A Long-Awaited Gift: The Journey to Unbox My New PC

Today marks a significant milestone in my journey, one that began three years ago when I received a heartfelt gift that I could never open—until now.

The story starts in Syria, where a member of this wonderful community noticed my computer setup and decided to extend a generous helping hand. They gifted me an older PC, complete with its original packaging, extra thermal paste, and additional fans, all while covering the shipping costs. In a delightful twist of fate, another kind soul contributed a spare 1030 graphics card and an old SSD to the mix. Just two weeks ago, my luck continued when I was presented with a fantastic Nvidia 3070 graphics card.

Due to various circumstances, particularly financial constraints and living conditions, this cherished PC remained packed away in a friend’s home for three long years. I found myself dreaming about the day I could finally set it up. Today, that dream has come to fruition.

As I embark on this new chapter, my immediate goal is to acquire a second-hand monitor and a power cable to test whether this rig survived its extended hibernation. Here’s a look at the impressive specs I’ve been given:

• CPU: Intel Core i7-3960X or Intel Core i7-3930K
• CPU Cooler: Water cooler
• GPU: Nvidia 3070
• RAM: 8 sticks (some are DDR3-1600 CL11, but I’ll confirm the total)
• Motherboard: Asus P9X79 WS
• SSD: Two 240GB drives

While I recognize that this might not be the newest setup on the block, I see immense potential for future upgrades, especially given that it’s a desktop. Unlike laptops, upgrading a desktop PC is a much simpler endeavor, and I’m eager to enhance its capabilities as my finances allow. For now, it’s undoubtedly a leap upward from my previous MX130 laptop GPU.

You might wonder about the second CPU in my possession; I’ve heard it was quite pricey upon release, but I’m unsure of its current value—perhaps an eBay listing could help gauge that?

I also have exciting plans to document this journey further. After getting everything up and running, I’m contemplating launching a Twitch channel or a YouTube account where I can indulge my nostalgia by playing some classic games I once missed out on due to lacking a proper graphics card.

This journey feels reminiscent