My First Desktop PC Futureproofing Build (2021)

P.S. I took this image years ago and now for this blog which is kind of an abstract depiction of this present times we live in.

 

Hey, thanks for dropping by my small blog niche.  I appreciate it.

 

It's a fact that we are presently living with recent global 2020 reset. During this period of time, it allowed me to save money, and thus,  this April 2021, which prompted me to "future proof" my X- year old desktop PC, of course, without breaking the bank.

 

By the way, doing some "due diligence / research" helps a lot in preparation to the success of one's PC build and avoid costs due to equipment mismatch oversights.

 

This blog also comes with the aim and objective of giving you a glimpse of my tech journey with my my latest future proofing process.

AIM/OBJECTIVE

Ryzen  AMD AM4 Ryzen 3 PRO Build

Why I MUST "futureproof":

 1. Obsolescence.

 My present "old" desktop PC is an

 

 ASRock G41C-GS R2.0 DDR3 1600Mhz. 

 

     with Intel(R) Core(TM)2   

     Quad CPU G41Express chipset Q8400 @2.66GHz 2.66 GHz

2. Up to date/Cost

2021 video editing apps require increased hardware requirements and to function efficiently and effectively.  In addition, the volatility of the PC market causing surges of demand and no supply, increases the costs of hardware, peripherals, and accessories.  Investing as early as this time is sort of anticipating to obtain low to middling level priced high quality items.

 

3.  Zero out possible security risks.   

One of the main reasons why I chose Ryzen PRO CPU. The word “Pro” in this instance name literally refers to the security and management features in the Ryzen PRO series of chips. AMD’s Memory Guard feature encrypt your RAM and storage natively without using third-party software.

 

In addition, I will be doing a hardening and debloating Microsoft Window's 10 blog during the 2nd quarter 2021 during my forthcoming build.

 

 

4. Redundancy.   

Whilst my old desktop PC still runs basic word processing, internet browsing, simple video editing, I will still be maintaining and using it.  Again, for emergency and back up purposes.

 

My future proofing involves creating a new PC build in the Ryzen AM4 platform. So, in a nutshell this build comprises the following:

• AMD Ryzen™ 3 PRO Processors  4350G with built in  Radeon™ Vega 3 Graphics
• 16GB Teamforce T-group Dark Za (alpha) (2x8) DDR4 PC4-28800
• ASUS ROG Strix B450-F GAMING II (4301 BIOS)
• LianLi LANCool II RGB Mesh with LANCooL II-4X 3.1 Type C Cable
  
• BEQUIET  Pure Power II CM 600 power supply 80+ cert Gold
• Noctua NH-U12S Chromax Black CPU Cooler Fan
• Noctua NT-H1 Thermal Paste 3.5 grams
  
• Windows 10 Pro Anniversary Update (Build xxx <--- pentested)
• ASUS TUF Gaming Keyboard K1 
• RedDragon  M601-3 CENTROPHORUS 3200 DPI Mouse
• Razer Gigantus V2 - Medium mouse pad
  

CHOICE OF PC HARDWARE

MOBO

I finally settled with a newly purchased ASUS ROG Strix B450-F Gaming II motherboard to be used in this "future proof" build.

 

 

APU (Accelerated Processing Unit)

With the present global shortfall of GPU stocks ("thanks" to coin miners) and exhorbitant prices, I decided to settle with APU.  

 

This is part was hard to find availability locally here where I live. So, I outsourced it abroad.

 

By far, the grey market provides an avenue to obtain this produce.  

 

So, I got online a brand new Ryzen 3 PRO  4350G. (I hope this comes with a Wraith CPU fan).

 

 

 Here's a rundown of the delivery/shipping status:

 

 

 

RAM

To match my Mobo, and CPU, this Ryzen compatible-dedicated memory RAM sticks with the following specs: 

TEAMGROUP T-Force Dark Za (Alpha)
16GB Kit (2x8GB) 3600MHz
(PC4-28800)
CL 18

Team P/N TDZAD416G3600HC18JDC01  

 

 

With incoming lists of tasks for content creation such as media (video) editing, or any pro-level tasks will be best with this much memory, 16 GB.  I opted to this choice.

PSU

To handle the power requirements of my PC desktop build, I went to the path of Bequiet Pure Power II CM 600 watts.   Power 80+ rating. Gold power supply unit.

 

23 April 2021.  Today, I received the heavy Bequiet 600 watts PSU. 

Now by far, this is the most powerful rated power supply unit I ever used/owned.

It's still unboxed which will be scheduled during build day May twenty something.  

 

One of the most important tool which I used is the Power Supply Calculator of Bequiet. This speeds up the decision of what PSU I needed.

 CPU COOLING FAN 

 

To match my Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G chipset cooling requirements, I switched to Noctua.

 

Noctua's Compatibility Lists page will speedily help you on matching build peripherals.  Thus, under this is a sub-section are the following:

 

Motherboard compatibility

 

CPU Compatibility

 

Case Compatibility

 

Let me quote Noctua regarding CPU compatibility, "

When modern CPUs use their turbo modes, they can (depending on the configuration of the UEFI BIOS) dissipate much more heat than indicated by the manufacturer’s TDP (Thermal Design Power) specification. Just like manual overclocking, this puts higher demands on the cooling solution. Our CPU compatibility list helps you to choose (choosing) the cooler model that is best suited for a given CPU and your individual requirements as far as turbo and overclocking headroom are concerned.

We classify our coolers according to the following categories:"

 

 

Thus, for NH-U12S CPU fan requirements falls in the medium turbo/overclocking headroom, which is just fine since I don't play games, but this use case is focused for feature for content creation tasks.

 

 - Case Compatibility (LianLi LAN Cool II RGB)

All three compatibility calculators point me to a 

Noctua NH-U12S Chromax Black CPU Cooler Fan

 

 

 Noctua’s NT-H1 Thermal Paste 3.5 g will efficiently bind my CPU to the fan.

 

 

 

CASE

The name LianLi sounds exotic enough and surely, based on great reviews I read during my research, I decided this will be the desktop PC case to house my future proof build.

Under the LianLi's medium PC case category, I opted specifically with the LianLi Cool-II-mesh RGB model.

This CPU case comes with three (3) built fans. This will again, save me some bucks to invest in other peripherals. 

 

Also, LianLi Cool II Mesh RGB PSU cage size is 210 mm which will sufficiently house my Bequiet Pure Power II A 600 watts which is 160 mm (Length) x 150 mm (Width) x 86 mm (Height)

On the back of my mind, I am planning to have the exterior of the case be subjected to a commissioned indigenious art  design. Let me see if I can fit this in the timeline of this build.

 

LANCOOL II-4X 3.1 Type C Cable

At this juncture, it's good that I checked LianLi's site, do a sort of due ...

For the one of the cons of the case, the LANCOOL II-4X 3.1 Type C Cable cable above will have to be purchased separately.

 

STORAGE

This hardware will be used mainly to be my Windows 10 initiator. Yeap, just a SATA one. 

 

FAN HUB

I believe this comes with the LianLi case package.

 

 

ESD (Electro Static Devices)

I also invested in anti-static accessories to safely aid during the PC build for product safety reasons.  this applies when handling the motherboard, APU, RAM, et cetera.

 

 

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

I am scheduling the assembly and set-up of my PC build in May - June 2021 timeframe which all will be dependent on the completed orders and arrival of the same.

 

• AMD Ryzen™ 3 PRO Processors  4350G with built in  Radeon™ Vega 3 Graphics
• 16GB Teamforce T-group Dark Za (alpha) (2x8) DDR4 PC4-28800
• ASUS ROG Strix B450-F GAMING II (4301 BIOS)
• LianLi LANCool II RGB Mesh with LANCooL II-4X 3.1 Type C Cable
  
• BEQUIET  Pure Power II CM 600 power supply 80+ cert Gold
• Noctua NH-U12S Chromax Black CPU Cooler Fan
• Noctua NT-H1 Thermal Paste 3.5 grams
  
• Windows 10 Pro Anniversary Update (Build xxx <--- hackerproof)
• ASUS TUF Gaming Keyboard K1 
• RedDragon  M601-3 CENTROPHORUS 3200 DPI Mouse
• Razer Gigantus V2 - Medium mouse pad

 

As of writing, April 27, 2021, here is a status of the PC parts I will be needing for the build.

 

The CPU Ryzen 3 Pro 4350G is still inbound and intransit since it was purchased overseas whilst the other parts below were purchased onshore locally.

 

 

 

For May 2021, for efficient tracking of shipments, I will be again placing my orders and buying the following PC parts locally:

• Noctua NH-U12S 55 Chromax CPU Fan Cooler
  
  
• LianLi LAN Cool II RGB Mesh CPU Case
  
  
• LianLi Type C USB cable
  
  
• SSD (Undecided to what brand/type)
  

 

I also plan and will have a tech expert contact who will set up/assemble the PC build, as currently I have limited tech skills, and limited time to handle this risky task. 

For the PC build system review, it will be in a separate blog post with video.

 

 

NEXT BUILD BLOG

This will cover the complete build documentation and a review hopefully by the 2nd quarter 2021. Also, I will be sharing my pentest and compute use case.

RESOURCE LINKS

Tips for Building a Better AMD Ryzen™ System

 

 

Processor Handling Guidance

 

Till next blog post. Keep safe, and keep blogging.

Do check me out/follow me at the social media channels below:

 

Instagram: avianquest

 

Twitter: avianquest

 

Facebook:  avianquest

Blog:  avianquests.com

 

 

How I Refreshed My Blog Page (1Qtr 2021)

 

My blog is just one from among the zero and one bits and bytes which humbly thrives in the internet.

With the start of 2021, I look back  at the my digital journey and feel the current pulse and conduct a sort of "check up" to see under the hood and prepare the next three quarters of the year.

To sum it all up, here's all the blog refresh (new) that I've introduced:

 

• Installed Cloudflare Page Reading (free)
  
  
  
  
  
• Activated Cloudflare Bot Reporting (free)
  
  
  
  
  
• Installed Easy Magazine
  
   

 

 
 

• Cloudflare Domain Name 2-year registration (renewed)
  
  
• Pace
  

 

 

 

Pace automatically shows a progress bar when my page is loading or requesting data. Again, a totally free and open-source app.

 

 Here's what I've retained:

• Google Language Translator
  
  
  

•  Vefio Blog Page Theme
  

 

 

And lastly, here's what I've taken down (retired/removed)

• Better Browser
  
  

 

And also forthcoming, once it gets hopefully approved:

• Cloudflare Page Shield (beta)
  

 

To drive traffic and viewer readership/retention in my site, I added Easy Magazine. 

 

 

Here are some photography topics that I have linked:

https://digital-photography-school.com/photograph-with-intent/

https://petapixel.com/2021/02/28/great-reads-in-photography-february-28-2021/

https://digital-photography-school.com/photography-inspiration/

https://digital-photography-school.com/learning-exposure-in-digital-photography/

https://petapixel.com/2021/01/23/how-to-find-your-photographic-style-2/

https://petapixel.com/2021/03/14/great-reads-in-photography-march-14-2021/

https://digital-photography-school.com/long-exposure-night-photography/

https://digital-photography-school.com/fine-art-landscape-photography/

Happy reading and also, many happy returns to my blog site.

I also retired/removed the outdated and no more support app which served well its purpose then.

A Better Browser- Warns users with a simple message at the top of Avianquests.Com website if their browser version is too old.

I activated my domain security defenses and  activated Cloudflare's Bot Report (Firewall) 

 

Cloudflare now offers bot protection with every plan (including Free), so there is no excuse not to try it! So, I did activate it and put to test the new limited features.  

Cloudflare now issues computationally intensive challenges in response to some web page requests. These challenges may discourage bot operators from accessing your site, but instill firewall protection against bad bots. 

Furthermore, Cloudflare Bot Report monitors my blogs daily activitation say, bots' country origination, action taken, IP address, and service delivered (e.g., Bot fight mode, browser security check, et cetera).

 

Although, with limited features as I am using a free account, well, so far, I'm very impressed. Kudos and two thumbs up for that Cloudflare for bot management.

 

So,  if you want to switch to Cloudflare PRO or Business plan, check out the links below on to activate Super Bot Fight Mode.

https://blog.cloudflare.com/super-bot-fight-mode/

 

https://www.cloudflare.com/products/bot-management/

Also, fresh off the bat is my humble domain, which is presently hosted by Cloudflare registrar, underwent a domain auto renewal last March 26, 2021, which is a new leash of two (2) years life span. Yay!

So, that's my blog page refresh for the first quarter 2021. And this is my last post for March.  More, content coming up for April 2021. Drop by, soon. Thanks.

Do check me out/follow me at the social media channels below:

 

Instagram: avianquest

 

Twitter: avianquest

 

Facebook:  avianquest

Blog:  avianquests.com

 

Avianquests.com focuses on travel destination blogs covering the Philippines- Regions I, II, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) using photography to document society/ethno-indigenous culture, landscapes at dawn/dusk; coastal communities, local livelihood, et cetera., 

 

https://www.avianquests.com/p/privacy.html

 

My Bespoke OnePlus Nord

Well, hello there. It's great that you've come across my blog post about how I combined existing third party products designed for the OnePlus NORD for customization purposes.

Bespoke or simply, a custom use case to tailor fit with my activities of daily living (especially when I go out mountaineering in the great outdoors). Yep, I gave my spanking brand-new OnePlus NORD not just a make over, but a ruggedized and contemporary protection as part of my Every Day Carry (EDC).

As an EDC, I also wanted my mobile phone to seamlessly blend into whatever occasion I find myself. So, be it formal or casual, this use case fits the glove.

My aim/objective is to add an extra protection to my mobile device coupled with day-to-day ease of use. 

Almost about everyday we hear lots of priced mobile phones meeting their untimely end of life through inadvertent device hand slips and falls, and a majority of the phones are without protective grip cases.

 

 

So, this is how my "naked" device looked then with minimal protection (unboxed it comes with an original transparent hard bumper case and an attached screen protector) and not that really protected well enough as to my standards and that I might accidentally run to some accidents (device falls, scrapes, et cetera). 

So, even with a Gorilla glass 5 for the front and back panels of the OnePlus NORD would not give the redundancy of protection, and thus, prone to breakage from a fall.

At this point, let's cut the risks to zero and so, a long story short, and in a nutshell, here are the three (03) products that I used as follows:

•  A Dbrand JerryRig OnePlus NORD Teardown original back panel sticker.
  
  
•  Spigen Tough Armor (for OnePlus NORD); and
  
  
•  An original  Popsockets   (Avenger Red Icon).
  

 

And by the way, all of the above are not sponsored products. I purchased them all out of pocket with money I saved.

 

 Dbrand

 

I started out with a  Dbrand JerryRig OnePlus NORD Teardown original backpanel sticker.

The Original Dbrand 3M backpanel sticker has an optically clear gloss finish that produces vibrant colors and flawless visibility on the Teardown thus, an additional layer of protection.  And additionally, I'm basically a fan of Zack "JerryRigEverything" Nelson.

 

Word of caution, watch first the video in YouTube on how to apply it correctly the first time. The link below.

 

 

 Spigen Tough Armor (for OnePlus NORD);

Next comes the "metal jacket" per se to complement the customization process. The Tough Armor® for the OnePlus Nord is the definition of rugged protection in a slim body. Its dual-layer structure is designed to be pocket-friendly, with Air Cushion Technology® packed into every corner for extreme defense.

 

By the way, when I received the Spigen Tough Armor which I ordered online, here are a few pics.

 

And for added convenience, a built-in back kickstand which is easily accessible for hands-free viewing. Whether you go mountain climbing or out for a night on the town, the Tough Armor® has protection for every situation.

 

 

The grip case fits firmly which is not to tight nor too loose so, it will be fairly easy to remove the mobile phone.

I love this unique feature of the Spigen Tough Armor since the pull-out kickstand allows your mobile phone to rest on a flat surface, and give you a landscape view of the content of your phone be it videos, games, or text. Again, this is perfect for Netflix, YouTube, et cetera.  

 

Furthermore, the Spigen Tough Armor grip case protects the exposed back camera unit from scratches since the case is with a deep sunken design. Also, the grip case is water resistant.

 

So, here's how it looks when I finished mounting the Tough Armor to my OnePlus Nord. And one thing more, one of the biggest pluses that I love that is cool the material which makes it impervious to fingerprint smudges and sweaty palms.

 

 

In a nutshell, here's the specifications of Spigen Tough Armor.

And last but not the least is the

Original  Popsockets   (Avenger Red Icon)

 

 

 

To mount the Popsocket, I went and decided a full non-removable base mount using a Mighty Bond instant glue.

The Popsocket allows you to handheld better your mobile phone since your fingers will further grip the Popsocket allowing ease of use and safety handling.

While, we invest a little percentage or amount into physical protection of our mobile phones, again it is our paramount importance that daily care and upkeep be observed.

The total bespoke costs as follows:

 

Dbrand NORD Teardown   -    USD $ 19.95

Spigen Tough Armor          -    USD $ 39.99

Popsocket                            -    USD $15.00

                               Total       -   USD $ 74.94  

 

The total customization cost for added protection won't break the bank and will certainly not break your phone.          

As we reach the homestreatch here, one additional feature of the OnePlus NORD which I dub as middling range is that it is future proof-ready to operate in a 5G network. And that I haven't tested it yet.

I am also preparing a 6 months review of the OnePlus NORD which is forthcoming.

 

 By the way, here is the unboxing vid of my OnePlus NORD  (Unboxing Video link or click on the picture below).

 

 

       

At the end of the day, I must say that, I have achieved the aim/objective I set to pursue with cost, safety, protection, and aesthetic considerations and ease of operation use case.

I highly recommend the abovementioned and that you get to try products that I used to customize a OnePlus NORD device.

 

 Till next blog. See you soon.