How to Ship a Graphics Card Safely

FPS Exchange, updated Sep 30, 2026

A graphics card survives shipping just fine when it’s packed properly. Most damage comes from two things: the card moving around inside the box, and static electricity. Here’s how to avoid both.

What you need

• An anti-static bag. The silver or pink bag the card came in is perfect.
• A sturdy cardboard box with room for about two inches of padding on every side. The original retail box is ideal.
• Bubble wrap or foam. Avoid loose packing peanuts touching the card, since they shift and can build up static.
• Packing tape and your shipping label.

Step 1: Take photos first

Before anything goes in a box, photograph the card from both sides, including the serial number sticker and the power connectors. If there’s ever a question about damage in transit, these photos are your proof.

Step 2: Remove it from the PC the right way

Shut the computer down and unplug it. Unplug the power cables from the card, remove the bracket screws, press the release latch on the PCIe slot, and lift the card straight out. Hold it by the edges and the metal bracket, never by the fans.

Step 3: Bag it

Slide the card into an anti-static bag and fold the open end over. Leave cables, adapters and anti-sag brackets out of the bag. Pack them separately if you’re including them.

Step 4: Pad it so nothing moves

Wrap the bagged card in two or three layers of bubble wrap. Put padding on the bottom of the box, set the card in, and fill every gap. Close the lid and shake the box gently. If you feel anything shift, add more padding.

If you have the retail box, pack the card in it the way it came, then put that box inside a slightly bigger shipping box with padding around it. Double boxing is the safest way to ship an expensive card.

Step 5: Seal, label and insure

Tape every seam, stick the label on the largest flat side, and cover any old labels or barcodes. For anything valuable, make sure the shipment is insured for the card’s value. Drop it off and keep your receipt with the tracking number.

Selling to FPS Exchange?

We email you a prepaid, insured label, so you don’t pay for shipping or insurance. Ship within three days of getting it. We test your card within one business day of it arriving and pay you the same day it passes.