Highly Recommended Q6600 based custom build

[jeffizcool]

Quote from Syprik:

Judging by some of the reactions here, suspect it is the older folks that don't get the stigma/tech benefits to building their own system. And you know what? Absolutely nothing wrong with that. Most don't have the time nor patience to deal with it. But I know for a fact a great deal of the younger generation is very open to and aware of the benefits to custom, hence why I decided to start this thread. I've received at least two dozen PM's/emails asking for tips and stating appreciation for the info provided.

Dell T3400 is a fine system and more than adequate for most traders. Some are acting a bit too defensive here. I was a design engineer for Lockheed Martin - Space Control before quitting to invest/trade full-time, and most of our systems were Dell Prec workstations with high end FireGL video to run SolidWorks/FEM analysis etc. They get the job done.

I don't understand why the "pre-fab" group has much say in this DIY custom thread. It is fruitless to compare the two as any PC tech savy person can point out a slew of valid differences including quality of components and price. Also keep in mind many get satisfaction in putting their own system together.

There is no disputing the following advantages to this particular custom:
- Corsair HX620 PS, made by Seasonic using their very high grade server components (capacitors). There is a reason it has a 5yr warranty and reputable name.
- O/C capability of Q6600 on enthusiast motherboard
- Case design: made from sound deadening material, excellent airflow, and virtually silent
- Tuniq CPU cooler that keeps chip "much" cooler than generic pre-fab Intel coolers. Core temp closely correlates with CPU life/performance.
http://www.anandtech.com/casecooling/showdoc.aspx?i=2943&p=4
- Noticeable increase in bang for the buck

Custom you know exactly what you are buying with loads of feedback from other "tech-heads" for each component verifying performance & stability.

Syprik,
I am in complete agreement with you as far as quality is concerned. there are advantages to both. if you build one you do get quality especially with the components used from the motherboards etc. I don't think you will find an Abit or Asus motherboard in a prefab dell. You also get more(quality and control) for what you pay by building your own.
but.... the prefab is so much easier. if you ever have a problem you just call dell and let them handle it. When I was an enthusiest with this a while back I can't beleive now all the countless hours I spent trying to tweak and fix small/large problems or just make it run faster(I once soldered the cpu socket pins to get p3 working).
i don't know how it is right now but back in the day computers from gateway and hp etc had bad reputations for being crappy but dell in my experience has always been solid.
well anyways I just bought a refurbished dell and when i compared i just could not beat the deal by building one though i probably would have built if the prices for refurb were not so advantageous. ok im going to stop blabbing.

 

[options2001]

Quote from Vienna:

If "30-90 mins" is true, then it would make financial sense I guess... even though I charge about $250 per hour as a consultant in my "other job". You have to see time as money, too.
It might take me a day and then there might be problems with components not working... I don't know how to test a system etc. I asked a very highly rated place in NYC and they would charge $250 to do it and make sure it works, so for me as a hardware retard that seems a reasonable way to go.

Re. reliability of components:
For a similar price I would take higher quaility components any day. Your computer is your connection to the market, and if it fails you could lose thousands in a flash,

Re. the need for all this power: I use Multicharts and my main concern is to have multiple charts with indicators load fast. I scan through perhaps 100- 150 charts a night and right now, I wait sometimes 10 or even 15 minutes for one group of 20 charts with indicators to load. This is a pain and wastes my precious time every night, and therefore costs me much more money than I save by NOT having a fast machine.
Don't know if that needs a gaming rig or not, or if some of this is esignal's fault. Multicharts can use muliti-processors, they told me intel gave them a 16-core CPU (!) to test and it increased speed 10-fold.

I get paid about $135/hr for my full time job

I spend 1/2hr/day exercising
1 hr/day for sex with wife
2-3 hrs/day playing with my kids
1/2 hr reading et posts

Damn Im losing millions by doing all the above things. According to your logic i should stop doing all the above

 

[Landis82]

Quote from Vienna:

Don't know if that needs a gaming rig or not, or if some of this is esignal's fault. Multicharts can use muliti-processors, they told me intel gave them a 16-core CPU (!) to test and it increased speed 10-fold.

Did you say E-Signal?
Without a doubt the WORST data-feed out there. THAT'S your problem. Not your computer!

 

[Landis82]

Quote from Syprik:

Dell T3400 is a fine system and more than adequate for most traders. Some are acting a bit too defensive here. I was a design engineer for Lockheed Martin - Space Control before quitting to invest/trade full-time, and most of our systems were Dell Prec workstations with high end FireGL video to run SolidWorks/FEM analysis etc. They get the job done.

Well said.
I AGREE.

 

[Landis82]

Quote from options2001:

I Know the spec's are similar and dells are pretty good deal. But if you are comparing this system to the op's

Antec p182 is a much much better case

Corsair 620 hx is probably 20 notches better than the junk that comes with the above dell ( power supply is the most important component for stability and longvity of a system)

Memory is also better than cheap generic that dell uses . . .

I probably know more about POWER SUPPLIES than most people in this Forum. And yes, while they are not the most glamorous component on a computer, they are without a doubt VERY important!

That having been said, I think that you are sadly mistaken about the performance of Dell power supplies in general, and this is coming from someone that has a PC Power & Cooling "Silencer 410" in their Dell Dimension 8300 for the past 5 years. ( 5 year warranty ).

Oh . . .and as for the 525 watt piece of "junk" that comes with my Dell T3400 . . . it has the same three +12V rated rails ( at 18 amps ) as the Corsair 620 watt unit that you have highlighted.

Again, if you think that you actually need a 620 watt power supply ( $189.99 ) with a +3.3V rail at 24 amps and a +5v rail at 30 amps for a TRADING computer, then you really need a reality check.

A PC Power & Cooling "Silencer-470" would be more than sufficient with a single +12v rail at 26 amps and a +5v rail at 32 amps and a +3.3v rail at 28 amps . . . all for just $75.00

Overkill is overkill.

 

[Vienna]

Quote from options2001:

I get paid about $135/hr for my full time job

I spend 1/2hr/day exercising
1 hr/day for sex with wife
2-3 hrs/day playing with my kids
1/2 hr reading et posts

Damn Im losing millions by doing all the above things. According to your logic i should stop doing all the above

You should have 1 1/2 hr sex with wife instead of reading the ET posts I think.

 

[sunggong]

This thread is somewhat similar to a conversation I had with one friend of mine who got a new BMW.

Being a car enthusiast, he made sure to let me know that my Acura is a piece of boring, FWD turd.

And I told him that it's never broken down on me, and it gets me from point A to point B just fine.

What's wrong with Dell T3400 workstation?

I thought it was a very decent system that is more than enough for just about any trading needs.

 

[bighog]

Maybe i am missing something but i fail to see where an older copy of XP PRO can be used on a new build. MSFT will shut it down if certain devices are changed. I do know if you get OEM xp pro etc, it is for that machine and that machine only. I still get OEM on all new builds because i leave the operating system in an older box.

I put VISTA Business in the new box and it had a couple issues with drivers at first but all if fine after you take the time to get right drivers. Yes VISTA is nothing whiz bang but i still feel it is best to buy latest . The bugs will go away and then you have the newest in the box. I have 4G memory in the box and at first the speed seemed a little slow but now all is dandy. FWIW E8400 overclocked on the water cooled box, 4.2 mhz was a snap to hit.......i turned it down to run at 3.6MHZ with zero increase in the cpu voltage. Reliable as your dog will not leave you. ..

 

[gnome]

Quote from sunggong:

This thread is somewhat similar to a conversation I had with one friend of mine who got a new BMW.

Being a car enthusiast, he made sure to let me know that my Acura is a piece of boring, FWD turd.

And I told him that it's never broken down on me, and it gets me from point A to point B just fine.

What's wrong with Dell T3400 workstation?

I thought it was a very decent system that is more than enough for just about any trading needs.

There's nothing wrong with T3400. And even the base unit offered, E4300 CPU, DDR2-667 RAM, 7200 RPM hard drive... is more than up to the task of trading for nearly everybody.

However, it doesn't accommodate the fastest RAM and can't be overclocked. Otherwise, it's PLENTY of machine for all but the gamer who want's "the fastest".

That being said, the T3400 can accommodate a very fast quad core CPU, and has an X38 mobo with 2, PCIEx16 slots... so it could accommodate a pair of Nvidia 8800's in SLI. It's still can be very fast if you want.

 

[gnome]

Quote from bighog:

Maybe i am missing something but i fail to see where an older copy of XP PRO can be used on a new build. MSFT will shut it down if certain devices are changed.

A retail version can be transferred to a new machine over and again.... just not supposed to be used on more than one machine at once.