I'm thinking about purchasing a used Corsair RM850e power supply from someone who used it in a gaming setup with an i7-14700KF and an RTX 4070 Ti Super. She mentioned that she upgraded because she needed something more powerful. The PSU is around a year old, includes the original box, all the cables, and a receipt from Komplett. There's some dust around the modular ports, but it generally looks clean. Since it's the RM850e model, I believe it comes with a 7-year warranty from Corsair, and I assume the receipt would still apply. I'll be using it with an i5-12400F and an RTX 3060, which should put less load on it. Do you think this is a safe purchase, or is it best to steer clear of second-hand power supplies even if they're from reputable brands like Corsair? Also, what kind of checks or tests should I perform before installing it? Thanks!
3 Answers
I’d recommend considering a Corsair RMx model instead; it tends to be better. The RM-e model sometimes has coil whine issues, so just a heads up if that bothers you.
Personally, I wouldn't purchase a used PSU unless the seller can demonstrate that it's working under load. If they can show that, then maybe go for it. Otherwise, buying from a shop gives you some protection. It seems a bit suspicious that they upgraded for a "stronger" PSU since this one is more than capable of handling their hardware. Also, keep in mind that warranties usually aren't transferable, even with the original receipt, so I wouldn't rely too much on that. By the way, if you're talking about $80 for it, I'd say that's a definite no for me. Maybe consider it if it were around $40 or $50 instead.
If the price is right, buying a used PSU can be just fine! Just make sure it’s a good deal.
Are you looking to get it for around $80?
I'm okay with the price, but is it really a bad idea to buy it used?