Task Manager covers most of it
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc and open the Performance tab. Every heading down the left is a component, and clicking it names the part in the top-right corner.
- CPU — the full processor model, plus core and thread counts.
- Memory — total capacity, speed in MHz, form factor, and how many slots are used.
- GPU — the graphics card model. On a machine with two entries, the discrete card is the one that matters.
- Disk — one entry per drive, each named by its model number.
That is four of the five things that decide the quote. The fifth is the motherboard, which Task Manager does not show.
The motherboard, and everything at once
- Press Windows + R, type
msinfo32, press Enter. - Read BaseBoard Manufacturer and BaseBoard Product — that is the motherboard.
- For a single screen with the graphics card, resolution and driver together, run
dxdiagthe same way and open the Display tab.
Screenshot the msinfo32 summary and the Task Manager GPU page. Those two images answer nearly every question we would ask on the phone.
Which parts actually carry the value
In most desktops the value is concentrated in one or two components, and knowing which changes what is worth doing.
- The graphics card is usually the most valuable single item, often by a wide margin. Identifying it precisely is the highest-value two minutes here.
- The processor comes next, and its generation matters more than its model number. How to read it.
- Memory and storage hold value steadily. Checking your RAM · checking drive health.
- The case, the fans and the power supply generally carry very little. Loose power supplies are not bought at all.
Whole machine, or parted out?
You do not have to decide this in advance. A complete desktop is priced both ways and you are shown both prices.
What helps is knowing whether it boots. A machine that turns on can be tested as a system, which is the case where selling it whole tends to win. A machine that does not is priced on its parts, and it is still worth bringing.
Bring the side panel screws, and the box only if it is already to hand. Neither changes the price on its own.
Common questions
What if the PC will not turn on?
Bring it anyway. The parts inside are still worth something and we identify them for you — a dead machine is priced on what comes out of it.
Do I need to wipe it first?
No. Every drive we buy is securely erased at no charge, and you can ask for a printed certificate. You can also keep the drive and sell the rest; the offer is lower without it.
Should I part it out myself before coming in?
Only if you were going to anyway. We price it both ways regardless, and a working machine is easier to test assembled.