Help me choose the right laptop for high-intensity trading

Laptops Suggest a Laptop
1

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for advice on what kind of laptop I should buy to replace my current one — a Lenovo IdeaPad S540-14API — which doesn’t seem to handle my trading setup very well.

I use GeeksToy for trading, and the markets I work with often experience high volatility spikes. I also need to run a VPN, use a USB-to-Ethernet adapter for a wired connection, and connect the laptop to a 2560×1080 monitor (I’m planning to upgrade to a 4K monitor soon).

The main issue is that during volatile moments, the markets freeze — prices is the only update, but volume and others charts stop, and I either can’t place orders or they go through with a delay. I’ve noticed that when I set the API to refresh more frequently, the freezing actually gets worse.

I also record my screen during sessions for later review, which adds more load on the system.

At this point, I’m not sure if the bottleneck is the network adapter, CPU, GPU, or maybe a combination of all three. I’ve run a few tests, but I’m not really an expert in diagnosing this kind of issue.

What I need is a laptop that can handle this workflow smoothly, without these freezes, and ideally something that will also be fine when I upgrade to a 4K monitor. I don’t carry the laptop around much — it mostly stays on my desk — but I also don’t want something overly bulky or heavy.

I’ve been looking at options like the Lenovo Legion 7i or ASUS Zephyrus G16, but I’m not sure if those might be overkill, or if they’re exactly what I need.

Any guidance or suggestions would be really appreciated!

2

Well, according to your post I can guess that the CPU is the issue - since you trade, open up many apps and screen record at the same time. The network adapter can also be an issue you need to check that as well.

I would say get any laptop with-

  1. Core ultra 9 285H
  2. 32 GB RAM
  3. 1TB SSD.

The legion and zephyrus laptops are gaming laptops I do not think you need those- although if you plan on using many exterior monitors then I think these are a good option.

Personal opinion - go with a macbook pro M4 or the M5 with 32 GB RAM/ 24 GB RAM. The M4 chip is great for tasks that require fast processing (like your real-live information on stocks, etc). If you do not likemacos and prefer windows then buy any laptop with the specs i mentioned above. Preferably any Lenovo or Dell device.

1 Like
3

Unfortunately, a MacBook isn’t an option for me since the software I use isn’t compatible with macOS.

Do you think the laptop needs to have a dedicated GPU, considering I’ll be using a 4K monitor and recording the screen at the same time?

Also, which laptop would you recommend that stays powerful but quiet, based on the specs you mentioned earlier? Silence is really important for me.

Thanks a lot for your help!

4

What’s the max budget you have for the laptop?

5

I think you could use a Lenovo ideapad pro 5i with a dedicated GPU , A zenbook a14 with core ultra 9 285h or an Omnibook Ultra 14 with Ryzen 9 hx 375

6

My budget is $2000 or Max $2300. I always prefer to buy something that will last me around 4 years. What do you think about Asus proart p16 or Yoga pro 9i?

7

Very good options for that price range

8

But the added GPU will increase heat and fan noise

9

Is there a way to keep the laptop silent? I don’t usually play games, but I’d like to play occasionally.

Or do you mean it will always be noisy while I’m trading?

10

increase fan noise when performing heavy tasks

11

We haven’t tested that exact software here, but my 2 cents. I wouldn’t risk anything. I would get the Legion 7i with Intel HX processor and upgrade the memory to 64 GB. I think you are right to try to work out where the bottleneck is. You could even call the software vendor to ask if there is anything they suggest

12

Hi Josh, thanks for your answer.

This is what the CPU looks like when several charts freeze, and it won’t let me execute buy or sell orders or even scroll within the software.

I honestly don’t know if these CPU usage graphs look bad or if they’re normal. I’ve been monitoring the Vega 10 graphics card, and it stays very stable at around 20% usage with no spikes. RAM usage never goes above 50% (I have 20GB).

1000312883
1000312883974×544 111 KB

After checking HWInfo, apparently it’s just the CPU power throttling. The processor stays around 17W-22W constantly.

13

Yeah you probably don’t need the extra ram then, but your CPU seems to be pretty outdated. Gaming laptops like the Legion are going to be a huge upgrade, but you may not need that much performance. Can you tell us which CPU is in your current one? I see a few different SKUs when I google it.

14

Yes, it’s a Ryzen 7 3700U, I think it’s from 2019, very outdated like you said.

15

I can’t even find Cinebench 2024 results for that one so I think it’s safe to say any modern CPU would be an upgrade. You mentioned the ProArt and the Yoga Pro 9i, are you looking for a tandem OLED display? Also, do you care about battery life?

16

I rarely take my laptop outside. Most of the time it’s plugged in and connected to an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse that I use as my main setup.

I want something that lets me work smoothly. I’m also planning to upgrade to a 4K monitor, and I’m constantly recording my screen for study purposes. I’m looking for a laptop that performs well but isn’t bulky or noisy. I don’t really care about battery life and I honestly don’t care whether it has a tandem OLED display or not.

Which laptop do you suggest?

17

The zephyrus G16 is a good option, it has a good GPU good CPU and 32 GB ram is more than enough for you.

Although considering the fact that a laptop with the Ryzen 7 3700U (which is like a very low powered, low performance CPU) had served you well for like 6 years, I would suggest that you look into thin and light creator laptops as well. It doesn’t have the best GPU but the CPU and ram is more than enough for your usecase.

In thin and light category I would suggest you

  1. Lenovo yoga 9i
  2. Asus Proart P16

The new P16 is a good option, you can connect 2 external monitors with it, the Lenovo yoga 9i is overall good, it doesn’t run hot, it doesn’t sound like a jet engine and the display is big and the best out there (although you don’t care about display, but if you occasionally work outside or in your terrace or something then it would be a big plus)

1 Like