New Toys!

[TulsaGeoff]

You will want to reinstall install windows fresh with a new motherboard. Backing up everything on a removable drive is the easiest. You will also have everything backed up for when your hard drive does fail. You would want to do a quick drive format within the windows install to wipe the drive and start fresh. This in itself would increase your performance. Windows tends to get slow over time. 

 

Is your i7 the 3770K version or the non K? The K version allows for very nice overclocks with an aftermarket motherboard. If you have a non K, I'd just stick with what you have until some way better tech comes out (just my opinion). Depends on what you are willing to spend. I just built a PC for a friend and his i5 3.4ghz has not crashed a single time running at 4.4Ghz. It is a nice boost in performance but I don't think its worth replacing your processor and mobo to do so. 

 

Just google molex to fan connector to get that other fan powered. You can also get a fan Y-adapter cable to power two fans from one port. It would be fine for normal fans. For high powered fans, It wouldn't be recommended to use the Y-adapter method. 

 

BTW the aftermarket motherboard are super simple to rewire. All of those PWR and other cables are color coded and labeled

[A. Pirate]

Also, what is this exactly?...

 

http://www.memory4less.com/m4l_itemdetail.aspx?itemid=1464203545

 

I found it in my old pc.

 

It's an SSD, but it's only 16gb -- my guess is your PC manufacturer was using that as a system recovery disk. I'd hang on to it -- you never know if it'll come in handy for putting a back-up image of a fresh install onto. If you do go that route with it, just be sure you install all of your drivers and such -- that'll make a reinstall of windows in the future much faster and more painless.

[SiD]

Ah kick ass, good to know! Thanks

 

 

Also, some pics from last night. Will post finished pics in Showcase once I get this thing cleaned up!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Thundercats]

Hey I have those same pants!!!

[Vanaraud]

I doubt there is any point of changing mobo and CPU as I´ve got i5 3570( a tier lower) and any newest game hardly use 100% of CPU all the time, mostly 75% of 2 cores. You can check it with Start Manager "performance" settings. Next step would be some 1000$ IB based xeon but I doubt it will get you  so big effect as the hole in the budget would be with at least 300$ mobo. If you have unlocked version of CPU named with K, installing liquid cooling and OC 3770 would be most cost effective in my opinion. And more fun.

As Tulsa mentioned you can connect extra fans to your PSU directly via correct connectors. Connecting fans to the mobo gives you only opportunity to monitor their speeds but thats not a big deal. If you get new case fans then you can check ones which have switch for adjusting fan speed instead.

Also you would want to check out if you have axial or "push" fans on graphic card and plan air movement accordingly in case.

Have fun.