Lincoln is an investor and content marketer. He has worked for financial advisors, institutional investors, and a publicly-traded fintech company. Lincoln holds degrees in Finance, Economics, and Accounting.
Every second matters.
Trading is fast-paced and high-stakes. Sure, you need the best day trading broker and best charting platform, but you also need the best hardware.
After all, your computer is what enables you to trade, and you need one that can power your trading workflow.
Here are a few minimum requirements:
- RAM – You need a minimum of 8 GB of RAM, but 16GB is better.
- Processor – You need a processor with at least 4-6 cores (i5), but more is better (i7, i9, or M1)
- Hard Drive – Use an SSD with at least 250 GB storage.
- Displays – Again, more is better. If you’re going to be trading from a laptop (recommendation below), make sure you buy one with a large display.
- Battery Life – If you go with a laptop, it should have a minimum of 8 hours of battery life.
Best Stock Trading Computer: Laptop vs Desktop
Unless you’re traveling and know you need to trade on-the-go, I would pass on a laptop. Sure, they can power your setup, but a desktop is much more affordable for the specs you need.
That said, if budget isn’t a concern, I would strongly consider spec’ing out a laptop.
Here’s my list of the 7 best stock trading computers (I included the 3 best laptops for stock trading and the 4 best trading desktops).
My criteria were performance, reliability, and cost.
The 7 Best Computers for Trading Stocks
1. The Gladiator X14 EZ Trading Computer – The Best Stock Trading Computer Overall
My number 1 pick for the best stock trading computer is The Gladiator X14 EZ Trading Computer.
Price: $3,099 (using our links only — it’s typically $3,299!)
Financing: Available
Specs:
Use this link to secure several free upgrades AND take $200 off:
- FREE Nvidia RTX 4060 AI-Ready GPU
- FREE 32 GB RAM
- FREE 1 TB Solid State Hard Drive
EZ Trading computers are custom-built by day traders – they know the speed you need to be successful. After not finding the perfect computers for their workflows, they started building their own.
After the free upgrades and $200 discount you get by using our link, the Gladiator X14 is the obvious #1 choice of the best desktop computer for day trading.
The Gladiator X14 comes with a 5-year warranty, lifetime tech support, and the ability to display up to 4 monitors.
Through our link, this is the best trading computer money can buy.
2. Orbital Silenced x2000 – The 2nd Best Trading Computer
The only computer that comes close to rivaling the Radical X13 is the Orbital Silenced x2000.
Price: $2,611 (through our link, normally $2,711)
Specs:
Use this link and take $100 off. Here is my recommended configuration:
- RAM – 16 GB
- Processor – Intel Core i9-13900KF, 24-core
- Hard Drive – 480 GB SSD
Orbital is a company with a 10-year track record of manufacturing some of the highest-performance and customized computers for traders. The Orbital Silenced x2000 computer is the best it has to offer.
It is a fast, powerful desktop computer optimized for the lowest latency and represents the fastest possible configuration.
Moreover, you can customize and build the computer to your precise specifications. You can choose the case and CPU, CPU Cooler, RAM, sound card, video card, monitors, storage, network accessories, software, and more.
For almost $400 less than the Radical X14, the Orbital Silenced x2000 is ridiculously powerful and a great value.
3. EZ Odyssey X7 Laptop – The Best Laptop for Stock Trading
When it comes to the best computers for trading stocks, I’ve already mentioned EZ Trading Computers as the source of the best desktop unit. If you want full-service strength but the ability to take your operation on the road, consider the EZ Odyssey X7 Laptop.
Price: $3,299.00
Specs:
-
- RAM – 16 GB RAM – Upgradeable to 64GB
- Processor – AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX – 16 CORE Processor @ 5.4 GHZ in Turbo Boost Mode – Benchmark 58,082
- Hard Drive – 500 GB NVME M.2 Solid State Drive – Upgradeable to 8 TB
- Display Size – 17.3 inches
- Other good stuff:
1x HDMI 2.1
2x USB-C 3.2 Gen2
2x USB 3.2 Type A
Backlit Keyboard
Built-in Webcam
Built-in Mic
No, this is not a cheap laptop. But I like to think of purchases in terms of the value gained over time. For example … If you’re using your laptop every day to research stocks and execute trades, over the course of 3 years, that breaks down to about $3 per day. That’s less than a cup of coffee, and this powerful laptop’s top-notch speed, reliability, and the ability to customize anything makes it well worth your while.
Plus, your purchase includes everything below:
- ✓Lifetime Technical Support
- ✓1 Year Laptop Warranty
- ✓FREE Shipping to the Continental US
- ✓NO SALES TAX except CA, FL, IL, OH, NV, OK, PA
- ✓NO CREDIT NEEDED: Financing & Lease to Own available
- ✓Windows 11 Preinstalled with no bloatware
- ✓Customize Anything! just call or use the chat feature on the EZ Computers site to get the ball rolling.
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4. 16” M4 Max MacBook Pro – My Personal Favorite Stock Trading Laptop
I’m an Apple guy, always have been.
Plus, I’m not a full-time trader – I have a job, do some design work, and occasionally edit photos and videos.
That’s why I trade on my 16” MacBook Pro. It’s fast, lightweight, and easy-to-use. Plus, I need the versatility of a laptop and the features of an iOS machine.
If you’re an Apple user and will be using your new computer for more than just trading, I’d recommend the base model 16” M4 Max MacBook Pro.
Price: $3,999
Specs:
-
- RAM – 48 GB
- Processor – Apple M4 Max chip with 16‑core CPU, 40‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine
- Storage: 1TB SSD storage
- Display Size – 16 inches
Apple’s M1 chips have been outperforming Intel’s by wide margins – they’re fast and don’t overheat. The 16” M4 Max MacBook Pro also has a 24+ hour battery life, an area where Apple used to struggle.
Here’s the bottom line: If you want to trade on an iOS system, just buy this.
5. Legion Tower 7i Gen 8 (Intel) with RTX 4080 Super – The Most Powerful Trading Computer
Lenovos are some of Windows’s most powerful, productive, and affordable computers. The Legion Tower 7i Gen 9 (Intel) with RTX 4080 Super from Lenovo is a fast, best bang-for-your-buck trading computer.
Price: $2,549.99 from Lenovo’s website (currently discounted from $3,149.99) or $2,499.00 at Walmart.
Specs:
- RAM – 32 GB
- Processor – 14th Generation Intel® Core™ i9-14900KF Processor (E-cores up to 4.40 GHz P-cores up to 5.60 GHz)
- Hard Drive – 1 TB SSD
The Legion Tower 7i Gen 8 is a powerhouse. The specs might be overkill for some, but who doesn’t like a little extra power?
Seriously, PC Mag awarded this computer the Best of the Year, partly because they said it made “mincemeat” of their benchmarks.
In other words, this machine is fast and very capable, and easily ranks as one of the best stock trading computers.
Technically, this is a gaming computer, and that’s okay. Gaming is a resource-intensive activity, demanding the very highest output hardware. As a result, the best gaming computers typically make excellent stock trading machines. Of course, if you like gaming, it’s also nice to have a desktop that can accommodate the newest titles.
6. Legion Tower 5 Gen 8 (AMD) with RX 7600 – Best Value PC
Clearly, we like Lenovo’s Legion Tower PCs, and for good reason: they boast incredible performance (and they look pretty cool, too).
While the Legion Tower 5 Gen 8 (AMD) with RX 7600 isn’t as powerful as the Legion Tower 7i Gen 8 (Intel) with RTX 4080 Super, it’s got more than enough fighting power to support an active day trading lifestyle.
The best part? The price.
This PC is currently available for over 30% off on Lenovo’s website, coming in substantially cheaper than the 7i model.
Specs:
- RAM – 16 GB
- Processor – AMD Ryzen 5 7600 Processor (3.80 GHz up to 5.10 GHz)
- Hard Drive – 512 GB SSD
From a price-to-performance perspective, hardly any machine can match the Legion Tower 5 Gen 8 (AMD) with RX 7600. If its bigger brother, the 7i, is out of reach, this machine can easily satisfy your craving for an aesthetic-looking PC that produces more than enough power to go toe-to-toe with Wall Street.
The MSI GP65 Leopard laptop may not have the name recognition of Dell or Apple, or the exclusive trading focus of EZ or Orbital, but it packs a punch. That’s why it’s our sleeper pick for the best stock trading computer.
Price: $2,743
Specs:
- RAM – 16 GB
- Processor – Intel Core i7, 6-core
- Hard Drive – 512 GB SSD
- Display Size – 15.6 inches
The MSI GP65 is best known as a gaming laptop, but gamers and traders are looking for the same thing: Performance.
Additionally, it’s quite a bit more durable than the other 2 laptops on this list – an important factor for those of us known for dropping things.
7. Aspire C27 All-in-One Desktop – C27-1800-UR12 – The Best Budget Trading Computer
If the last pick is still too expensive, consider the Aspire C27 All-in-One Desktop – C27-1800-UR12. At less than $800, this all-in-one gives you a massive 27” monitor, a decent processor, solid RAM, and generous storage. If you need something simple that can act as a stock trading training PC, look no further.
Price: $799.99
Specs:
- RAM – 16 GB
- Processor – Intel Core i5-12450H processor Octa-core
- Hard Drive – 1 TB HDD
- Display Sizes – 27”
The Aspire C27 All-in-One Desktop – C27-1800-UR12 has more than enough power to get you started trading stocks. With a solid display and impressive specs at this price point, the Aspire C27 All-in-One Desktop – C27-1800-UR12 can make an ideal training machine as you get up and running in the day trading game.
Now that you’ve got your hardware, you need the best day trading platform.
Final Word: The Best Stock Trading Computers
You need hardware.
You need enough RAM, enough processor speed, and a large enough hard drive to power your day trading workflow.
To recap, my top 2 picks are:
While it’s cheaper to load these specs into a desktop than a laptop, you may be willing to pay up for mobility. Whether you decide to go with a desktop or a laptop as your stock trading computer, be sure to meet the minimum requirements listed above.
If you’re just starting out as a day trader, click here to see how much you can make from stocks in a month.
FAQs:
Which computer is best for stock trading?
The Radical X13 EZ Trading Computer and the Orbital Silenced x2000 might as well be 1A and 1B as the best computers for stock trading.
Both desktops are custom-built, with all the features and power needed for high-frequency trading.
The Radical X13 EZ Trading Computer could be the world’s fastest intel trading computer. At the same time, the Orbital Silenced x2000 is optimized for the lowest latency, providing the fastest possible configuration for high-frequency traders.
What kind of PC do you need for day trading?
Windows computers are generally more popular for day trading, but many prefer Apple. However, with Apple no longer using Intel chips, only some trading platforms may be compatible.
The most important thing is to evaluate PCs based on
- RAM
- Processor Speed
- Hard Drive
- Display
- Battery Life
Is a gaming computer good for day trading?
Gamers and traders use similar hardware. Gaming computers have high RAM, speedy processors, and outstanding resolutions, making them some of the best day trading computers.
One of the computers on our list is better known as a gaming computer- the MSI GP65 Leopard.
Which laptop is best to use for trading?
If going the route of laptops, my personal bias is with a MacBook Pro. While not known as a trading computer, the MacBook Pro is the gold standard for all-around laptops. Nothing beats its simplicity and visual friendliness. They’re also lightweight, durable, and fast.
If you want to go with a standard Windows laptop, the Dell XPS 17 9700 is one of the best laptops for trading, if not the best. It has outstanding battery life, a sleek display, and a well-designed keyboard. Its XPS9700-9415SLV-PUS model particularly has an industry-standard i9 processor, 32 GB of RAM, and a 1 TB SSD hard drive.
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