Lots of “new” video cards are showing up on Amazon from a variety of sellers. I tried 3 different models from the company AISURIX, and I was pleasantly surprised! They’re not perfect, but they game at 1080p well with modest settings.
I have go in-depth on these video cards in my review/overview here. But basic things you should know
The GPU die is NOT new but the PCB, fans, backplate, and electrical components ARE new.
It comes with a 3 month warranty. It’s $6-15 to get the GPU replaced. There is an extended 1 year warranty in the works for an extra cost.
Customer service isn’t the best.
Stress Test!
I recommend stress testing the GPU right when you get it. Download and install MSI Afterburner, Unigine Heaven 4.0, and 3DMark Time Spy (Steam). Open MSI Afterburner and make sure you can monitor the GPU temperature and the VRAM temperature. Run Unigine Heaven 4.0 for about an hour and check the peak temperatures. Do the same thing with 3DMark Time Spy. If the GPU temperature is < 85 degrees and VRAM temperature is < 100 degrees, then move on to the next step. If it’s high, return the card!
The synthetic benchmarks above don’t catch everything, so download your most played graphically “intense” games and crank up the settings a bit. Play how you would normally play and monitor temperatures or for any weird behavior. Are the fans too loud? Is there coil whine? Are there any artifacts or black screens? If so — return!
Amazon gives you a 1 month return window and hopefully this gives you enough time to find any chinks in the armour. Good luck!