How to Pick the Right Trading Hardware

The trading hardware you need depends on the type of trading you are doing. In this context, hardware refers to your computer, monitors, network, power source, etc.

Be sure to check the hardware recommendations of your trading software provider for the minimum computer requirements to use their software.

If you are simply investing for long periods of time, the type of computer you use and the type and number of monitors you use are not as important to short-term traders. You can often deal with a single screen and use websites, rather than software, to analyze the markets and execute trades.

Day traders need the most powerful hardware configuration. The type of software used for charting, running price monitors, scanning real-time markets, and executing trades is resource intensive.

Day traders often use more than one screen. For example, assign several screens to charts of the markets you want to trade frequently, use one screen to see aggregate market signals (net volume, advance/declining issues, TICK dollar index, net profit/loss for major sectors), and keep an end watch of the platform Executing your trade.

As a short-term (daily) trader, investing in a computer specifically designed for this task improves your day trading. It provides a convenient allocation of memory, type of processor and speed you need and the absence of a lot of additional software that often comes with most retail computers.

Search online for computers to trade and/or contact computer retailers. Tell them the type of trading you will be doing and the charting software you will be using. They can make specific recommendations based on your needs.