5 things you should look out for while buying GPUs in 2022 (and 5 things you should avoid)

With plummeting prices, gamers have been buying GPUs more than ever. However, due to this massive influx, it is easy to fall for the incorrect options. Some of the graphics cards might have been sitting on a mining rig for the entirety of 2021. Thus, there are a few things to look out for while buying GPUs at MSRP.

It is surprising how much prices have fallen over the last couple of months, with AMD Radeon RX 6000 graphics touching the MSRP mark. Although high-end enthusiast-grade Nvidia Geforce RTX 30 series are available for less than MSRP, most of their cards are $100-250 over the suggested price.

Both manufacturers will be launching their next-gen graphics cards later this year. However, before the rumored RTX 40 series and RX 7000 series of GPUs drop, sellers will have to clear their inventories.

---

A guide to buying GPUs: Things to look out for

The Nvidia Geforce RTX 3090 Ti (Image via Nvidia)

The current market scenario might lure gamers to buy the latest rendering powerhouses for their gaming PCs. However, the abundance of scalped hardware in the market means users will have to be a bit aware of their purchase.

However, it is worth noting that pointing out a failing, overheating or scalped GPU is not hard.

---

1) Tips for second-hand video card buyers

Second-hand buyers are most susceptible to scams. Thus, while buying GPUs, keep the following in mind:

1. Always ask for benchmarks. Benchmarks are a preliminary test that will tell whether a card can perform as expected.
2. Ask for a lot of photos. While buying GPUs second-hand, ask for a bunch of photos from the seller. Inspect these photos for any form of damage, wearing out or missing parts. If you spot something fishy, try another seller.
3. Always get the original invoice. While buying second-hand GPUs, make sure the seller includes the original invoice of the video card. Without it, gamers cannot claim the warranty on the GPU.

---

2) Size of the GPU

This includes the length, breadth, and height of the card. Ensuring whether the graphics unit will fit inside a computer case is essential. If the card is too big, it will not fit inside the case. No workaround will help bypass this incompatibility. Furthermore, some cases are too small to fit 250+ mm triple fan GPUs.

Thus, either gamers will have to get a new computer case or buy a smaller video card.

---

3) Cooling design of the GPU

A blower-style GTX 1080 FE (Image via Nvidia)

Cases with limited airflow will benefit from blower-style GPUs. Although rare, some manufacturers still create blower-style units. Finding the perfect model out might take a while.

Cases with sufficient airflow can be used in either a blower style or open-air GPU, with the latter trending in the market. Thus, finding quality products will not be an issue.

---

4) Video output ports

Video output ports on the ASUS x Noctua RTX 3070 (Image via ASUS and Noctua)

While buying GPUs, look out for video output ports. A plethora of these available on the graphics units, including HDMI, DVI and DisplayPort. Older versions used to come with VGA ports as well.

On the bright side, modern video cards are opting for DisplayPorts to solve this issue. Most RTX 30 series and RX 6000 series video cards have a bunch of DisplayPorts and only one or two HDMI connectors. With a couple more generations, we can expect DisplayPort to be the industry standard.

---

5) Power Requirements

The MSI A850GF PSU (Image via MSI) Enter caption

GPUs have gone from sipping power through the PCIe x16 slot to requiring 24-pin connectors from the power supply unit. A substantial increase in power requirements allows GPUs to perform better. But it also means that gamers will have to count the total power draw of their system and get a PSU.

Visit the online power supply calculator and enter the components of the PC. These calculators are pretty efficient and accurately display the required power supply wattage. Users can still leave a solid 100W headroom, which will allow overclocking and hassle-free future upgrades.

---

A guide to buying GPUs: Things to avoid

While buying GPUs, there are a bunch of things to avoid. These units are a big investment for gaming PCs. A wrong decision can cost gamers hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.

---

1) Avoid old GPUs

GPUs that are six months or older have probably been sitting in a miner's rig for most of their life. Although not a rule of thumb, the logic applies to 90 percent of old GPUs out there.

Also, outdated units have a higher chance of failure, with thermal damage from prolonged usage being a real issue. Therefore, avoid any GPU that is older than six months.

---

2) Avoid GPUs being sold in lots

A GPU mining rig (Image via Indiamart)

When multiple GPUs are sold together, something is afoot. These graphics cards usually go at crazy deals, enough to lure gamers into buying them. However, one should avoid these deals unless they have confirmation that the units were never mined.

---

3) Avoid buying GPUs with broken tamper seals

Before buying GPUs, check their tamper seals (Image via LTT forum user Trioxide)

Broken tamper seals indicate that the graphics card was not properly handled and the inner components might not be intact. This may have caused some damage to the card, which resulted in an underwhelming performance and subsequent urge to sell.

Always make sure the tamper seals on the card are intact. Suffice to say, buying a unit with broken seals is not worth the high risk.

---

4) Avoid buying GPUs with bad dust build-up

A dusty GPU (Image via Reddit user u/One_Dank_Meme)

High dust build-up in fan blades can increase the stress on the spinning motors. Over time, excessive dust can cause these motors to fry out and stop working completely.

---

5) Avoid buying sagged GPUs

Sagged GPUs in a build (Image via Reddit)

Sagged GPUs showcase poor maintenance. The misplaced structure can separate the cooler from the PCB at some point and cause the card to stop working.

GPU sag can be easily prevented by installing a support bracket. However, sagged units cannot be fixed by this method. Thus, it is best to ask for a bunch of photos of the card to ensure optimum performance.

---

Conclusion

Buying an RTX 30 series or RX 6000 series card might not be the best idea as both companies will be launching new units within a few months. However, GPUs are selling like crazy. While it is perfectly fine to buy second-hand, customers are urged to keep the aforementioned pointers in mind.