Reuse: which computer parts still have market value?
The parts that keep a reuse value are recent, working components: DDR4 memory, 8th-generation and newer Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, SSDs and NVMe drives, and high-capacity hard drives. On 15/11/2026, at the base public rate, a 64 GB DDR4 server memory module is bought for €30.00 and a 10th-generation Core i7 processor for €30.00. Older or low-capacity parts are bought by the kilo for their metals.
Why does reuse pay more than recycling?
Because a reused part is resold as it is. It avoids dismantling, shredding and refining, and it keeps its value in use. Material recycling only pays for what the part contains: a little gold, silver and copper.
French law points the same way. The Environmental Code (Article L541-1) sets a waste treatment hierarchy that puts preparation for reuse ahead of recycling, then energy recovery and disposal. The French Ministry for Ecological Transition sums up the principle as: "favour reuse, then recycling, and avoid disposal".
The environmental stakes are real. According to the ADEME-Arcep study published in 2023 (2020 data), manufacturing equipment accounts for 79% of the carbon footprint of digital technology in France. Extending the life of a memory module or a processor avoids making a new one.
Which parts still have a unit value?
Four families account for most of the reuse value. Here are reference prices on 15/11/2026, at the base public rate:
| Part | Buyback price on 15/11/2026 |
|---|---|
| DDR4 server memory 128 GB | €60.00/unit |
| DDR4 server memory 64 GB | €30.00/unit |
| DDR4 server memory 32 GB | €15.00/unit |
| DDR4 PC or laptop memory 16 GB | €7.50/unit |
| Intel Core i7 10XXX series processor | €30.00/unit |
| Intel Core i5 10XXX series processor | €20.00/unit |
| Intel Core i7 8XXX series processor | €20.00/unit |
| 3.5" SATA hard drive 18 TB | €90.00/unit |
| M.2 NVMe drive 2 TB | €50.00/unit |
| 2.5" SSD 1 TB | €22.50/unit |
What creates the value is demand on the second-hand market: a DDR4 module or a 1 TB SSD can still equip a server or a workstation. Detailed prices are in the RAM unit price list, the processor unit price list and the hard drive and SSD price list.
Which parts are only worth their weight?
Those the market no longer asks for. Unit value falls quickly with age and capacity:
- DDR3 memory: €1.00 for an 8 GB DDR3 PC module, €0.60 for an 8 GB DDR3 laptop module.
- Small drives: €2.50 for a 500 GB 2.5" SATA drive, €0.15 for a 160 GB 2.5" SATA drive.
- Old entry-level processors: €0.20 for a 4th-generation Core i3, €0.50 for a 2nd-generation Core i5.
- Items with no reuse outlet: internal power supply with cable €0.56/kg, CD/DVD drive €0.43/kg.
These parts are not worthless: they go to material recycling. Memory is bought by the kilo according to its connectors (€40.00/kg for gold memory, €15.53/kg for silver memory), and processors by the kilo according to their package. But the gap with a recent part sold by the unit is wide: within the same component family, the price can be ten times higher or more.
What makes the price of a part go up or down?
Five criteria come up in every inspection:
- Generation: DDR4 rather than DDR3, an 8th-generation or newer processor rather than an older one.
- Capacity: a 12 TB 3.5" SATA drive is worth €60.00, a 3 TB one €11.50.
- Condition: an intact part, with no bent pins or torn-off connectors, keeps its reuse value. A damaged part drops to the kilo rate.
- Batch consistency: 50 identical modules are easier to resell than 50 all different.
- Quantity: public prices are given at the base tier; they rise with your profile (business, recycler) and by the pallet or full truck.
The firm price is always confirmed after inspection of the equipment received.
Should you dismantle machines to extract the valuable parts?
Often, yes, when the fleet is recent. A complete computer is bought at €0.50/kg and a complete server at €0.70/kg on 15/11/2026. If those machines contain DDR4 memory and recent processors, selling them by the unit earns more than the whole machine by the kilo.
For an older fleet (DDR3, 2nd- to 4th-generation processors, small drives), dismantling earns little: the complete machine by the kilo is often the simplest choice. If in doubt, send an inventory or photos: RECYNEW quotes a batch within 48 working hours.
How should you prepare parts for reuse?
- Sort by family: memory, processors, drives, boards. Where possible, separate DDR3 from DDR4 and PC from server.
- Protect the parts: antistatic bags or boxes for memory and processors, padding for drives. Intact components fetch more.
- Note the references: capacity, generation, quantities. This speeds up the quote.
- Think about data: drives and SSDs are securely erased, or physically destroyed if they cannot be reused. Businesses can request an erasure certificate.
Then create your buyback request: you receive a reference and a shipping label, then a detailed purchase order to approve online after inspection.
Is reuse really a global issue?
Yes. According to the Global E-waste Monitor 2024 published by UNITAR and the ITU, the world produced 62 million tonnes of e-waste in 2022, of which only 22.3% was documented as properly collected and recycled. The same report forecasts 82 million tonnes by 2030. Putting components that still work back into circulation reduces what has to be treated.
In short
- Reuse parts are recent, working components: DDR4, 8th-generation and newer Core i5/i7, SSDs, NVMe drives, high-capacity hard drives.
- On 15/11/2026: 64 GB DDR4 server module €30.00, Core i7 10XXX series €30.00, 1 TB 2.5" SSD €22.50 per unit.
- Older parts (DDR3, small drives, power supplies) go by the kilo to material recycling.
- Generation, capacity, condition, batch consistency and quantity set the price, confirmed after inspection.
- French law puts reuse ahead of recycling (Article L541-1 of the Environmental Code).