Question What to look for when buying a GPU that's been used for mining ?

[HyperBeat]

Its a reference rx6800xt from the looks of if i would say its used for 1/1.5y in mining, its still in mint condition (looking at the pics) with box included and from a trusted store which specializes in building mining rigs. It doesn't include warrenty and yes I'll be able to test it before purchasing.

 

[Deleted member 2731765]

Internal physical damage/wear and tear is more of a concern than physical looks. First check whether there Is any damage or evidence it was crammed in a tight spot?

Few scratches on the backplate and/or shroud may indicate this. The GPU FANS may fail or get damaged over time with mining cards, given their constant operation, so make sure they’re running correctly.

Since mining GPUs are expected to be running 24/7, working on medium to heavy weight tasks, the fans are going to be spinning at a higher RPM all the time. Even really good fans will wear out much sooner than expected because gaming GPUs aren’t usually designed for doing an unending workload.

Also, check how clean is the graphics card? Are there any visual abnormalities or excessive dust buildup?

If given an option, BEFORE making the purchase, stress test and benchmark the graphics card. A stress test will reveal potential screen artifacts and shutdowns that may indicate a faulty GPU.

Don’t forget to test your favorite games on it too, if possible or allowed.

 

[Deleted member 2731765]

By the way, any card running at a high temperature, 24/7, is bound to be subjected to more stress. This matters because high heat (when combined with high current draw) is known to be a cause of silicon degradation through a process called electromigration.

The GPU Core, uncore, VRAM modules, driver ICs, MOSFETs, and various controller ICs are all made of silicon and thus could be subjected to degradation severe enough to cause failures.

GPUs also contain electrolytic capacitors, and those tend to be rated for X number of hours at 50C, with X decreasing as the temperature surpasses 50C.

Not all mining GPUs are bad though, since it depends on the seller/user who handled it, and also on the time of usage of the GPU in mining, under a certain temperature and climate.

 

[USAFRet]

What to look for when buying a gpu used in mining?

Is your wallet agreeable to losing the entire cost of what you bought?

 

[pete_101]

Is your wallet agreeable to losing the entire cost of what you bought?

That goes for any used card.

In 2018 I bought a used 1070, it was a Gigabyte windforce that had only been used for gaming, within a few months it started to artifact and crash. I replaced it with a cheap EVGA FTW 1070 that had been used for mining, that card is still running strong....I used it for a few years before upgrading my entire build, it's my kid's computer and it gets a lot of use.

 

[IDProG]

- Price
I won't buy a used card unless it costs 60% of its CURRENT price (not MSRP) at maximum.

- VRAM
NEVER buy a used GDDR6X or HBM card.

- Release Date
The shorter the release date of the card to the Ethereum merge date, the better, because it means it got used to mine less.

 

[HyperBeat]

By the way, any card running at a high temperature, 24/7, is bound to be subjected to more stress. This matters because high heat (when combined with high current draw) is known to be a cause of silicon degradation through a process called electromigration.

The GPU Core, uncore, VRAM modules, driver ICs, MOSFETs, and various controller ICs are all made of silicon and thus could be subjected to degradation severe enough to cause failures.

GPUs also contain electrolytic capacitors, and those tend to be rated for X number of hours at 50C, with X decreasing as the temperature surpasses 50C.

Not all mining GPUs are bad though, since it depends on the seller/user who handled it, and also on the time of usage of the GPU in mining, under a certain temperature and climate.

Thanks appreciate your input!

- Price
I won't buy a used card unless it costs 60% of its CURRENT price (not MSRP) at maximum.

- VRAM
NEVER buy a used GDDR6X or HBM card.

- Release Date
The shorter the release date of the card to the Ethereum merge date, the better, because it means it got used to mine less.

The rx6800xt is gddr6 and isn't that old, but it depends on how much time it's spent mining.

That goes for any used card.

In 2018 I bought a used 1070, it was a Gigabyte windforce that had only been used for gaming, within a few months it started to artifact and crash. I replaced it with a cheap EVGA FTW 1070 that had been used for mining, that card is still running strong....I used it for a few years before upgrading my entire build, it's my kid's computer and it gets a lot of use.

Yeah thats what I'm talking about, even though its used for mining it can sometimes be a better option since most miners undervolt and clean them from time to time with an AC on all the time to improve temperatures...

 

[Tac 25]

no warranty - serious danger sign. Mined gpu can look mint, pass all stress tests, then be dead a few weeks / months later.

used for mining for a year? - could actually have been used for mining much longer than that, unless the seller is a very good friend or someone you know who will never lie.

 

[ilukey77]

Is your wallet agreeable to losing the entire cost of what you bought?

this exactly !!
be if far from me to know what peoples disposable income is and obviously some people have more than others.
I just have that feeling that if it was me id buy NEW every time just for that peace of mind ..
The last thing that i personally ( or anyone for that matter ) would want is to buy something that i had no real come back on or have to deal with the screw around if it was a lemon !!

Another one of my PC building tips is if you cant really afford the good stuff then you probably shouldnt buy it till you can !!
( before the hate when i say good stuff i mean new reputable branded items not 4090s and 13900ks and $1000 mother boards )

 

[Deleted member 2731765]

FWIW, a guy bought a used Mining GPU which is STILL running perfectly in his rig, unlike the used RTX 2060 Gaming GPU, he bought before this, which died only after few months of usage. No display, and visual artifacts on screen.

There is a risk factor in buying ANY used/second hand product though. But of course, we know mining cards run 24/7, unlike gaming cards which are being used on an average of 7-8 hours a day. So this makes Mining cards a lot riskier to purchase.

It's just more like a Silicon Lottery LUCK !

 

[IDProG]

FWIW, a guy bought a used Mining GPU which is STILL running perfectly in his rig, unlike the used RTX 2060 Gaming GPU, he bought before this, which died only after few months of usage. No display, and visual artifacts on screen.

There is a risk factor in buying ANY used/second hand product though. But of course, we know mining cards run 24/7, unlike gaming cards which are being used on an average of 7-8 hours a day. So this makes Mining cards a lot riskier to purchase.

It's just more like a Silicon Lottery LUCK !

Damn, is that really the average number of hours a day?

Who plays games for 7-8 hours a day?
Such a waste of time.

 

[Deleted member 2731765]

I don't know, but some of the die-hard "hardcore" gamers do play, not all gamers though ! I can hardly play more than 1-1/2 hour or so, lol, and that too or alternate days.

 

[HyperBeat]

An update on this post while I'm here, in case someone encounters it in the future: I ended up purchasing two units for $190 each. They had been used for 3 months in mining and were in pristine condition, complete with their boxes and all accessories. After 9 months, both units are still functioning perfectly without any issues. The seller operates a large mining facility and specializes in building mining rigs. Additionally, they provided me with a 3-month warranty for peace of mind. At the time of purchase, they had 75 units available for sale.

And no I'm not trying to encourage anyone to do the same, and as USAFRet said, if you don't mind losing the money then sure. However, as a general rule of thumb, if you can't afford to buy something twice, you shouldn't purchase it. I was aware of the risk involved and had the financial means to replace it.

​