Where / Who Is The Best Person Or Place To Hire For A Custom Spec Desktop?

[webworldly]

Hey there :-)

I am running a Windows only software app (32bit, no multithread, nothing fancy) and my current 2.8gHz Intel Processor with 4gig RAM can't handle the load from the app at peak times. CPU usage goes to 124%....app freezes......it sucks.

I would like to have a new system built. Who do you recommend to build a super high end, blazing fast, no more freeze ups ever.......system?

CHEERS!

D

[sniffdog]

Pantip: Jedicool (Ground Floor) or Busitek (Fourth floor).

[dotcom]

Jedi. A Q9550 CPU will be just fine.

I heard the i7's are buggy.

I would go with an Asus motherboard 4-6,000 baht Geil Ram 4 gig.

Ask to speak with Judy.

[webworldly]

Thank you to both of you (SNIFFDOG and DOTCOM). If I understand correctly, you both recommend a shop in Pantip called "Jedicool". I'll go there and ask for Judy.

CHEERS!

D

[dotcom]

Motherboard P5Q series

[webworldly]

Hey DOTCOM.....I visited the Jedi website, and if you'll indulge me, I have a few spec specific follow ups.

Do you prefer the P5Q over the:

"ASUS P6T6 WS REVOLUTION LGA1366 X58/ICH10R/DDR3/6 PCI-E 2.0/WORKSTATION"

Do you prefer the Q9550 CPU over even the newest i7 (maybe less buggy?):

"INTEL CORE i7 940 LGA1366 2.93 GHz Quad-Core 4.8GT/s QPI L3 8MB"

Do you have any experience with liquid cooling and / or using overclocked CPU's...viz their stability?

One more question....regrettably vague, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to do otherwise......if I need the absolute "best" (measured in terms of ability to use one specific software app without any freezing).....is it as simple as just putting in the "best" components into a custom built desktop box? Or is it more nuanced than that?

note: this is where I saw the Jedi inventory:

http://www.jedicool.com/pricelist.php

CHEERS!

D

[jeffer]

Your choice is determined by the processor you select. Quad Core/P5Q or i7/ PT6.  i7 940 will be the better performing chip, so if you want super high end, blazing fast then you get i7. Of course being the latest technology this means there is always the chance of it not being 100% stable with everything you do. Plenty of people overclock the i7 processors but obviously the more you overclock the less stability you have so it's a case of finding what works for you.

Water cooling... unless you are a very serious gamer or an overclocker out to set new benchmarks then I wouldn't bother as all the latest chips run cooler than the old Pentium processors so a good aftermarket cooler from Zalman, Thermalright etc. will be all most people need. Even a stock standard 940 is going to be very fast.

[webworldly]

Hey there.....I visited "Ms. Judy" today at Jedicool in Pantip. DOTCOM, thank you again for the referral. She's very nice and either had answers or asked her sister for answers....such that I left with no additional questions. Well....none for them. I do have a few follow ups for.......YOU GUYS!! LOL!!

Here's what I have in terms of very preliminary specs. If you have a second to review 'em....please do so from the perspective of....."money is no issue, building the best dam_n system is!!" Please.......oh pleeeeeeeeease, don't let the specs below stop you from correcting any errors or omissions you think I've made, k? I'll post the specs below....and you'll notice that it is comprised of off the shelf parts. I've seen some incredible claims by a few day trading computer specialists in regards to their "overclocked" systems......which of course are not exactly "off the shelf" components.....but up to now I haven't considered going that route. Should I (obvious concerns with stability, tech support, etc.)? You'll see below that one of my questions is whether I should go for two 24" monitors or one 40" Hi-Def monitor.

Preliminary specs (preliminary meaning, specifically.....please correct / change anything or everything if you believe I can extract even one iota of additional, even incremental, performance):

CPU = Intel i7 940 quad core 8M Cache, 2.93 GHz, 4.80 GT/s Intel® QPI

Motherboard = Gigabyte EX58 Extreme

Hard Drive = 1TB buffer 32MB Western Digital

RAM = Geil 6 gig / 1333 (note: I can go 12 gig instead. If money is not an issue.....should I go for 12 gig? Meaning, will it enhance performance of the 32 bit, non hyperthreaded trading software app?)

VGA Card = Nvidia XFX 9600 GSO (note: I was told that this will handle....right out of the box.....two 24" monitors or one 40" monitor. Which would you recommend....Two 24's or one 40?)

Optical Drive = DVD_RW Asus brand

Power Supply = Gigabyte 550 GT silent

Case = Thermaltake Armor

Additional CPU Cooler = ThermalRight IFX 14 + 2 fans

OK....fire away!

CHEERS!

D

[jeffer]

please do so from the perspective of....."money is no issue, building the best dam_n system is!!" Please.......oh pleeeeeeeeease, don't let the specs below stop you from correcting any errors or omissions you think I've made, k? I'll post the specs below....and you'll notice that it is comprised of off the shelf parts. I

A faster CPU would be the i7 Extreme Edition 965 Nehalem 3.2GHz... Overclock that and you will likely need water cooling!

Keep the 1TB drive for storage and get either a Raptor, Intel SS or maybe some enterprise drive for the OS.

[Tango7]

Hey there.....I visited "Ms. Judy" today at Jedicool in Pantip. DOTCOM, thank you again for the referral. She's very nice and either had answers or asked her sister for answers....such that I left with no additional questions. Well....none for them. I do have a few follow ups for.......YOU GUYS!! LOL!!

Here's what I have in terms of very preliminary specs. If you have a second to review 'em....please do so from the perspective of....."money is no issue, building the best dam_n system is!!" Please.......oh pleeeeeeeeease, don't let the specs below stop you from correcting any errors or omissions you think I've made, k? I'll post the specs below....and you'll notice that it is comprised of off the shelf parts. I've seen some incredible claims by a few day trading computer specialists in regards to their "overclocked" systems......which of course are not exactly "off the shelf" components.....but up to now I haven't considered going that route. Should I (obvious concerns with stability, tech support, etc.)? You'll see below that one of my questions is whether I should go for two 24" monitors or one 40" Hi-Def monitor.

Preliminary specs (preliminary meaning, specifically.....please correct / change anything or everything if you believe I can extract even one iota of additional, even incremental, performance):

CPU = Intel i7 940 quad core 8M Cache, 2.93 GHz, 4.80 GT/s Intel® QPI

Motherboard = Gigabyte EX58 Extreme

Hard Drive = 1TB buffer 32MB Western Digital

RAM = Geil 6 gig / 1333 (note: I can go 12 gig instead. If money is not an issue.....should I go for 12 gig? Meaning, will it enhance performance of the 32 bit, non hyperthreaded trading software app?)

VGA Card = Nvidia XFX 9600 GSO (note: I was told that this will handle....right out of the box.....two 24" monitors or one 40" monitor. Which would you recommend....Two 24's or one 40?)

Optical Drive = DVD_RW Asus brand

Power Supply = Gigabyte 550 GT silent

Case = Thermaltake Armor

Additional CPU Cooler = ThermalRight IFX 14 + 2 fans

OK....fire away!

CHEERS!

D

Personally, I'd buy a couple of PC magazines and read their reviews on the top machines and see what they are offering and check out their specs.

Then determine what you want to use your computer for and build it around that. A good shop should start by asking what you are using your machine for and then advise based upon that.

Why not look at a top spec Dell ? You have the support then. A custom machine will be difficult to get support for.

If you are not a heavy computer user, save some money ( I know you don't need to but.. )by not getting the latest and greatest and even though Quad core CPUs are good, there is not much software out there that takes full advantage of the quad cores.

If I were going to build my own, I'd go for something like this:

Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 at 3.3 Ghz ( very fast indeed )

Asus P5K Mainboard

4 Gig of RAM - DDR3 by Geil ( if running a 32 bit OS, it'll only read 3.2 Gig. For more RAM, you'll need the 64 bit version )

I would not go for a single 1 TB hard drive. If it fails, you've lost everything on one drive.... I'd go for 500 Gig x 2 in a mirror RAID, so that if one fails, the other takes over and you've lost nothing. You could get 2 x 1TB if you wish, but two hard drives are better than one unless you wish to backup via another means. The mirroring provides redundancy and automatic backups. Depends what you want... safety or speed. I go for a bit of both.

For a graphics card, go cheap and chearful unless you want to play games or add that second monitor - go for 2 x 24" a 40" seems HUGE unless you are a CAD user and even then...

If you are a gamer, then go for the Sapphire ATI Radeon HD4870 as it's a very fast card and runs 512Mb of DDR5 RAM. It's not the fastest, but unless you are a hard core gamer looking for the best frame rates for the latest games, this card is a top card. It's cheaper than the 9800GTX and is faster...can handle two monitors as well. If you want to push the boat out, look at the same brand but it's the HD 4870 x2 with 2 Gb of DDR5 RAM.... that's like having 2 HD4870 cards but with quadruple the RAM..... needs a high resolution monitor to get the best out if it.

Get a solid case and try to get 650Watts of power this will better run the cooling system... the motherboard should have a good heat dispenser but extra fans will be needed ( ask for quiet fans or you'll end up with a noisy machine ).

The rest is up to your preferences... sound card, DVD / Blue Ray etc...

I personally feel that by throwing lots of money at a machine doesn't get you the best performance. It gets you the latest technology but software isn't ready for it yet.

Getting really nice monitors...like a 24" LG or other top quality monitor. I'd also get a UPS unit to protect your computer against electrical spikes and sudden powercuts and then I'd buy an external hard drive for backing up my data. For 15k you can get a nice backup unit by Buffalo Tech.

Finally, Computer crashes can be because of any number of reasons. Poorly matched RAM, poor software, spyware / viruses and poor hard drives; either bad sectors or a very heavily fragmented drive.

You might need to know how to look after your computer to get the best out of it. A new computer will give you the clout you need, but if you don't treat it properly, it will crash.

Make sure you get a very good anti-virus / Internet security suite like Kaspersky 2009 or ZoneAlarm. Even Norton's latest offering is good.

Get a good Anti-Spyware, Malware programme ( Spyware Doctor, AdAware are fine when coupled with your Internet Security Suite ).

Defragment your system regularly, empty your Temp folder regularly, delete temporary Internet Files and only install programmes you know you need. Don't swamp your machine with programmes you just want to test. If you do, remove them when you don't need them and then use a programme such as Registry Mechanic to get rid of unnecessary registry keys.

As you can see, there's a lot more to keeping your computer running fast and smoothly than just buying a new and more powerful one.

Just for your info, I was going down the road I've mentioned above but I didn't want to throw 50+ k at a new machine in one go, so I ended up paying 45k in installments for a Quad core, 4 Gig RAM HP with a 24" monitor. I'm a heavy computer user, build websites and have multiple windows open all the time (Adobe Photoshop, Dreamweaver, IE Browser, Chrome and Safari as well as an FTP programme, Skype and Outlook) It does exactly what I want and the speed is great and we all know HP don't provide the best components.

Hope this helps.

Edited March 12, 2009 by Tango7

[webworldly]

Personally, I'd buy a couple of PC magazines and read their reviews on the top machines and see what they are offering and check out their specs.

Then determine what you want to use your computer for and build it around that. A good shop should start by asking what you are using your machine for and then advise based upon that.

Why not look at a top spec Dell ? You have the support then. A custom machine will be difficult to get support for.

If you are not a heavy computer user, save some money ( I know you don't need to but.. )by not getting the latest and greatest and even though Quad core CPUs are good, there is not much software out there that takes full advantage of the quad cores.

If I were going to build my own, I'd go for something like this:

Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 at 3.3 Ghz ( very fast indeed )

Asus P5K Mainboard

4 Gig of RAM - DDR3 by Geil ( if running a 32 bit OS, it'll only read 3.2 Gig. For more RAM, you'll need the 64 bit version )

I would not go for a single 1 TB hard drive. If it fails, you've lost everything on one drive.... I'd go for 500 Gig x 2 in a mirror RAID, so that if one fails, the other takes over and you've lost nothing. You could get 2 x 1TB if you wish, but two hard drives are better than one unless you wish to backup via another means. The mirroring provides redundancy and automatic backups. Depends what you want... safety or speed. I go for a bit of both.

For a graphics card, go cheap and chearful unless you want to play games or add that second monitor - go for 2 x 24" a 40" seems HUGE unless you are a CAD user and even then...

If you are a gamer, then go for the Sapphire ATI Radeon HD4870 as it's a very fast card and runs 512Mb of DDR5 RAM. It's not the fastest, but unless you are a hard core gamer looking for the best frame rates for the latest games, this card is a top card. It's cheaper than the 9800GTX and is faster...can handle two monitors as well. If you want to push the boat out, look at the same brand but it's the HD 4870 x2 with 2 Gb of DDR5 RAM.... that's like having 2 HD4870 cards but with quadruple the RAM..... needs a high resolution monitor to get the best out if it.

Get a solid case and try to get 650Watts of power this will better run the cooling system... the motherboard should have a good heat dispenser but extra fans will be needed ( ask for quiet fans or you'll end up with a noisy machine ).

The rest is up to your preferences... sound card, DVD / Blue Ray etc...

I personally feel that by throwing lots of money at a machine doesn't get you the best performance. It gets you the latest technology but software isn't ready for it yet.

Getting really nice monitors...like a 24" LG or other top quality monitor. I'd also get a UPS unit to protect your computer against electrical spikes and sudden powercuts and then I'd buy an external hard drive for backing up my data. For 15k you can get a nice backup unit by Buffalo Tech.

Finally, Computer crashes can be because of any number of reasons. Poorly matched RAM, poor software, spyware / viruses and poor hard drives; either bad sectors or a very heavily fragmented drive.

You might need to know how to look after your computer to get the best out of it. A new computer will give you the clout you need, but if you don't treat it properly, it will crash.

Make sure you get a very good anti-virus / Internet security suite like Kaspersky 2009 or ZoneAlarm. Even Norton's latest offering is good.

Get a good Anti-Spyware, Malware programme ( Spyware Doctor, AdAware are fine when coupled with your Internet Security Suite ).

Defragment your system regularly, empty your Temp folder regularly, delete temporary Internet Files and only install programmes you know you need. Don't swamp your machine with programmes you just want to test. If you do, remove them when you don't need them and then use a programme such as Registry Mechanic to get rid of unnecessary registry keys.

As you can see, there's a lot more to keeping your computer running fast and smoothly than just buying a new and more powerful one.

Just for your info, I was going down the road I've mentioned above but I didn't want to throw 50+ k at a new machine in one go, so I ended up paying 45k in installments for a Quad core, 4 Gig RAM HP with a 24" monitor. I'm a heavy computer user, build websites and have multiple windows open all the time (Adobe Photoshop, Dreamweaver, IE Browser, Chrome and Safari as well as an FTP programme, Skype and Outlook) It does exactly what I want and the speed is great and we all know HP don't provide the best components.

Hope this helps.

You go, Tango! :-)

Thank you very much......your post here informs, coaches, and helps.....a lot!

Maybe you and everyone else who has contributed here so kindly will allow me to drill down to the essence of what I need this new system for. One word. Porn! (just kidding....really)

There is one software app......it's 32-bit, not hyperthreaded, and the developers assure me that no such whiz bang upgrades are coming to it. There is also no alternative that is suitable for me....and it won't run on my much beloved iMac. Its CPU / RAM appetite is dependent on the individual user.....and in my particular case, I need every bit of power it (the software) can offer. It is also extremely important to be able to render dozens of highly detailed charts, graphs, etc. I'm not a gamer, so I don't know how that compares to what someone who needs a "mega gaming" graphics card might prefer.....but in this case, how about we err on the side of spending too much on the graphics card.......so just tell me the "best of the best" (that I can buy locally in Bangkok....preferably at Pantip).

If we here on this thread can agree to stipulate that these are the facts and that there are no workarounds available.....and also that while I am by no means "rich".....in this instance I absolutely need the hardware system (desktop) that will maximize.....with zero compromises (none at all.....cost be damned.....really.....performance only)......this software app's potential. That said, as Tango and others have pointed out, the "newest" and often even the "most expensive" hardware components do not always offer the best performance. Much of this is, as Tango said, dependent on what app is being run on them. My software app is 32-bit, and aside from that app I will run a Firefox browser (assume 20+ tabs all the time) simultaneously....ahhh...and an anti virus app.........so three apps total (the "mega app", Firefox, antivirus).

Based on these specifics....and for the sake of not bugging you guys too much with follow ups from me......and assuming all parts must be available at Pantip (Bangkok)......

Which CPU, graphics card, motherboard, and how much RAM do you suggest?

I'd love to be able to go to Pantip this weekend....so any thoughts you have before that.....fire away!!

CHEERS!

D

[Tango7]

Personally, I'd buy a couple of PC magazines and read their reviews on the top machines and see what they are offering and check out their specs.

Then determine what you want to use your computer for and build it around that. A good shop should start by asking what you are using your machine for and then advise based upon that.

Why not look at a top spec Dell ? You have the support then. A custom machine will be difficult to get support for.

If you are not a heavy computer user, save some money ( I know you don't need to but.. )by not getting the latest and greatest and even though Quad core CPUs are good, there is not much software out there that takes full advantage of the quad cores.

If I were going to build my own, I'd go for something like this:

Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 at 3.3 Ghz ( very fast indeed )

Asus P5K Mainboard

4 Gig of RAM - DDR3 by Geil ( if running a 32 bit OS, it'll only read 3.2 Gig. For more RAM, you'll need the 64 bit version )

I would not go for a single 1 TB hard drive. If it fails, you've lost everything on one drive.... I'd go for 500 Gig x 2 in a mirror RAID, so that if one fails, the other takes over and you've lost nothing. You could get 2 x 1TB if you wish, but two hard drives are better than one unless you wish to backup via another means. The mirroring provides redundancy and automatic backups. Depends what you want... safety or speed. I go for a bit of both.

For a graphics card, go cheap and chearful unless you want to play games or add that second monitor - go for 2 x 24" a 40" seems HUGE unless you are a CAD user and even then...

If you are a gamer, then go for the Sapphire ATI Radeon HD4870 as it's a very fast card and runs 512Mb of DDR5 RAM. It's not the fastest, but unless you are a hard core gamer looking for the best frame rates for the latest games, this card is a top card. It's cheaper than the 9800GTX and is faster...can handle two monitors as well. If you want to push the boat out, look at the same brand but it's the HD 4870 x2 with 2 Gb of DDR5 RAM.... that's like having 2 HD4870 cards but with quadruple the RAM..... needs a high resolution monitor to get the best out if it.

Get a solid case and try to get 650Watts of power this will better run the cooling system... the motherboard should have a good heat dispenser but extra fans will be needed ( ask for quiet fans or you'll end up with a noisy machine ).

The rest is up to your preferences... sound card, DVD / Blue Ray etc...

I personally feel that by throwing lots of money at a machine doesn't get you the best performance. It gets you the latest technology but software isn't ready for it yet.

Getting really nice monitors...like a 24" LG or other top quality monitor. I'd also get a UPS unit to protect your computer against electrical spikes and sudden powercuts and then I'd buy an external hard drive for backing up my data. For 15k you can get a nice backup unit by Buffalo Tech.

Finally, Computer crashes can be because of any number of reasons. Poorly matched RAM, poor software, spyware / viruses and poor hard drives; either bad sectors or a very heavily fragmented drive.

You might need to know how to look after your computer to get the best out of it. A new computer will give you the clout you need, but if you don't treat it properly, it will crash.

Make sure you get a very good anti-virus / Internet security suite like Kaspersky 2009 or ZoneAlarm. Even Norton's latest offering is good.

Get a good Anti-Spyware, Malware programme ( Spyware Doctor, AdAware are fine when coupled with your Internet Security Suite ).

Defragment your system regularly, empty your Temp folder regularly, delete temporary Internet Files and only install programmes you know you need. Don't swamp your machine with programmes you just want to test. If you do, remove them when you don't need them and then use a programme such as Registry Mechanic to get rid of unnecessary registry keys.

As you can see, there's a lot more to keeping your computer running fast and smoothly than just buying a new and more powerful one.

Just for your info, I was going down the road I've mentioned above but I didn't want to throw 50+ k at a new machine in one go, so I ended up paying 45k in installments for a Quad core, 4 Gig RAM HP with a 24" monitor. I'm a heavy computer user, build websites and have multiple windows open all the time (Adobe Photoshop, Dreamweaver, IE Browser, Chrome and Safari as well as an FTP programme, Skype and Outlook) It does exactly what I want and the speed is great and we all know HP don't provide the best components.

Hope this helps.

You go, Tango! :-)

Thank you very much......your post here informs, coaches, and helps.....a lot!

Maybe you and everyone else who has contributed here so kindly will allow me to drill down to the essence of what I need this new system for. One word. Porn! (just kidding....really)

There is one software app......it's 32-bit, not hyperthreaded, and the developers assure me that no such whiz bang upgrades are coming to it. There is also no alternative that is suitable for me....and it won't run on my much beloved iMac. Its CPU / RAM appetite is dependent on the individual user.....and in my particular case, I need every bit of power it (the software) can offer. It is also extremely important to be able to render dozens of highly detailed charts, graphs, etc. I'm not a gamer, so I don't know how that compares to what someone who needs a "mega gaming" graphics card might prefer.....but in this case, how about we err on the side of spending too much on the graphics card.......so just tell me the "best of the best" (that I can buy locally in Bangkok....preferably at Pantip).

If we here on this thread can agree to stipulate that these are the facts and that there are no workarounds available.....and also that while I am by no means "rich".....in this instance I absolutely need the hardware system (desktop) that will maximize.....with zero compromises (none at all.....cost be damned.....really.....performance only)......this software app's potential. That said, as Tango and others have pointed out, the "newest" and often even the "most expensive" hardware components do not always offer the best performance. Much of this is, as Tango said, dependent on what app is being run on them. My software app is 32-bit, and aside from that app I will run a Firefox browser (assume 20+ tabs all the time) simultaneously....ahhh...and an anti virus app.........so three apps total (the "mega app", Firefox, antivirus).

Based on these specifics....and for the sake of not bugging you guys too much with follow ups from me......and assuming all parts must be available at Pantip (Bangkok)......

Which CPU, graphics card, motherboard, and how much RAM do you suggest?

I'd love to be able to go to Pantip this weekend....so any thoughts you have before that.....fire away!!

CHEERS!

D

Hmmm.... I think.. and I'm happy to stand corrected here, that the 32 bit app, unless old, will run on a 64 bit OS ( any way you can check that? ) if it can, I suggest you make sure your OS is a 64 bit version and then bump up the RAM. The amount if RAM depends on the mainboard and what it can tak, but 8 Gig will suffice but when adding RAM, try to add the RAM in 2 Gig pairs, so that you can hopefully increase it later if necessary. So, rather than having 8 RAM slots and filling each slot with 1 Gig of RAM, fill 4 with 2 Gig RAM. Again, the Mainboard is the issue here.

DDR3 is faster RAM but more expensive. 8 Gig of DDR2 should be fine unless you can stretch the budget, but check the difference in price. It's bound to be a lot more.

As for the Graphics card, you might want to look at a professional graphics card and not a gaming card. seeProfessional Cardsand read through what you think will suit your needs. It might be that the gamers cards are not as good as these pro-cards but you don't clearly say what the app is you're using.

I'd still opt for the Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 at 3.3 Ghz as all write ups list it as being "blisteringly fast".

As for the board, ask a specialist dealer such as the one mentioned by the other posters. Tell them what I and others have mentioned and expect to pay around 7 - 10,000 baht for a good mainboard, naybe up to 14-15,000 for a top notch one. You could even get a main board that allows for two CPUs ? ( Dual Sockets ). You could start off with one CPU and whack in another if you need to.

I'm sorry I can't give exact board types because you can go for home use / gamers mainboards or workstation mainboards.

I think you should state the CPU, the type and amount of RAM, plus the graphics card you want and then get the seller to find you the right board for that mix. But focus on how you will use it rather than the latest and greatest and don't let the vendors tell you otherwise...they're in it for the money !!!

Cheers

Tango7

[SpoonZie]

Hey there.....I visited "Ms. Judy" today at Jedicool in Pantip. DOTCOM, thank you again for the referral. She's very nice and either had answers or asked her sister for answers....such that I left with no additional questions. Well....none for them. I do have a few follow ups for.......YOU GUYS!! LOL!!

Here's what I have in terms of very preliminary specs. If you have a second to review 'em....please do so from the perspective of....."money is no issue, building the best dam_n system is!!" Please.......oh pleeeeeeeeease, don't let the specs below stop you from correcting any errors or omissions you think I've made, k? I'll post the specs below....and you'll notice that it is comprised of off the shelf parts. I've seen some incredible claims by a few day trading computer specialists in regards to their "overclocked" systems......which of course are not exactly "off the shelf" components.....but up to now I haven't considered going that route. Should I (obvious concerns with stability, tech support, etc.)? You'll see below that one of my questions is whether I should go for two 24" monitors or one 40" Hi-Def monitor.

Preliminary specs (preliminary meaning, specifically.....please correct / change anything or everything if you believe I can extract even one iota of additional, even incremental, performance):

CPU = Intel i7 940 quad core 8M Cache, 2.93 GHz, 4.80 GT/s Intel® QPI

Motherboard = Gigabyte EX58 Extreme

Hard Drive = 1TB buffer 32MB Western Digital

RAM = Geil 6 gig / 1333 (note: I can go 12 gig instead. If money is not an issue.....should I go for 12 gig? Meaning, will it enhance performance of the 32 bit, non hyperthreaded trading software app?)

VGA Card = Nvidia XFX 9600 GSO (note: I was told that this will handle....right out of the box.....two 24" monitors or one 40" monitor. Which would you recommend....Two 24's or one 40?)

Optical Drive = DVD_RW Asus brand

Power Supply = Gigabyte 550 GT silent

Case = Thermaltake Armor

Additional CPU Cooler = ThermalRight IFX 14 + 2 fans

OK....fire away!

CHEERS!

D

honestly those specs sound ok but they dont really jump out to me as a great machine ... if your looking for a system that will last you over here let me make a few suggestions ...

get a water cooling system and a waterblock for whatever graphics card /cpu you decide to go for. i have found that my pc is a complete dust-trap.

getting windows vista 64 bit is a must. i'd suggest getting spybot and a decent 64 bit antivir / firewall installed as soon as the system is bootable. i'd consider this essential unless you want your pc performance getting worse over time due to dust build ups slowing your fans.

hardware wise quad cores are the most stable right now and cheapest too .. get yourself a High end quad core .. sorry not looked into these much as i myself am still using a q6600 overclocked to 3.6 ghz

and gfx cards the main choice you need to make is nvidea vs ati. if you going with ati then get yourself a HD4870 or if your going with nvidea get a

crossfire / sli is a nice idea but in the thai weather it gets too hot for the pc (unless your going for liquid cooling) i've got a 4870x2 and unfortunatly the heat from it seems to reach my heatsink helping my cpu overheat occasionally. (no i dont have a crap heatsink .. im using a Thermalright ultra extreme with 2 very nice noctua fans on either side of it

as for the dual display concept .. i wouldnt bother if i were you .. go for a nice 24 or 22" lcd and that should do the trick for gaming or other applications.

LG L227WT is a very nice monitor if you come across them anywhere. its only a 22" but one of the first lcd's i've come across with no lag whatsoever.

if your set on a 24 inch then pop over to anandtech.com and read the reviews on the monitors .. 40 inch monitors are a complete and utter waste of space ..

the maximum resolution you'd probably be looking to use is either 1680 x 1050 or 1920 x 1200. and the good 22 / 24 inch monitors support these. im not sure how good the 9600's are but i'd assume a 9800 is better although i could be wrong .. sorry im an ati fan :<

Power supply .. get a good make like Corsair / Antec 600W+ .. the better your power supply the more likely your pc will survive a nasty power surge not to mention the gfx cards and liquid cooling suck energy like theres no tomorrow

Ram = 8gb ddr2 / ddr3 up to you but get the high frequency memory .. quality not quantity.

motherboard .. i personally drool at the Maximus II motherboards .. go for a formula if your going the ati route. a few of my clanmates have these boards and i've heard their very stable and are great if you decide to overclock

i think one of the best hard-drives i've been told about was a samsung spinpoint 1tb if memory serves .. their meant to have dam_n good read/write times.

32 bit only utilises 4gb ram .. not sure of the exact number .. three thousand and somthing =/ . .. 8gb is perfectly adequate and 12gb is overkill

some people might frown upon the 64 bit vista but its a stable os and i havent had any compatibility issues that people keep going on about. photoshop ect all work a treat on 64 bit

[webworldly]

Hey Tango....SpoonZie.......thank you VERY much. I'll go do my "homework" based on your instruction and then I'll let ya' know once I've made progress.

(Oh......and SpoonZie....I'm not sure about this water cooling concept. I just poured a glass of water on my iMac and it doesn't seem to have improved the performance at all. In fact, now it's making weird noises. Just kidding!!!!)

CHEERS!

D

[Tango7]

Hey Tango....SpoonZie.......thank you VERY much. I'll go do my "homework" based on your instruction and then I'll let ya' know once I've made progress.

(Oh......and SpoonZie....I'm not sure about this water cooling concept. I just poured a glass of water on my iMac and it doesn't seem to have improved the performance at all. In fact, now it's making weird noises. Just kidding!!!!)

CHEERS!

D

SpooZie and I seem to be pointing in the same direction although he knows more about the cooling and mainboards. It's worth noting that overclocking voids warranties so up to you. the Intel 8600 I mentioned is 3.3 Gig out the box with full warranty. To over clock to eek out an extra 0.3 Gig of performance and void the warranty isn't to everyone's liking.

I cetainly agree that the FIRST application to install is the anti-virus / Spyware / Firewall suite.

When you have your machine built, it'll seem like it's amazingly fast, but expect performance drop off as you use the machine more and more. Just keep it in good condition and you should have a PC good for 3 - 5 years ( depending on how applications are developed of course )

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Phil Conners]

For the purpose of running a "32bit, no multithread, nothing fancy" application you can forget about quad core cpu's, only one core will be used by the application anyway. Forget about huge disk drives, get a smaller and faster SCSI drive as already suggested - yes they are very expensive but you said money no issue. I doubt adding more than 6GB RAM will make any difference to the speed, nor will adding a lightning-fast, water-cooled graphics card, this PC is not for gaming, any mediocre (after todays standard) graphics card should do fine.

[spacemunk]

Hey there.....I visited "Ms. Judy" today at Jedicool in Pantip. DOTCOM, thank you again for the referral. She's very nice and either had answers or asked her sister for answers....such that I left with no additional questions. Well....none for them. I do have a few follow ups for.......YOU GUYS!! LOL!!

Here's what I have in terms of very preliminary specs. If you have a second to review 'em....please do so from the perspective of....."money is no issue, building the best dam_n system is!!" Please.......oh pleeeeeeeeease, don't let the specs below stop you from correcting any errors or omissions you think I've made, k? I'll post the specs below....and you'll notice that it is comprised of off the shelf parts. I've seen some incredible claims by a few day trading computer specialists in regards to their "overclocked" systems......which of course are not exactly "off the shelf" components.....but up to now I haven't considered going that route. Should I (obvious concerns with stability, tech support, etc.)? You'll see below that one of my questions is whether I should go for two 24" monitors or one 40" Hi-Def monitor.

Preliminary specs (preliminary meaning, specifically.....please correct / change anything or everything if you believe I can extract even one iota of additional, even incremental, performance):

CPU = Intel i7 940 quad core 8M Cache, 2.93 GHz, 4.80 GT/s Intel® QPI

Motherboard = Gigabyte EX58 Extreme

Hard Drive = 1TB buffer 32MB Western Digital

RAM = Geil 6 gig / 1333 (note: I can go 12 gig instead. If money is not an issue.....should I go for 12 gig? Meaning, will it enhance performance of the 32 bit, non hyperthreaded trading software app?)

VGA Card = Nvidia XFX 9600 GSO (note: I was told that this will handle....right out of the box.....two 24" monitors or one 40" monitor. Which would you recommend....Two 24's or one 40?)

Optical Drive = DVD_RW Asus brand

Power Supply = Gigabyte 550 GT silent

Case = Thermaltake Armor

Additional CPU Cooler = ThermalRight IFX 14 + 2 fans

OK....fire away!

CHEERS!

D

CPU = Intel i7 940 quad core 8M Cache, 2.93 GHz, 4.80 GT/s Intel® QPI

Motherboard = Gigabyte EX58 Extreme <---- Asus Maximus II Formula P45 + Q9650

Hard Drive = 1TB buffer 32MB Western Digital<--- Would be better to get another OS drive just for the OS. WD Veloci Raptor 74GB x 2 (Raid)

RAM = Geil 6 gig / 1333 (note: I can go 12 gig instead. If money is not an issue.....should I go for 12 gig? Meaning, will it enhance performance of the 32 bit, non hyperthreaded trading software app?)

VGA Card = Nvidia XFX 9600 GSO (note: I was told that this will handle....right out of the box.....two 24" monitors or one 40" monitor. Which would you recommend....Two 24's or one 40?) <--- XFX GTX285 1GB Black

Optical Drive = DVD_RW Asus brand

Power Supply = Gigabyte 550 GT silent <----since they have PC&P power supplies here i rather go with that or Enermax REVOLUTION85+ 850w

Case = Thermaltake Armor

Additional CPU Cooler = ThermalRight IFX 14 + 2 fans <---nice , try and get Scythe S-Flex fans if there r any available

[webworldly]

Thank you, Phil....and SPACEMUNK (especially for your very specific recommendations!).........looks like all you hardware gurus are in agreement. I'll try not to screw things up!

CHEERS!

D

Edited March 13, 2009 by webworldly

[spacemunk]

Didnt know it wasnt for gaming maybe u can get a Gigabyte 9800GT 512mb will do just fine for a grahic card.

[Tango7]

well.... what did you get ?

[webworldly]

Hi Tango.....what I've got so far is a headache. Lol!

I've been looking into going even more extreme......an overclocked system assembled in Bangkok. Trouble is, I run into dead ends when I try to drill down to specifics regarding qualified, credible experts who can provide credible references.

I'm comfortable with the folks at JediCool......and yet, they don't seem to have any extra "special sauce" that puts them above the other dozens of vendors at Pantip that can assemble an off the shelf component system. What I'm really after is a "master" of assembling custom, app / user specific, high end systems.....in Bangkok.

Do you or anyone else here have a reference?

CHEERS!

D

[webworldly]

Hello there, DOTCOM. :-)

I want to thank you again for offering your personal assistance. Fortunately for us both, there is no longer any need to meet at Pantip this weekend. I am going to purchase a computer system from a company I was referred to....and have them ship it to me. WOOHOO!!

I'll post on the forum once I have it delivered....and it's up and running.

Thank you again....."see you" on the forums!

CHEERS!

D

Edited March 28, 2009 by webworldly