help me customize a dell laptop

Quote from gnome:

1. High powered video card not needed for trading.

2. 1.6Ghz is fast enough.

3. 7200 RPM drive not necessary, just a bit faster.

4. If you really want a DVD burner, get one for your desktop.... should be lots less expensive.
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Thanks for the advice.

Does running multiple monitors require a more powerful video card? I've never used an extra monitor and am wondering about this.
 
Quote from chud:

Thanks for the advice.

Does running multiple monitors require a more powerful video card? I've never used an extra monitor and am wondering about this.
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I got an Inspiron 9300 with an ATI Mobility X300 128MB video card and a second montor hooked up, works great. Works out of the box, no additions.
 
Quote from chud:

Thanks for the advice.

Does running multiple monitors require a more powerful video card? I've never used an extra monitor and am wondering about this.
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No. All the monitors together use very little resources of any kind.
 
Quote from Milles:

Check this Toshiba M45-s355

http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/cmod.to?seg=HHO&coid=-28865&sel=0&rcid=-26367&ccid=1291021

I just ordered one.
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Looks nice. As listed, or custom-tweaked?

It is said that Toshiba is usually ahead of the pack in implementing newer generation parts into its systems.

And, Toshiba is usually rated second only to Apple for reliability among laptop brands.


Toshiba Satellite M45-S355
1.86GHz Power
1024MB Memory!
$1499.99

(Key Features:
Intel® Centrino® Mobile Technology* enables fast performance for today’s most popular applications
Microsoft® Windows® XP* Professional or Home Edition
FREE Microsoft® Office OneNote™ 2003*
15.4" diagonal Wide-screen XGA display* (1280x800) with TruBrite™ Technology
Intel® Graphics* Media Accelerator 900 w/64MB-128MB shared video memory
DVD burner (DVD SuperMulti) reads and writes to the seven most popular CD and DVD formats
5-in-1 bridge media adapter for quick transfer of digital files
Integrated Intel® PRO®/Wireless* 2200BG (802.11b/g)
Integrated 10/100 Ethernet, and V.92/56K modem*
Cisco Compatible Extensions Program Certified
Limited Warranty*: 1-year parts and labor, 1-year battery)


M45-S355 Technologically advanced, sleek and powerful, this system boasts an Intel Pentium® M processor 750,
a full gigabyte (=1024MB) of system memory, and Wide-screen TruBrite display!

Intel Pentium® M processor 750 [1.86GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 533MHz FSB]
Microsoft® Windows XP Home Edition (SP2)
1024MB PC2700 DDR333 SDRAM (512MBx2)
15.4" Wide-screen XGA Display w/TruBrite Technology
Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator w/10MB-128MB shared video memory
100GB HDD (5400rpm)
DVD SuperMulti drive (Double Layer)
Intel® Pro/Wireless LAN 2200BG (802.11b/g)
1 Year Standard Limited Warranty

Also Includes:
5-in-1 Bridge Media Adapter
Microsoft® Works
Microsoft® OneNote™ 2003
3-USB (2.0) ports
i.LINK™ IEEE 1394
TV-out(S-Video)
10/100 Ethernet port
V.92/56K modem port
headphone jack
microphone jack (monaural)
RGB monitor port

More Information:
Detailed Specs
Product Tour
 
Quote from chud:



Is a 7200 RPM drive really worth the extra money?
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Personally, I'd go for the 7200 RPM drive. No, it won't affect your trading software performance, but it sure will give the machine a better overall usability. It'll feel faster and crisper. So many things depend on file read/write operations. That speed difference will pay off in many ways. Your programs will load faster, save faster, close faster, etc.

I'll make the analogy back to the days of dial up and waiting for web pages to load. It's no big deal once the page is loaded, you can scroll around quickly and read it (e.g. ET forums), but navigating around the website is torture.

Three years is a long time..... :D This Dell laptop is 2 years old, and I've worn the paint off one spot on the touchpad keys....:D
 
Quote from DaveN:

Personally, I'd go for the 7200 RPM drive. No, it won't affect your trading software performance, but it sure will give the machine a better overall usability. It'll feel faster and crisper. So many things depend on file read/write operations. That speed difference will pay off in many ways. Your programs will load faster, save faster, close faster, etc.

I'll make the analogy back to the days of dial up and waiting for web pages to load. It's no big deal once the page is loaded, you can scroll around quickly and read it (e.g. ET forums), but navigating around the website is torture.

Three years is a long time..... :D This Dell laptop is 2 years old, and I've worn the paint off one spot on the touchpad keys....:D
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Dave, since you use a laptop (almost exclusively?) for trading, how would you configure a new "bare bones" trading laptop
- in addition to including a 7200 rpm hard drive?

What would be your key "must have" features in utilizing a robust trading software for various trading strategies?

There are many here on ET who appreciate your well-thought-out responses. Thanks!
 
Quote from chud:

loufah,

As for memory, I'm just getting the cheapest option (256MB) from Dell, but I'm going to order 2GB from crucial.com to max out the computer. Dell really overcharges for memory ($1000 for the 2GB vs. $300 at crucial), and I'm tired of worrying about not having enough.

I'm going to get an external mouse also. I couldn't use those trackpads fulltime.
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A couple of years ago I received a brand new Dell Inspiron 2650 notebook for a gift..It came with 128MB of Ram and after about a month I purchased 256MB from Crucial...everything seemed fine for about 11 months and then one evening I turned the laptop off and next day it wouldn't boot up..gave all kinds of error messages and no matter what I did couldn't get it to boot up....Eventually was told to reformat and did and still wouldn't boot up...

To make a long story short, it was all due to Faulty Ram...The crucial stick went bad...I came to find out by Dell Forums, that I wasn't the only one to have this problem after installing Crucial Ram in a Dell Laptop...

I then ordered and installed a 256MB from DELL and all is fine...just like it was for the first 11 months I had it......So maybe there is a reason it is only $300.00 at Crucial and $ 1k at DELL for what your looking to install and Dell honors the warranty if you install DELL ram..

I'm not saying Crucial suxs but just letting you know of my problem and again, on Dells forums I wasn't the only one having a problem with Crucial ram in a Dell Laptop..
 
I'd have to hedge my reply. For me, "bare bones" on a trading laptop begs for a 17" screen. I'd really enjoy the extra screen real estate and find my current setup too jammed in.

I'd add a good deal of RAM to that 1G-2G, and make sure the processor's fairly powerful. Especially, if you are looking to do any automation or follow a large group of symbols.

So much of the answer really depends on your trading speed, software, and universe of tradeable candidates.

The multimedia capability, DVD burner, etc. are nice to have's. My ideal would be two side by side 17" laptops either hardwired in at home or wireless at some coffee shop..... Of course, you'd get a lot of questions in the coffee shop....
 
Quote from chud:

... I can get a better deal for what I want from Dell's site I think.
Especially using one of those $750 coupons they put out occasionally.
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Hmmm... especially since we are nearing the end of a month which also happens to be the end a Dell reporting quarter...

Traders, final-configure your systems!



(For feature/price comparison ideas along side the Dell and other brand customizing charts):
The Inspiron™ 9300 is designed as a high performance, mobile desktop replacement. Powered by the Intel® Pentium® M processor, new 915 chipset, super fast 533MHz FSB, Dual Channel DDR2 memory and Intel® 2915 Wireless card, the 9300 has both high performance and increased battery life. The faster graphics, broader spectrum wireless, amazing HD audio capability, and large high-resolution displays, make this an ideal mobile business presentation or game machine and desktop replacement.

Includes 3-year Limited Warranty & Dell's At-Home Service. Dell has won more service and support awards than any other PC manufacturer in the last 6 years.

Processor & Memory:
Intel® Pentium-M® 740 Processor at 1.73GHz
Intel 915 Chipset
2MB L2 cache
533MHz Front-side Bus
512MB Dual Channel DDR2 533MHz SDRAM (2 x 256MB) (expandable to 2GB)

Drives:
80GB Ultra-ATA hard drive
8x DVD+/-RW, DVD & CD Burner Drive3

Graphics & Video:
17" UltraSharp™ WXGA+ display; up to 1440 x 900 pixels
64MB DDR ATI® MobilityTM RADEONTM X300 PCI Express TM x16

Communications:
Intel® PRO/ Wireless 2915 Internal Wireless (802.11a/b/g, 54Mbps)
Integrated 10/100 Ethernet
Internal 56K V.92 fax modem4

Audio:
Integrated Stereo Sound
Integrated Subwoofer

Slots:
Connectors: (1) Type I or Type II card
3.3 and 5 V cards supported

I/O Ports:
IEEE 1394

6-USB 2.0 (Universal Serial Bus) compliant 4-pin connectors

SD Memory Card Reader

Video: 15-pin monitor connector
Digital Video Interface (DVI)
S-Video: 7-pin mini-DIN connector

Audio jacks: Stereo headphones/speakers mini-connector (same as line-out), microphone mini-connector

Operating System:
Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional Edition

Microsoft® Office Small Business Edition:
Microsoft® Word
Microsoft® Excel
Microsoft® Publisher
Microsoft® PowerPoint
Microsoft® Outlook with Business Contact Manager

Additional Software:
Norton Internet Security™ 2005, Anitvirus, Firewall, AntiSpam, 15 months subscription.
Dell Jukebox - easy-to-use music player and CD burning software

Power Supply:
Battery: 6-cell 'smart' Lithium-Ion battery, 53Whr5
Additional Information:

Dimensions: 15.5" W x 11.3" D x 1.6" H
Weight: 7.85lbs.6
Warranty and Service:

$1,799.99
plus $8.00 for CA E-WST FEE
Costco Item # 736566
Shipping & Handling included
 
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