Buying Used Gaming: What to Check

18 guides to buying gaming second hand — what to check, what a fair price looks like, and the questions to ask before you pay.

What goes wrong buying gaming used

Missing proprietary cables and power supplies, controller stick drift, and optical drives that spin but no longer read.

Misrepresentation and fakes

Counterfeit cartridges are common in retro titles and usually give themselves away on label print quality and the screws used on the shell.

How to verify before you pay

Ask for a photograph of the console powered on with a game running, and for a list of exactly which cables and controllers are included.

WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or grade anything, and does not hold funds. You are buying on the seller’s description and photographs, so ask directly — a seller who has the item will answer in minutes.

What you should expect to pay

Across this category, guide prices run from about £5 to £900 (approximately $7 to $1,199) depending on the item and its condition. Grades run New with Tags, Like New, Good, Fair and For Parts — what each one means.

Sterling guide ranges with an approximate US dollar equivalent at £1 ≈ $1.33 (July 2026).

What each one typically costs

The most-searched items in this category, with the guide range a buyer should expect:

Item	Good condition	Full range
Gaming PC	£162–£585	£250–£900 (~$333–$1,199)
Gaming Monitor	£46–£228	£70–£350 (~$93–$466)
Steam Deck	£117–£228	£180–£350 (~$240–$466)
PS5	£143–£247	£220–£380 (~$293–$506)
Game Boy	£26–£130	£40–£200 (~$53–$266)
Xbox Series X	£130–£228	£200–£350 (~$266–$466)
Nintendo Switch	£72–£143	£110–£220 (~$147–$293)
PS4	£52–£104	£80–£160 (~$107–$213)

Every gaming buying guide

Frequently asked questions

What should I check before buying gaming second hand?

Ask for a photograph of the console powered on with a game running, and for a list of exactly which cables and controllers are included.

What goes wrong most often?

Missing proprietary cables and power supplies, controller stick drift, and optical drives that spin but no longer read.

Does WishThrift check the item for me?

No. WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or grade anything, and does not hold funds or offer buyer protection. Condition is described by the seller against five grades and the photographs are what you are buying on — which is why these 18 guides exist.