As even higher-powered computers hit the market, many schools and nonprofits are finding themselves the beneficiaries of donated used equipment. A two-year-old machine may be too slow for a techie on the cutting edge, but it packs plenty of power for the average user.

While donated equipment eliminates the up-front purchase cost, it may create major expenses in maintenance, training, integration, and upkeep. In some cases, the costs could outweigh the benefits.

Understand your needs before accepting a donation of computer hardware. Donated computers should be held to the same standards applied to the purchase of new equipment. The donated machines should satisfy an organizational need, otherwise they becomes an unnecessary maintenance burden. Some important questions to ask: Does the donated hardware have enough processor power and memory to comfortably run your software? How much will updates cost? After the upgrade, how long will the computer last?

Hardware and software updates. Upgrades can be cheaper than purchasing new gear, but the cost may still be prohibitive, and you could end up with a machine that's almost as good as a new one for about the same price . Assess the cost of necessary upgrades before deciding to use donated computers.

Integration with other computers. Make sure you are getting computers that will work with the same software and hardware (like printers) that you already have. It may not be productive for a school with a 20 computer Macintosh lab to accept 4 Windows machines. The additional costs would not justify the donation.

Maintenance and troubleshooting. What condition are the donated machines in? How will breakdowns affect productivity? Can your staff handle the additional repair and troubleshooting that may accompany donated computers?

Donated computer gear can be a godsend, but care must be taken to avoid the pitfalls. Additional training and upkeep, upgrades, and software costs could make donated computers an expensive proposition.

If you don't find what you're looking for here, check out Recycled and Refurbished Hardware on TechSoup.org.