Written by Hammer PCs
Everyone assumes that new = better, which can be true in some cases, but for gaming desktop PCs, I’d completely disagree. New PCs — especially from bigger brands like Asus, Cyberpower, Corsair, and others — come with their own set of problems and disadvantages, and buying pre-owned or refurbished computers have a unique set of advantages that most people wouldn’t realize.
At Hammer PCs, I’ve built and sold 300+ custom refurbished gaming computers, so I know what holds up and what doesn’t. But it’s not just me who says that, you can take a look at my Jawa.gg storefront and see from my reviews that my customers love their computers and the performance that comes out of them. So why are refurbished computers a better buy 99% of the time compared to new offerings?
The debatably biggest and most obvious benefit to buying a used/refurbished machine is getting more bang for your buck, or in other words, more FPS per dollar. New computers use parts that are completely new and directly purchased from a manufacturer or retailer, which leads to higher prices. In fact, lots of people get discouraged by prebuilt prices because some of the cheapest offerings aren’t even in their budget! Tom’s Hardware’s recommended lineup of prebuilt computers for 2026 starts at the high price point of $1,049 and goes all the way up to $3,000+! For most of you reading this, seeing those price tags probably made you feel a little bit sick.
Check out this Asus ROG G700 lineup of prebuilts. The most inexpensive computer in this series (that includes a graphics card) is $1,049. For that price you get an Intel Core Ultra 5 265F processor, 16gb RAM, and an RTX 4060 graphics card. Compare that to this computer I recently sold on Jawa.gg for $1,149. My offering has an AMD Ryzen 5 7600, 16gb RAM, and an RTX 5060 Ti, while keeping the same amount of SSD space and the same wattage and 80+ gold rated PSU. For comparison, my computer has a slightly older CPU, but paired with a vastly more powerful 5060 Ti, it performs much better in gaming. The 5060 Ti is roughly 35-40% faster in games than the RTX 4060. Even being paired with a weaker CPU, my offering is definitely the better performer, and it’s not close.
2. Customization/Upgrade Flexibility
Prebuilt companies do not want you to be able to upgrade their computers. They make more money if you buy entirely new machines from them, rather than upgrade it yourselves. That’s why most prebuilt machines feature proprietary/OEM parts: parts that are exclusive to their own computers and cannot be easily upgraded or swapped. This includes, but is not limited to: locked down motherboards that don’t support XMP/EXPO on memory, power supplies with specific connectors, non-standard cases, specifically tuned GPUs, and more. Your upgrade options when using a prebuilt are extremely limited, if even possible at all.
Compare that to computers from Hammer PCs. Since I get all my hardware from other users or from regular retailers, every part used in my computers are standardized. You don’t need to worry about hyper-specific CPU compatibility, proprietary PSU connections, or strange CPU cooler mounting hardware. Every computer from Hammer PCs is easily upgradable, meaning you can upgrade your computer as you see fit, whether you want more performance or a different look.
3. It’s Better for the Environment
There’s been a big push in lots of people to want to be more environmental. I think it’s a great thing! It’s predicted that by 2030, disposal of e-waste will end up being around 82 MILLION tonnes. The crazy part? Roughly HALF of e-waste is still functional. That means that consumers are discarding fully functional and useable electronics. Media and social pressure has convinced an alarming amount of people that you shouldn’t be. Consumerism says that you need to have the newest phone, most recent computer, and any other trending electronics. I believe, though, that almost every consumer would be perfectly content with previous-generation hardware.
One of the main reasons I started Hammer PCs was to reduce e-waste. A heartbreaking amount of functional and incredible PC hardware gets thrown out every year, and if I can convince more people to save money and still get the performance they’re looking for by using older or lesser-known hardware, I will believe that my job has been done properly. It’s without debate that buying used/refurbished is better for the environment (plus you’ll be supporting a small business like me!)
4. Depreciation has Already Happened
One of the most common reasons that people don’t buy new cars is that they depreciate heavily the second you drive them off of the lot. Newsflash, though, this same thing happens with computers. Why would someone buy your lightly used second-hand computer when they could get a completely new one for barely any more money? And a new one comes with the guarantee from the seller, like a warranty.
By buying used, though, those depreciation costs have already been tanked. Many of my customers, when they feel that it’s time for an upgrade, can sell their computers for a very similar price to what they bought them for. Why? Because they already dodged the loss in value that comes from buying new. Once hardware isn’t new anymore, it loses a lot of its value, but actually holds it’s price fairly steadily for the next 3-5 years. Check out this Jawa.gg price tracker on the Nvidia RTX 4070. At the time of writing, this card has been consistently selling for $450-500 in the last 12 months, and hasn’t really dropped much in price. For planning for future finances, buying an computer that’s already been used or is refurbished is definitely the right call.
5. Tested and Validated Parts
This is definitely the most underrated aspect of buying used parts. Used parts have been vetted and consistently used, so they’re in good known working condition. Recently, Kobalt had to recall over 500,000 of their power tools due to a battery defect. This just shows that new items can still have defects, sometimes at large scales, and it happens in the PC hardware world too. For example, not too long ago, Gigabyte released a lineup of power supplies that literally exploded due to a tuning mishap.
Pre-owned hardware can actually be viewed as more reliable for reasons like this. Sure, you don’t have as long of a manufacturer warranty, if any, but this hardware has been tested and is confirmed to work well. You’d be surprised at how reliable computer hardware is once it dodges all the opportunities in manufacturing for some sort of defect in the manufacturing process. In my experience, I’ve gotten more DOA motherboards new than I have used, which is really saying something. Also in my experience, if hardware has been going strong for a few years, it will most likely keep going strong for many years to come. That’s why I am comfortable including a warranty and lifetime tech support with my computers.
At the end of the day, a new PC doesn’t get you better performance, but it does get you a higher price tag and someone else’s markup. Every machine at Hammer PCs is tested, validated, and priced to actually make sense for what you’re getting. The refurbished PC market is growing for a reason! If you’re ready to stop overpaying for for a box that says “new” on it while helping to save the environment and have peace of mind for what you’re getting, check out the builds that I currently have in stock, or get a custom PC consultation!
