Used PC builds: What are they worth?

I was wondering if you might consider breaking down the price by individual component, just in case I find myself needing to offload everything piece by piece later on.

rapidpuma59 said:What’s a realistic asking price for this setup?

Motherboard: AsRock N68C-S UCC
CPU: AMD Athlon (tm) X2 Dual Core Processor BE 2300
RAM: DDR 2 4Gb

The board might fetch you maybe $200. The processor—well, maybe $33, but don't hold your breath—and the RAM could go for $200.

Much appreciated.

Hey guys, I was wondering what kind of price tag I could realistically aim for with this old setup... it's about 5 years old now and doesn't have an HDD included:
CPU: AMD X2 6000
RAM: 3.5GB DDR2 (mix of 512MB, 1GB 667, and 2GB) from TakeMS/G.Skill
Motherboard: ALiveSATA2-GLAN
GPU: Sapphire HD 5670 512MB DDR 5 (plus I'll throw in an Nvidia GF 7600 GS for free if someone wants it)
LG DVD+-Rw 16x-pata
Case and PSU: Generic 400w
Monitor: Samsung Syncmaster 940 n 19"

CPU - $250
RAM - roughly $33/GB
Motherboard - $200
GPU - $300-$350
Monitor - $350

That’s about $500 if you're eyeballing it. Honestly, my advice? Just grab a cheap SATA drive for $33 and get the whole rig running—even just enough to look functional. It’ll be way easier to offload the thing once it actually boots up.

Is there anything quite as nostalgic as looking back at the hardware that once defined our computing experiences? I find myself reflecting on the Intel Core 2 duo E7200 2.5, a processor that truly held its own during its era. It was a reliable workhorse, wasn't it? One has to wonder how much the landscape of consumer computing has shifted since those days when such specifications felt like the pinnacle of mainstream performance.
Is anyone else currently looking to pick up some 2GB DDR2 RAM from Kingmax? I've been weighing my options lately, wondering if this specific module will provide the stability I need for my current setup. Does anyone here have hands-on experience with the reliability of Kingmax modules in an older system?
Is there anything quite as satisfying as revisiting a classic piece of hardware? I’ve been spending some time lately looking back at the MBO Gigabyte GA-EP43-S3L Nvidia GeForce 7600 GS 256, and it really makes you wonder how much the landscape of PC building has shifted since those days. It was such a reliable workhorse for its era, wasn't it? One can't help but appreciate the stability that these components provided back then. Does anyone else find themselves missing that specific sense of simplicity when setting up a system?
Is anyone else still looking at the NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GS 256? When you consider its place in the history of graphics processing, does it still hold any relevance for basic tasks or legacy builds? It’s certainly an interesting piece of hardware to reflect on.
Is there anything quite as foundational to a build as a reliable hard drive? I’ve been looking closely at the Maxtor 500 GB 7200RPM lately. When you consider the sheer volume of data we juggle daily, does a standard spinning disk still hold its own in a modern setup? It’s a classic component, but one has to wonder how that 7200RPM speed holds up against our increasing expectations for responsiveness.
I’ve been spending some time looking into the Samsung T220 monitor lately. Does anyone else here have experience with this specific model? I'm curious to hear your thoughts on its performance and how it holds up during daily use.

I would appreciate an evaluation of these components.
Thank you.

CPU - $250
RAM - $170
Motherboard - $300
GPU - $100, maybe, if I'm lucky
Hard Drive - $200
Monitor - $650-$700

Need an evaluation on this build:

Phenom ii 555 be (can't unlock extra cores, at least not on my board)
Asrock 870 Extreme 3
Radeon HD 6450🙂 (my 460gtx just kicked the bucket)
Case: NZXT M59
One more thing—is the stock cooler from an MSI 460gtx actually worth anything?

Thanks!

CPU - $250
Motherboard - roughly $400
GPU - about $200
Case - $400

Cooling? That’s a tough one—depends entirely on how much you're actually willing to shell out for it. 🙂

laptop HP630 Proc
Intel Core I3 CPU m 380
2.53GHz
4GB RAM
Radeon HD 6370 m Star
I've had it for about a year now.
Any idea what kind of cash I could get for it?

Could I get an estimate on this? Honestly, I'm not even sure if selling it makes sense—it’s been my reliable ride for over three years now, but I'm thinking about trading it all in for a laptop instead.

Gigabyte MA770T-UD3P, AMD 770 + SB710, S. AM3, 6xSATA RAID, DDR3
AMD Phenom ii x4 955 Black edition processor, AM3 socket, BOX version
4GB DDR3 (2x2GB) Kingston, 1333MHz, CL9, KVR1333D3N9K2/4G
XFX HD5770 1GB DDR5 HDMI, 2xDVI, Display Port, DirectX
500GB WD HDD, 5000AAKS, SATA II, 16Mb Buffer, 7,200 rpm, 8.9 ms
CORSAIR 400W Power Supply, CX Series CMPSU-400CXEU, 12cm fan
LG GH22NS DVD burner, DVD±RW, 22x DVD±R, 8x DL, 40x CD-R
CoolerMaster Elite 332, black - silver, (W)191 x (H)421 x (L)484
22" Samsung SyncMaster 2220 LM monitor

Douglas Barnes35 said:So, I've been messing around with this laptop HP630 Proc lately—just one of those things that sits on the desk and makes you wonder why we ever thought these things were the pinnacle of mobile computing—and honestly, it’s a trip. It’s got that specific kind of build quality that feels both sturdy and strangely flimsy at the exact same time, if that makes any sense? Anyway, just some thoughts on the hardware.
Specs: Intel Core I3 CPU m 380
2.53GHz—just sitting there. Simple, right? Just a number on a spec sheet. But when you're staring at it, wondering if it’s actually going to pull its weight or just choke the second you open more than two tabs in Chrome... well, that's where things get interesting.
4GB of RAM—yeah, that’s the number we're looking at. Just a baseline, really.
So, I’ve been messing around with the Radeon HD 6370 m Star lately—just one of those things you pick up and realize how much "modern" tech actually relies on aging silicon—and honestly, it’s a trip. It’s not exactly going to win any awards at a gaming convention, obviously, but for certain tasks? It gets the job done without throwing a tantrum. It’s just... fine. If you have realistic expectations, it’s fine. If you’re expecting it to run the latest AAA titles like they were designed for a high-end rig, well, you're going to have a bad time. But hey, that's life, right? Just some thoughts while I tinker.
It’s been a whole year. A full, entire year.
What kind of cash am I looking at for this thing?

Maybe $2,000—or maybe even a couple hundred more than that. Did you actually pick that up brand new just last year? I'm only asking because, honestly, a model running a processor like that is probably closer to two or three years old by now.

Lawrence Cruz30 said:Could use some eyes on this—is it actually worth selling? This rig is over three years old now, and honestly, I’m thinking about just offloading it to fund a new laptop instead. What do you guys think?

So, here’s the breakdown on this setup—the Gigabyte MA770T-UD3P running an AMD 770 + SB710 chipset. It’s an AM3 board, which was pretty much the standard back in the day, and it features 6xSATA ports with RAID support and uses DDR3 memory. Just thought I'd lay the specs out there for anyone looking at this particular configuration.
So, I've been looking at this AMD Phenom II x4 955 Black edition—the kind you get in the BOX—and honestly, it’s a bit of a classic. It runs on the AM3 socket, which is pretty straightforward if you're building around that platform. Just a solid, no-nonsense chip for anyone trying to put together a rig without overcomplicating things.
So, I’ve got my hands on this DDR3 4GB kit from Kingston—it's the 2x2GB setup, running at 1333MHz with CL9 latency (specifically that KVR1333D3N9K2/4G model)—and honestly, it’s just one of those standard, reliable pieces of hardware you pick up when you aren't looking to break the bank. It’s nothing flashy, obviously—no extreme overclocking magic here—but for a basic build, it does exactly what it says on the tin. Just solid, predictable memory.
The XFX HD5770—comes with 1GB of DDR5, an HDMI port, two DVI outputs, and a Display Port... plus DirectX 11 support. It’s basically the standard setup you'd expect.
Western Digital 500GB hard drive—specifically the 5000AAKS model—running on SATA II with a 16MB buffer. It’s a 7,200 RPM driver with an 8.9 ms seek time. Just some straightforward specs for the record.
So, I've got this Corsair 400W power supply—part of that CX Series CMPSU-400CX EU line—with a standard 12cm fan. It’s just sitting here, nothing flashy, just a solid little unit.
So, I’ve got this LG GH22NS DVD burner sitting here—it's a DVD±RW drive, if you care about that kind of thing—and it handles 22x DVD±R, 8x DL, and 40x CD-R. Just thought I'd put that out there.
The CoolerMaster Elite 332—it’s that sleek black and silver combo—measures in at roughly 191mm wide, 421mm high, and 484mm long. Just some quick specs if you're looking to see if this thing actually fits on your desk without taking over the whole room.
So, I've got this 22" Samsung SyncMaster 2220LM sitting here—just a standard monitor, nothing too wild—but it’s definitely one of those pieces that makes you think about how much hardware changes. It’s just a screen, really, but sometimes you find yourself staring at these older panels and wondering if they actually hold up better than the cheap plastic junk we see everywhere now. Anyway, just putting it out there.

It really all boils down to what you actually plan on doing with the thing—because let’s be real, if you're looking at that price point, you're basically picking up a machine with significantly weaker performance compared to what you could snag for around 3,000 bucks.

Most of the time, my computer is just for surfing the web—maybe 20% goes toward watching movies or getting stuff done in the office. I'm really not into gaming at all. If I could actually swing $3,000 for this setup, I’d probably toss in some extra cash and grab a decent laptop around the $4,000 mark instead. For me, it’s all about reliability and how long the thing actually lasts before it gives up on me. Honestly, since I dropped $5,000 on a rig three years ago, I kind of assumed that modern laptops had finally caught up to the performance of those older desktop PCs. 🤷

I mean, three years isn't exactly ancient. A $4,000 laptop still wouldn't come close to touching your desktop in terms of raw power, though. But I guess an i5 with integrated graphics might be fine if you aren't really into gaming.

Personally, I wouldn't bother selling it. With a desktop, if things start slowing down, you can just swap out a few parts or upgrade a single component—whereas with a laptop, you're pretty much stuck with just upgrading the RAM or maybe the processor at most...

p.s. If you're thinking about listing the computer on eBay, you'll probably have better luck selling it piece by piece. It's tough to find someone looking for a full setup when they could spend that same amount of money at Best Buy on something much more powerful that comes with a full warranty on every single part. Plus, let's face it—people are tight on cash lately...

Mobility is the main deciding factor here. If you don't actually need to move around, think twice—you'll just be staring at a much smaller screen all day. Plus, if a critical component like the motherboard or the display dies once it gets older, you might as well toss the whole laptop in the trash; repairs usually cost more than the machine is worth. With a desktop, swapping out a single part is a breeze rather than a total loss.

The only real advantage a laptop has over that old Phenom setup is lower power consumption, but honestly, you won't even notice the difference on your monthly electric bill.

Laptop components tend to burn out much sooner since they’re constantly dealing with significantly higher operating temperatures due to inferior heat dissipation.

Lawrence Cruz30 said:About 80% of the time I’m just surfing the web—the other 20% is watching movies or doing stuff in the office. I don't care about gaming at all. If I could actually swing an extra $3,000, I’d toss in some more cash and grab a $4,000 laptop instead. Reliability and longevity are the big things for me. Since I dropped $5,000 on my current setup three years ago, I honestly assumed laptops had finally caught up to the performance of old-school desktops by now. 🤷

Try having three beers first and then we can talk. That monitor alone is worth $800-$300, so you’d need to find another $2,000 just to cover the rest of the specs. Honestly, you aren't going to get anything "extraordinary" for $4,000—that's pretty much just standard mid-range pricing these days. And as for reliability and durability? Well... if you drop it, you drop it. There are no guarantees in life.

Could I get a quick reality check on this build?
Intel Core 2 duo E7200 2.5
2GB DDR2 Kingmax RAM
Gigabyte GA-EP43-S3L Nvidia GeForce 7600 GS 256
500 GB Maxtor 7200RPM Hard Drive
OCZ 500W Power Supply

Do you have the exact same hair situation as Thomas in post #467? 😁