It doesn't take a genius to conclude that the PC hardware is going through a massive rough patch, well, for consumers, at least. The enterprise AI demand is being fulfilled, no questions asked, and PC builders are left to fight for scraps — grossly inflated scraps. It started with RAM selling at 4 times the regular price, then spiraled into SSD prices getting doubled, and finally took graphics cards down, too. PC builders with upgrade plans in 2026 have to wait at least two full years before even thinking about buying new hardware. If you still need to upgrade your gaming PC, the used market can be your savior, as long as you find a decent deal. You should also keep older-gen CPUs in the mix to further maximize your return on investment.

RAM

Used RAM is nearly risk-free

Many of you might have planned to move to AM5 in 2026, but the rapid rise in DDR5 RAM prices put an end to those ambitions. A 32GB kit of DDR5-6000 RAM that was widely available for less than $100 now sits between $300 and $400. It might be a drop in the ocean for people with endless budgets, but most of us can't, in good conscience, spend that much on RAM. I mean, that's basically the price of a decent graphics card. The alternative is to look at pre-owned RAM that is not jacked up in price, too. You'll still be paying more than the usual rate for used memory, but it'll be significantly cheaper than buying a brand-new kit.

Used RAM has a very low risk of being faulty. You can safely shop for pre-owned sticks from reputable sellers on eBay without worrying about unexpected errors. Even if you were planning to build a budget DDR4 system instead, buying used vs. new will still save you a lot of money. DDR4 memory hasn't been spared by the DRAM shortage, and is also selling at up to 4 times its usual price. It's as good a time as any to turn to the secondary market. If you wish to avoid paying absurd premiums for common PC components just because tech giants scooped up all the raw materials, perhaps the used market is your only option.

SSDs and HDDs

Forget about cheap storage

If you thought the lack of enough DRAM chips would only affect RAM prices, think again. The same silicon that's being reallocated to memory production is used for making SSDs, so the shortage is driving up SSD prices, too. You can clearly see that popular SSDs have doubled in price over the last few months. Gen5 SSDs are obviously sitting at the top of the mountain, but even Gen4 drives have reached a point where you'll find it hard to justify the prices. While hard drives haven't been affected to the same degree, you can still see a marked uptick in prices compared to last year. If you're after high-capacity hard drives for secondary storage or NAS systems, you'll be expected to pay a significant premium.

PC builders usually shy away from the used storage market due to concerns around the limited lifespan of pre-owned drives. However, if you stick to known sellers on marketplaces like eBay, get as much information as possible about the drive, and prioritize models with robust endurance, you can still make the trade work. Another method to protect yourself is to buy used enterprise SSDs with high-quality internals and high endurance ratings. You might need a cheap adapter to plug them into your PC, but the cost savings will more than make up for that.

Graphics cards

High-end models are now even more unaffordable

Graphics cards had become luxury commodities long before the current hardware crisis hit our shores. Although AI demand was still a big reason for that, it has now joined forces with the DRAM shortage to make GPUs even more inaccessible. Graphics cards with larger VRAM capacities are the worst affected, with companies like Nvidia trying to make the most of the situation. There have even been reports of models like the RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5060 Ti 16GB being effectively killed off by cutting production. Nvidia formally announced a significant drop in consumer GPU production, focusing on enterprise GPUs instead.

You can see the prices of high-end cards like the RTX 5080 hovering around $1,400–$1,800, and that's before you consider even pricier AIB variants. RTX 5070 Ti models have already crossed the MSRP of the RTX 5080, and even AMD cards like the RX 9070 XT have inched closer to $800. Buying a used graphics card can not only help you skip this inflated market, but also get you most of the performance of the current-gen cards, since generational improvements haven't been stellar lately. For instance, the previous-gen RX 7900 XT can be had for around $450, and it's only around 10% slower than the RTX 5070 Ti. You could also get the RTX 3080 for around $150–$200 or the RX 7800 XT for around $350 instead of the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB, which is selling for nearly $750 right now.

A used graphics card is less of a gamble than it used to be, since cryptocurrency mining hasn't been a major trend in the last few years. Plus, you can always stress-test your card during eBay's buyer protection period, and return it if you find any faults with it. If you can't do without a GPU upgrade this year, the used market is going to be a lifesaver.

CPUs

Well, if DDR5 CPUs are not an option...

Although the latest CPUs are still selling for pretty much the same price as last year, you're probably not going to buy a current-gen model if you're avoiding DDR5 memory. AM4 is looking like the best platform for budget gaming again, not only due to more affordable RAM, but also CPUs with excellent value. Putting together a DDR4 build with a Ryzen 5000 CPU, a B550 motherboard, and 32GB of DDR4 RAM is still surprisingly cheap on the used market. You can snag a Ryzen 7 5700X3D for around $100, and a 32GB kit of DDR4-3600 RAM for around $30. Then, you could even buy a brand-new DDR4 motherboard if you wish.

The difference in gaming performance between a Ryzen 7 5700X3D and Ryzen 5 7600X/Ryzen 5 9600X system is negligible, so you're getting almost AM5-like performance on your cheap AM4 build. If the priority is maximizing value for money and avoiding skyrocketing DDR5 prices, then the used market for AM4 CPUs and DDR4 memory is a no-brainer.

Build a formidable PC with used parts while you still can

The pre-owned market has still not corrected to the extent you'd think, considering the inflated prices of brand-new components. We might be living in a short window where you can still make the most of the affordable used parts to build a decent gaming PC. Graphics cards, DDR4 RAM, AM4 CPUs, and Gen4 SSDs can be had for attractive prices on sites like eBay. If you aim to weather the current hardware storm, a cost-effective PC with all used parts is one of the best ways to do it.