I'm looking for a more powerful graphics card but my budget is tight. I saw some used RTX 4070 Super cards going for a pretty good price in marketplace groups, but I'm worried about buying without a warranty. Do you think it's safe or should I just stick with my current 1650?
I've already bought used parts that went wrong and used parts that lasted years, so I get the worry. With graphics cards specifically, the risk exists but it's way smaller than with other components. A GPU is basically a circuit that either works or doesn't work - it's not like a hard drive or battery that degrade gradually. If the card powered on fine when you tested it before buying, the chances of it lasting a long time are pretty high. The worst-case scenario is really arriving with a factory defect that you can't spot in a quick test, then you're stuck without warranty and that's a loss.
What I'd do in your place is demand to test the card in person before handing over the cash. Bring your PC or ask the seller to test it on theirs - run some benchmarks, play something, check the temps. Also ask if the card was used normally or if it was mining, because those that ran 24/7 on mining sometimes have accelerated degradation. Look for sellers with a good track record, positive comments in the group, that kind of thing. And if possible negotiate for a slightly lower price to make up for the lack of warranty - an RTX 4070 Super with a solid discount already makes up for the risk, but if the price is only marginally below new, better save up a bit more.
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