Decent Trading Desktop Computer

[Nowler]

Hello folks, and welcome to yet another thread by Nowler :clap:

I am likely going to build/order a custom desktop computer but I need a little advice from more tech savvy folk for the specs of it.


While this might not be it's very frequent use, I would like it to be able to handle 4 monitors. 2 displaying live charts, using the 3rd for microsoft office programs (word/excel) or browsing the web, and watching tv/news on 4th.

- What GB graphics card would I need for this? 1040/1050/1070? 4GB/8GB? Or would a mere 1GB NVIDA GT 710 Do the job?
- 2 x 8GB RAM or 2 x 16GB?
- 1TB or 2TB SSD Memory?
- i3 QuadCore Processor? Or i5?

I want to keep costs as low as possible, but at the same time, I dont want the rig struggling to keep up. A middle ground would be ideal.

Thanks in advance

 

[FXX]

You don't need a high spec display card so long as it can handle multiple monitors. Memory however is important and 16gb is okay so long as you don't open any mem intensive app. Also look at getting an ssd hdd for your main boot drive and a standard one for a dump drive. As for monitors whatever you can afford. I have a 34 inch and a 37 inch but only the 37 inch being used. Oddly I do most of my trading and research on my mobile. If I am at a pc I'll use that for my news feeds instead but not needed.

 

[FXX]

Try pickup a second hand one and go from there

 

[Nowler]

You don't need a high spec display card so long as it can handle multiple monitors. Memory however is important and 16gb is okay so long as you don't open any mem intensive app. Also look at getting an ssd hdd for your main boot drive and a standard one for a dump drive. As for monitors whatever you can afford. I have a 34 inch and a 37 inch but only the 37 inch being used. Oddly I do most of my trading and research on my mobile. If I am at a pc I'll use that for my news feeds instead but not needed.

Try pickup a second hand one and go from there

Cheers buddy!

Yeah,
I read somewhere that the likes of the 1GB GT 710 graphics card might do the job. Maybe even go up another level since the prices are reasonable enough... just to be sure.

I have a tendency to want a bit more than I actually need. Which in hindsight is probably why I also have a bit of a gut, haha. I just cringe at the thoughts of redlining something... car...computer... whatever.

Unfortunately even RAM prices have gone up significantly!
I keep hearing that I'd be cheaper to buy a pre-built system due to the manufacturers lower costs (bulk buying), but as I said in the crypto thread, I have a bit of an itch that I'd like to scratch (build my own).

I might actually take your advice and pick up a second hand build and go from their. Anything that needs replacing/upgrading will allow me to scratch the itch a bit. Might actually check out the section here on T2W to see if anyone is selling one.

I'm not really in the know when it comes to tech, but are you saying to get a SSD for the main boot drive and a HDD for the dump drive? (SSD and HDD being two different types of drives). To be honest, I didnt know I'd need two drives...

I haven't put much thought into the type of monitors yet... they dont really need to be anything special

 

[FXX]

You want to store files right. But you also want a fast pc. Separating the boot drive on a fast ssd speeds up your pc significantly. Get one just large enough to hold windows, a swap file which is used to shift data out of mem and onto disk if it is filling up. So say 30 gb ssd min for boot. The second hdd is your cheap storage where you can store your porn and whatever else that floats your boat.

 

[Nowler]

You want to store files right. But you also want a fast pc. Separating the boot drive on a fast ssd speeds up your pc significantly. Get one just large enough to hold windows, a swap file which is used to shift data out of mem and onto disk if it is filling up. So say 30 gb ssd min for boot. The second hdd is your cheap storage where you can store your porn and whatever else that floats your boat.

That makes sense.
Thanks for that!

I've already put out my feelers for parts, so hopefully I can start accumulating/ordering these from Saturday onwards (I move into my new place).

Do you know of any places I should try get some of these parts? You are surely looking to upgrade yourself to reflect your growth as a trader Maybe you are looking to sell some stuff?
I'll set up a Facebook account so that I can join of of those buy and sell pages that I keep hearing about.

For anyone else reading this: if you've got some decent quality stuff you want to sell/give away, please pm me or drop me a message on the following thread http://www.trade2win.com/boards/sale-wanted/231480-enquiring-about-desktop-parts.html

 

[FXX]

I have just upgraded recently. You can probably pickup good deals on places like gumtree, ebay, or other sites. People who upgrade put their old hardware on those sites. Another option if you can get credit is buy something you can pay off monthly but since you want a diy then those sites are your best bet.

 

[Nowler]

I have just upgraded recently. You can probably pickup good deals on places like gumtree, ebay, or other sites. People who upgrade put their old hardware on those sites. Another option if you can get credit is buy something you can pay off monthly but since you want a diy then those sites are your best bet.

Cheers for the help!

I asked the new kid in work today about where he recommends and he said similar to you. Though he also added scan.co.uk

I'll look further into it when I know what's going on with my accomodation

 

[Trading Spaces]

Get an nvidia 310 for two screens or 440/450 for four screens. They are cheap second hand on ebay. They are 2d cards so much cheaper than 3d cards and do not require as much cooling. Some of the two screen cards, nvidia 295 for instance, are fanless and you can put in two cards to get four screens.

 

[Nowler]

Get an nvidia 310 for two screens or 440/450 for four screens. They are cheap second hand on ebay. They are 2d cards so much cheaper than 3d cards and do not require as much cooling. Some of the two screen cards, nvidia 295 for instance, are fanless and you can put in two cards to get four screens.

Thanks for the heads up !

 

[Trading Spaces]

If you want to do this cheap then get a second hand PC. Clone the hard disk to a new SSD to make boot times much quicker and get an Nvidia NVS 440/450/510 or two Nvidia NVS 295/300/310. An Nvidia NVS 510 is £42.99 on ebay to give you four displayport outputs. The Nvidia 450 is £17.99 is also four displayport outputs. The Nvidia NVS 440 uses splitter cables to give you four dvi outputs. The 440 is also fanless so no noise about £16. Make sure you get one with the splitter cables.