My “New” PC And That Extra Motherboard

Imagine my surprise when I discovered a brand new motherboard (that I did not buy) among the empty boxes returned by the shop.  You see, here in Singapore, assembling a new computer is as simple as ordering food from a restaurant.  You walk up to a shop.  They present you with a long list of components in the form of a pricing list.  You put a tick to each component you want.  They add up the numbers.  You pay the bill.  An hour later you return to the computer assembly area inside one of the back alleys.  You present the proof of purchase.  And they pass you the newly assembled computer, together with all the empty boxes and spare parts.  You bring the computer home with the empty boxes and that’s the end of the story.

Except, in my case, when I returned home and went through the boxes, I found a brand new motherboard!  No wonder the boxes seemed heavier than I expected.  I am not a saint.  So, for a good ten seconds, I fantasized what I could do with an extra motherboard.  Perhaps for my wife’s computer upgrade?  Pass it to my brother-in-law?  Sell it?  I mean, the same shop was being very mean to me when I wanted to exchange for a new webcam due to a faulty product.

I called the shop the next day.  The store manager turned up at my home in the same evening looking all jolly and happy as I returned to him the new motherboard.  He lingered for a bit telling me that he should have brought a souvenir for me.  He paused for a second or two and he told me that he would extend my assemble warranty for one full year.  I doubt he would remember my face even though I am a loyal customer for more than a decade.  My Guild Wars 2 group was waiting as we were in the middle of a dungeon outing.  I bid him goodbye and quickly jumped back to my online game.  End of story.

Now, why do I write a post on my computer configuration every time I upgrade my PC?  Two reasons really.  My friends often ask: Tell me more about your new PC!  And I would reply: Check out this link and scroll to the bottom!  The second reason is that I know for sure some time in the future, I would want to upgrade some of the components.  Like adding new RAM or getting a new graphic card.  And I would all of a sudden, somewhere not at home, want to know my existing configuration and see if the parts are right for me.  Hence this post.

If you are assembling for a new computer today, I would recommend two items for your consideration.

1. Get a SSD (solid state drive).
2. Get a sound proof case.

I install my operating system into the SSD.  The start-up time is like less than 10 seconds.  The shutdown time is a second or two.  You may say, SSD is expensive, and may breakdown.  And you really don’t mind the longer waiting time for start up, software and OS update, and shutdown.

To that, I would say, the ability to switch on my computer in less than 10 seconds whenever I want to do something with it is priceless. I bought this computer on Sept 18.  I am still feeling the joy every time I switch it on.

I invest good money in my new case too.  Some may be taken aback by the fact that it is just a case.  Well, it is not just a case.  The Scandinavian design is beautiful.  It has an internal dust filter covering the entire front panel.  On top of that, the entire case is sound proof.  My PC runs quiet.  Very quiet.

With these two items, I am happy from the moment I switch on my computer, all the way till it is shut down.

OK.  That is just about all that I wish to talk about in this post.  The specification of my “new” PC is as follows.

• Intel i5 3570 3.4GHz 6MB LGA1155
• Asus P8H77-V
• Corsair Vengence 1600 8GB Kit CL9 (2 x 4GB) Black
• Corsair Force Series GT 120GB SSD SATA 3
• Sapphire HD7850 2GB GDDR5 PCI-E (OC Edition)
• Fractal Design Refine R4 White USB 3.0
• Corsair TX750M Broze PSU
• WD Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5″ 64MB SATA 3
• Samsung SH-S222 22X SATA Internal DVD Writer
• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium