Please recommend good hardware system for daytrading?

M

mizhael

Hi all,

I am a newbie trader and just getting started into daytrading. I am looking for desktop PC system that is suitable for daytrading at high performance and high speed. Basically I am a very fast guy in life and gets really annoyed if my computer is freezing or hanging. My current laptop is definitely not capable and it is extremely slow after I have loaded it with so many software. It even hangs when I use Firefox to browse websites. I am targeting at buying desktop because then I can sit comfortably and the performance/cost of desktop PC is much higher than laptop. Also I want desktop PC because I am losing money in my trading or barely breakeven and I am a bit tight in money. So please recommend a computer system with great performance/cost ratio. Thank you!
 
What you want is any of the newer systems--but main thing to watchout for is get a pc that has at least 2 PCI-e x 16 slots so you can add PCI-e x 16 cards that support dual monitors--most computers built today are good enough to handle the trading aspect of it --have enough firepower but what they lack is support for multiple monitors--look around various websites and see what fits your budget --a good graphics card is around $100-250$ but probably the most important part in todays system.
 
Quote from GG1972:

What you want is any of the newer systems--but main thing to watchout for is get a pc that has at least 2 PCI-e x 16 slots so you can add PCI-e x 16 cards that support dual monitors--most computers built today are good enough to handle the trading aspect of it --have enough firepower but what they lack is support for multiple monitors--look around various websites and see what fits your budget --a good graphics card is around $100-250$ but probably the most important part in todays system.
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Yep, I do want at least a dual monitor.

How about this?

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellst...S&l=EN&m_29=160G54&dgc=BF&cid=7420&lid=197374

Does it have 4 cores and support for dual monitor?
 
Quote from mizhael:

Yep, I do want at least a dual monitor.

How about this?

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellst...S&l=EN&m_29=160G54&dgc=BF&cid=7420&lid=197374

Does it have 4 cores and support for dual monitor?
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I'm not an expert but it has 2 cores (the CPU) and yes the video card seems to support 2 monitors . . .

As an added question, can someone elaborate on PC specs one should be looking for? CPU? RAM? Videocards? HDD?

Quad, an overkill? 4MB 6MB? +3GB RAM?
 
Quote from Insearch:

I'm not an expert but it has 2 cores (the CPU) and yes the video card seems to support 2 monitors . . .

As an added question, can someone elaborate on PC specs one should be looking for? CPU? RAM? Videocards? HDD?

Quad, an overkill? 4MB 6MB? +3GB RAM?
More...

Yes, this has a dual core CPU and the included video card runs 2 monitors.

This E7300 is plenty for most traders. Spend more if you wish. Quads will be a bit faster, but I wouldn't pay up much for one in a trading rig.

If running XP, 1 or 2G of RAM is plenty. If Vista, 3 to 4G RAM to be safe (XP preferred, IMV).... but beware that Dell overcharges for RAM. Look to buy Crucial or Corsair from Newegg, Frys, Buy.com, Amazon, etc... Be sure to buy the right "speed" RAM... 5-5-5-18, Corsair, or 6-6-6-18, Crucial.

The NVS 290 video card is perfect for trading... up to 28" monitors.

A trading rig will utilize only 10-15G of HDD space, so any one will do. However, there is a bit of a speed increase with larger drives.... like the Seagate 500G, 7200.12... and the WD 640.. either AAKS or AALS.

You can save about $140, minimum, usually... sometimes surprisingly more... if purchased from the Dell Outlet site.
 
Quote from GG1972:

a good graphics card is around $100-250$ but probably the most important part in todays system.
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I'm sorry but this is rubbish. Few uses of a computer require a good GPU, and trading is certainly not one of them. Few traders need anything more than mid-range, if that.
 
Unless you are doing something coputationally-intensive, I don't think it matters what hardware you have. It's software and quote provider that make the difference.
 
Quote from mizhael:

Hi all,

I am a newbie trader and just getting started into daytrading. I am looking for desktop PC system that is suitable for daytrading at high performance and high speed. Basically I am a very fast guy in life and gets really annoyed if my computer is freezing or hanging. My current laptop is definitely not capable and it is extremely slow after I have loaded it with so many software. It even hangs when I use Firefox to browse websites. I am targeting at buying desktop because then I can sit comfortably and the performance/cost of desktop PC is much higher than laptop. Also I want desktop PC because I am losing money in my trading or barely breakeven and I am a bit tight in money. So please recommend a computer system with great performance/cost ratio. Thank you!
More...

Unfortunately, if you want a good system, you have to shell out some money for it. If this is going to be your primary business, you have to invest in it. Trying to get by on old Pentium 3 is not going to cut it. Most trading platforms and quote providers are demanding on the PC and you'll need a good system with the latest technology. We're talking Quad core or i7 with GBs of memory at a minimum. If you are tight on cash, then go work some other job, save money, and return to trading later. This is a rich man's game so don't think bringing a donkey to a polo match is going to cut it when everyone has beautiful stallions.

If you have IT skills, build your own PC with the latest hardware. This will save you some money.

If you're lazy or have no IT skills, then buy it from a PC builder (i.e. - Dell, Falcon).

http://www.dell.com/
http://www.tradingcomputers.com/

I would also dedicate this computer solely to trading. Do all your personal stuff on another computer. Install non-essential software on your junk computer only.

Also, look at your Internet setup. You need to get the top of the line service and have both a DSL & cable line at minimum. If you have better, kudos to you. Business accounts are better than residential as you can get a dedicated line rather than share with the neighborhood.

Also have a backup plan. Consider investing in a dual WAN router and UPS to give you redundancy. If all that fails, then have a cell phone ready to make emergency trades.
 
Quote from mtt:

Trying to get by on old Pentium 3 is not going to cut it. Most trading platforms and quote providers are demanding on the PC and you'll need a good system with the latest technology. We're talking Quad core or i7 with GBs of memory at a minimum.
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I agree about need a fast connection, but it's poor advice to suggest the latest technology is needed. Trading software etc is not demanding. Quad cores? Nothing of the sort. A budget C2D is more than enough for most. GBs of memory? 2gb for XP and 4 for Vista is easily more than most need. Traders do not need a good system, they just need an adequate one, and that is the lower range of current hardware. Those who actually need high requirements will be unlikely to post these kinds of threads.
 
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