Barty1884]

Warranties don't always transfer second-hand. Some do, some don't. A store warranty should (if it's part of their T&C), but not all manufacturer's warranties will.

What else is included in this build? What PSU, for example? 700EUR seems excessive if it's used. For 900EUR you can have the same setting but a much stronger GPU.

 

[Cantcomeupwithgoodusername]

No, not in finland.
My friend ordered his pc from germany.
It was bit over 800.
It had i5 6500
some b- (not overclockable mb)
no ssd
1060 6gb
8gb of ddr4

I dont see any problem with buying used if it has warranty. Even if it is only a bit cheaper. Like you can sell 960 for bit over 100e, and if i bought 980ti, the whole setup would be like 950 euros.

Also i dont want to order from germany, because as i said, if something is not working right, its gonna be such a pain in the ass to get replacement.
I really want pc now, and its gonna take like 2 months for me to get more money, and i was going to upgrade the gpu then.

I dont think how you see it but i personally see that 5 months old pc with warranties to finland is better deal than brand new, but bought from germany.

Liquid coolers for cpu and overclockable mb/cpu doesnt directly add performance, but after gpu upgrade its a really solid build.