Should I buy used PC parts?

Short answer: Yes.

Medium answer: Yes, with small caveat.

Long answer:

One of the things I hear a lot from tech enthusiasts is the bold claim that you "shouldn't trust used" or that they wouldn't buy used parts themselves because of the supposed wear-and-tear associated with it.

Frankly, I used to be of this mindset as well until I actually spent some time thinking about it logically. Computers run on electricity. Bold statement, I know. Let's think about how electricity works. Electrons are carried by a conductor. Unless that conductor is being stressed, it doesn't suffer any sort of "wear and tear" from conducting. Do the electrical wires in the walls of your home wear out from use? No, they wear out over many, many decades due to the insulation breaking down. Insulators are usually rubber or plastic, both materials that break down as a result of time, not use. Electrons flowing through a conductor does not damage that conductor in any way, unless that conductor is actually being overloaded/overheated. It is time that wears down electrical devices, not use. Therefore, as a buyer trying to decide between used, or new, of the same part, we don't need to be squeamish about saving money and going with used. A new Ryzen 5600X and a used Ryzen 5600X are functionally the exact same thing.

The majority of the components in a computer are the same way. They are not going to magically degrade from use. It's not an gas engine or some such mechanical device. It's a purely electrical one. The are few components in a typical modern PC that actually move. What you are left with is parts that can wear out from time, but not from usage.

Don't wear out from use:

Do wear out from use:

However, just because a part is in the wear out list, doesn't mean you shouldn't buy it used. For example, used storage devices might be fine for unimportant data, such as games that are backed up via Steam anyway. And on top of that, the time it takes for modern SSDs to actually wear out is incredibly long. Frankly, if you take regular backups, which you should do anyway, used storage devices are fine. The other listed parts, unless very heavily used, will still more than likely outlast your use of the PC. Your computer will most likely be outdated long before they fail.

As for the first list, avoiding any of those parts because of some perceived "wear" like it's a brakepad is just silly. Not only is it a waste of money out of some illogical idea that "new is better", it only adds to the ever growing problem of e-waste. So please, be sustainable and do buy used. They are no more worn out than a painting from Goodwill.

Update: I should add, something I forgot to specify: This is primarily referencing desktops. Many laptops can suffer wear from being carried around, placed in less-than-optimal positions, dropped, etc. It is entirely possible for a laptop motherboard to suffer a microfracture from the case being pressed up against a book in a backpack, for example. Of course, I would argue this is primarily due to the unfortunate trend of manufactuers all chasing Apple by obsessively trying to make their devices as paper thin as humanly possible. Personally, I would rather a heavier thicker laptop/smartphone that is actually built to last. Anyway, used laptop parts must be considered more carefully, but if they pass a proper inspection they are still good to go.

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