No. Sentimental values aren't an objective measure.
>Are there good reasons to believe that the brand name that's printed on the case means it's actually made by that company?
No. Most companies don't manufacture their products, in fact.
>How could anyone determine if it contains a keylogger, or an HDMI screen grabber, or a network sniffer, or a reverse shell, or a rootkit installer?
By having a sacrificial computer that tests every single piece of hardware and software before they are allowed access into your inner sanctum.
No. Sentimental values aren't an objective measure.
>Are there good reasons to believe that the brand name that's printed on the case means it's actually made by that company?
No. Most companies don't manufacture their products, in fact.
>How could anyone determine if it contains a keylogger, or an HDMI screen grabber, or a network sniffer, or a reverse shell, or a rootkit installer?
By having a sacrificial computer that tests every single piece of hardware and software before they are allowed access into your inner sanctum.