Brokers and traders are known for their multi-monitor set-ups in the office. But getting a comparable arrangement with a laptop can be challenging. At least it is for Jeremy in Canada. He writes:
"I am looking to purchase a laptop for use in day trading. I need a large screen (17-inches), fast processing power (Core i7), and good controls. Gaming machines usually work well. I prefer something that looks badass, but isn't too cumbersome and heavy. Recently I have fallen in love with SSDs...this has been my real problem--finding a good price on a laptop with an SSD. I am trying to keep well under $2,000, but will pay that if I have to. Any suggestions?"
We've got two smoking-hot suggestions for you, Jeremy. Both recommendations include AMD graphics cards that work with ATI's Eyefinity technology. This multi-display graphics feature allows users to plug in up to six external displays for the kind of panoramic computing a home-office day trader might need. However, as your own research might indicate, finding a sub-$2,000 price tag is a problem.
Our first suggestion is a gaming notebook that, according to our five-star review, can only be described as the baddest badass on the market: the Alienware M17x. Here's the configuration we recommend for you: Intel Core i7-2630QM processor, 4GB of RAM, AMD Radeon HD 6870M discrete graphics with 1GB of video memory, DVD burner, and a 17.3-inch display with a 1600 x 900-pixel, 720p-capable resolution. With all that, and the 256GB solid state drive your heart desires, this config of the Alienware M17x will cost $2,099, a little more than your max price. However, if you buy this notebook with a coupon code from LogicBuy.com before May 18th, you can shave off $75, which makes the final tally $2,024 (there's another code for free shipping at the same link).
Our second recommendation, the HP Envy 17, is a bit understated in the looks department, but it's sure to get the job done. Yes, the HP's chassis may be stark (yet beautiful), but the Envy 17 is packing major power under the hood. Namely, its got the Core i7 processing power you need, discrete graphics support thanks to an AMD Radeon 6850M graphics card, and 6GB of RAM. That configuration will cost $1,649, but it doesn't include a solid state drive. The only HP Envy 17 config to include an SSD is a 800GB hybrid storage drive with a 160GB SSD and a 640GB, 7,200-rpm HDD, and that hardware adds $610 ($2,129) to the total price of the system. If you can forgo the convenience and protection of an SSD, you can enjoy the Envy 17's humongous 1.5TB storage drive with a still-quick 7,200-rpm spin speed.
Happy shopping!
