subject: Day Trader Computer System : How Much Storage Do I Need? [print this page] Day Trader Computer System : How Much Storage Do I Need?
The best Day Trader Computer System is visions of compilation and hard work. A stock trading computer with the happiest owner is not one of a standard machine with a few extra bells and whistles; they are built as day trading computer systems for stock traders. The performance of any machine hinges on the quality of its parts, and today we're going to discuss how quality storage matters a great deal to a computer for traders.
A day trading computers system needs to be configured so that its data transfer rates are optimal and its storage space is never full. To achieve this properly, stock trading computers need not just storage space on the machine, but quality storage. A Stock trading computer has a few options for storage space, spanning a pretty significant range of costs and capacity. Determining which belongs on your day trading computer system takes a simple assessment of your needs and your budget.
The most inexpensive option for a stock trading computer is the standard magnetic hard drive. A 1.5 terabyte hard drive these days can run less than $100 and is more space than most traders will ever use. The beauty of these of affordable drives for a trading computer is that modern technology has afforded us added capabilities without a huge increment in price. There are magnetic drives available that offer 6GB/second drive data transfer rates, which is an excellent prospect for a computer for traders. This technology is known as SATA III and actually doubles a drive's communication speed. Any time you can double a good thing, your stock trading computer will thank you with lightning-fast processing speed, something every trader can appreciate.
The next step up for drives is a technology called Solid State Drive, or SSD. In its most basic explanation, the SSD is a flash drive which provides the added benefit of no moving parts. The transfer rates to and from the drive are many times faster than standard magnetic technology, making them an excellent option for a Day Trader Computer System. Worthy of mention is the price, which, like most new technologies can be quite higher than its predecessors. But like most things, you get what you pay for. If you were to couple a motherboard and SSD that supports the 6GB/s transfer rate, your day trading computer system would literally be faster than anything you've ever experienced.
The third primary option for drives in a computer for traders is something called a RAID Configuration. RAID, or Redundant Array of Independent Disks is a newer technology that utilizes multiple hard drives to achieve more solid reliability and faster transfer speeds. A common way to apply this in trading computers is by implementing two drives and using one to mirror the other as a backup. Theoretically, the fastest computer for traders could posses multiple SSDs and the 6GB/s transfer speed, but this rate and capacity is far more than a trader would typically need. To learn about the most effective hard drive brands and models, be sure to check out Trading Computers Now on the web for our complete guide on the day trading computer system.
