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What Notebook Workstation Should You Buy for Trading the Markets?

By Larry Jacobs, Editor of Traders World magazine

If you are looking for a notebook for trading the markets, I must ask you some questions:

1. What do you want to spend?
2. What size notebook do you prefer: 15-inch or 17-inch?
3. What tasks will you be performing on the notebook, such as charting software, office applications, chat rooms, gaming, multi-media and so on?
4. Will you be taking the notebook with you or leaving it at your desk?
5. What operating system do you prefer, such as Windows XP or Vista?
6. Do you prefer standard or widescreen notebooks, and what resolution do you need?
7. Do you want a glossy, reflective screen or a matte / non-glossy screen?
8. How much drive space do you want, and do you want a dual drive for redundancy?
9. Do you need an optical drive, such as a DVD-ROM or DVD-CD/RW?
10. Do you want several external monitors to work with the notebook?

The number of programs you are going to be running at any one time determines the power you need in the notebook computer. If you are using eSignal, which uses CPU-intensive streaming data, and more than 3 other programs, you should get the most powerful Duo 2 core processor or even consider going with a quad processor. If you are a day trader and doing many trades during the day, you might also consider a notebook with dual drives that has a Raid 1 for redundancy.

Here are the Standard Screen Resolutions:

• XGA - 1024x768 (least on screen)
• SXGA - 1400x1050 (compromise resolution between)
• UXGA - 1600x1200 (best and most on screen)

Here are the Wide Screen Resolutions:

• WXGA+ - 1440x900 (least on screen)
• WSGA+ -  1680x1050 (compromise resolution between)
• WUGA+- 1920x1200 (most on screen)

There are a few very good possibilities for a trading notebook computer. Because you need more screen space for trading, with order entry forms and charts, I would recommend a 17-inch notebook. It will give you more space with only a small difference in weight and cost. I would recommend three possibilities at this time:

1. Dell has a new Vostro 1700 or their Precision M6300 Workstation. They have many options regarding hardware, CPUs, hard disks and dedicated graphic cards. They offer WSXGA and WUXGA resolutions for their screens.
2. HP has its new 8700 series notebooks with their WSXGA+ screen (1680x1050) 17-inch screens. They have workstation graphics that are excellent for stock market tasks, such as charting.
3. Sager has the most powerful notebook computer for trading. It can take the Duo or the most powerful Core 2 Quad Processor. It has workstation graphics with WSXGA+ (1680X1050) screen resolution. It can even give you dual hard drives with Raid 1 for redundancy.

You can attach multiple monitors to these notebook trading computers using several options, such as the Matrox expansion module, giving you up to 3 external DVI Ports, the Magma PCIE expansion box, giving you up to 4 external DVI Ports, the VTBook, giving you 1 DVI and 1 Analog Port, or the MVD box, giving you 1 DVI port for every USB port on the notebook.

Warranty is also important. Dell and HP offer next-day, on-site service while Sager only offers a mail-in warranty.

For more information on what notebook trading computer to get, please go to www.tradersworld.com/notebooks.