Trading computers have been a serious topic so far as modern trading is concerned. When looking for a good computer, most beginners narrow it down to choosing one brand over another. But it isn’t that simple. To enjoy the experience that comes with trading, you need to take a closer look at some characteristics that each trading computer should have. And, if you don’t know where to start, here are some criteria you might consider when picking your next computer. Let’s dive right into it.
A Super-Fast Processor
Processors or CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the first word that should come to your mind when you think of a computer for trading. Think of it as the brain of your computer. Have you ever had that feeling of pride after getting an answer to a complicated mathematical equation in seconds? More often than not, you are impressed by the speed with which your brain was able to provide an answer. Well, this is the same feeling you get with a fast CPU. If you’re serious about trading then, you would probably have to run sites like Plus500 Australia or London Stock Exchange website on a daily basis, and this requires a high-performing CPU.
As a trader, speed, and accuracy in data and charts must become loyal allies if you want to be successful. Just picture this for a second with your “human processor”. You have spent a day analysing the market, and you finally decide to make a move, so you press on your keyboard, but your computer takes forever to execute the action and the data changes all over again. Just like that, in a heartbeat, you’ve lost a huge advantage.
Now, you understand why having an excellent processor is necessary for your trading activity. If you have no idea which one to select, you could consider looking for an Intel i7 processor. Anything below that might be too slow for a trader.
A Powerful RAM
Most traders falsely think the storage capacity is more important than the RAM they have. The RAM is what helps you open and run all the applications and software on your computer. You might have understood how critical it is to remain updated on the right websites, study the latest graphs and stay relevant with accurate data. This is why you should look for RAM that will be able to run all these apps and sites without slowing you down.
One mistake most people make when choosing their RAM capacity is that they only consider the trading apps they use and how the latter uses up the RAM. If you must trade without worrying about a data lag, then you should also take into consideration the non-trading software installed on your computer. This gives you an estimation of how much RAM you need.
If you already have a computer, and you don’t have any plans to change it now, then here is another option for you. You could consider upgrading your RAM. This will save you the expenses of buying a new one, and the options available are very interesting. With some money, you could get as much as 16 GB for your computer.
The Hard Drive
This is the next component you would want to look into when selecting a computer for trading. The SSD hard drive is what you want to have for your computer. If you’re not much of a tech person, this is what you must keep in mind when analysing different hard drives.
The SSD is the best option as a hard drive because it is super fast. SSDs hard drives use less power, come with a cooling mechanism, and will not bother you with noises that can be very distracting when trading. They have a great system performance and a longer shelf life. These characteristics alone place them above the HDD hard drives.
The hard drive plays a role in how fast your CPU can process information. Your hard drive affects the speed with which your computer reboots and the way the applications are run.
Monitor
If you’ve ever watched trading moving, you’ll often see people behind different screens analysing data day and night to get the most out of the fluctuations in the financial market. This, we will admit, looks very fancy but, you will be surprised at how relevant this can be in the real world.
Trading is mostly a visual activity, and one could understand the need to have all the relevant data in front of you. And, having to navigate through different application windows can be very frustrating. This is why most traders choose multiple monitors to help them keep an eye on the relevant information.
You have different options, you can either pick dual monitors, quad monitors, or even six monitor arrays if you intend on making trading your main activity.
Battery Backup
You wouldn’t want a power shortage to ruin all the efforts you’ve made in your trading activity. This is why you need a plan B in case your battery runs down. This has proven to be very useful for people who live in areas where the power supply is not very reliable. Having a backup plan places you a step ahead of other traders.
Now that you have the general idea of what you need for your trading computer, make sure to include other relevant components that will help you get the best of trading in 2022.