+1 imho WinstonTJ is the top tech wiz on ET A dozen monitors, one box, cheap hot AMD cpu, then water cooling and USB to DVI adapters to compensate. 170 posts over the past 6-months dedicated to hardware, nothing trading related. Makes one think your priorities are misguided. WinstonTJ probably gave you the best advice of all. Just buy a box and get back to trading.
Hardware is my primary use of ET, and discussion of charting tools etc. I don't come here to talk trading tips, nor on any message boards for that matter. I don't need input in that area. A library of books is where I go for tips. I've not been a member six months though, I had posts as early as 2006 when I came here. And 170 posts isn't very many for me. I barely use this forum, I have a lot more posts on other boards. And where do you think I heard about the "cheap" USB to DVI adapters? I don't use them anymore. They don't work well. Technically, the FX-8350 AMD processor is the same price as an Intel i5. At $200 it isn't exactly cheap. I might note that this board has been an incredible help, and I am very grateful for it. Most people don't even know what traders do, let alone what hardware would fit them or what their priorities are.
I suppose http://www.tomshardware.com/ & http://www.anandtech.com/ is where you go to discuss trading. You started this in July of last year. It's just a computer and monitors. It isn't a complex.
Granted the computer wouldn't need water cooling for trading uses, but if you factor in trading into what else I'm doing, it changes the priorities a bit for what to permit in the system. If I wasn't trading, water cooling would make a lot more sense. The risk of a failure in trading makes water cooling it a bit risky. A traders perspective on water cooling it.
http://www.nofancomputer.com/eng/ do the components for a fanless computer. I passed on doing a self build and got an intel NUC at half the price.
A "trader" would have or should have a dedicated computer for trading only and a separate computer for "everything else he is doing". If reliability is what one is after then a basic box, SSD, video cards, monitors, operating system, sufficient RAM, broker platform, charting program, front end/API and nothing else loaded trumps a radiator et al. Then a serious trader, may say he demands redundancy, so he has multiple computers, 2 or more ISP's using different technology i.e Fiber, ADSL, 3G/4G. Not to neglect multiple Brokers. Granted a swing traders reliability requirement is much less, but then he doesn't need a dozen monitors either. But almost all have performed their research, and determined hardware compatibility first. Instead of the endless, what if's. Most all hardware related questions can easily be answered via Google, and very few of those Google results direct one to ET or other trading forum. Complex network configuration for HFT, autotrading, server co-location, hardware requirements, yes makes sense asking on a trading forum. People like WinstonTJ can provide valuable insight. Putting together a computer to drive a few charts doesn't require a thesis. Nothing wrong with being an enthusiast, but put it in perspective. It is either for trading or general purpose. You are either a serious or casual trader. Hence, my +1 on WinstonTJ's post and my comment that your priorities may be misguided.
I'm gradually getting to the point that I may just have to do that. Water cool that other computer, and stop it's noise, while having a silent computer for trading without water cooling risks in it.
Best advise ever given! From the pictures you have posted I do not think you are dedicating your rig to trading. I have never seen a desk with that much dust on it. Just another guy who wants to show up and say I´am a trader look at my machine with all that monitors. Yes you have balls. If you cannot drive a Fiat you will not be able to drive a Ferrari! Oh... and I´am trading from a 7 year old PC, a xeon x3360, super reliable.
http://www.nofancomputer.com/eng/ have fanless power supply, fanless cpu cooler and fanless cases. No need for watercooling or case fans. Also nvs 450/420/300/295 etc are passive multi monitor cards. You will not here a thing.