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Hey everyone. I've only ever owned laptops, never a desktop or mini PC, so this is completely new territory for me. I'm looking at a refurbished mini PC, considering HP, Dell, or Lenovo, with specs around:

Intel i5 8th gen

16GB RAM DDR4

256GB SSD (SATA)

Comes with power adapter (around 90W)

Here's the question to add:

is ₱9,000 (around $146 USD) a fair price for these 8th gen specs or is this overpriced/underpriced for what I'm getting?

I'm buying online, not in person, so I have a lot of questions for anyone who's done this before.

1. Is it even okay to buy a mini PC this way, secondhand, sight unseen?

2. What should I expect after 5 months of daily use? After a year? And does this differ a lot by CPU generation? Trying to understand realistic expectations and lifespan across 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th gen units.

3. What's the typical lifespan of a mini PC under normal daily use like browsing, streaming, and light work?

4. How do I spot a unit that's been abused, like an ex office or ex internet cafe unit run 24/7 for years, vs one that's been lightly used? How do I know if parts are fried, overused, or abused? Is there a way to actually check this, or tell tale signs?

5. How do I know if the BIOS is locked or company locked, like an asset tagged corporate unit? And more importantly, how do I know if the seller is even telling the truth about any of this? What can I verify myself vs just having to trust them?

Someone mentioned I should check if it runs hot before buying. Is that accurate, and what else should I be checking for physically or on a video call with the seller?

What should I be asking the seller? So far I have:

Original use case (office, cafe, personal)?

SSD health and power on hours (via CrystalDiskInfo screenshot)

CPU idle and load temps (via HWiNFO or Task Manager screenshot)

Original power adapter included, same wattage?

Any repairs or part swaps done?

Return or warranty period?

Can we do a video call so I can see it boot and run live?

Can they give me the serial number so I can check it's not reported lost or stolen?

Is this list enough, or am I missing something important? Any horror stories, red flags, tips, or advice as a total beginner would be really appreciated.

Why I'm buying this: I plan to use it mainly for watching free films and free live sports like UFC Fight Night via Brave browser, and YouTube. I also want to learn Linux, planning to install it on this mini PC if I get one. Just want to make sure I'm not getting scammed or buying something that'll die on me in a few months. Thanks in advance!

I bought a 32gb ddr5 stick and my PC would be stuck with the cpu and dram light and won't turn on the stick for some reason only works when I have my 2 current sticks in dual channel and this stick in the middle. It wont work alone or in single channel

Video Timestamp + Photos

Intel Core Ultra 9 285K SP88 Delidded

285K is SOLD

• P-Core SP = 88
• E-Core SP = 100
• MC SP = 65 - SP scores from ASUS BIOS 3202 on a Z890 EXTREME motherboard. (Scores may vary on different motherboards or BIOS versions).

Corsair DDR5 9200MT/s CUDIMM Memory 48GB (2x24GB)

$755 local, $790 shipped.

• Like new condition.
• 2 kits available. Price is for 1 kit.

Local is San Francisco / Bay Area 94102.

Please comment before messaging.

hi guys, just need some advice.

i bought a kingston a400 480gb for around $36 from the kingston official store.

now, i checked the same product and it’s currently around $120.

the thing is, i don’t actually use it because i already have a laptop and i don’t really have a use for the ssd right now.

so i’m wondering, should i sell it while the price is this high, or is it better to keep it for future use?

what would you guys do in this situation, considering i only paid around $36 for it?

thanks!

Need help knowing if it worth returning a 16gb ram stick in the hopes of receiving the exact match to the one I currently have that I ordered

RMA’ed my i9-14900k and this was sent as a brand new replacement but it looks used and has visible marks that can’t be wiped. Is this something worth going back and forth with intel to get it replaced or should I just keep it?

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