We ran a hardware store for five years and took in more trade-ins than we can count. The cards that came back dead almost always failed one of the same five checks — checks that take ten minutes and need nothing but the seller's own PC.
The five checks
- Idle temps and fan behavior first — a card that idles hot has a story to tell.
- A real load test, not a menu screen: ten minutes of a stress test while you watch temps and clocks.
- Visual pass under the shroud edge: darkened PCB around the VRM is heat damage, walk away.
- Check the BIOS/vendor tool for a mining flash or modified power limits.
- Verify the exact model number against the listing — 'same name, less VRAM' scams are common.
The seller who refuses a ten-minute load test is telling you the result in advance.
Price the card against current retail, not against what it cost at launch. A used flagship two generations old competes with a new midrange card that carries a warranty — the used one has to be meaningfully cheaper to win.
