Any kind of work is incomplete without a proper tool. A woodcutter needs an axe and a trader needs a laptop. Technology is progressing with every passing minute and a well configured laptop will prove to be a helping hand in any trader’s business. Long gone are the days of storing endless piles of files and folders with information about transactions. It’s time to make room for algorithmic trading systems and data analysis softwares that needs a laptop to run. Let’s take a look at Best Laptops for Stock Trading in 2018. Also, we would go through the ideal laptop configuration that can handle the load of your stock trading softwares.

There are two key elements we should take care of when looking at trading laptops to buy. First of all, it should be of a reliable brand with at-least 1 year warranty. Secondly, it should not crash frequently as any minute lost during trading hours can cause an havoc in your profitability.

Also Read: Top 5 Stock Market Apps for your Smartphone

Ideal Laptop Configuration for Trading

Below is the ideal laptop configuration for running some of the high end trading softwares:

RAM

Having a reasonable amount of RAM ensures that your system does not crash when operating heavy softwares. It will not make your laptop work faster but it will certainly prevent it from freezing at times. 8 GB is the minimum recommended RAM.

Hard Drives

You need proper storage to save all of your work. If you are backtest your strategies on high volume of intraday data, you would definitely need atleast 512 GB of hard disk space to store them. If you have extra space after you have saved your stuff, it will serve to boost your computer speed. SSD is preferable over traditional HDD.

Battery

Laptop batteries running out just when you are about to save your project are common complaints. So, pick a laptop that goes on for atleast 4 hours hours and gives a warning before it’s critically low on power. If you are a traveling trader, it is important for you to be careful about batteries.

Weight and Size

A small and light-weighted laptop is easy to carry around. Unfortunately, a smaller laptop means compromising on the larger specs. You need to find a way to balance out both.

Display

A display that is easily configurable is the most suited. Indoors, the screen can be too bright and outdoors the glare will annoy you. It is, hence, important to choose laptops with good display screens. Don’t prefer 4K displays unless it’s absolutely necessary. Most of the trading softwares including Amibroker don’t support them fully.

Best Laptops for Stock Trading: 2019

Below are some of the recommended laptops that you can buy for Trading. These laptops are reliable and numerous stock market professionals I know are already using them. I have included Amazon links where you can buy these laptops at the cheapest price.

HP Envy13-ab070TU Notebook

Specifications:

• Processor: Intel Core i7 Processor (7th Gen)
• OS: Windows 10 Home
• Storage: 512 GB SSD
  
• RAM: 8 GB RAM
• Display: 33.78 cms(13.3) Full HD LED with Flush Glass
• Weight: 1.45 KG

Dell Inspiron 7000 Series 2 in 1

Specifications:

• Processor: Intel Core i7 Processor (7th Gen)
• OS: Windows 10 
• Storage: 256 GB SSD
  
• RAM: 8 GB RAM
• Display: 13.3″ Razor Sleek Full Hi Definition (1920×1080) Touchcreen
  
• Weight: 1.56 Kg

Lenovo Ideapad 720S-13IKB

Specifications:

• Processor: Intel Core i7 Processor (7th Gen)
• OS: Windows 10 
• Storage: 256 GB SSD
  
• RAM: 8 GB RAM
• Display: 13.3-inch screen, Integrated Graphics
  
• Weight: 1.1 Kg

Apple Macbook Air MQD42HN

Specifications:

• Processor: 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor
  
• OS: Mac Operating system
  
• Storage: 256 GB SSD
  
• RAM: 8 GB RAM
• Display: 13-inch screen, Intel HD Graphics 6000
  
• Weight: 1.35 Kg

Also Read: Best Technical Analysis Courses for Beginners

There may be many best laptops for stock trading, but these 4 are highly recommended. You may find cheaper options, but don’t go for them if you are really passionate about Algo trading. Operations like chart analysis, backtesting and optimization require a versatile machine.

The market today has a wide range of laptops with a billion configurations that can aid your life as a trader. Keeping the key configurations in mind you can buy the one that fits your needs and suits your requirements. Note that Macbook cannot run softwares like Amibroker, however it has a very powerful processor and battery which is the reason it made up into this list.

Let us know in comments section if you are confused or need any further help to chose your laptop.