The Shocking Tactics Crypto Miners Use To Sell Ruined Graphics Cards And How To Spot Them

A worrying new trend has been discovered that reveals the extreme lengths crypto miners are going to sell graphics cards or their components that have been used for mining.

Modified memory modules and discolored components are giveaways that a graphics card has had a hard … [+] life

Iskandar Souza / Paulo Gomes

YouTuber Iskandar Souza and computer technician Paulo Gomes have discovered extreme ways graphics cards are being modified so they fetch higher prices or even enable them to be sold as new. Underneath, this hardware has suffered a tough life running at extreme temperatures for long periods of time mining cryto currencies – not exactly what you want from a new graphics card.

In a recent video, (via Videocardz) the pair investigated hardware purchased for lower than average prices from Chinese outlets available online. What they discovered were discolored GPU cores and memory modules – a yellowish tinge being a sign these components have run at very high temperatures for extended periods.

Discoloration is an obvious symptom of well-used components that are anything but new

ISKANDAR SOUZA / PAULO GOMES

Shockingly, the memory modules, which are often under considerable load when mining, have been painted over to make them appear newer while others appear to have manufacturing dates obscured. This could point to memory chips from older cards used for mining being transplanted onto new graphics cards.

Memory modules were discovered with paint obscuring the text that usually states the manufacturer … [+] and date.

ISKANDAR SOUZA / PAULO GOMES

Two years ago you’d have been hard pressed to buy some new graphics card models and those available demanded huge premiums. The reason? In part, crypto miners were snapping up cards to mine coins such as ethereum. Now that the mining craze is over, these cards and their components are hitting auction sites in vast numbers due to cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum no longer being minable or simply being unprofitable.

These graphics cards may work when purchased, but the components may not have a particularly long lifespan and could even have issues with stability under high loads such as intensive games or content creation.

The best way to avoid being a victim is to buy from reputable retailers and avoid anything that seems too good to be true. That’s easy to say given how expensive graphics cards have been for the last few years, but if you’re spending your hard-earned cash on a graphics card, spending a little more to ensure what you’re getting is new is good advice.

The trouble is, if you do buy a new graphics card, then removing the cooler to view the memory chips and core will likely void your warranty. There are other tips you can use follow to check your graphics card, though, such as looking for scratches on the screws that hold it together and the lack of warranty stickers – sure signs it’s been dismantled.

Avoiding older models is also a good idea – an AMD RX 7000-series card or Nvidia 4000-series model will have been manufactured recently and be less likely to have mixed up in the shady world of post crypto mining graphics card sales.