If you’re just getting into day trading, it is so important that you create the best trading setup you can. Your trading setup should be efficient and easy to use, with everything you need at your fingertips. Whether you’re into forex trading, futures, options or something else, getting your setup right will make all the difference, after all every minute you spend waiting for your technology to catch up is losing you money.
It is important to remember that there isn’t one single best PC set up for trading. If you’re working as a day trader, you’ll need a much more advanced and complex setup than a position trader, who is only trading a few times in any given month. Depending on your trading style, you can tailor your setup to best match your needs, altering components and hardware as necessary. We’re breaking down everything you need for the optimal trading PC setup.
One of the first and most important elements of a trading setup is including dual monitors. Most new PCs will come ready-made with built-in dual monitor features, meaning all you have to do is plug in that second monitor and start trading. If for any reason you can’t plug in your additional monitor, source a cheap converter online or at your local computer shop.
Another great nugget of advice for the aspiring trader is to keep your computer free of any unnecessary programs. If you’re able to, keep your PC only for trading. This will keep your computer running fast, and reduce the chance of it crashing mid-way through your day.
If you’re going to set up a trading computer, feel free to get as complicated as you’d like. If you’re just starting out, a simple setup will do great, and you can always add to your setup as you go, upgrading features piece by piece. An essential starting point would be a great core system that is set up to be added to in the future if you so wish.
An efficient trading setup can look however you want, however the minimum requirements are pretty much as follows:
- RAM: 8GB RAM is the absolute minimum you should go for considering the amount of data your computer will be processing. If you can, definitely upgrade to 16GB or more. The higher the RAM, the better the performance of your trading setup.
- CPU/Processor: The minimum specs recommended for your processor would be a dual-core, however as above, if you can upgrade then do. A quad-core 2.8GHz would be ideal, and if you’re looking to increase the speed of your PC then consider opting for a CPU with at least four to six cores.
- Hard Drive: First, make sure you have an SSD drive specifically for trading use. The minimum you should go for would be an SSD of 250GB to store your data and allow quick retrieval of information.
- Display: If you can, opt for dual screen monitors to allow the use of multiple software options at one time. A minimum of 1080P is recommended, but if your budget is higher you could consider stretching for a higher resolution, such as a 4k display.
- Graphics Card: The graphics card you go for will depend greatly on the number of monitors you are hoping to have. If you are looking to use multiple monitors, you will need a graphics card with at least 4GB space. In addition to this, you will need to purchase mini display port adapters as well as HDMI cables.
- Battery Life: If you’re not going to be connected to a power source, it is best to go for a computer with at least eight hours of battery life to allow you to spend a full day trading.
- Internet Connectivity: make sure you set up a strong, stable internet connection. There’s nothing worse than missing things because you’re waiting to be reconnected to the internet!
With these specs in mind, it is worth keeping in mind that any gaming computer would be ideal for trading given the extensive memory and advanced graphics.
If you’re looking to save a few pennies, think about buying your trading computer in the form of its components and either taking time to assemble it yourself, or take it to a computer specialist and pay them to put it together for you. You can save a lot of money by buying separate components, and it will make your setup much easier to customise if you decide to change or upgrade specific parts once you’ve started to earn money through trading.
The most important things to invest in when building or purchasing your trading setup is dual monitors if you can, and a large RAM to allow you to run multiple programs at once. These two things should allow you to break into the world of trading pretty easily, assuming of course that you have the skills. From there, as you make money and build your savings, you can upgrade specific components as you go, keeping your PC set up tailored to your needs as you dig deeper into the world of trading.
