Finding new computer parts is great fun. Well, at least it was until computers became more expensive, and prices stopped dropping. Fortunately, there are several decent options if you are looking for cheaper hardware, whether new or used.
In no particular order, here are some of the best online stores for finding cheap (ish) computer parts when repairing your device or looking to build a new one from scratch.
Is it safe to buy cheap computer parts?
You can only expect so much in terms of cheap computer components. If it’s so cheap, you should ask yourself, “Why?” Why can one store sell it at a much lower price than its competitors?
The answer is usually, “It’s a scam.”
There are other issues as well. There are no cheap CPUs unless you buy used. Even then, some CPUs are surprisingly expensive.
Case in point: I thought about doing a slight CPU upgrade for my main system. It has a decent i5 3570K that has never let me down, but I wanted to bump into the i7 3770K for some extra capacity. Intel 3xxx CPUs hit the market in 2012. And the price of the new i7 3770K? Exactly the same as it was six years ago; I should have sprayed a little water at that time.
Fortunately, the price of RAM has fallen over the past 18 months. New manufacturing facilities coming online have seen a massive increase in global production capacity. Boosting manufacturing capacity has finally brought down RAM module prices after two or three years of steady increases.
Hardware production problems keep prices high
A few years ago, during the cryptocurrency boom, the prices of popular GPUs plummeted. With crypto miners rushing to buy shares, the price of a top-tier GPU has been steadily rising.
The price of Ethereum and other GPU mined cryptocurrencies is now much lower, and the demand for GPU mining hardware is not causing many problems. Moreover, GPU manufacturers such as Nvidia and AMD have started to market crypto-mining GPU models to take the pressure off the market.
Consider the state of the RAM market, too. Although the price of RAM has come down, the prices won’t drop that much because manufacturers restrict the ability to price-fixate, perhaps even to increase the price again.
So, if you want cheap computer parts, you have to shop around. You can find discount PC parts on several sites, be that second-hand, refurbished, or an unbranded Chinese import.
1. Best for Refurbished Computer Parts: eBay
Let’s start with eBay, an excellent website for tracking down cheaper computers.
The trick to finding a great deal on eBay is patience and persistence. Set yourself a realistic price point for the hardware you want, stick with it, and wait. At some point, your product will appear at the price you want within reason. (You don’t get a GTX 1080 Ti for $100 unless something is wrong or it’s a scam.)
Like AliExpress, you can find unknown manufacturers among other listings, as well as new, used and refurbished parts.
eBay is best for:
Brand New Devices
Refurbished devices
used computer parts
cheap computer parts stores
Broken or Not Working Hardware – Find Others for Cheap Parts
As mentioned above, you should always avoid any eBay deal that sounds too good to be true – because it probably is!
2. Best for Cheap End of Season Clearance Sales: Newegg
Newegg is a name synonymous with great PC deals. You can find a range of new and refurbished computer parts, as well as traditional Newegg offerings. Deals vary daily, so if you have a few specific devices in mind, it’s worth checking back periodically. To help you out, you can add these ingredients to your Wish List, and Newegg will email you if they come up for sale.
Newegg has some other good points, too. For example, their forums are very active. Other users will direct you towards the right hardware to build your PC or otherwise. Also, device manufacturers have been known to actively browse and respond to users with issues to ensure everything is running smoothly. At the same time, their YouTube channels create decent videos that compare different parts of the devices that you might want to capture.
Newegg is best for:
End of season clearance sales
Big budget and named brand discounts
Wide range of devices
Customer service
If you’re shopping in Newegg, there are a few things to avoid as well:
Spend all your money on end-of-season clearance sales
Make forum posts before searching for similar questions
In all seriousness, be sure to double-check the Newegg price with other retailers before purchasing.
3. Best for huge CPU discounts: Micro Center
Micro Center is a special option for this list. why? Since it’s the only option with actual brick-and-mortar stores, you can pick up your hardware from them. (Forget the FedEx Pickup Sites!) Also, if you’re struggling to figure out what equipment you need, their in-house teams are usually in the know and aren’t just looking for another sale.
Oh, and they will usually match prices between online stores and real ones, too.
But it’s not just brick and mortar stores that make the difference. Micro Center has a long and well known history of premium hardware discounts, especially on CPUs.
Therefore, Micro Center is best for:
CPU Discounts
Big discounts on computers
Knowledge of internal computers
Brick and mortar stores
4. Best for Cheap RAM, Computer Parts for General Discount: Amazon
I keep the Amazon section short and sweet. Amazon has some great deals on hardware; Given its size, you wouldn’t expect anything else. Furthermore, you can switch between buying directly from Amazon, or using an Amazon-authorized third-party seller.
The latter can often give you additional discounts, along with some protections for using Amazon (return policy, customer services, and communication with the seller).
However, keep an eye on prices around major sales, such as Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. The prices of some hardware components have been known to go up in the previous days, to make the discounts seem more significant during the sale event.
You can use one of these apps to track Amazon price changes and make sure you get the best price!
Everyone knows what Amazon is. Still, check out Amazon for:
Great return policy
Black Friday and Cyber-Monday Discounts
Constantly changing PC discounts
cheap ram nest
Warehouse deals (these are pretty successful and missed though)
As mentioned above, avoid buying right away with Amazon. Use the price checker to see any recent price changes, then compare those prices to other options on this discount PC list.
5. Best for cheap wholesale computer parts: AliExpress
China is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of computers. AliExpress is a massive online marketplace where you can find all kinds of devices, branded or otherwise. Branded devices still cost about the same as the seller in the US or the EU, but devices from manufacturers you’ve never heard of can cost much less.
RAM, hard drives, and SSDs are worth investigating, depending on your budget and willingness to strike a deal. However, there are no off-brand GPUs, and the same is true for CPUs.
Now, does it cost less because the hardware is not good? Or is it the weight of the brand that increases the cost of other devices? The answer is somewhere in the middle. AliExpress sellers are either companies or individuals, but it is different from Amazon in that it does not sell any products directly.
AliExpress is best for:
cheap unbranded devices
cheap wholesale components
computer parts stores
RAM, HDDs, SSDs, PSUs
You should avoid:
CPUs
GPUs
Some screen manufacturers
Before buying anything on AliExpress, research the manufacturer, the “brand” (if any), and any other information you can find.
6. Best for a cheap deal for a PC part: SlickDeals
In the UK, the popular bargain site HotUKDeals. Users post a steady stream of discounts they find on anything and everything, including discounted computers. The closest US equivalent is SlickDeals, which offers a format very similar to the UK site.
You can use SlickDeals to find discounts on:
Computer parts, including cases, CPUs, GPUs, hard drives, and SSDs
Peripherals, such as keyboards, mice, headphones, and lights
routers
printers
screens
Furthermore, you can simplify your search by using the SlickDeals rating system, where other site users judge the discounts offered. Instead, search by price, a specific store, or a specific brand.
7. Best for Cheap Home Computers: Local Computer Specialist
How can any cheap computer parts listings rule out the friendly PC hardware specialist in your area?
Your local computer store will struggle to compete with the big companies that dominate computer sales. But they will continue to do their best to give you the best possible deal on hardware. There’s always a chance they’ll have some discount PC parts in stock, too.
Sometimes people sell their devices to their local store for some quick cash, or they simply no longer need their devices. It also helps to build a relationship with the owner of the local hardware store. On top of that, the dollar in your local store pocket is more likely to trade in your local economy, making everything move well.
8. Best to compare cheap computer parts prices: computer parts picker
Okay, so PC Part Picker isn’t a store. But it is a fantastic tool for tracking down PC components as well as making sure they are compatible. PC Part Picker shows a range of online stores and their current price alongside the hardware you choose. You can make a genuinely informed decision about whether to shop around for individual parts, or simply buy every component at a single outlet.