A component does not confess its entire history when you plug it in. A clean graphics card can fail after it warms up; a scratched one can behave perfectly. That is why GPUsed treats identity, physical condition and working behaviour as separate questions.
Our testing is designed around the part and the fault it could plausibly hide. Graphics cards receive the most structured process. CPUs, RAM, storage, motherboards and power supplies need different evidence - not a ceremonial twelve-hour benchmark applied to everything with a circuit board.
From parcel to product listing
- Identify it. We check the manufacturer, exact model, capacity or memory, and the details reported by suitable software.
- Inspect it. We look for damaged connectors, ports, pins, fans, sockets, corrosion, missing pieces and repairs or modifications that need explaining.
- Exercise it. We use tests suited to the component, looking for stable behaviour, sensible detection and faults that appear only under load.
- Describe it. Testing tells us how it behaved; grading and photographs explain its visible condition. Those are related, but not interchangeable.
The graphics-card test bench
GPUsed graphics cards are checked with a one-hour FurMark temperature test, two Unigine benchmark runs, a GPU-Z legitimacy check and a visual inspection. The combination matters more than any one screenshot.
GPU-Z: does the electronic identity make sense?
We check the reported GPU, memory and board information for mismatches or suspicious details. Software identification supports the physical labels and card design; it does not, by itself, prove the card’s history or condition.
Unigine: can it render consistently?
Two runs give us a repeatable graphics workload and a chance to spot crashes, obvious visual corruption or performance that does not fit the card. A single successful launch is not much of an alibi.
FurMark: what happens after the easy first minutes?
The sustained one-hour temperature test lets the cooler, fans and power behaviour settle. We watch for instability, excessive or unusual thermal behaviour and problems that arrive only after the card is fully warm.
Visual inspection: what software cannot see
We inspect the cooler, fans, ports, PCB areas that are safely visible, screws, labels and connectors. Marks may change a grade without affecting performance; corrosion, broken ports or poor repair work are different matters.
Five common stories the checks are trying to disprove
- “It reaches the desktop, so it works.”
- A fault may appear only under graphics load or after heat has built up.
- “The shroud says the right model.”
- Physical branding, labels and software-reported identity should tell one coherent story.
- “The temperature is a number, therefore it is fine.”
- Sensor type, workload, room temperature, fan behaviour and the exact model all provide context.
- “A replacement fan means an upgrade.”
- It may be a perfectly good repair, but fit, speed control, noise, workmanship and disclosure still matter.
- “Cosmetic wear means poor performance.”
- A scratch and an unstable memory subsystem are not the same kind of defect. This is why grading and testing remain separate.
How the other components earn a pass
The exact test can vary with model, value, stated fault and what is technically sensible. The aim is consistent evidence, not theatrical duration.
CPUs
We check identity, pins or contact condition, socket fit where applicable, boot behaviour and practical stability. Suitable work can include BIOS or CPU-Z identification and a short Cinebench or OCCT load test.
RAM
We check capacity, speed, detection, whether modules form the stated kit, physical condition and stability. BIOS detection and MemTest-style checks are used where appropriate.
SSDs and hard drives
We check the model, capacity, detection, SMART or health information where available, errors and basic read/write behaviour. Mechanical drives also need attention to noise and age. A clean health screen is useful evidence, not a guarantee of remaining life.
Motherboards
We inspect the socket and board, then check POST, BIOS access, memory and PCIe slots, storage detection and relevant ports. Missing I/O shields, Wi-Fi antennas or M.2 screws can affect completeness even when the board works.
Power supplies
Power supplies are handled cautiously. We check identity, wattage, cable completeness, external condition, fan behaviour and whether the unit remains suitable for resale. An unknown modular cable is not made safe by fitting the socket, and we do not open PSUs.
What a pass means - and what it cannot promise
A pass means the component behaved correctly during the checks we performed and matched the condition described. It cannot predict every future electronic fault. Used storage still needs backups; a graphics card may age; a component can also be damaged after testing by poor installation, an incompatible cable or transit.
Read the individual listing for the exact item, photographs, grade and included parts. Our graphics-card grading guide explains cosmetic condition, while the checks above explain operation. If a delivered item develops a problem, contact GPUsed with your order number and consult the current 30-day returns policy.
Choose the evidence that fits the part
The sensible question is not “How many hours was every component tested?” It is “Did the process give this component a fair chance to reveal the faults that matter?” That is the standard we use before hardware is offered for resale.
Shop tested used technology or send GPUsed details of hardware you want to sell.