Powering your trading ambition
AS MORE and more providers hone their mobile trading apps, you can almost trade from anywhere. But if you are serious about your trading then you will probably want a dedicated computer. But what features are important and what do you get for your money? Generally speaking, you will get faster processing, the ability to handle more tasks simultaneously and the ability to handle more displays. At the bottom end of the scale, you don’t need to spend a fortune – just having a dedicated computer, free of the clutter of a regular desktop, will make a big difference. At the top of the scale, the sky is the limit.
GETTING STARTED
At just over the £800 mark, you aren’t paying a huge amount more than a well specced home PC, but for the money you get a set up that can handle two screens and with its 3.33Ghz processor can perform four simultaneous calculations.
Being able to handle multiple screens allows you to keep an eye on multiple charts and indicators at the same time.
Model – V-12
CPU – Intel Core i5
Memory – 8GB DDR3 memory
Video – Two monitors supported
OS drive – 320GB SATA2 HDD
Networking – Gigabit LAN only
£843 ex VAT – Trading Computers
MID-RANGE ENGINE
Though 75 per cent more expensive than an entry level system, at around this price point you can get a much more powerful machine – you can open more charts, more indicators, more trading software – more of everything. This set-up can process eight simultaneous instructions, making it ideal for running multiple applications and applications that can run in multiple threads.
Model – F-25
CPU – Intel Core i7
Memory – 16GB DDR3 memory
Video – Six monitors supported
OS drive – 128GB SATA3 + 1TB DATA
Networking – Gigabit LAN only
£1,471 ex. VAT – Trading Computers
DREAM MACHINE
The top of the range doesn’t come cheap. It may be over-kill for spread betting but it shows what you can get your hands on if you want to splash the cash.
This set up can process 12 simultaneous instructions (threads), and is used for running multiple trading platforms and other intensive applications at the same time.
Model – F-39
CPU – Six core Intel Core i7
Memory – 16GB DDR3 memory
Video – Eight monitors supported
OS drive – 256GB SATA3 +1TB DATA
Networking – Dual gigabit LAN + long range wireless adapter
£2,340 ex VAT – Trading Computers