hi all, I'm ordering this before New Years [unless someone here can make a good argument against it] http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300478227923&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT I know it's Ebay, and some here seem to shun it, but I've been following this seller for a year now, and I'm willing to take the risk - based on his feedback. There's risk everywhere, probably even Dell. I want this because it runs 4 DVI monitors out of the box. And 6-12 months from now, if it's not fast enough, I'll install an SSD main hard drive. Also, SSD prices should come down some by then. marc
There's really no need yet to install an ssd drive even if they have become a lil cheaper. SSDs basically help you boot up faster, are quieter, and don't need to be defragmented. For trading, since you will probably only be using 1-2 software programs , the most important factors on your pc are ability of the cpu to process information(wich u already have plenty of) and memory capacity(u have that too). You should wait another yr or two until buying an SSD. Then when U are ready you buy a PCI-E card based SSD *, they generally run 30%-50% faster than comparable SATA connected SSDs. * heres a good example of a top end PCI-E SSD, this is the model I run in my system, I only bought it because it was mistakenly offered by newegg for a low $525.00, the "mistake" sale lasted 2 days only( back in oct ) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227661 Like I said, wait for a great sale or for gen prices to dip considerably before committing to an SSD.
If all you plan to do is run games then go for it. But, if you plan to actually depend on this computer to make a living and the seller doesn't live in the same zipcode as you then you are out of your fracking mind.
march21st I'm game, in making an argument against it. Honestly, I don't think you can buy a good trading computer off a shelf !! Why? Because a good trading "box" ain't much good for anything else.Trading styles are different and those styles call for different computer needs. I've been using the same programs and trading software for almost seven years. It doesn't take a 500 gig hard drive or a pair of crossfired x16 slots to view a dozen charts and a DOM, this ain't Alien vs Predator! I have a 80 gig hard drive in my trading machine and the drive is 73% empty! You want 4, 6 or 8 monitors someday? Not a problem, spend $200 on a motherboard with 4 or 5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 slots and add monitors two at a time till you get your wall covered, if that's what your into. http://cgi.ebay.com/Dell-NVIDIA-Qua...481?pt=PCC_Video_TV_Cards&hash=item4cf4055079 This Ebay box is full, (I think) no room for expansion (more video cards). I suggest you tailor a machine that will meet your needs today and allow for expansion (upgrades) in the future. SATA 3Gb/s, USB 3.0, SATA 6Gb/s and Dual Channel DDR3 Memory is available in motherboards now, I'm not sure the Ebay box has ANY of this. In 6-12 months it will be fast enough (for trading), that's a nice CPU. But, if you tailor one yourself for another $60 (compared to the Ebay box CPU) you COULD get a FASTER 6 core that isn't already a year and a half "old". If you don't feel comfortable assembling a computer ask a "Boy Scout" (you get the idea) it's not that big a deal. If you build one, I'll bet you will never buy another fits all box off the shelf again. As a trader I think the most important piece of hardware in my trading room is an uninterrupted power supply. http://www.amazon.com/APC-BACK-UPS-...ef=dp_return_1?ie=UTF8&n=172282&s=electronics This little baby has saved me from many shut downs from voltage drops during trading sessions. What ever you decide to buy, I suggest running it through one of these. This is indeed a gaming computer. Are you into games? Have you ever heard one of these running? They remind me of a hair dryer that never shuts off!! :eek:
If you enter any random zip code and look at his shipping rates and delivery times, it seems he's going to take your money, buy some parts, put it together, then ship it to you. "Overnight shipping" is $200 and you get it in 10+ days. Free standard shipping is 2-3 weeks to get it. I'd put my money on Dell before some eBay hustler. Not only are there horror stories about about eBay sellers ripping people off, but eBay has been known for "billing errors" as well stealing money under the guise of stupidity. Sounds like you already dropped the cash. Good luck with your new system.
the changes ebay has made over the years favor the buyer like you wouldn't believe.....so much so...that it has chased almost all of bogus sellers into an environment where they cannot survive.... purchase from a seller with 800+ feedback rating and you are 99.99 percent going to be satisfied.....and get what they are offering.....or you will get fully refunded... I have purchased my whole office system from ebay.....i'm running 10pc's with 11 monitors.....and 1 laptop....i'm getting amazing deals on ebay.....and i have 8k feedbacks myself..... the perception keeps average sales prices cheaper on ebay than amazon....amazon drives a higher average sales price because they are harder on the seller and screen them more....ebay is ripe for more price competition... i looked at that seller you mentioned and have purchased from them as well....it was a quality system....and i saved a ton..... i'm getting the most amazing monitors on ebay for $105 bucks 19" refurbed samsungs....that are unbelievable...i have 11 of them....and they retailed for like 200+ when they came out..... ebay is changing into more of a catalog system...and the pricing changes they have made to be a real merchant has driven the little guys out.....margins are razor thin for merchants so they have to be well capitalized in order to pursue their business... the wild wild west days of ebay are over....officially...take it from someone who has traded millions on ebay...not the stock...but on the site....in merchandise.... i got beat once 10 years ago....before paypal buyer protection....for like $100 bucks....in those wild wild west days....but after the paypal buyer protection....that was it....never had a problem in over 20k transactions.... and the money i saved over the years by being a faithful buyer has saved me a small fortune......sales tax alone....i never buy merchandise inside of my own state...and save 7% right off the bat.... i go to local retailers only to test product i want to buy...then i write down the UPC, make and model....and hop right online......overhead in an Idaho warehouse is alot less then at a retailer on a major highway in your neighborhood.... ebay is a vibrant market that certainly has had to overcome some hurdles in reputation over the years......they are very buyer centric (they have adopted the amazon model in regards to service, still short but moving in the right direction), and buyers should feel safe. i used to love to read the stories about some guy in CA who would post 200 dells for sale $300 below MSRP....and sell them out in 4 hours...and run off with the money to mexico......like 100k.... you couldn't do that if you tried now....they have to many systems in place to thwart this activity.....it took them some time to plug holes in the system....but they are plugged.....they even shut sellers down based on sales velocity....which is smart way to put checks and balances into place... i have done beta testing for companies inside of this space.....and am an expert....bottom line...place is safe to shop....
unless living in a rural area, I don't understand Not buying from a local vendor the store I buy from Generic Technology is one of dozen in Vancouver that basically offer similar prices and warranty and all of them can build to any spec, don't charge extra for doing so, continue the discount within the spec and their warranty, usually 2 years labor 1 parts in store
Thanks for the feedback. I haven't pulled the trigger yet. I've bought lots of stuff on Ebay over the years. Not all great experiences, but you get a feel for sellers after a while. The last time I tried to configure a box at Dell, what I wanted was close to 1500. And you could say ALL sellers are hustlers of sorts. Would 6 core be a whole lot better than 4 core? I'm sure he would upgrade it. I currently have 4 monitors, but 2 of them are through my laptop. I've looked into adding 2 video cards, but my current box didn't have the power. [off topic] Think or Swim has free live squawk box [s&p futures pit, Ben L] Worth 50+ a month to me. I think you can open acct for 3500. [And free CNBC - if at all interested! ] marc
For a "nearly high performance" rig, the best CPU "bang for the buck" currently are the AMD Phenom 1090T/1100T, and Intel i7-950. Build your system around one of those. (You can normally trade with a lesser rig, too.) "Power" from your computer isn't an issue for trading video cards (but may be if high power gaming video cards). Most modern motherboards have 2-4 PCIEx16 slots for video cards. Just make sure yours has enough x16s for the number of monitors you want to run. No need to spend more than $1000-$1100 on a trading rig (monitors extra, of course.)