Hardware Heaven: Building the Ideal Trading Platform

One trader I know from New England uses just a laptop to manage a portfolio worth close to $800,000. Another trader from Florida trades an even larger portfolio and uses four computers with four monitors and at least four separate Internet service providers. Both tell me they're basically happy with their systems.

What kind of computer should the rest of us use to trade? Here's a somewhat obvious rule: It depends on the kind of trader you are. If you make one or two trades per month and you tend to hold your positions long term, chances are you could get by with whatever computer you're using to read this column. On the other hand, if you're making some decent money as an active trader, a good computer system with multiple monitors and high-speed Internet access can make your work easier and a lot more fun. Plus, if that system helps you avoid crashes, it might even save you a bundle one day. Nobody wants to see his or her computer freeze up when trying to exit a lousy position.

By computer system, I mean the hardware, the operating system (OS) and your uplinks to your broker -- the whole package. Let's take a look at each component part. Then we'll look at a couple of preconfigured systems available on the market. And then I'll try to convince you that a system consisting of several separate computers, not necessarily networked, might be your best bet overall.

The Box

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