Let me start by stating the obvious - in pretty much every case used components offer the best value for money.
That is unless you are scammed, or they fail on their own one day after the purchase.
Because of course, there are many potential issues associated with them. Facebook Marketplace veterans look down on those who cannot see traces of rust between the fans and the backplate of the graphics card when picking it up, or cannot straighten bent pins on the processor or the motherboard.
So for them, this guide makes no sense, but I encourage them to prepare their own - how to buy used PC components and not be scammed (if possible, please be a little bit more specific than ‘jUsT uSe yOuR bRaiN’).
Whereas people who have spent their lives doing other things, than picking on randoms on the Internet for not being able to detect fraud - may be discouraged by images like this one, where sellers of used PC components treat them with a pressure hose before selling them:
So instead of Facebook Marketplace, they go to eBay, click the "New" filter, and think that they have managed to avoid problems. Unfortunately, this is often not the case.
In the vast majority of the "new" pre-built PCs on eBay, the only component that is actually new is the chassis. And their "super powerful" i7 with "8 cores" in reality is a 15-year-old i7-860 (or i7-2600). And the entire build is powered by a no-name power supply that will fail at any moment, and take the rest of the components with it (1).
The only positive side is that there is buyer protection on eBay. So when the seller tries to claim that it was the customer who broke something, IF the customer only contacts the seller using eBay messages and NOT over the phone, there is a very good chance of successfully resolving the dispute in favor of the buyer.
And there is also the matter of the price of these pre-built PCs. Generally, there is nothing wrong with the components inside them (except maybe power supplies). Parts such as Intel Core i5-2400 priced at 2€(2) and RX 550 4GB priced at 25€ (3) - are completely valid options, when someone is putting together a build from used components for about 50€.
However, it is a scam when they are found in a "new" computer that costs 250€.
But maybe someone already knew about it, so they turned to guides about new components from 'standard' electronics stores.
And every single website with tech tips told them (truthfully by the way) that the Radeon RX 6600 8GB graphics and the Ryzen 5-3600/4500/5500 processor have a great price-performance ratio. And for around 600€ one could put together a great PC build with them.
Then add a 100 Hz monitor like MSI PRO MP2412, Acer KA242Y, or Asrock Challenger CL25FF for another 100€.
So there is no need to reinvent the wheel (4). IF someone can spend that much money, they should buy such computers and that's the end of it.
What if someone doesn't have almost 700€ just laying around? And they can't simply up their budget by a few hundred euros, because 'it's not that much' when talking about a new PC.
You know there are countries located in Europe, considered to be 'developed countries', found in the top 30 or so on the Human Development Index, GDP Per Capita in Purchasing Power Parity, and some other indexes, where the net minimum wage is still below 500€ (5).
So the advice 'don't buy 250€ PC, it's garbage, just spend another 550€' for millions of people is absurd.
Spending half of your monthly salary on a gaming PC (so a product mostly meant for entertainment) is already a tough sale. Spending 150% of your monthly salary for such a purpose - would be completely insane.
So is the only option to ignore International Children's Day, break off all contact with school friends who play Minecraft, ban Fortnite dances, and start living in the forest?
Fortunately, there is another way.
Before I move on to the option I recommend, I want to talk about the most popular "lifehack" for cheap new computers briefly.
Almost every tech website with recommended PC builds will say something along the lines of(6):
“You don't have money RIGHT NOW? No problem, we'll break this purchase down into two parts - today you can buy a Ryzen 5-5600G with integrated Vega 7, a solid motherboard, a strong power supply, a case with great airflow, multiple fans, an RGB hub, and everything.
You will pay a total of 450€ today, and in 3 months' time, when you have money again, you will spend another 450€ and put an RTX 4060 Ti into the build.
During these 3 months, you will somehow survive. You won't be able to enjoy most of the recent games - even Palworld (7) and Genshin Impact (8) would have to be run at 1128x634 resolution (so on a 24-inch monitor you could almost count the pixels with your fingers). And they wouldn't run at 60 FPS anyway - not even close (they barely exceed 30 FPS).
But it doesn't matter, you can play Minecraft and Skyrim for a while, and once your TEMPORARY problems with cash are over, you can put in this RTX graphics card, and the serious gaming will start.
Of course, there are people for whom such a strategy makes sense. But if someone is looking for the cheapest possible solution for a few years rather than a few weeks - they need to focus on the highest possible performance here and now, rather than on potential expansion in the future.
So what exactly is my recommendation? Shopping on AliExpress but in the AliExpress CHOICE section.
Without waiting for 90 days, and wondering - maybe the Chinese will send something, or maybe not. Maybe it will incur customs duties, or maybe not. Maybe it will arrive in perfect working order, or maybe not (and instead of a refund, the seller will offer a 1€ coupon).
On Aliexpress Choice, the experience is practically indistinguishable from shopping in Europe - 10-day delivery, free returns with no questions asked, no risk of any additional fees related to customs, and 3-month buyer protection provided in Europe (i.e. if something breaks within 90 days, we send it back to Europe, not to China, and this protection exits in addition to the Chinese warranty that still can be used later).
The question is whether these components are actually new. The answer is both yes and no.
Let's start with the fact that companies such as Soyo, MLLSE, Yeston, Colorful, and Huanan have been around for a long time, and they are NOT involved in this old scam where 'companies' sell graphics cards with fake stickers (the fraudsters take e.g. a GTX 650 and stick a GTX 1660 sticker on it, load it with a fake BIOS, and sell practically useless graphics card that crashes under every load)(9).
The "companies" involved in such a procedure are truly 'no-name'. And if they occasionally have any name, it's made-up nonsense, if you Google it nothing will come up. Naturally, they also avoid free returns and buyer protections like the plague (10).
What these actually existing companies do, is take the graphics core from an old card (most likely a used one, although cards based on the Polaris architecture, i.e. RX 500 series - RX 550, RX 580, and the like, are still produced today(11)).
Then they put it on a new board, where there is a new PCB, with new traces, new power delivery system, new VRAM, new heat sinks, new fans, new connectors, etc.
The situation is similar with motherboard combos for the X99 platform (i.e. high-end motherboards that can fit with the appropriate Intel Core i7 and Intel Xeon processors). There are only tiny differences between Xeons and i7s, and you can still game on all of them (12).
The chip and chipset i.e. the "heart" of the motherboard which is responsible for communication with the processor, and the rest of the components come from (most likely) used old motherboards.
Although, according to some manufacturers, the chipsets are also new (13), there is no way to verify this, and it seems very unlikely if you apply some common sense.
However, everything else - the PCB, the power delivery system, heat sinks, ports, and connectors - everything is new.
The motherboard comes in sealed packaging from the manufacturer, is covered by a full warranty, there is the right to a free return without providing any reason, etc.
Such motherboards are in a completely different league, than shady listings for used boards, with blurry photos and bent or broken pins, and transactions with hooded figures in public parking lots.
But if someone says that it is not technically 100% true that it is a completely "new" motherboard - formally, they will be correct.
Okay, let's finally get down to specifics, what exactly are the components that can be included in this entire set for 269€.
Graphics card – Soyo Radeon RX 580 8GB 2048 SP
The performance is very close to the "normal" RX 580. Usually much less than 10% - a few frames per second at most (14).
And it is worth remembering that the RX 580 8GB performs much better (especially in new games that require more than 4GB of VRAM) than the RX 6500 XT (15).
Sure, the RX 6500 XT is a card that's definitely not worth its price. BUT we pay less than half the price for the entire set, and we go only 1 tier of performance below the RX 6600.
And we are completely stomping over the (still much more expensive) graphics cards that are positioned even lower in the hierarchy, i.e. the RX 6400 and RX 6300.
Processor – Intel Xeon E5-2650 v4
Until recently, Xeons were associated with the fact that they required a lot of tinkering both in the BIOS and in software. Their power limits needed to be unlocked, their frequencies overclocked, their core voltages adjusted, and they consumed huge amounts of power and required massive cooling.
Fortunately, the latest trend for the X99 platform, i.e. Xeon v4 series, does not require all of that tinkering. You simply install the processor on the motherboard like in any other normal computer, and everything just works. Without any escapades into the BIOS.
Temperatures and power consumption are also under control - the TDP is 105W (still less than modern processors such as i5-12600K, non-overclocked and with locked power limits ) and the performance is completely acceptable - even with a much more powerful card like GTX 1080, still does very well well without any bottleneck (16).
Motherboard – ZSUS X99 P4
Because we don't need all the functions of undervolting, overclocking, providing upwards of 200 Watts of power, etc. - just a regular cheap X99 board, without any bells and whistles will be just fine. And there are still some nice surprises in this case - e.g. 4 slots for RAM if someone wants to expand it in the future.
RAM – 16 GB DDR4 2133 MHz
We need to remember that despite its phenomenal value for money, this is still far from a high-end gaming beast. More than 16 GB of RAM is currently not needed (17). In this PC, RAM is not "eaten" by the integrated graphics, nor does it require it to be in two sticks.
And if you need to buy more, you can always buy more.
Cooling - Iwongou 4 Heatpipe X99 RGB
Even if the manufacturer's assurances about the possibility of cooling processors with a TDP of 165W is a bit of a stretch, here we are working with a 105W processor. So everything will definitely be fine. Besides, it's not quantum physics that requires the latest western technology. There are 4 copper heat pipes, there is a large block of aluminum, and you don't need a secret ingredient X to maket it work. The processor will be cooled anyway.
It is VITAL that you select the LGA2011-X79-X99-E5 variant (otherwise it will not fit the holes on the motherboard). Of course, there is a free return no questions asked, but why stress and prolong the matter, it is better to spend 3 seconds to make sure you choose the correct variant.
SSD - ACOS Disco Duro 512 GB SATA III
Currently, this one the cheapest 0.5 TB SSD. But if Kingdian is the cheapest tomorrow and XrayDisk the day after tomorrow, they will also be good. Of course, the risk of POTENTIAL data loss is greater than on Crucial or Samsung SSDs that are twice as expensive. However, if you don't plan to keep NASA's secret plans, but instead just homework assignments (which are worth keeping on OneDrive or Google Drive anyway) and game saves (which are in the cloud anyway) - you don't have to buy "western" brands. This is a RISK, not a GUARANTEE of data loss. Personally, I have been using Kingdian as a system drive for 4 years and all members of my household are still alive.
Power supply - Aigo Warrior AK500 500W 80 Plus
The 80 Plus certificate (whether Gold or Platinum) does NOT indicate quality, it "only" checks energy efficiency. BUT it is also tested under 100% load (that includes White and Bronze certificates) - so someone loaded this PSU at 100% and they are still alive (both the testing engineer and the power supply itself). Besides, Aigo is not such a terrible brand, it is not on the blacklist (18), and it even sometimes appears on recommended and tier lists (19). It is clearly a step above all the "bombs" and no-name power supplies from all the videos warning about cheap PSUs.
PC case - Gembird Fornax 2500 ARGB
The only component that I recommend buying locally in Europe, instead of on AliExpress. In Poland and in Germany you can get it at X-Kom stores for 139.99 PLN / 32.90€. And in other countries it should be priced similarily.
The airflow is quite good (much better than in its predecessor - the Gembird Fornax 4000), and the 120 mm fan at the back is able to extract hot air without any obstructions (20).
In addition (which seems quite important in computers potentially as a Children's Day gift) there is a built-in ARGB HUB (controlled by a button on the PC case and powered by a SATA cable - so it does not require any "Premium" motherboard with additional ARGB support). It looks pretty decent, I think:
Monitor - Dell SE2222H
I also recommend buying the monitor locally in Europe. This Dell is nothing special, but at least it's a VA panel (and NOT the notorious TN panel - so even when viewed at an angle the colors are acceptable, and you can comfortably sit 2 people in front of this monitor). The response times are also not that bad FOR A 60 Hz monitor, i.e. 8 ms. It even has quite favorable reviews (21). And it is reasonably priced at 199 PLN on Polish Allegro / 47.90€ on German Idealo.
Of course, 100 or 120 Hz monitors are nice, but if every penny counts, nothing bad will happen when playing at 'only' 60 Hz (on Xbox Series S and Nintendo Switch, people play even at 30 FPS and they are still alive). There are even "cheap" gaming laptops such as the IdeaPad Gaming 3-15 with RTX 3050 that also have 60 Hz monitors (22).
Mouse and keyboard - Limeide GTX350
We are back at AliExpress, and it is vital that you choose a mouse and keyboard SET, because by default only the keyboard is selected. And the difference in price between just a keyboard and the combo is tiny (not even 1€). Of course, it's not a suitable combo for any e-sports world championships. But they are colorful, the keyboard lights up, the mouse lights up, you can write your homework essays on the keyboard, and you can aim with the mouse in Fortnite (people aim with Joy-Cons on Nintendo Switch, and type on keyboards on "cheap" gaming laptops that bend and flex so much that travel distance on shift key is about half of that on G key - and they are still alive).
And it's just a suggestion. It's cheap and acceptable, but you have all the right to get a better mouse and/or keyboard (either now, or when your financial condition improves).
Network card - Fenvi WiFi 5 BT+AC600
Ordinary cheap USB network card. But from a reasonably reputable manufacturer - Fenvi (23), so there is a good chance that it does not lie about its specifications. The most important thing is that it supports the 5 GHz band, so there is a good chance for smooth online gameplay.
Of course, a network cable is much better, but for some reason 99% of customers demand Wi-Fi - so that's fine. It's a cheap and tolerable Wi-Fi card.
And by the way, there is also Bluetooth, so the problem of headset is eliminated - at the beginning, you can use any cheap earbuds that you are using with your phone. And they will work just fine - you will also be able to hear everything on Spotify and shout at everyone on Discord.
So in terms of exact pricing it looks like this:
In total:
From AliExpress: 169.57+17.97=187.54 [USD] ~173 EUR
From Europe: 33.90+47.90=81.80 EUR
In total for the whole set: 173+82=255 EUR
Are there any hidden costs - e.g. cables?
Fortunately, there are no hidden costs associated with any cables - the motherboard comes with a SATA cable in the box (see photos in the comments under the AliExpress auction), and the monitor has a power cable and an HDMI cable included "for free" (see unboxing in the review in the sources).
The question remains whether you will be able to build the PC yourself. It's not rocket science, any adult who managed to pass the reading comprehension test at the end of primary school should be able to learn it.
BUT this does not mean that anyone is born with this knowledge, you still have to learn it. And if someone is a single mother working two jobs, they may not have time to read guides on how to do it.
If someone does have the time - I recommend the guide below, filmed from a point-of-view camera.
But if you don't have the time - you can still go to pretty much any 'computer repair' store and pay them 50€ to assemble it for you. Even when 50€ more expensive, it still offers great value for money compared to any pre-built PC.
You can also ask for assistance (paid assistance of course, either in alcohol or in cash) from your brother-in-law, cousin, neighbor, etc.
But remember - just because someone can insert appropriate shapes into appropriate slots by following the manuals, does not mean that you are entitled to their slave labor. So please show them your gratitude somehow.
Purchase reflinks:
Soyo RX 580 8GB 2048 SP
https://a.aliexpress.com/_Eyqkx1n
Zestaw ZSUS X99 P4 + Xeon E5-2650 V4 + 16 GB DDR4 2133 MHz
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_EwxrWWH
ACOS Disco Duro SSD 512 GB
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_EypsXFb
Aigo Warrior AK500 500W 80 Plus
https://a.aliexpress.com/_EuFxtWD
Iwongou 4 Heatpipe X99 RGB
https://a.aliexpress.com/_EIUAmaH
Limeide GTX350
https://a.aliexpress.com/_EwArQYZ
Fenvi WiFi 5 BT+AC600
https://a.aliexpress.com/_ExXNblR
Gembird Fornax 2500 ARGB
https://www.x-kom.pl/p/1184600-obudowa-do-komputera-gembird-fornax-2500-argb.html
Dell SE2222H
https://allegro.pl/oferta/monitor-led-dell-se2222h-21-5-1920-x-1080-px-va-15409052600?utm_medium=afiliacja&utm_source=ctr_2&utm_campaign=abb4c93d-f8b0-4b11-91c2-62c6a785964a&utm_content=1a15ccecb66e#
Sources:
- https://www.ppe.pl/publicystyka/211390/uwazajcie-na-gotowe-zestawy-komputerowe-z-allegro--oceniamy-wybrane-sprzety.html
- https://www.google.com/search?q=i5+2400+site%3Apl.webuy.com&sca_esv=8dd3a61b30900631&sca_upv=1&sxsrf=ACQVn0_pjTbRTGdjZzMGilOw7n-1bAGOLQ%3A1712258982957&ei=pv8OZt7VOcO1wPAPy7qg-AQ&ved=0ahUKEwjewMTjpamFAxXDGhAIHUsdCE8Q4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=i5+2400+site%3Apl.webuy.com&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiGWk1IDI0MDAgc2l0ZTpwbC53ZWJ1eS5jb21InyxQ5whYlitwAngAkAEBmAGXAaABvwmqAQQxNS4yuAEDyAEA-AEBmAIGoAKfA8ICCxAAGIAEGMsBGLADwgIFEAAYgATCAggQABiABBjLAcICBhAAGBYYHsICCBAAGBYYHhgPwgIFECEYoAGYAwCIBgGQBgGSBwMzLjOgB-MU&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#ip=1
- https://www.olx.pl/d/oferta/radeon-rx550-4-gb-od-powercolor-uzywany-CID99-IDZ6w2j.html
- https://www.komputerswiat.pl/artykuly/partnerskie/jaki-komputer-za-okolo-2000-zl-kupic-w-lutym-2024-oto-polecane-zestawy/4z474nq
- https://mycompanypolska.pl/artykul/ile-zarabiaja-nauczyciele-w-polsce-place-%22na-reke%22/9966
- https://geex.x-kom.pl/wiadomosci/wydajny-komputer-pod-rozbudowe-test-i-perspektywa-rozwoju/