New video card or new computer

street carp · Nov 13, 2007

Sunggong,
What are the specs of the CPU you're using now? Is that x1950pro AGP, and what card did you upgrade from? I'm afraid if I only upgrade the video card I'll still have 100% CPU usage spikes and all the freezing. But I'm getting by OK by using two computers.

Quote from sunggong:
No slowdowns at all with ATI x1950pro card operating two monitors. (This is kind of overkill I thought initially, but apparently the software requires some video juice.)

street carp · Nov 19, 2007

I've ordered all the parts to build a quad-core system. It should be built next week sometime and I'll update with the results.

gnome · Nov 19, 2007

What video cards are you using on the new rig?

street carp · Nov 19, 2007

A dual-DVI 8600GT that will cost $103 AR.

Tech-nique_pc's · Nov 19, 2007

Ok but that's a gaming card.So you won't be able to manage your displays appropiately.

sunggong · Nov 19, 2007

Quote from street carp:

Sunggong,
What are the specs of the CPU you're using now? Is that x1950pro AGP, and what card did you upgrade from? I'm afraid if I only upgrade the video card I'll still have 100% CPU usage spikes and all the freezing. But I'm getting by OK by using two computers.

Sorry for the late reply.

I'm running AMD dual core 4200+ with 3GB RAM.

My CPU usage level never goes above 30% even when the EliteTrader is super busy, ever since I got the new video card.

So I think Intel quad core is definitely an overkill since my CPU doesn't even compare to yours.

street carp · Nov 19, 2007

I've got no problem using old AGP cards like nVidia FX5900XT and ATI xt850XT. I can easily rotate, change resolutions, change positions, extend, clone, or whatever I need to do.

I'm only using two monitors. I don't think this newer card will be a problem.

Quote from Tech-nique_pc's:

Ok but that's a gaming card.So you won't be able to manage your displays appropiately.

street carp · Nov 19, 2007

In less than a year this quad-core will be less than mainstream.:eek: Right now two cores would be more than adequate, but who knows what additional program(s) I'll be running tomorrow.

Is your system AGP or PCI-E?

Quote from sunggong:

.....

So I think Intel quad core is definitely an overkill since my CPU doesn't even compare to yours.

street carp · Nov 26, 2007

Last Friday I built the new computer and am using it right now. So far the problems are history. CPU usage hardly even spikes past 30% where I was getting 100% before (on heavily traded symbols). All four cores seem to be spreading out the load even though I highly doubt ScottradeElite is written for multi-core. Java isn't freezing anymore during times of extreme price movement and heavy trading.

Here's what I ended up getting:

Q6600 2.4 Ghz processor (OCed to 3.2Ghz on stock Intel heatsink)
Abit IP35 Pro motherboard
PCPower&Cooling 610W Silencer PSU
Seagate 250GB SATA 16mb hard drive (a 2nd 320GB Seagate for more storage on the way)
2 x 1GB Crucial Ballistix DDR2800 (2 more GB on the way.)
MSI GeForce FX8600GT PCIE (going to return since I got a good deal on an 8800GT on order.)
Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro CPU heatsink/fan (on the way)

The 8600GT works fine. (But is too loud so I don't recommend it.) Both it and the 8800GT are definitely overkill for trading like many have said. Any modern $40 card surely would be enough. But I am going play some games on this computer since I'm not planning on getting a console any time soon.

Thanks again for everyones help.