PSA: Discolored reminiscence chips are a commonplace signal indicating closely used graphics playing cards, most likely former mining playing cards. Fresh proof suggests some resellers are seeking to lie to shoppers through portray over the reminiscence. The paint comes off reasonably simply for the ones analyzing the used GPUs.
Two Brazilian YouTube channels have exposed indicators that crypto miners are seeking to promote used graphics playing cards through passing them off as extra calmly used than they’re. A shocking new tactic is to cover indicators of damage at the GDDR reminiscence.
When a GPU has been below heavy load for prolonged classes, reminiscent of for mining cryptocurrency, the warmth may give the reminiscence chips a yellow tint. Iskandar Souza (beneath) and TecLab lately posted movies inspecting playing cards showing to have paint on the ones chips. Scraping off the paint published discoloration. Souza’s record compares a recent GPU with one that includes disguised put on and tear.
The previous couple of years have set the degree for such schemes within the graphics card marketplace. Miners are seeking to offload the GPUs from their rigs that misplaced profitability after the crypto iciness and Ethereum Merge closing 12 months. Despite the fact that the mining drop-off has progressed costs in contemporary months, many playing cards nonetheless combat to achieve their MSRP.
On this surroundings, offers on used GPUs are most probably nonetheless sexy to many potential shoppers. The ones patrons most probably wish to keep away from playing cards from crypto mines which can be extra worn than maximum.
Heavy use and service efforts additionally go away marks on different portions of GPUs, as Souza’s video displays. Discoloration round and scratches at the card’s central processor would possibly point out the vendor attempted to resolder it, as an example. Lacking screws may just counsel any person opened a graphics card to hide up strains of mining use.
Final 12 months, we reported on a video appearing a miner seeking to get ready GPUs for resale through blasting a rack of them with a power washing machine — a extremely unadvisable means. Now not simplest can untreated water injury graphics card elements, however so can the pressure of the power washing machine.
All refurbished GPUs don’t seem to be dangerous, on the other hand. Consumers simply want to watch out when purchasing from third-party dealers on main websites like Newegg and Amazon. The most secure option to get refurbs is most likely immediately from the shops of board companions like PNY and EVGA (pictured above).
https://www.techspot.com/information/97387-gpu-miners-trickery-watch-out-painted-memory-used.html
