Day Trading System for $500

[tedthemechanic]

Hi All, I am looking to build a system for mostly use as a day trading system/heavy excel use. I am not into gaming not watch movies on this. Can you please recommend a build. I am looking to spend $500 excluding the monitors and keyboard/mouse. I will be connecting this to 2 or 3 monitors at max.

I searched the forum and found a few suggestions but they were a bit old.

Really appreciate your help. I am looking for a immediate purchase. I have no preference on where i buy

Thanks,
Pavan

 

[twelve25]

Literally anything made in the past 5 years should work fine for this.

Are you looking to build it yourself, or buy a pre-made computer?

Either way, you'd be set with an i3 based system with 4-8GB of RAM and a decent hard drive. No discrete video card needed.

Something like this would work well: http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=fddnrt6h&model_id=inspiron-660&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&

 

[tedthemechanic]

Twelve25. Thanks for the reply. I am looking to build one.

 

[raytseng]

if you really are going to use it for being a daytrader;
Why don't you have more budget to spend on the tools to ensure you don't lose any money.
I would assume you'd be in the neighborhood of having $500/day swings.

That being said, it's the monitors that will make a difference, so choose wisely there.
And the only thing that's really vital is actually to get a $50-$100 discrete video card that can dual/tri/quad monitors for you without any lag. But I suppose you can always just add this after if the built-in video doesn't cut it.

 

[tedthemechanic]

I am little flexible on the budget. I am primarily going to run bloomberg and 15-20 charts and some heavy excel use. I have a powerful trading system at work. I want to build something at home to watch the markets and charts in the evening. I am most likely not going to use this system for trade execution. I am sorry if i wasnt clear but i essentially need a system where i can run the multitude of graphs/charts a typical day trader would need ( only difference is i am not doing the execution using this system).

 

[tedthemechanic]

Can someone please list the individual components required for such a system.

 

[geofelt]

I'll give it a try.
cpu i3-3220 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116775
Motherboard asrock B75M-GL http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157326
ram G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231546
case & psu Antec New Solution NSK3480 Black/ Silver 0.8mm cold-rolled steel construction MicroATX Mid Tower Computer Case 380W Power Supply http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129035
SSD Intel 330 180gb http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167122
graphics card for 3rd/4th display EVGA GT610 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130788

The integrated graphics will drive 2 displays. The added graphics card will do 2 more.
A ssd makes everything you do feel so much more responsive. If you need more storage, past 240gb, then add a hard drive.
The i3-3220 is plenty fast for non threaded work.
You will also need windows 7 64 bit oem. I would not fool with windows 8 at this time.
---good luck---

 

[tedthemechanic]

thanks Geofelt! Appreciate your help


raytseng: you said the monitors make a big difference. Do you have any recommendations or is there anything that i should be particularly looking for

 

[raytseng]

well, first is size. Just get 23 or 24" monitors with a 1920 x something resolution
I went with dell 24" ultrasharps (u2410). I think u2412m probably is pretty good too at a cost savings.

Personally, if i'm staring at a screen for hours a day, my eyes are important, and you are shortsighted (pun intended) to save money now when you will be paying later with cataracts lasik surgery or just headaches or tired eyes.

Also, even though the expense may be stickershock compared to what you can find on sale; monitors do not go obsolete for a long time (unlike computers). So this is a buy it once sort of thing that will get used over the next 10years, so don't feel bad about splurging. Do the math out over the lifetime of the monitor and it's pennies.

Plus, if this is for your self-employment, it's a tax deduction anyway...