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The Best $1,500 Stock Trading PC Build – August 2022

The Best $1,500 Stock Trading PC Build – August 2022

By Ari Altman | Published July 31, 2022 | Updated July 31, 2022

Phanteks Evolv mATX 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!

This Month’s Build, Powered by Intel!

The August 2022 edition of the Stock Trading PC Build features Intel’s insanely-powerful Core i9-12900 16-core, 24-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 12900 can handle it, and the built-in graphics will make it look smooth even on a premium widescreen monitor like the ultra-wide 34″ model we recommend later in this guide! And here’s the best part: while the waning cryptocurrency mining craze has left even basic video cards overpriced, this system isn’t affected, thanks to the built-in graphics capability.

Backing up the CPU is 32GB of next-gen DDR5-5600 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 hogging a ton of desk space, we recommend the compact glass- and aluminum-clad Phanteks Evolv mATX chassis. Finally, to keep it running quietly and efficiently, we spec a 750W Gold-rated power supply and a fantastic tower cooler from Scythe.

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 and Newegg 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

  • Intel Core i9-12900
    Click to Buy
    CPU –

    Intel Core i9-12900

    $510
    Intel reclaimed the performance lead with its 12th-Gen “Alder Lake” CPUs, and the 12900 is the CPU to get for extreme performance in professional applications. It handily beats the Ryzen 9 5900X and 5950X in traditional apps thanks to its incredible clockspeeds, and with its 8 multi-threaded performance cores plus 8 efficiency cores, it’s also a beast for content creation or multi-tasking! Note that the 12900 is significantly less expensive than its 12900K cousin, with the primary difference being a lack of overclocking capability in the 12900, but for professional apps, that’s just fine, because instability would cost money!
    The Guru’s Tip

    Make sure not to buy the 12900 "F" version, or the 12900KF, neither of which have built-in graphics. They won't work in this build.
  • MSI B660
    Click to Buy
    Motherboard –

    MSI MAG B660M Mortar WiFi DDR5

    $160
    This full-featured Socket 1700 board from MSI is a perfect match for Intel’s latest CPUs. It offers a potent 12+1+1 VRM design, two PCIe Gen 4 M.2 slots, a PCIe Gen 4 video card slot, eight USB ports (including a Type-C port), and integrated WiFi 6 plus 2.5Gbs LAN. And making it truly cutting-edge is its support for next-gen DDR5 RAM!
    The Guru’s Tip

    This board's HDMI 2.1 and Displayport 1.4 video outputs in combination with the built-in graphics on the Intel CPU can drive any monitor at full resolution, and together allow for simultaneous use of two ultra-high resolution monitors. Check out our recommendation later in this guide!
  • Corsair Vengeance DDR5
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    Memory –

    Corsair 2x16GB Vengeance DDR5-5600 C36

    $220
    For a cutting-edge PC, you need DDR5 RAM, but not just any DDR5 RAM, because you want high-frequency DDR5 to blow past DDR4 RAM performance. And that’s what you get with Corsair’s Vengeance kit, running at DDR4-5600 with timings of 36-36-36-76 at an efficient 1.25V. This is the real deal when it comes to DDR5 performance!
    The Guru’s Tip

    With 32GB of RAM on board, you'll never run out of capacity! Note that to run this RAM at its full speed, you will need to select the XMP profile in the motherboard's UEFI (aka the BIOS).
  • SK Hynix P41
    Click to Buy
    Solid-State Drive –

    SK Hynix Platinum P41 1TB

    $150
    While you may not have heard of SK Hynix (SK is for South Korea), it’s a huge player in the memory market, being one of just three fully-integrated manufacturers. And that means it plays in the big leagues, and every so often, simply flattens the competition… all of it! The Platinum P41 is now the fastest consumer M.2 SSD ever released. Powered by amazingly-fast NAND flash, and a proprietary controller that allows it to max out what the PCIe Gen 4 bus can deliver, it’s the one you want!
    The Guru’s Tip

    Install this in the top M.2 slot, which you can access by removing the pre-installed heatsink on the motherboard. Make sure to put it back in place after removing any protective tape on the thermal pad once the SSD is mounted!
  • Phanteks Evolv mATX
    Click to Buy
    Case –

    Phanteks EVOLV mATX Tempered Glass Gray

    $140
    This compact, ultra-stylish case from Phanteks truly stands out from the crowd. The case is wrapped in gorgeous 3mm-thick aluminum panels, which give it a truly premium feel. It also features dual hinged glass doors, which look great and provide easy access to the interior. It doesn’t skimp in the cooling department either, with factory-installed 140mm fans in both the front and rear of the chassis! This particular version comes in Phanteks’ trademark anthracite gray color, which looks very pro!
    The Guru’s Tip

    Keep in mind that this is a micro-ATX case, which means it requires a micro-ATX motherboard, such as the one we recommend.
  • Phanteks Amp
    Click to Buy
    Power Supply –

    Phanteks AMP 750W Gold

    $100
    The AMP 750W from Phanteks offers exceptional performance at a great price. It features 750W of Gold-rated power, fully-modular cables, a low-noise fan design with zero-fan mode, and an ultra-compact form factor at just 140mm deep.
    The Guru’s Tip

    While you don't need this much power for a system like this, the price on this power supply is unbeatable, far lower than less-capable units.
  • Scythe Fuma 2
    Click to Buy
    CPU Cooler –

    Scythe Fuma 2 Rev. B

    $66
    Offering amazing performance thanks to its big heatsink and dual 120mm fans, along with excellent compatibility thanks to its offset design and 155mm height, this is our favorite cooler at any price. The latest Rev. B version swaps out the “classic” grey fans with more on-trend black models, and ups the RPM level from 1200RPM to 1500RPM. To keep noise in check, the new Kaze Flex II fans use a specially-designed fan frame to minimize turbulence on heatsinks and maximize static pressure.
    The Guru’s Tip

    This cooler includes the Intel Socket 1700 adapter required for use with the Intel 12th-Gen CPU. And while the CPU includes a cooler, it's honestly inadequate for the heat produced. You'll be much better off with the Scythe Fuma 2!
  • Microsoft Windows 11
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    Operating System –

    Windows 11 Home USB

    $139
    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!
    The Guru’s Tip

    Windows 11 is definitely the OS you want to take full advantage of the hybrid design of Intel's latest high-performance processors.

Optional Products

  • Philips 34
    Click to Buy
    The 34-inch Widescreen Monitor –

    Philips 346E2CUAE

    $420
    It wasn’t long ago that monitors with the specs of this model would cost twice as much, so there’s no doubt that Philips is offering tremendous value in a high-end model here. You get a huge 34″ curved VA panel with a resolution of 3440 x 1440 , 121% 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. The best part is that it’s protected by a 4-year advanced exchange warranty.
    The Guru’s Tip

    Both the HDMI and Displayport outputs on the Stock Trading PC will support a monitor of this resolution, so feel free to grab two if you have the space for them!
  • Click to Buy
    The Ultimate Business Keyboard –

    Logitech MX Keys Wireless Illuminated Keyboard

    $120
    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

    $54
    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

    $70
    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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