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Used mining GPUs sell like hotcakes on websites like eBay and Craigslist, and multiple models can be spotted at half their MSRP. It has been established that mining does not take a toll on the GPU's pixel-pushing capabilities. Thus, these deals look promising to many.
Graphics card prices have consistently gone up over the last few years. Thus, settling for a used GPU can have many benefits. One can push the overall power of a gaming rig upwards without spending a ton of money. Moreover, budget gamers can build a PC that is capable of the latest technology without spending a fortune.
However, gamers should consider a few more factors before buying used and mined GPUs. In the second-hand market, it is fairly easy to fall into a trap and end up with a piece of e-waste.
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Used mining GPUs can be great deals if bought correctly
Before we can address whether using mined GPUs makes sense, let's find out how mining takes a toll on graphics cards.
Mining is a sustained 100% load on the graphics card, and most mining rigs stay powered on for almost 24 hours a day. While this does not affect the underlying GPU die, multiple parts of the graphics card are subject to stress, including the fans and the heat-dissipation architecture.
Stressing a card 24x7 can cause serious damage to fans
It is a well-known fact that continued stress on fans in a mining GPU leads to wear and tear. Thus, after a prolonged period of staying powered on, fans might arbitrarily stop, dependent on the quality of the components used.
Thus, high-end graphics cards with good-quality fans are not as vulnerable to this issue. Gamers buying a flagship option from an add-in card manufacturer in the second-hand market will rarely have fans in their graphics cards failing.
However, gamers should check whether the fans of a used mining GPU are perfect and up-and-running before buying it.
Component failure due to dust clogging
Mining does not directly damage a graphics card. However, other factors related to mining and prolonged stressing might take a toll on the GPU.
Since mining GPUs stay powered on all the time, they accumulate much more dust than usual. If they are not cleaned regularly, dust clogging might reduce the efficiency of the thermal-dissipation architecture.
In the short term, dust accumulation might not be a big issue. However, if the graphics cards run like this for months, they might end up causing serious damage to the underlying heat-producing components, including the VRMs, and memory chips. In the worst case scenario, the GPU will die.
Thus, while buying a used graphics card, gamers must ensure that it is not very dusty. This is an indication of how well the mining GPU was maintained during its usage.
Performance benchmarks of the used graphics card
In addition to other factors, one should also ask for the stress test and benchmark results of a graphics card. Look for the temperature results and the performance metrics achieved by the used mining GPU and compare them with the ideal graphics card. This will give some good insight into whether or not to buy the particular product.
Conclusion
Used mining GPUs can be an awesome choice to save some extra money or get a higher-end graphics card without increasing the budget. With the above points in mind, gamers will almost never go wrong while purchasing a second-hand marker.
