Broken and GPU-less RTX 4090s are being sold secondhand by scammers

Be safe out there

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If you’re considering buying a used high-end graphics card then you’ll need to be extra diligent as scammers are now selling stripped-outNvidiaRTX 4090s without their AD102 die.

A new video byNorthwestrepair via YouTubehighlights the extent of the issue as some less-than-savory individuals have taken to secondary reseller outlets such as Facebook Marketplace with too good to be true prices on RTX 4090 hardware. The teardown reveals that under theMSIVentus heatsink was a board with no GPU.

It’s part of a new scam emerging where some people will buy up used RTX 4090s for parts for around $200 (around £160 / AU$300) and then sell them on as fully working cards to catch out those who can’t see the warning signs. Even thebest graphics cardcan die for all manner of reasons, and selling dead cards for parts makes repairs possible through salvaged memory modules, heatsinks, PCBs, etc.

However, graphics cards without their silicon are completely useless. And in this case, all the buyer bought was an MSI heatsink attached to a completely blank PCB. All the memory modules were removed along with the GPU die itself, making it an incredibly expensive plastic paperweight.

For context, the MSI Venus RTX 4090 currently retails for around $1,899 through retailers such as Newegg andAmazon. While we don’t know the exact amount this buyer paid for their version, we’re willing to bet it was well under $1,000. If an offer appears to good to be true then it is, and you can keep yourself safe by remembering some crucial buying advice.

Keep yourself safe when buying a new GPU

The best way to ensure that you can avoid being scammed is by buying through trusted retailers. Outlets such as Amazon, Newegg, Microcenter, and Best Buy provide brand-new and professionally refurbished models, meaning there’s no chance of being caught in the crosshairs here.

However, should you consider buying used then you’ll need to approach the transaction with caution. It’s unlikely a seller will open up the graphics card for you there and then to expose the silicon, but you can ask for recent benchmarks (or videos of the card in action) to prove its working status, and there’s nothing wrong with opening up the box and inspecting the card to make sure it hasn’t been tampered with.

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And, as always, it’s always better to buy a graphics card from someone you know, if possible.

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Aleksha McLoughlin is an experienced hardware writer. She was previously the Hardware Editor for TechRadar Gaming until September 2023. During this time, she looked after buying guides and wrote hardware reviews, news, and features. She has also contributed hardware content to the likes of PC Gamer, Trusted Reviews, Dexerto, Expert Reviews, and Android Central. When she isn’t working, you’ll often find her in mosh pits at metal gigs and festivals or listening to whatever new black and death metal has debuted that week.

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