If you’re anything like me, you’re probably at a bit of a loss whenever you make an upgrade to your PC. Right now I’m weighing up whether to buy a pair of 8GB DDR3 RAM modules, but then I’m not sure what to do with the two 4GB sticks they’ll be replacing. Lazy me will probably want to take them out and put them in the DDR4 memory’s case, ready to be forgotten about forever. Or until the next upgrade at least. But there are of course better ways to do things.
The obvious choice, and I’m guesing what most people opt for, is to the sell these components. Often this can help significantly offset the cost of an upgrade, part-funding the new components. The side benefit is that it means you don’t have an ever-expanding pile of old gaming trash in corner.
For the real tweakers there’s also a couple of alternative options. I know some like to find any means necessary to keep their old hardware in the rig, such as keeping that 60GB SSD kicking around just in case you run out of space. Then there’s the other option - offsetting your old parts into an entirely new rig. It’ll be running a few years behind the curve, sure, but it could be perfect for building a cheap living room setup or for some old-school gaming in a different room to your main build.
I know plenty of you are buying PC upgrades all the time, so what are you doing with all the tech you’ve got kicking about as a result? Do you fold it into a new build? Are you a hoarder? Do you just bung your old parts in the trash? Let us know!
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Depending on the parts, usually I keep it under a box, for more fun later. Scavenging scrap motherboards that are still working is very fun.
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give to a friend
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Turn the PC into a Server Computer
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I actually only clicked because I saw Monkey Island. ɛ Dominico Armato 9I spelled that wrong, didn't I?)
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Build a PC out of spare parts of course! Then use it as an HTPC/Sell it for cheap/ Give away (Like what I'm currently doing for my PC-Less best friend.(I'll teach her how to use Linux too!)
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Sell them with profit. Thats what I do with my spare parts.
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I put them under my bed. Into a box, of course.
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Whoa! Is this for real?? Well,I don't keep spare components, I either sell them or donate them. Yes, DONATE.
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OH YES DONATE Donate donate.....!
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Yeah! DONATE DONATE donate donate DOnaTE. :p
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I find old cases and put together a bunch of low end builds with spare parts.
usually give them to someone in need of a machine or make another PC for Linux practice.
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I keep them in their boxes. I have spare parts that could replace the damaged ones in my main rig.
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I sell the most expensive components to help fund/ justify the purchase of a new videocard.
smaller items like gaming mouses, keyboards I keep. Easy for taking to a LAN party or such.
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Usually sell them, or give them away when they're useful to someone
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My old 980Ti is used as a folding card for folding@home. :=)
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Old 980TI :D
Some people are begging for a card like that lol
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Haha. It's my LAN machine. Got an I5 4670K there as well. Good for 1080P gaming.
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Your Rig is delicious. .-. That is one expensive processor.
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Thanks buddy!
Yeah. Pretty happy with it. Currently running 4600 (1.290V) on the CPU and 2088 mhz (at 0.975V) on my GPU. :-D
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Honestly, what do you think about waiting for a 1080ti? Or the next generation of AMD Fury? I'm on the fence about what to upgrade to. >.<
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1080Ti is not likely to even come out, and if so it's probably gonna be around 999 USD.
I would do what fits your wallet the best. Your current GPU is pretty good.
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That's what I figured about Nvidia. I have to honestly wait until 2017 to upgrade smart, when (hopefully) Zen arrives on the market. Then, I will decide what GPU solution I'll go with. I really don't want to blow my wallet on something like the new Titans. >.<
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Sounds smart!
Perhaps Vega or Volta will make beast GPUs! :-D
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I shove them in the spare PCI Express ports. Never know when you don't need something. Which you most likely don't. XD
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My spare pc components are exactly that.
Spare components.
In case Lady Fortune decides she's not in a good mood and screws with me.
Not much though, not like I've got a spare mobo or cpu lying around.
But I do have a couple of RAM modules left over, a couple of HDDs and lots of wires. Enough to keep me going should the ones that I have now fail.
If I upgrade my GPU, I sell the old ones. No point in keeping one as a spare in my opinion. Might as well sell it as soon as you can when you've already made the upgrade and get some value for it.
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I don't know about you, but I'm happy both my siblings for being gamers, keeping my old 660 made my younger brother's build about $200 cheaper.
Here's some of what I have laying around:
AMD FX 6350 (with compatible motherboard)
2x 350GB 2.5" HDD (700GB Total)
I'll be building a budget build for my older brother who wants to get into PC gaming. Thinking about getting the RX 470 for him.
So it'll be $412 for everything/the OS, PSU(550w), Case, and RAM(16gb DDR3).
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Knowing my younger brother he'd rather set light to his rig than accept hand-me-downs from his older brother :p
Plus, he's got a better rig than I do, so screw him :D
But you're right, ever since my wife started gaming as well I'd sooner put this 980 in her rig when I upgrade, and then just try to sell the 950 she has now.
It'll be good rig for your brother to start with. Nothing too fancy, just to see if he takes to gaming or no. Cool that you can do it with that budget, having spare parts around :)
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I make backup rigs so if any buddies come to my place we can play some LAN Games
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I have an Alienware 18 with 980M SLI, 32GB DDR3 and an i7-4930MX that I don't know what to do with... Thinking I should probably connect it to my 4K TV and maybe use it as an emulator machine..?
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I'd use it as HTPC with TV :))
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Already use my Surface Pro 3 with KODI for that :D
Somehow don't see the point in using such powerful hardware for just movies when even a raspberry pi can double as a HTPC :D
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Gave 'em away to friends. Join the PC MA... Just play games.
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I sold my old 650ti to a friend of mine for about $40. I still have an extremely old Radeon X850 sitting on my desk though, as well as what's left of the computer it went in in my closet.
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i do this.. http://imgur.com/f3P8KqM
this entire thing cost me about £6.