In the Cryptocurrency Era, Approach Used GPUs With Caution
In the Cryptocurrency Era, Approach Used GPUs With Caution
We've written a number of articles on the current lousy state of the GPU market and what you tin can practically practise about it, ranging from optimization guides for existing cards to whether AMD's Ryzen five 2400G can serve as a plausible low-end gaming solution to tide you lot over if yous need a new card. But there's another option bachelor — the used GPU market. Does it provide a reasonable culling?
The short answer is: Maybe. But you're going to want to be extremely careful before yous pull the trigger.
The problem with buying a used GPU off an unknown seller is that you've got no idea what the card'due south operating conditions were. While this has always been true, cryptocurrency mining puts unique stresses on GPUs compared with conventional gaming.
First, cryptocurrency miners typically run 24/vii, while virtually gaming GPUs don't. Gamers also tend to empathise and prioritize skillful cooling, while cryptocurrency miners tend to maximize performance first and worry about cooling afterwards. Four GPUs that are perfectly capable of cooling themselves individually can run extremely hot when put loaded into a chassis at the same time. GPU miners may also accept overclocked a GPU or tweaked its voltage for stability. While this is besides a gamble when buying a used gaming card, once more, we're talking about the difference between 24/7 operation and occasional utilize.
eBay offers certain protections to guard against being sold defective equipment. But just considering hardware works the twenty-four hour period you receive it doesn't mean it won't fail in a calendar month or 2, or brandish erratic crashes when loaded in a very specific way. Nosotros recommend buyers looking for a used carte prioritize owners who specifically state that the GPU has non been overclocked or used for cryptocurrency mining.
Still, this advice relies on the original possessor being honest. What tin can nosotros do to avert relying on the owner's honesty?
Simple: We can test the menu. Merely in lodge for the tests to be constructive as diagnostic criteria, yous'll need to test your current GPU first.
It's mutual to come across people recommend benchmarks like Furmark for GPU stress testing, but I'one thousand going to disagree with that assessment. AMD and Nvidia both browse for thermal viruses like Furmark and typically prevent them from pushing GPUs as hard as possible. Instead, I'm going to recommend yous run your tests in games you already own, either by looping congenital-in benchmarks or with play-through tests.
The following slide show is from our RX 580 versus GTX 1060 test. Of the games listed, all of them except for Doom have built-in criterion modes. One game, Metro Last Light / Metro Last Lite Redux has a criterion yous tin loop for n number of tries.
To start this process, you'll desire to download the same driver you'll use for your new card (this does assume that your current GPU if still compatible with modernistic driver releases — if it isn't, omit the initial driver removal and reinstallation steps on your current GPU). Uninstall your old driver and and so run a utility like DDU (Brandish Driver Uninstaller) from inside Windows Safe Mode to absolutely remove all trace of a previous driver install. Next, install the new commuter from a standard boot of Windows. With the new driver in place, fire up your game or benchmark of choice and start playing. Loop tests or game for 15-30 minutes, and make sure yous test more than than one title. It'southward absolutely possible for a dodgy carte du jour to be stable in five titles and desperately unstable in the 6th, and so you'll desire to exam a selection of games.
What nosotros're doing hither is establishing a baseline for system stability. When you receive your used carte du jour, uninstall your GPU driver using the instructions higher up and reinstall information technology alongside the new card. Run the same benchmarks and gaming checks over again. If your "new" card is stable and your PSU is accordingly specced for your GPU, you can be reasonably confident that the card will perform properly thereafter. This process doesn't eliminate the adventure of a longer-term failure, just information technology does offer a examination sequence y'all can perform fairly quickly to ensure a GPU isn't cleaved out of the box.
Also, e'er brand sure to bank check current used prices against current new prices. With the speed at which GPU pricing tin change these days, that's the just way to brand sure you won't end up paying more than for a used card than a new one. Also, tip of the chapeau to Tom'southward Hardware, which has some boosted tips on evaluating whether a GPU is safe for purchase.
Source: https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/264692-cryptocurrency-era-approach-used-gpus-caution
Posted by: brunsmurdelize.blogspot.com
0 Response to "In the Cryptocurrency Era, Approach Used GPUs With Caution"
Post a Comment