What do you do with your old PC parts?

[Deleted]

Including premade PCs, laptops, smartphones..?

It's soon time to upgrade and I have no idea what to do with my old parts. If they were really outdated and worthless, I'd just throw them into garbage but I don't think I5 2500k and 24" monitors etc. are quite there yet. so what do you guys usually do with them? Throw them away, try to sell them(is it worth it and how much of a hassle is it?), store them in your attic?

[Deleted]

I put them on a little bark raft, set it on fire and push it out into the lake so that when I reach Valhalla all of my past computer incarnations will be there waiting for me.

How barbaric:P

[Tzalix]

I keep them around. I have a hard time throwing stuff away. My closet is filled with components.

[Deleted]

I keep them around. I have a hard time throwing stuff away. My closet is filled with components.

Yea me too.. if they're still useful and functional. But Id never use them again.. they'd become antiquated in a few years and completely useless and then I might as well throw them away anyway.

[Crieve]

If my components can be reused, I've built old machines or upgraded older machines to utilize the newly available parts. My computer from 5 years ago is still better than my mom's "Best Buy" computer she bought last week.

[Gheld]

I keep them in a box. Sometimes they come in handy. Like if a friend's having computer problems "hey it's your video card... just let me reach into this box here..."

[chazus]

An i5-2500K, I'd definitely sell it. Worth some money. Really really old stuff, I either donate it as a full system to someone or a friend... REALLY old parts (Pentium D or older) I send to a guy on Etsy who makes artwork and models out of computer parts. Largely motherboards/cards/ram and the like.

I used to try and sell EVERYTHING (Pentium 4 stuff) for like $5-$10) on craiglist and ebay, and it was just too much work for small amounts of money, it just wasnt worth the time. Usually I only sell stuff if it's worth $50 or more.

[Deleted]

If my components can be reused, I've built old machines or upgraded older machines to utilize the newly available parts. My computer from 5 years ago is still better than my mom's "Best Buy" computer she bought last week.

Yea but why do you need if you have a better, newer one. Just turn it on for nostalgic reasons from time to time? I mean if it just sits in some corner and collects dusts, it's still useless clutter and old PCs aren't very decorative either.

[Faesroll]

I usually only replace stuff when it's broke so I throw it with the garbage.

[Deleted]

I usually put them in a box and keep them for a whole while. On the off chance that I need them later.
After that, I dispose of them.

[Deleted]

An i5-2500K, I'd definitely sell it. Worth some money. Really really old stuff, I either donate it as a full system to someone or a friend... REALLY old parts (Pentium D or older) I send to a guy on Etsy who makes artwork and models out of computer parts. Largely motherboards/cards/ram and the like.

I used to try and sell EVERYTHING (Pentium 4 stuff) for like $5-$10) on craiglist and ebay, and it was just too much work for small amounts of money, it just wasnt worth the time. Usually I only sell stuff if it's worth $50 or more.

So sell them really cheap huh? Don't think people would pay anything close to the full store price.

[cFortyfive]

I buy new stuff very regularly and sell my old system parts on a forum marketplace. Doesn't cost anything to put it there and it's really no effort.

[zealo]

I keep things i no longer have a use for at the moment in ESD plastic bags for future use like in low powered htpc media machines, things really old gets thrown out.

Try to sell the 2500k if you don't need it, still a very decent cpu, if you can give them the motherboard as a package its probably a fairly attractive deal.

[Deleted]

I keep things i no longer have a use for at the moment in ESD plastic bags for future use like in low powered htpc media machines, things really old gets thrown out.

Try to sell the 2500k if you don't need it, still a very decent cpu, if you can give them the motherboard as a package its probably a fairly attractive deal.

Yep, motherboard, GPU.. I've never tried selling anything before though, do you usually mail them the item and what if it breaks and they ask for money back?

[Ave07]

Box it up and put it in the shelf in case of emergencies.

Recently my vcard died and fortunately I had my old card.

[Crieve]

Yea but why do you need if you have a better, newer one. Just turn it on for nostalgic reasons from time to time? I mean if it just sits in some corner and collects dusts, it's still useless clutter and old PCs aren't very decorative either.

I host a Minecraft server on my old computer. Just because you have a newer computer doesn't mean you have to get rid of the old one entirely. And it works great if I ever host LAN parties at my house... I use it for hosting local games also. Guests also don't need to use my power house when they want to check their email, they can use that one instead.

[Deleted]

If you can, please try to recycle them.

There are a lot of things that go into computer componants that come from less-than-reputable sources.

"The three T's and Gold" - Tantalum, Tin, Tungsten and Gold, all of which are used in computers and electronics such as phones, and often they come from conflict-ridden areas using slaves to mine them, and child soldiers to guard the mines. The money then goes back into some warlord's pocket and finances further violence.

Tantalum is used in capacitors, tin is used in solder for circuitboards, gold is used in all sorts because of it's conductivity, and tungsten in the vibrate-y part of vibrating phones etc.

The whole thing is similar to the whole "blood diamond" craze that swept the western world after that movie came out, the one about leonardo dicaprio not getting an oscar in sierra leone, just it doesn't have the same kind of press that diamonds do. Since the shit is already out of the ground now and some of your componants will have things in them that come from really not-so-reputable sources, please try to find somewhere where you can recycle them so that more doesn't have to be bought and dug up.

I know recycling is a drag, and I'm not the best for it myself, we don't even have recycling bins at my house, but for things like this, make an effort please! please please please!

This goes for anything electronic. PC parts, phones, the works.

[zealo]

Yep, motherboard, GPU.. I've never tried selling anything before though, do you usually mail them the item and what if it breaks and they ask for money back?

I'm not an American so I have no understanding how the US postal service works but over here the general guideline is that package sent by mail should be packed well enough to be able to survive a 1 meter/~ 3 foot fall during transport and still come out fine on the other end, so packing well is essential. Use bubble wrap inside and pack tightly so these things cannot move around inside.

Who's responsible if it breaks during transport over there i do not know

[Gheld]

If you can, please try to recycle them.

There are a lot of things that go into computer componants that come from less-than-reputable sources.

"The three T's and Gold" - Tantalum, Tin, Tungsten and Gold, all of which are used in computers and electronics such as phones, and often they come from conflict-ridden areas using slaves to mine them, and child soldiers to guard the mines. The money then goes back into some warlord's pocket and finances further violence.

Tantalum is used in capacitors, tin is used in solder for circuitboards, gold is used in all sorts because of it's conductivity, and tungsten in the vibrate-y part of vibrating phones etc.

The whole thing is similar to the whole "blood diamond" craze that swept the western world after that movie came out, the one about leonardo dicaprio not getting an oscar in sierra leone, just it doesn't have the same kind of press that diamonds do. Since the shit is already out of the ground now and some of your componants will have things in them that come from really not-so-reputable sources, please try to find somewhere where you can recycle them so that more doesn't have to be bought and dug up.

I know recycling is a drag, and I'm not the best for it myself, we don't even have recycling bins at my house, but for things like this, make an effort please! please please please!

This goes for anything electronic. PC parts, phones, the works.

I fully support your push for fair trade computer components! However gold is used for it's inertness. It's conductivity is actually lower than silver and copper. However silver and copper are fairly reactive and thus tarnish whereas in atmospheric conditions gold is more-or-less inert. So gold plating is often used over sensitive contact points where consistency is important; however if you are going for maximum conductivity usually silver is your metal.

[Deleted]

I fully support your push for fair trade computer components! However gold is used for it's inertness. It's conductivity is actually lower than silver and copper. However silver and copper are fairly reactive and thus tarnish whereas in atmospheric conditions gold is more-or-less inert. So gold plating is often used over sensitive contact points where consistency is important; however if you are going for maximum conductivity usually silver is your metal.

my bad! Thank you for the correction! ALSO GET OFF MY DICK I CAN USE GOLD FOR CONDUCTIVITY IF I WANT FUCK YOUUUUU