I live in Germany and am putting together a budget PC for 1080p gaming and game development using Unity and VS Code. A new 512GB SSD costs around €85, while a new 1TB model is about €130. I can also find used 1TB SSDs for roughly €95–€100. Is the extra capacity worth paying for, and what are the risks or warning signs when buying an SSD secondhand?
4 Answers
I would avoid the used SSD unless the savings are significant and the seller offers a reliable return period. You usually cannot tell how heavily it was used or how much remaining endurance it has. If you do buy one, check its model, total power-on hours, total data written, remaining health, and SMART status with a tool such as CrystalDiskInfo. Also test it immediately and make sure the seller accepts returns.
If you can manage the extra €45, the new 1TB SSD makes the most sense. Games, Unity projects, development tools, and the operating system can fill 512GB surprisingly quickly. A 512GB drive can work if you regularly uninstall games or add a cheap hard drive for files you are not actively using, but 1TB will be much more convenient.
A used SSD can be fine if it came from a lightly used system, but there is no way to know that from appearance alone. Check the drive's health and write history, look for errors, and do not use it as the only place for important projects. Given that a new 1TB drive is only about €30–€35 more than a new 512GB model, buying new is probably the better value here.
For gaming alone, 512GB is usable as long as you rotate through games. For game development and other creative work, though, 1TB gives you much more breathing room and avoids constantly moving projects around. Try to keep some free space on the SSD rather than filling it completely.
A return policy makes a used drive less risky, but it still does not guarantee a long remaining lifespan. I would only consider one with clear health information and a trustworthy seller.