Where to buy used PCs cheap in the UK
Cheap used PCs in the UK come from private sellers on four marketplaces. Each has a different rhythm, different risks and different competition.
By Artem Kulyk, founder of PathAu · Updated 27 October 2026 · Numbers from PathAu's own data, refreshed daily
eBay UK
The biggest volume — about 1,907 new used PC and part listings a day in the categories we watch. Buy It Now and Best Offer listings can be bought on the spot, so underpriced ones go within minutes. Buyer protection covers items not as described. New listings take a few minutes to appear in eBay search for everyone.
Gumtree
Local, cash, collection — about 236 new listings a day. Sellers often just want the PC gone, so prices are looser and there are fewer buyers per listing. You travel, test on the spot and pay cash. Too-good-to-be-true listings and "courier only" requests are the main scam patterns.
Facebook Marketplace
The largest local market, with listings shown by area and no sold prices, so sellers guess. Same rules as Gumtree: meet in person, test before paying, never pay a deposit to hold an item. A top graphics card far below its value here is more often a scam than a bargain.
Vinted
Smaller for PCs — about 501 new desktop PCs and graphics cards a day — and posted across the UK, with Vinted's buyer protection. The price you pay is the item price plus a buyer protection fee and postage, so compare that total, not the sticker. Many PCs here are listed above what their parts sell for; the underpriced ones are rare and go quickly.
How to get there first
Save searches and turn on notifications, check at quiet hours (late evening, early morning), and price every listing from its parts so you can decide in a minute. Tools: deal alert tools for UK PC flippers.
Questions
Is Gumtree or eBay better for buying used PCs?
eBay has far more listings and buyer protection; Gumtree has local, cash deals with fewer competing buyers. Flippers usually watch both.
How do I avoid scams when buying a used PC?
Meet in person, test it running, check the parts in the system information, never pay a deposit or use bank transfer to a stranger, and be wary of prices far below the parts value.