Do you guys have backup GPUs?

[iameatingjam]

To be honest, having a 4090 has always given me some anxiety. I don't trust asus and I don't trust their rma, I'm not even sure I'm covered anymore and if I am, I am not confident they'd not come up with some excuse to deny my claim. And considering its a launch unit with the original 12vhpwr, and my cable has to bend in an unoptimal way... Its just something I worry about. And thats not the only way a gpu can die either. Those cards with big dies often don't last as long as those with smaller ones. And I do not have the money to replace it, especially at current prices.

Right now, well, its a pretty bad time for buying GPUs. Back when the super series launched you could get almost anything MSRP or close to it.

So I've been thinking more about buying something midrange as a backup. Not necessarily right now, but perhaps when the market has calmed down a bit, if it ever does. Its just, the last few years there's been several spells where all GPU prices went crazy. I'd hate to be stuck without a gpu during a time like that.

I was mulling a B580 as they were MSRP on Canadian newegg for a time, but I waited too long, and its gone.

Anyway I was wondering if anybody else keeps spare GPUs around for this purpose. Or do you think it makes more sense to buy a GPU only when you need it. That way (well in an ideal world) technology will have advanced and what you can get for the money will increase. Its just, it seems that while that may be the trend if you zoom out far enough, within shorter periods of time, it isn't really true.

EDIT: To clarify, I mean for modern gaming purposes, not for just display purposes.

 

[Visible Noise]

Since the original IBM PC in 1982 I have never had a video card fail.

What‘s the worse possible outcome for you if your card fails? Is your PC your only computing device?

Only you can answer that question for yourself, but at least for me it’s not even a thought at all.

 

[Solaris17]

I test a lot of stuff. I think on hand right now I have mostly intel ones for the firmware efforts. besides my personal.

1x Intel B580 LE
1x Intel Arc Pro A40
2x Intel ARC A770 LE
2x Intel ARC A380
1x Intel ARC A310
1x AMD 7900XTX
1x Nvidia 1080ti
1x AMD RX580
1x AMD RX570
1x Nvidia 3060

The B580 and 7900xtx are on my bench table in another room. They go in and out of my test machine. The rest hang out in my closet until I need them.

 

[Todestrieb]

No, I'll buy borrow one when I need one.

I really should have bought a cheap worthless GPU for that, something along the 6500XT 5500XT line.
*I'm throwing random GPUs out there. I haven't properly researched this.

 

[_roman_]

Yes, I have a processor with integrated graphics.

 

[igormp]

Considering my daily setup actually has 2 GPUs, I guess that'd be an yes.

 

[AusWolf]

I actually have several. 2-3 Radeons and 2-3 GeForce. Just in case the backup breaks down as well. Just because I have several PCs in the house.

 

[iameatingjam]

Since the original IBM PC in 1982 I have never had a video card fail.

Well that is good to hear. I can almost say that, but I did have a Zotac 3070 that decided to just stop outputting video at random right after purchase, I didn't look into the the problem much, there were also other problems, so I just returned it, it might have been salvagable, but I didn't want to risk it.... other than that, same. I've had cards that were too hot or had some kind of other issue or quirk, but never failed to the point of not being usable. Anyway, I hope I have your luck going forward.

What‘s the worse possible outcome for you if your card fails? Is your PC your only computing device?

Well I have a 12100 with an igpu I could use in an emergency, but not for gaming, it would just let my computer boot up with a display. I have several retro computers, like my emac g4 that I keep as an emulation machine (because of the crt). And during past times where I haven't had a working pc, gaming went back to strictly snes and psx games, lol. I also have a laptop. But its just for watching videos, not gaming, its a 7300U and only the igpu. So its not like I'd be without a computer. Just without a machine capable of modern gaming.

Suppose I also have a ps4, but its now become the primary media machine for my family. So thats not really an option unless I want to be a complete douche.

 

[Apocalypsee]

My old GPU is there as backup, a couple of years ago when my 3080 died I have my old 1070 that I have previously owned. I still have it as backup, because it was a rare single slot 1070. I purposely buy a Ryzen G variant just in case I don't have any GPU at all so at least I have iGPU to use.

For my retro gaming PC that needs more than just backup, old GPU tend to not last very long especially higher end models because it has dinky cooling and no cooling on VRM. Over the past few years, I lost quite a number of good GPU like X800XT PE, HD 4850 IceQ. Hard to find any replacement for those, and even if you can find one on eBay, they tend to cost a lot of money.

 

[Dorek]

Yup i got couple ancient ones like amd 6950hd, nvidia 8800 gts and also the rma'd rtx 2080 which did that on my profile pic lol.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

Technically Yes. But no.... Reasons:

My 7800X3D contains an iGPu - I also have a few super weak super old cards that I normally use for troubleshooting. One being an Nvidia GT710 that i bought off a TPU member based in the USA many many moons ago and the other being a Radeon 6450 or R3 230 that I bought off ebay (also for troubleshooting purposes). Not sure if any of them would work in my current machine but I hope I never get to the point of finding out.

I think my iGPu was able to run warframe well enough when my 7800XT died and I hadnt thought about putting my 6700XT back into service yet.

Im still semi hung up on that 7800XT death.... I got it for such a great price. And now my 6700XT is worth less than when I initially put it up for sale because of the Intel B580

 

[ThE_MaD_ShOt]

Yes I have several to choose from. Also have backup motherboards, cpu's, ram and drives.

 

[N/A]

980 Ti and a 760 if that fails.

 

[Dr. Dro]

Have a whole "backup" build, my current secondary (and the card I am using until the 5090 shows up on my door) is an RTX A2000

 

[Frick]

For gaming purposes? Absolutely not. For troubleshooting? Yes of course.

 

[Hyderz]

yes i got an old gtx1070ti and gtx1050

 

[bobbybluz]

I have several (more than 10).

 

[Onasi]

I have a couple of ancient cards for testing, but I don’t really sweat it too much - I only had a card straight up die once (and that was a passively cooled one, so that might have contributed) and even if this one dies… Well, if it dies it dies. I am due for an upgrade of some sort anyway and it’s not like I am interested in anything outrageous. Still, hopefully it stays well and serves me for a while. I dislike unnecessarily wasteful spending.

 

[Toss]

Just don't sell old card, but build secondary PC with it. Money is worthless when you are rigless

 

[nguyen]

Well I don't like to keep things I don't use since it would be a waste (space and money) so I will sell my 4090 once I get the 5090