Best Laptop for Trading - what's your opinion?

[DarkCloudCover]

I'm thinking about purchasing a portable PC to run NT8 and am wondering: what kind of laptop do you use (and like)? And maybe more importantly, if you were replacing it this month, what would you buy?

I'm a day trader and currently run NinjaTrader 8 on a FAST home pc (SSD + solid GPU/RAM). I do that because I multi-task a lot. To quote Jesse Livermore: "Money is made by SITTING, not TRADING" and I do a lot of sitting. While I'm waiting for the market to come to me, I'm often surfing (my browser often has lots of tabs open), researching stuff on TradingView, listening to audio or videos, etc. I'd like to do more trading from coffee shops or while traveling rather than sitting at home all the time. So...

My first thought is to go for a low to mid level gaming laptop. But also thought about going lighter, perhaps with a Microsoft Surface Pro (or Surface Book), or even an Eve-Tech. If you happen to use a touch screen PC, how do you like it with NT8? I'm constantly drawing lines on my charts (and running Fib Retracements & extensions) and wonder if having a touch screen would make that easier (and faster) or if I'm better I'm better off sticking with a mouse/TrackPad for that. If you happen to be using a touch screen, please share your experience. And if you're using a regular lap top, I'd also love to hear what you think. What do you run NT8 on currently? How do you like it? What might you buy instead if you we're replacing it today?

[NinjaTrader_PatrickG]

I encourage other users to provide DarkCloudCover with relevant feedback regarding their laptop questions. I'd just like to leave the installation guide link which lays down some general required and recommend specifications for a PC running NinjaTrader 8:

https://ninjatrader.com/NinjaTrader-8-InstallationGuide

[PBreen]

My first thought always would have been a high-end Lenovo. However, after some experience with a 15-inch Macbook Pro, I would be likely to get another and set it up to run Windows--preferably one without the touchbar silliness and the unfortunate keyboard that marred the last generation. Mine is a mid-2015 model chosen specifically to avoid those issues. Seriously nice hardware. If they ever bring out a modern 17-inch model, that would cinch it. Until then, LG has a 17-inch model that might do, though it sounds a little short of power, and I know nothing about LG's reliability. That leaves the Dell XPS 15, about which I have heard nothing but good things. FWIW. Hope it helps.

[jpzahody]

I have the last of the Macbook Pros 17-inch, special version with the 1920x1200 non-glare screen, bought new from MacMall in Dec 2012. Late 2011 model, running Windows 7 via bootcamp. Works great for me with NT 8 using 2 additional monitors, i.e., via Thunderbolt and USB 3 display adapter which is connected to USB 2 port (no native USB 3 on this computer) and works fine. I do have a flush mount 2-port USB 3 expresscard installed, but it lacks the power to run the display adapter.

[eDanny]

Sorry but to me this is bul****. You don't need a special computer to trade. If you want to sell you have to be a good salesperson and the computer has nothing to do with it.

Huh? That is just plain wrong! But...you also need a very fast internet connection.

[DarkCloudCover]

I want to thank everyone for their input. I thought I'd circle back and post an update to my original post. First off, Selinwine is right. Partly so, at least. You don't need a "special computer" to trade. Far more important is that you learn HOW to trade. The best computer in the world won't make you money. But a skilled trader can probably make money with even a beat up old computer, especially if they're swing trading. Day traders of course can't afford lag so an outdated machine could be more of an issue I suppose.

That said ... eDanny is also right. It's not entirely bul*** either. Having (at the very least) a reliable computer along with a solid internet connection is important.

After my original post two years ago, I went with a pretty high end solution. You may not need to. If you're just starting out - or - if money's tight, you might consider a used or refurbished computer. I nearly did. If you go that route, I would highly recommend getting something with at least an i5 processor (i7 would be better a may not cost a lot more), an SSD drive and at least 8GB of RAM. (As of April 2021 anyways). If you're reading this a year or two from now, that may not be the way to go. Even if you can afford better, you might still consider going that route and putting the money you save into learning to trade. Personally, I've picked up some phenomenal used books on eBay and Amazon that have helped me over the years.

For those who can spend more, you might consider something with a core i7 or i9 processor.

For those curious, I purchased a Lenova Yoga C940-15IRH i9 with 16 GB RAM (the maximum available at the time) with Windows 10 PRO, and a very fast SSD drive and it has served well. When I'm at my desk, I plug in a 4K LG monitor and an external keyboard and it's very nice to work from.

Anyways, hope that helps someone out there. It's always frustrating to see a post that's years old with no update ... so thought I'd circle back today since it appears people are still reading this.

[jeronymite]

There is no "correct" answer to the original question. Nevertheless, there are "necessarily appropriate" ways to look at the matter.

There are (at least) two distinct issues here:

• The tools needed to trade
• Knowing how to trade profitably

In some senses they are unrelated: one can have a poor tool, but with excellent trading skills one can still be profitable; and one can have the "best" tools and still blow up every account.

So, if we take as a given that one has "sufficient" trading skills to be profitable, we can then examine the tools a bit more dispassionately.

As general principles, the following apply to choosing IT equipment for trading:

• Set a budget that matches what you are capable of affording
• Understand the minimum requirements of any software that you will use (including trading software, operating system, and other "necessary" software for your trading success) as detailed by the producers of the software (e.g. NinjaTrader, Microsoft, etc). Remember that minimum requirements will compound as multiple requirements need to be met.
• Include a "buffer" of additional capacity to the all-inclusive minimum as a form of "safety margin"; most software needs more capacity as it evolves, and one should anticipate a lifecycle approach to purchasing IT resources. Planning for a 3-5 year IT lifecycle is reasonable.
• The bare minimum "non-software" things needing deliberate consideration when purchasing must include: CPU performance, memory capacity, graphics capacity, disk capacity and performance, screen size and number of screens, portability (or not) requirements, network connectivity hardware, Internet Service capabilities (bandwidth, reliability, etc), power supply continuity, and support. These last two are often completely ignored, unfortunately.
• Each will need to be understood in the context of the tools and activities one is planning for. One should also consider that the overall "system" should have been designed with all the components "in balance". This is a skill that requires significant expertise, and so would usually involve known manufacturers or system integrators.
• When choosing items, it is also worth taking into account the reputation of the manufacturers of software and hardware, as well as the suppliers of services.
• There are arguments to be made in favour of "well known" brands of off-the-shelf products, as well as for custom-built products. In both cases, examine cost, reputation and supportability very carefully. This becomes even more relevant if purchasing "used" products rather then new.

Perhaps the most important point to consider is what your intentions in trading are: if you are doing it as a "hobby", you can probably be a bit more "relaxed" about it; but if you are serious about trading as a business, you'll need to be diligent ("due diligence" is the perfect term here) and do some significant homework before purchasing.

I hope this is useful for anyone considering the original question.

Thanks.

[samcolmans]

For trading, a regular laptop on Windows or Linux may suit you. I use my MAC 2016 Pro for different purposes. I don't use complex programs. I work as a graphic designer, Tilda, adobe illustrator, and photoshop. These programs are enough for a good income at home. Yes, I'm a freelancer. When a person buys a laptop for work, he is unlikely to carry it to the office. It is better to read about working laptops on a review website. Laptops are different. Some are suitable only for Internet surfing. Others may be suitable for working with 3D modeling.