We're Game Enough!

Sonny ready for big Yong Tau Foo breakfast at Giant Foodcourt

Like clothes and shoes, our Son has finally outgrown his desktop PC.

The Acer Pentium 4 PC I bought years ago... my then prized possession was handed over to Sonny when I myself outgrew it. He has been using it from simple programs and excel worksheet for his school projects, growing in capacity and capability through the years to keep up with Sonny's insatiable thirst for computer programming knowledge and well, games.

It finally came to its "computing" end when programs and games that Sonny work on or play are more graphics-intensive. Video editing and photo rendering programs that he uses for his school projects in Secondary One and those of personal ones in his DANamic.ORG website no longer can be done effectively with this old, but so faithful computer.

Even with the last hundred over dollars spent to upgrade his computer to the maximum capability that this computer could take, the latest programs and demand for large chunks of computing power proved too much for its graphics card... after the last one died on him for the third time.

Acer Predator Gaming PC

The start of the school holidays proved to be the last straw for its graphics card when the PC is put through a daily dose of games marathon these past two weeks.

It is time to give this tired old PC a rest and revisit its original purpose when it was first bought. Normal computing use like emails, internet surfing, office works documents... a normal desktop PC for the common man.

Sonny is now needing a much faster, larger capacity and like all PC... the latest one available to cope with the demands of the programs that he uses. It should therefore also be latest enough to last without the need to upgrade in the next few years.

Guess we will have another extra PC in the house when Sonny gets his way.

"I have saved up about a thousand dollars already..." Sonny said to Wifey, pitching his request hoping to go through the final approval authority to spend his money he had saved from his daily school allowances and gifts from Hari Raya.

Dark clouds amid happy-colored Bugis shophouses

Surprisingly, Wifey said "yes" to his request. I have no qualms and trust her judgment because is thrifty and wise with money. Unlike me, I have a built-in soft spot for techno gadgets. A sure "YES!" will entail with recommendations on what is latest!

Then again, asking for an Acer Predator that costs about S$4,000.00 is well, pushing it just a tat too far. No way! Even I know my limits.

So three of us went out to hunt for his PC... with the souped-up hardware we are looking out for, it is just like a Gaming PC. Built to take the abuse, particularly that the internals should stay as cool as possible with all that high intensity computing and graphics.

We set of early to Courts Megastore, hoping to be the 50 people who could exchange a real apple we brought for an Apple iPod. We ended up probably being the 300th person there instead. Tough luck. So we ended having our breakfast at Giant Hypermart's Foodcourt.

Wet and happy children at Bugis Junction fountain

Left for Sim Lim Square at Rochor Road, one of several well known haunts for PC and electronic goods on the island for techno buffs.

The many flyers handed-out on the 3rd to 5th floor whenever one passes the escalator is a very good indication of the best offers available at the time. It is also an indication of what is latest technology out there to fset-up or soup-up a D.I.Y PC.

The prices are competitive, more so during this bad economic times. The offers are good as we moved for quote from one store to another. Sonny knows that this trip is just scouting for the best prices for the latest hardware. We have since reduced to two stores that offer the best prices.

The PC should be able to cater to high computing power and graphics-intensive programs and games for at least 3 to 4 years to come with the least concern of the graphics card to go bust first.

The cost for an Asus SLI-capable motherboard, loaded with Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 Processor, Nvidia Q9800 GTX-Plus, 4GB RAM on-board, 500 GB Harddisk and an Nvidia Cooler Master casing with 550W Real power supply, fixed with a 22x Samsung DVD 2-layer writer... added-up to be at S$1,590.00.

Of course, it is only the CPU without the LCD monitor, keyboard and mouse. Sonny will use his present 29" Samsung TV/monitor and his keyboard and mouse.

All looks set. Wifey has given her blessings and that is a good thing and quite rare too.

Sonny is looking forward to having his new souped-up PC. I am looking at forking about S$600.00 for him... strings attached of course. Sonny has agreed to our conditions... work even harder on his studies and keep up his grades. PC game playing is regulated with no negotiations entertained.

Shall we wait for Sitex PC Show next week?

For now, we just eat the apples during our hunt since we could not listen to them...