Buying a used graphics card: what to check

A second-hand graphics card can save you hundreds of pounds, and most cards outlive their first owner by years. The trick is checking the few things that do go wrong before you hand over any money. This is what to look for.

Before you meet

• Ask for the exact model, not just the chip. "RTX 4070" covers dozens of cards from different makers, with different coolers, lengths and power connectors. Check it will fit your case and that your power supply has the right connectors and enough wattage.
• Ask about its history: how old it is, what it was used for, and whether it has been overclocked, repasted or had its fans replaced.
• Ask for a photo of it running, ideally with GPU-Z open showing the model and memory size.
• Check the price against other graphics cards for sale with the same chip. A price far below everyone else's is the most common sign of a scam.

Mining cards aren't automatically bad

Cards used for crypto mining often ran for months at steady, moderate temperatures, which is gentler than you might think. What wears out is the fans and the thermal pads. A mining card can be a good buy at the right price, as long as it passes the checks below and the seller is honest about it.

At the viewing

1. See it running in a PC. The seller's own machine is fine. A card that "just needs a driver reinstall" is a card you can't test.
2. Confirm the model in GPU-Z. The name, memory size and memory type should match the listing. GPU-Z also flags cards whose details look faked, which catches older chips sold as newer ones.
3. Run something demanding for 10 minutes, such as a recent game or the free Unigine Superposition benchmark. Watch for flickering shapes, coloured dots or lines (called artefacts), crashes and driver resets.
4. Watch the temperatures in HWiNFO or GPU-Z while it's under load. As a rough guide, the main GPU temperature should stay under about 85°C, and the hotspot no more than about 20°C above it. A much bigger gap usually means the thermal paste needs replacing.
5. Listen to the fans. Grinding or rattling means worn bearings. A high whine under load (coil whine) is common and harmless, but it's worth knowing about.
6. Try every display output if you can, and check the card isn't sagging or bent.

Cards with the 16-pin power connector

Many RTX 40 and 50 series cards use a single 16-pin (12VHPWR or 12V-2x6) power connector. Look closely at the socket on the card and the cable plug: discoloured, brown or melted pins mean it has overheated, and you should walk away.

Paying and warranty

• Pay in person, after testing, by cash or an instant bank transfer. Never send money by bank transfer to someone you haven't met. Our Stay Safe guide explains why.
• If the card has warranty left, ask for the receipt and check with the manufacturer whether the warranty passes to a second owner. Policies differ between brands.
• Buying from a business seller gives you more rights than buying privately. See seller obligations.

Testing a whole PC rather than a single card? Use our second-hand PC checklist instead.