The Tech Buyer's Guru

The Best $1,500 Stock Trading PC Build – August 2023

The Best $1,500 Stock Trading PC Build – August 2023

By Ari Altman | Published August 1, 2023 | Updated August 1, 2023

Lian Li LanCool 205M Turbocharge Your Trading!

If you’re looking for the ultimate Stock Trading PC Build, this is the one! It’s informed by three guiding principles: it must be fast, quiet, and classy. You’ll have all of this and more for around $1500, and indeed this system will instantly start paying for itself as it maximizes your trading potential.

Now, to be realistic, we know that given the current market, today may not the best time to pick up trading (although hindsight might prove that stocks are a value at the moment!). Even so, if you’re already trading, or you have other professional endeavors that demand a seriously-powerful PC at a great price, this is the one! With that said, if you want something with nearly the same capabilities at a lower pricepoint, check out our $1000 Content Creation PC, which will work great for trading as well!

This Month’s Build, Powered by AMD!

The August 2023 edition of the Stock Trading PC Build gets a massive upgrade this month to AMD’s insanely-powerful Ryzen 9 7950X 16-core, 32-thread CPU. It will make quick work of anything you throw at it. Do you have a dozen windows open, full of charts, graphs, and news feeds? No problem, the 7950X can handle it, while running very efficiently to save you money on your electricity bill! Backing it up is the AMD Radeon RX 6600 video card, which will allow you to run up to four ultra-high-definition monitors. That’s something a lot of our readers have asked for in the Stock Trading PC, so we’re giving it to you!

This system also features 32GB of DDR5-6000 memory, giving you an amazing combination of speed and capacity. Also in this system is an ultra-fast 1TB PCIe Gen 4 solid-state drive. For a Stock Trading PC Build, serious speed is important, because when you’re in the groove, you’ll be getting multiple streams of data hitting your drive constantly, and this one can take it! To make your Stock Trading PC Build look great without using a ton of desk space, we recommend the compact glass- and mesh-clad Lian Li 205M micro-ATX chassis. Finally, to keep it running quietly and efficiently, we spec a 550W Gold-rated power supply and a fantastic tower cooler.

A Few Other Notes

If you’re looking to complete your system, feel free to browse our Monitor Buyer’s Guide and Peripherals Buyer’s Guide, although you’ll also find our favorite picks for a trading PC listed later on this page. Throughout our guides, we provide direct product links to Amazon in the US, and these links will auto-convert for our readers in Canada, the UK, and several countries in the EU, with regional substitutions made based on availability. To support this site, please use these links if you purchase any of the products we list.

Required Components

  • AMD Ryzen 7900X
    Click to Buy
    CPU –

    AMD Ryzen 9 7950X

    $570
    AMD has done it again with Zen 4, simply smashing through performance barrier in all respects. The 16-core, 32-thread Ryzen 9 7950X is up to 15% faster in games and 30% faster in content creation than its predecessor, while offering the latest connectivity standards thanks to the AM5 platform.

    The Guru’s Tip

    This is a powerful CPU, and thus requires a capable cooler, which we recommend later in this guide.
  • Gigabyte B650M
    Click to Buy
    Motherboard –

    Gigabyte B650M AORUS Elite AX

    $184
    This micro-ATX motherboard is a great backbone for any compact  system, offering a lot of value. It supports the latest AMD processors using the AM5 socket, while offering two PCIe M.2 slots (one Gen 5, one Gen 4), an incredible 12 USB ports (including a Type-C port), and built-in WiFi 6E wireless networking.

    The Guru’s Tip

    While this motherboard has video outputs, you'll be using the ones on the video card to connect to your monitor(s).
  • Sapphire RX 6600 Pulse
    Click to Buy
    Video Card –

    Sapphire Radeon RX 6600 Pulse 8GB

    $220
    You can jump into serious PC gaming today with the Radeon RX 6600 8GB. It has plenty of power to tackle any modern game, easily beating any Nvidia GeForce GPU anywhere near its pricepoint.

    The Guru’s Tip

    While this is technically a gaming card, we're selecting it for another reason: it has four ultra-high-definition video ports, allowing you to run as many huge monitors as you could fit on a desk!
  • G.Skill Flare X5
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    Memory –

    G.Skill 2x16GB Flare X5 DDR5-6000 CL30 EXPO

    $97
    To get the most out of AMD’s latest CPUs, you want fast RAM, and DDR5-6000 is the sweetspot not only in terms of price, but in terms of the AM5 platform. It allows for the highest overall performance thanks to running in 1:1 sync with the memory controller. And this Flare X5 kit from G.Skill is specially designed for AM5, thanks to the enhanced 30-38-38-96 AMD EXPO timings.

    The Guru’s Tip

    We're recommending DDD5 RAM, which is the right match for the motherboard we recommend.
  • WD Black SN850X
    Click to Buy
    Solid-State Drive –

    WD_Black SN850x 1TB NVMe

    $74
    WD started off with the SN850, blowing by the competition, and only made it better with the “x” model. Powered by amazingly-fast NAND flash, and maxing out the PCIe Gen 4 bus, it’s the one you want!

    The Guru’s Tip

    Install this SSD in the upper slot on the motherboard.
  • Lian Li LanCool 205M
    Click to Buy
    Case –

    Lian Li LanCool 205M Mesh

    $90
    This compact, ultra-stylish case from Lian Li truly stands out from the crowd. The case is wrapped in glass and mesh, which give it a premium feel. It doesn’t skimp in the cooling department either, with dual factory-installed 140mm ARGB fans in the front of the chassis.

    The Guru’s Tip

    This case is a micro-ATX case - make sure you do not buy a full-size ATX motherboard!
  • Click to Buy
    Power Supply –

    SilverStone ET550-HG

    $83
    This unit offers Gold-rated efficiency (that’s 90% at 50% load) and plenty of power (550W) in a short chassis, which makes it very easy to install. The best part: with the wattage this system will pull, the power supply will never need to run its fan at high speed, meaning it will operate in silence!

    The Guru’s Tip

    The power supply has all the necessary cables for this build pre-attached. No need to dig through the extra modular cables to find ones you need.
  • Deepcool AK620
    Click to Buy
    CPU Cooler –

    DeepCool AK620

    $64
    This cooler is the perfect pick for a high-end PC Build. It offers tremendous cooling potential thanks to its dual towers packed with tightly-spaced fins, along with dual fans featuring a heavily-swept, 9-blade design, which we’ve found to be unbeatable for CPU coolers. Just note that due to its size, it requires the use of low-profile RAM.

    The Guru’s Tip

    This cooler includes the adapter required for use with the AMD CPU.
  • Microsoft Windows 11
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    Operating System –

    Windows 11 Home (Download)

    $130
    Windows 11 take everything people loved about Windows 10, and then takes it to 11! It adds significant under-the-hood changes to make it faster and more secure, and of course, the interface is sleek too! This version can be instantly downloaded and installed from any USB stick with 8GB or more capacity. If you don’t have one handy, we recommend you pick up a fast USB 3.1 thumb drive to install it, which can then be re-purposed for backup or file transfer use.

    The Guru’s Tip

    Windows 11 is definitely the OS you want to take full advantage of a modern PC.

Optional Products

  • LG 34WQ73A-B
    Click to Buy
    The 34-inch Widescreen Monitor –

    LG 34WQ73A-B

    $470
    It wasn’t long ago that monitors with the specs of this model would cost twice as much, so there’s no doubt that LG is offering tremendous value in a high-end model here. You get an ultra-crisp 34″ curved IPS panel with a resolution of 3440 x 1440 offering, 99% of the sRGB color gamut, and an adjustable stand to allow for an ergonomic position. It’s equipped with Displayport and HDMI inputs, plus a USB Type-C port to connect to laptops and provide video and up to 90W of charging. It has dual USB 3.0 ports to connect a mouse and keyboard, and even has a built-in KVM switch for the ultimate productivity enhancement: swap your monitor and peripherals between your desktop and laptop with the touch of a button!

    The Guru’s Tip

    You can run up to four of these on the Stock Trading PC, so feel free to grab a couple to start if you have the space for them!
  • Click to Buy
    The Ultimate Business Keyboard –

    Logitech MX Keys S Wireless Illuminated Keyboard

    $110
    The sleek, full-featured keyboard is our top pick for serious office productivity use. The low-profile keys and metal frame give it a very professional look and feel, along with a solid typing experience. It also offers backlighting to make typing in the dimly-lit conditions easier, and being wireless, you can easily move it out of the way when you need more desk space. Finally, Logitech’s Flow Control software allows you to use it on multiple systems simultaneously!

    The Guru’s Tip

    This is the perfect complement to the MX Master 3 mouse recommended below!
  • Click to Buy
    The Deluxe Wireless Mouse –

    Logitech MX Master 3S

    $100
    Nothing can bog you down faster than a mouse tangled up on its cord. So we strongly recommend a wireless mouse, but not just any wireless mouse – the MX Master 3S from Logitech has an incredibly comfortable profile, ideal for use all day long, along with the most innovative scroll wheel ever to make its way onto a mouse. Its built-in battery will last up to 70 days before needing a charge, and the 3S can even track on glass, thanks to its highly-optimized 8000dpi sensor!

    The Guru’s Tip

    This mouse can even be used with multiple systems at once, like a laptop and this desktop PC!
  • Click to Buy
    The Deluxe PC Speakers –

    Logitech Z207 Multi Device Speakers

    $60
    Logitech’s Z207 speakers sound and look great without taking up much space. They’ll also work with any Bluetooth audio device, so you can switch over to phone or tablet audio with the push of a button. Logitech has packed a ton of value into this slimline speaker kit!

    The Guru’s Tip

    You'll want a set of speakers for Zoom calls or market news!
  • Click to Buy
    Webcam –

    Logitech C920x Pro HD Webcam

    $60
    Need to use your PC for video conferencing? No problem! Just add this high-quality 1080p webcam from Logitech, which includes a built-in microphone. Just remember that if your monitor doesn’t have built-in speakers, you’ll also need stand-alone speakers for web conferencing to work. We’re amazed at the number of people who use headphones for video conferencing when it’s so much more professional to use gear attached to your PC, rather than your head!

    The Guru’s Tip

    Avoid no-name webcams at all costs. They've flooded the market as more people work from home, and they are almost always of dubious quality!

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