What do you do with your old/outdated/replaced hardware?

[Stg-Flame]

I've been thinking about this a lot lately since I now have a small stockpile of gaming PCs and extra outdated hardware that's still in good condition. Does Anandtech users offer their outdated hardware as hand-me-downs to friends/family? Do you try to sell them as soon as they are replaced to get the most money for their current worth? Do you keep them together and use them for an older storage machine? Do they just gather dust in a closet/storage room somewhere for years? Or do they find themselves buried in a landfill somewhere?

Personally, I cannot bring myself to sell my belongings. It sounds weird, but I just have a hard time parting with something I built or spent a great amount of time with, so there are some air-tight storage containers holding countless game consoles (I used to repair consoles for friends and family back in high school and most people didn't want theirs back) and going on three gaming rigs. I still have my last gaming rig sitting next to my current one waiting for Grim Dawn to be released so me and my girlfriend can play some co-op, but I tend to hoard my outdated hardware.

So, what do you end up doing with your used/outdated components?

 

[MongGrel]

HTPC for one, upgrade my own families stuff I guess in RL.

Still have old stuff I ought to just throw out I imagine.

That landfill might be getting pretty big these days.

 

[Eeqmcsq]

If the outdated component is an entire PC, I install Linux on it and experiment with stuff like compiling code or setting up FTP/web/etc servers. I also use older PCs to performance test the software and scripts that I write. If it runs quickly, efficiently, and responsively on yesterdecade's CPU/RAM/etc, then I know it will run even better on today's PCs.

For parts that might be useful today, like PCI cards, I keep them in a drawer or in a shelf. For parts that are WAY outdated, like ISA cards, I give them to an electronics recycler.

 

[Arcanedeath]

I generally pass my old rigs / parts to friends / family. My A64 4400+ @ 2.8ghz DFI NF4 SLI-DR w/ 2 gb ddr 400 of ram is still in service as an office PC and that box started as a single core a64 3200+ winchester

 

[Charlie98]

Components get harvested and either posted for sale or, in the case of some obsolete stuff, gets put on the freebie thread... otherwise it gets dumped in the trash. Life is too short to hold on to old, obsolete crap.

 

[dbcooper1]

So, what do you end up doing with your used/outdated components?

All of the above.

 

[Smoblikat]

I re purpose them into my other builds if applicable. As of right now, I have 4 computers. 2 of them are built, one is still being shipped to me, and im still in the planning stages for my 4th one. I keep one computer at my buddies house, and we all stay up too late and play N64 emulators or watch movies. The other one that is built is just sitting as a backup in case the one at my buddies house takes a dive. The computer that im waiting on parts for will be my new main build, which will be used as my personal primary computer. The last one I am still planning will be a file server/game server/work horse/NASA guidance system. It has a pair of 6C/12T xeons that will be overclocked and drowned with the finest distilled water stop and shop sells. Hopefully I can get 4 GPU's in there under water too

 

[corkyg]

I donate it to Vietnam Vets or Big Bros Big Sisters if family members don't want it.

 

[Flacco]

Mixture of stuff. I recently sold my previous graphics card after I upgraded. The rest of my stuff is either collecting dust or has gone to friends/family.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I saw some old PCs in shopping carts at Staples, they had stickers on them that said "Recycled". They do take old PCs for recycling. They've been running ads on the radio that mentioned that. They also recently had a $150 off PCs coupon, so I suspect some people decided to recycle + upgrade. You could get a Haswell i3 pre-built for like $150.

 

[Omar F1]

I have the bad habit of keeping most of my old stuff in general. Now this thread encourage me to gift/sell for cheap some stuff.

 

[Murloc]

they just waste away, it's impossible to sell stuff around here.

 

[Stg-Flame]

I donate it to Vietnam Vets or Big Bros Big Sisters if family members don't want it.

It's funny you mention this. My buddy is still in the Marines and told me about a program they have for sending electronics overseas. I was thinking about taking my older gaming rigs, wiping them clean, doing a fresh install, and setting up a new steam account with some games and shipping it overseas. A friend of ours was just returned home badly wounded and he told me he would have done anything to get his hands on a PSP or other handheld while he was laid up in the army hospital.

 

[phreakwarz]

For me I use a couple to test games with. I have a old xp system with a c2d. The developers love it that I test game on old and new PCs.

 

[piasabird]

Backup Device.
Target Practice.
Technology turn-in day (Junk Pile).
Door Stops.
Table lamp.

I kind of wonder what a pile of computers would look like after they were all crushed like a car.

 

[mizzou]

I recycle most. Only thing you have a hard time getting rid of are old monitors, you have to pay $ to get rid of them

 

[monkeydelmagico]

I used to do alot of family hand me downs until it became an IT nightmare. Now I just sell the stuff on ebay if it has any worth. The rest goes to our town semi-annual electronics recycle day.