Looking for new computer parts is terrific fun. Well, at least it used to be until computer hardware became more expensive, and prices stopped dropping. Luckily, there are several decent options if you're looking for cheaper hardware, both brand new and second-hand.
In no particular order, here are some of the best online stores for finding cheap(ish) computer parts when repairing your machine or looking to build a new one from scratch.
Is It Safe to Buy Cheap Computer Parts?
You can only expect so much regarding cheap computer components. If they're too cheap, you must ask yourself, "Why?" Why can one store afford to sell it at a significantly lower price than its competitors?
The answer is usually, "It's a scam."
There are other issues, too. Cheap CPUs don't exist unless you buy second-hand. Even then, some CPUs are surprisingly expensive.
Case in point: I thought about making a minor CPU upgrade for my main system. It has a decent i5 3570K that has never let me down, but I wanted to bump to the i7 3770K for the extra capacity. Intel 3xxx CPUs hit the market in 2012. And the price of a new i7 3770K? Precisely the same as six years ago; I should have just splashed a little bit extra back then.
Thankfully, the price of RAM has come down through the past 18 months. New manufacturing facilities coming online saw a massive increase in global production capacity. The boost to manufacturing capacity finally pushed the prices of RAM modules lower after two or three years of steady increases.
Hardware Production Issues Keep Prices High
A few years back, during the cryptocurrency boom, the prices of popular GPUs went haywire. As cryptocurrency miners rushed to buy up stock, the price of a top-tier GPU rose steadily.
The price of Ethereum and other GPU-mined cryptocurrencies is now much lower, and the demand for GPU mining hardware doesn't cause as many issues. Furthermore, GPU manufacturers like Nvidia and AMD began marketing cryptocurrency mining-specific GPU models to remove the strain on the market.
Consider the status of the RAM market, too. Although the price of RAM has fallen, prices will not drop much further as manufacturers constrain capacity to stabilize the price, perhaps even to increase the price once more. Check out the following chart from PC Part Picker, illustrating the price of 2x4GB DDR4-2133 RAM:
You see the drop, the stabilization---and the slight increases creeping in at the end.
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 site for tracking down cheaper computer hardware.
The trick to finding a great eBay deal is patience and persistence. Set yourself a realistic price point for the hardware you want, stick to it, and wait it out. At some point, your product will appear at the price you want, within reason. (You're not picking up a GTX 1080 Ti for $100 unless there's something wrong with it or it's a scam.)
Like AliExpress, you can find unknown manufacturers among the other listings, as well as brand new, second hand, and refurbished parts.
eBay is best for:
- Brand new hardware
- Refurbished hardware
- Second-hand PC parts
- Cheap computer part stores
- Broken or not working hardware---scavenge other hardware for cheap parts
As mentioned above, you should always avoid any eBay deal that seems 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 computer hardware deals. You can find a range of new and refurbished computer parts, as well as the traditional Newegg deals. Deals vary daily, so if you have some specific hardware in mind, it is worth checking back periodically. To help you out, you can add those components to your wish list, and Newegg will ping you an email if it goes on sale.
Newegg has a few other good points, too. For instance, their forums are very active. Other users will direct you toward the right hardware for your PC build or otherwise. Also, hardware manufacturers are known to browse and actively respond to users with issues to ensure everything is running smoothly. At the same time, their YouTube channels make decent videos comparing various bits of hardware you might want to pick up.
Newegg is best for:
- End-of-season clearance sales
- Big budget and named brand discounts
- Wide range of hardware
- Customer service
If you're shopping at Newegg, there are a couple of things to avoid, too:
- Spending all of your money on the end-of-season clearance sales
- Making forum posts before searching for similar questions
In all seriousness, make sure you double-check Newegg's price with other retailers before purchasing.
3. Best for Huge CPU Discounts: Micro Center
Micro Center is a special choice for this list. Why? Because it is the only option with actual bricks and mortar stores you can pick up your hardware from. (Forget FedEx Pickup Locations!) Also, if you're struggling to figure out what equipment you need, their in-house teams are usually knowledgeable and not just looking for another sale.
Oh, and they'll usually match prices between the online and real-world stores, too.
But it isn't just bricks and mortar stores that make the difference. Micro Center has a long and well-regarded history for excellent hardware discounts, especially on CPUs.
So, Micro Center is best for:
- CPU discounts
- Major PC hardware discounts
- In-house PC hardware knowledge
- Bricks and mortar stores
4. Best for Cheap-ish RAM, General Discount PC Parts: Amazon
I'm keeping the Amazon section short and sweet. Amazon does have some fantastic deals on hardware; given its size, you wouldn't expect anything else. Furthermore, you can switch between purchasing directly from Amazon, or using an Amazon verified third-party seller.
The latter can often give you extra discounts, along with some of the protections of using Amazon (return policy, customer services, and vendor communication).
However, keep an eye on the prices around the headline sales, such as Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. Prices for certain hardware components have been known to creep upwards in the days before, to make the discounts appear even more significant during the sale event.
You can use one of these apps to track Amazon's price changes and make sure you're getting the best price!
Everyone knows what Amazon is about. Still, check out Amazon for:
- Great return policy
- Black-Friday and Cyber-Monday discounts
- Ever-changing PC hardware discounts
- Cheap-ish RAM
- Warehouse deals (these are very hit and miss though)
As mentioned above, avoid purchasing straight away with Amazon. Use a price checker to figure out any recent price changes, then compare those prices to the other options on this discount PC hardware list.
5. Best for Cheap Wholesale Computer Parts: AliExpress
China is one of the largest global manufacturers of computer hardware. AliExpress is an enormous online marketplace where you can find all manner of hardware, branded or otherwise. Branded hardware still costs roughly the same as a US or EU-based vendor, but hardware from manufacturers you've never heard of can cost significantly less.
RAM, HDDs, and SSDs are worth investigating, depending on your budget and desire for a deal. However, off-brand GPUs don't exist, and the same goes for CPUs.
Now, does it cost less because the hardware isn't as good? Or is it simply the weight of the brand that adds to the cost of other hardware? The answer is somewhere in the middle. AliExpress sellers are either companies or individuals, but it is different from Amazon in that it doesn't directly sell any products itself.
AliExpress is best for:
- Cheap unbranded hardware
- Cheap wholesale components
- Computer part stores
- RAM, HDDs, SSDs, PSUs
You should avoid:
- CPUs
- GPUs
- Some monitor manufacturers
Before purchasing anything on AliExpress, research the manufacturer, the "brand" (if there is one), and any other information you can find.
6. Best for Catching a Cheap PC Part Deal: SlickDeals
In the UK, a popular deal site is HotUKDeals. Users post a steady stream of the discounts they find on anything and everything, including discount PC hardware. The closest US-equivalent is SlickDeals, offering a very similar format to the UK site.
You can use SlickDeals to find discounts on:
- Computer parts, including cases, CPUs, GPUs, hard drives, SSDs
- Peripherals, such as keyboards, mice, headsets, and lights
- Routers
- Printers
- Monitors
Furthermore, you can streamline your search using the SlickDeals rating system, where other site users judge the discounts on offer. Alternatively, search using price, a specific store, or a specific brand.
7. Best for Cheap Local PC Hardware: Your Local PC Specialist
How could any cheap computer parts list leave out your friendly neighborhood PC specialist?
Your local PC hardware store will struggle to compete with the major corporations that dominate PC hardware sales. But they will still do their utmost to give you the best possible deal on hardware. There is always the chance they have some discount PC parts in stock, too.
Sometimes people sell their hardware to their local store for some quick cash, or they simply no longer need their hardware. Building a relationship with the local PC hardware store owner helps, too. What's more, a dollar in the pocket of your local store is more likely to circulate in your local economy, keeping everything ticking over nicely.
8. Best for Comparing Cheap PC Part Prices: PC Part 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.
The Best Cheap Computer Parts Stores
Finding genuinely cheap PC hardware is difficult. The amount of discount usually lies in the hardware you want to buy. Looking for a brand new Nvidia GeForce GTX 2080? You will struggle to find a huge discount on that.
Thinking about picking up a slightly older GTX 1070? There's a strong chance one of the sites above will have it in stock with a discount.
Another way to save cash on components is to dig down into what you want to use your computer for. If you only need a machine for internet browsing, reading and sending email, and word processing, you can build a very cheap system, regardless of extra discounts or cheap hardware deals.
And for more help, be sure to check out our list of things every PC builder needs for a successful build.