Which old components can you reuse when building a new PC?

Building a new PC is fun, exciting, and… expensive. Once you've built a few desktops, all of those new boxes of Corsair, NVIDIA, and Intel hardware can lose their shine, especially after you tally up the finances.

Do you really need all these new parts?

Most of the time when it comes to a new PC, people think of new components, and for good reason: when you're building a new desktop PC, you want a machine that performs better than the one. that you had before. However, this does not mean that some parts cannot be reused.

Let's take a look at the main elements of a PC, from most to least reusable.

Keep external devices

Of course, if you are building a new PC, you can save money by keeping your old peripherals. These include your monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, webcam, headphones and all other gadgets of all kinds. Even if you want to upgrade later, it will be easy to purchase a product afterwards - you just have to plug it in.

The best components to keep when building a new PC

The following components are the easiest to keep for your new setup. Some are pretty basic items, but they can cost a lot if you're on a tight budget.

The box and fans

Of all the parts you can reuse from a previous PC, the case is the easiest and safest to keep. If you have a quality model that is still in good condition, there is no reason to change it.

However, if you have an old fashioned case, changing it is a good idea. These include both older PCs and newer prebuilt cases from Dell, HP and Lenovo.

These older style cases weren't really designed for the upgrade. For the most part, all of the components are welded, attached, and the cover is closed. Sometimes these cases can't even accept a full-size motherboard, which is a key consideration.

Modern enclosures, on the other hand, make it easier to mount components, achieve adequate airflow, and are built with a cable management mindset.

If you have a modern case that supports all of these features, there's no real reason to change it. The only exceptions would be if the enclosure is broken, the internal front panel wiring no longer works, or if you want an enclosure with a front panel and a Type C port.

If you keep the old case, you can also keep the fans, if they are still working. Just make sure you clean them well. If you don't keep the case, see if the old fans will fit the new one. The box manual indicates the size of the fans it accepts.

Diet

There are three types of PC power supplies: rugged parts that can last a lifetime, power supplies in prebuilt systems, and low end ones that last two years or less. If you've had quality food for more than two years, you can guess which team you're on.

Power supplies are worth keeping in several cases. The first is if they are still under warranty. Quality power supplies can have a warranty of up to 10 years, so these parts can last for multiple configurations.

The other problem is, of course, the potency. Do you have an old power supply with enough wattage to power the new, more advanced one you're building? If not, it's time for a change.

A final issue for power supplies is whether you have a modular, semi-modular, or non-modular unit. If you have a non-modular, you will have to change it.

Fully modular and semi-modular power supplies give you more freedom to choose the cables you need in your PC. This reduces the clutter, which is preferable for cable management. It also makes it easier to close the back panel when you are done building.

Possible components to keep in some cases

The following components will likely work fine, but may not provide the performance you expect from a new PC.

The graphics card

The graphics card is one of the easiest components to determine whether or not you can keep it. If you only need it to play your current games, and those work well and are smooth enough, then you may want to keep your GPU.

If you want to play the latest titles, as well as those that will be released in the future, check out the minimum specs for the current greedy new games. You will quickly have an idea of ​​how much time you have left before you have to replace your graphics card.

Once the minimum specs for AAA games exceed the wattage of your graphics card model, it's time for a change. So you will have to choose a good graphics card according to your configuration ou this other choice.

Keeping the old card only applies to those willing to accept between 30 and 60 frames per second at 1080p. If you want more than 60 FPS or higher resolution, you need a new graphics card.

Storage

Yes, you can probably reuse storage drives. In many ways, these are probably the easiest parts to transfer between machines. We do have a few caveats though, which is why we haven't included them in the “best components to keep” section.

If your secondary hard drives and SSDs are functioning properly, they could be reused. Just make sure they aren't about to die by checking their SMART stats. Scoring does not guarantee that a reader will not fail, but it is generally a good indicator.

Another good rule of thumb is to replace your drives after about five years. If you are going to gamble and use an older drive, make sure you have a good backup to protect your data from sudden disaster.

RAM

The reuse of RAM is possible, because it is a very stable part that does not deteriorate over time. RAM types don't change as often as CPU and GPU generations. If you keep the RAM, make sure it is compatible with your motherboard. For example, if you have DDR3 RAM, it will not work on a DDR4 compatible motherboard.

Keep in mind that RAM prices also seem reasonable again. If you're saving money by reusing other parts, you might want to upgrade your RAM.

CPU coolers (cooler)

CPU coolers can be expensive. If the old one is in good condition, you may be able to reuse it. You will however need to make sure that it is powerful enough to cool your new processor (check the TDP). It will also need to fit into your new motherboard socket.

Also, keep in mind that out of all the coins, this one is major. If it doesn't perform well, it can damage your expensive new processor. A new cooler will therefore probably be more reliable for this critical job.

The 2 parts to change: the processor and the motherboard

Now we come to the parts that you should probably (definitely) replace. If you're building a new PC, you probably shouldn't keep the processor, even if it's working fine.

That doesn't mean you can't use it for a second spare computer, just don't use it in your new PC. The processor is one of the main drivers of PC performance, the number 1 reason for your new setup.

If you keep the processor, you will probably also have to keep the motherboard as well, as finding a new one for an older processor is almost impossible. Also, if you keep the processor AND the motherboard, you are definitely in an "upgrade" rather than a "new configuration".

However, there are exceptions. For example, if you bought a recent processor (less than 2/3 years old) for your old PC, you may be able to reuse it in the new configuration.

Upgrade VS New PC

There are a number of components to consider reusing in a new setup. Remember the dividing line between an upgrade and creating a truly new system when reusing these parts.

There is nothing wrong with simple upgrades to an existing configuration. However, if you keep too many old components, you might not get the performance boost that you are looking for.