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A used gaming PC can save you hundreds of euro, but sellers sometimes list better parts than are inside, and some machines run hot or crash under load. Ask to see it running, verify each component in software, run a stress test for at least 15 minutes and look inside the case before you hand over money.
Ask the seller for the exact parts list: processor, graphics card model, motherboard, RAM amount and speed, storage, power supply brand and wattage, and case. Look the parts up to check the price makes sense. A listing that says RTX graphics without a model, or i7 without a generation, is too vague.
Ask whether the PC can be tested on arrival with a monitor, keyboard and mouse. A seller who refuses a test or wants to meet in a car park with a PC you cannot plug in is a reason to walk away. Bring a USB stick with portable tools such as CPU-Z, GPU-Z and HWiNFO.
Open Task Manager, Performance, to see the processor, RAM and GPU. Then run CPU-Z for the CPU, motherboard and memory, and GPU-Z for the graphics card. GPU-Z also shows memory size and whether the card's details match the model name.
Compare everything with the parts list. Common tricks are an RTX 3060 sold as a 3070, 8 GB of RAM where 16 was promised, or a small SSD with a big slow hard drive listed as total storage.
Idle PCs rarely show problems. Put load on it while you watch temperatures in HWiNFO.
With the power off, open the side panel. Heavy dust means poor maintenance and probably higher temperatures. Look at the power supply label: a known brand with an 80 Plus rating and enough wattage for the GPU matters, because a cheap unbranded PSU is the part most likely to fail and take other parts with it.
Check that the graphics card is properly supported and not sagging badly, cables are connected firmly, and there are no burn marks on the GPU power connector. That last point matters especially on high end cards with the newer 12-pin style connector.
Graphics cards used for cryptocurrency mining are not automatically bad, since many were run undervolted in steady conditions, but fans and thermal pads may be worn. Ask directly how the PC was used and price in fan replacement if the card is loud.
Check whether Windows is activated (Settings, System, Activation). An unactivated copy means you will need to buy a licence. Ask the seller to reset Windows or plan to do a clean install yourself, since you do not know what software was installed.
Buy for the resolution you play at. A PC with an RTX 4060 or RX 7600 is good for 1080p, an RTX 4070 class card handles 1440p, and 4K needs much more. If you are browsing many listings, vindje.com can filter on details like an RTX 4070 or better, at least 32 GB RAM and a known brand power supply within 30 km, which saves opening every ad.
| Item | Typical asking price |
|---|---|
| Entry PC: GTX 1660 or RX 6600, Ryzen 5 3600 | EUR 300-450 |
| RTX 3060 or RTX 4060 with Ryzen 5 5600 | EUR 500-750 |
| RTX 3070, 4060 Ti or RX 6700 XT build | EUR 650-900 |
| RTX 4070 Super with Ryzen 7 7800X3D | EUR 1100-1500 |
| RTX 4080 class build | EUR 1500-2200 |
Rough Marktplaats asking prices in the Netherlands. Condition, age and season move them a lot.
Describe what you want in your own words and vindje.com searches Marktplaats in Dutch, then reads every listing and keeps only the real matches. For example:
Gaming PC with RTX 4070 or better, Ryzen 7 or i7, 32 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD, branded power supply, seller lets me test it, under 1300 euro, within 30 kmSearch Marktplaats like this
Open Task Manager, Performance, or run GPU-Z. Both show the exact card and memory size, which you can compare with the listing.
Under full load, most GPUs should stay below about 85 degrees and most CPUs below about 90. Higher than that, or crashes during a stress test, point to cooling problems.
Often it is fine, but fans and thermal pads may be worn. Test it under load and expect to replace fans on a noisy card.
A complete used PC is often cheaper than the parts separately, especially with an older generation GPU. Building gives you more control and new warranties.