Quote from Cutten:
I've used PC laptops for several years for trading while travelling, and now use a Macbook Pro. Here are some observations:
1. Cost - go for the best you can afford. If you are bringing down 1k+ per week, then it is silly to try to save 500-1000 by getting a cheaper laptop. Max out your chip & RAM, and get a laptop with a good solid feel.
2. 17/18" laptops are too heavy for proper travel IMO. If you are just staying in one place for a week or two, then ok, but otherwise would go for a 15.4" widescreen if you can get enough trading windows on your computer desktop. A <3kg laptop is so much nicer to carry around.
3. Ergonomics are really important. Try before you buy. I love the Mac keyboard and touchpad for example. Never get a laptop without a touchpad - trying to use a trackball or point is a pain in the ass.
4. Gear: consider getting a good travel mouse, and bring a backup battery, charger, and a couple of long ethernet cables.
5. Choice of venue - go for business hotels, or higher-end boutique/name hotels. You need good service so that if your net connection plays up, they can fix it fast. And the business or more expensive hotels will not be getting some cheap-ass wifi that cuts out or runs slow. This is especially important once you are out of N America or Europe. Always use a wired connection if possible, wifi should be only used as backup.
6. Support/warranty - choose a larger manufacturer that has good customer support.
7. If you are going to use it in more rugged environments, consider getting a Panasonic Toughbook, they are pretty resilient. Personally I only trade from hotels, net cafes, and rented houses/apartments, I am not going to trade on a beach or something.
8. Bring a PDA/Smartphone as backup in case your laptop or the net connection goes down, have your broker's emergency order number on your phone memory, and if you have some PDA trading apps then install and test them before you go. For example, Bloomberg do a good free app for the Iphone.
9. Remember to keep your laptop in a safe in your room or behind the front desk, since losing it could cost you a fortune in missed profits. Always carry it on board on planes.
10. If necessary, inform your broker & cellphone provider that you are travelling. You don't want your phone getting cut off because you spent $300 on phone calls, just when you need to phone in an order.
Basically, go for something that is a pleasure to trade from - pay up for quality, reliability, ergonomics, and customer support.
Lastly, have fun! There is nothing quite like popping into a net cafe or trading poolside, paying for your vacation in one day and then banking coin for the rest of the week while everyone else is getting sunburn or reading shitty paperback novels.
