Computers, Displays, Software, Desks and More!
If you’re an active trader, you probably spend a lot of time around your computer charting, researching, watching the markets and trading. You’re probably in this space for a long period of time, you might as well make it as comfortable as possible, enjoyable, and well, fun to be in. If the space you create is something you enjoy being around, your day to day emotional state is probably going to be in a pretty good spot! We know that proper emotions and consistent trading go hand in hand! In this blog post we’re going to focus on setting up a productive work environment and I’ll go over how I’ve set up my space, the computer, displays, software, my desk, and a whole lot more!
First off, I’ll give you a bit of background on me, before I started trading. My father had taught me how to build computers between the ages of 13 – 14. To say I was obsessed with technology would be an understatement. This was early 2000 – 2001. Computer hardware started becoming more readily available to the public, stores like Future Shop were thriving, computational breakthroughs were rapid and “High-Speed” internet was becoming more accessible to the general public. In my opinion this was one of the most exciting times in history for anyone interested or involved in technology at that time. My first job at the age of 15 was actually at a local computer store building / fixing PC’s. Now 18 years later I’m 32 years old and I’m just as involved in technology as I was back then. You could call me an “enthusiast.” I’ve taken this skillset and have applied it to my trading. Whether its building the computers I use to trade, or streamlining functionality that I use in my software, I try to apply this skillset in some form.
I’m going to break down this blog post into 5 sections.
- Computers: What I use and some suggestions on what you might need.
- Displays: The displays I use and the reasons why.
- Software: The software and broker I use and how it puts me “in control.”
- Desk: My desk layout.
- Final thoughts: Just general thoughts.
Computers:
Ok so let’s get started on the computer side of things. I think most traders / investors that don’t have a background with technology automatically think they need to have the latest and fastest technology they can get their hands on in order to be an efficient, competent trader in the markets. This thinking couldn’t be further from the truth. In most cases you don’t need the latest and fastest hardware available. You can easily get away with a higher end Intel i5 processor, 8GB of ram and decent graphics card. I’ll list what I’m running and then I’ll have you a link to decent prebuilt PCs that you could buy if you’re looking for an upgrade.
My trading computer specifications:
Motherboard: Asus ROG B250
Processor: i7 – 7700k
Graphics Card: MSI R9 380
Ram: 16Gb gSkill TridentZ DDR4 3200
Storage: 256Gb Samsung 960 Evo M.2
The system listed above is a computer that I put together myself. Now I don’t want to make this blog post about building your own PC because I figure if you’re reading this, you already know how to build a system and if you don’t, you’re most likely just looking for suggestions for a new PC. What I listed above should be a good base to start. I can accomplish any task that I need to do with that particular setup. I can run 3 high resolution displays with 4k content playing on one monitor trading software in the back ground and applications such as Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Premiere all running at the same time without a single hic-up. That and with the high-quality hardware used for the build I can depend on this system day after day, year after year.
If you’re looking to buy a new prebuilt PC, I suggest some of the prebuilt systems Lenovo has to offer. The C-series Legion PCs have great hardware and pack a lot of punch for a budget friendly price tag. You can find these Prebuilt PCs here. I like the Legion C530. Best bang for your buck in my opinion.
*Another thing to consider is hardwiring your internet connection. That way you can guarantee stable, consistent connectivity and if you do lose connectivity you can quickly trouble shoot the problem. I always hardwire my connections to my PCs. One more thing to note is I always have a USB cable readily available to plug my phone into if I lose my main connectivity and need to tether my phone for a temporary backup connection.
Displays:
When it comes to displays, I think this is one of the biggest items a trader over looks. In my opinion most consumers generally look for the lowest price displays with the highest resolutions and the biggest display dimension. In my opinion this is the exact opposite as to what you should be doing. What you want is a high quality display that is easy on the eyes, a display that isn’t so big that you need to be looking all over the screen to find the important information that you’re looking for and a resolution that isn’t so high that you find it difficult to read the text on the screen or see small details. Now mind you this is just my opinion but I think you’d be hard pressed to find a display that checks off all the boxes for trading better than the ASUS PB278Q. These displays are incredible and I’ve been using them close to 8 years now. You can read more about this display here: https://www.asus.com/Monitors/PB278Q/
ASUS PB278Q Pros:
- Very easy on the eyes. Read more about “Asus Eye Care Technology” here: https://www.asus.com/Microsite/display/eye_care_technology/
- 2560 x 1440 Native resolution. Sort of the sweet spot between 1080p and 4K resolution. Text and on-screen information (stock charts) very easy to read without having to scale text / layouts.
- Virtually no flicker. These monitors are flicker free.
- Amazing visuals. These are professional grade displays so expect consistent, vibrant colors.
- The out of box stand is very well built and allows for easy up/down adjustment, tilt and even swivel if you want to set the display up in a 90-degree configuration.
I run two of these displays side by side.
You can find the ASUS PB278Q displays for sale here: https://www.amazon.ca/ASUS-PB278Q-2560×1440-DisplayPort-Monitor/dp/B009C3M7H0
I also run a 3rd display which I use for general day to day activities. Such as excel sheet inputs, photoshop work, writing these blogs, playing video games etc. This is a 4k display also built by ASUS. The Asus MG28UQ. It fits in nicely with the PB278Qs and it was a great addition to my workspace. I don’t necessarily recommend this display for every day trading though. Its much better suited for what I listed above.
You can read more about the ASUS MG28UQ display here: https://www.asus.com/Monitors/MG28UQ/
You can find the ASUS MG28UQ display for sale here: https://www.amazon.ca/Asus-Freesync-MG28UQ-Response-DisplayPort/dp/B01BYU0GVC
Here is a picture of how I have the displays laid out on my desk.
From left to Right. PB278Q / PB278Q / MG28UQ
Software:
For my day to day order execution and trading I use eSignal synced with my Interactive brokers account. I can place orders in real time right from the charts in eSignal. Part of the reason I like this is because I both swing trade and day trade as part of my overall strategy. With eSignal I can almost instantly (within the click of a mouse) execute buy and sell orders within the software. The software has a plethora of capabilities and it fits well with my overall strategy. Read more about eSignal here: https://www.esignal.com/index
Here is a couple of screenshots of how I have eSignal laid out across my Asus PB278Q monitors.
Now on to my broker. Interactive brokers. I’ve been with other big brokers in the past and as far as I’m concerned Interactive Brokers is hands down the best. My orders always fill, I can get in and out of positions at any point in the day whether its Pre-Market or After-hours and being able to sync all my accounts with in eSignal makes my trading very streamlined and efficient. When I trade with Interactive Brokers, I can be confident I’m going to get the experience I want and require. Learn more about Interactive Brokers here: https://www.interactivebrokers.ca/en/home.php.
Last but not least. Trend Spider. Trend Spider is an incredible browser-based trading platform that I also use on a day to day basis. When I’m at work or away from my screens at home I know I can log into their software to check charts, alerts, get real time quotes etc. Definitely an awesome solution for those who can’t always be around their system at home. Learn more about trend spider here: https://www.trendspider.com/
Desk Setup:
Have you ever wondered what the desks of other traders on FinTwit look like? Here is a picture of mine. I have a basic L-Shaped desk that fits my monitors properly, plus gives me a bit of room on the side to write down notes and accomplish other tasks. Maybe reference some old trades or read a book during the trading day. Whatever it might be I have room for it.
Final Thoughts:
Thank you for reading another blog post and I hope the information I provided about my personal setup can assist you in setting up a space that works for you! One of my favorite rooms in my house is my home office, I really enjoy hanging out in this room. It makes trading all that much better! One recommendation I would make is if you’re new to trading I wouldn’t go all out on a setup in the beginning. Learn the basics of trading, the time frames you enjoy trading and so forth. Your trading setup should fit your style, not anyone else’s. Trading is a very personal thing so should be your setup and space!
The Tired Trader 