Buy Used (But Be Careful)
Lastly, if you're really hard up for cash, some builders recommend buying used parts online. This is just as risky as it sounds: you could end up with a broken part, you'll have a shorter warranty, and you don't get to see the product before you buy.
That said, if you want to go this route:
Don't buy from sites like Craigslist. Buy from hardware-focused sites like Hard Forum, AnandTech's classifieds, the Overclock.net Marketplace, or Reddit's /r/hardwareswap.
Buy from a store with a "reputation" feature and that the person you're buying from has lots of positive feedback.
Look for parts that still have the manufacturer's warranty, and that it supports owners beyond the first.
You may want to poke around those forums and ask for more advice buying used as well. Use your head and be careful.
These are just some things I've learned from personal experience and digging through forums, but they aren’t the only ones. Just remember that your time is worth something too. At a certain point, it stops being worth it to spend hours looking for deals just to save just a few bucks. For more great tips, I recommend checking out Tom's Hardware's guide to buying PC parts, Reddit's guilde to saving money when you build, and Tested's guide to properly budgeting your next PC. And, of course, be sure to check out our complete guide to building your PC from start to finish and our best builds for every budget as a starting point. Good luck!
Lastly, if you're really hard up for cash, some builders recommend buying used parts online. This is just as risky as it sounds: you could end up with a broken part, you'll have a shorter warranty, and you don't get to see the product before you buy.
That said, if you want to go this route:
Don't buy from sites like Craigslist. Buy from hardware-focused sites like Hard Forum, AnandTech's classifieds, the Overclock.net Marketplace, or Reddit's /r/hardwareswap.
Buy from a store with a "reputation" feature and that the person you're buying from has lots of positive feedback.
Look for parts that still have the manufacturer's warranty, and that it supports owners beyond the first.
You may want to poke around those forums and ask for more advice buying used as well. Use your head and be careful.
These are just some things I've learned from personal experience and digging through forums, but they aren’t the only ones. Just remember that your time is worth something too. At a certain point, it stops being worth it to spend hours looking for deals just to save just a few bucks. For more great tips, I recommend checking out Tom's Hardware's guide to buying PC parts, Reddit's guilde to saving money when you build, and Tested's guide to properly budgeting your next PC. And, of course, be sure to check out our complete guide to building your PC from start to finish and our best builds for every budget as a starting point. Good luck!
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