IB's Trader Workstation clunky and slow

I don't know about you guys but when I opened TWS I was wow, it's like looking into an old legacy platform.

Compared to Thinkorswim's platform it's not great.

Any advice or configuration setup suggestions?

My Specs are:
Processor: 2.5 GHz Intel Core i7
Memory: 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M 2048 MB

 

That spec should be fine. Although an even faster CPU never hurts.

The GUI for TWS is 20 years old. I personally have been using it since 2004, it hasn't changed much in that time.

I used to run it on a 512MB, single core 1.4GHz laptop back in the day on winXP.

 

Well, they do have “Classic TWS” tab with very old GUI, while you can add new tabs with newer GUI and fully configurable interface.
Take a look at these screenshots:
https://www.google.com/search?q=Interactive+Brokers+TWS&tbm=isch

Generally TWS is very advanced and has tons of features that you can add to your screen.
I much prefer it over TDA ToS, although I use ToS for reviewing historical data.

Though I do have to agree that TWS is slow, at least for me, when you have hundreds, or thousands of positions. The thing is continually streaming lots of data, which may be fast, but seemingly synchronizing it with various tabs, windows and gadgets and slowing everything down. While I think that some other broker software allow you to configure data refresh rate.

 

Clunky and slow ? No. Data feed on stocks frozen from time to time? Yes.

 

I agree completely. I usually have to restart my computer after using the TWS to keep it from freezing.

 

You can just kill the TWS process, no need to restart the computer

 

Have a look at C:\Jts\9xx\tws.vmoptions

Mine looks like this in the middle section:

Code:

# maximum Java heap size
-server
-Xmx2400m
-Xms2400m
-XX:MaxNewSize=1200m
-XX:NewSize=1200m
-XX:MaxMetaspaceSize=1200m
-XX:MetaspaceSize=1200m
-XX:MaxMetaspaceFreeRatio=100
-XX:MinMetaspaceFreeRatio=0
-XX:ReservedCodeCacheSize=1200m
-XX:InitialCodeCacheSize=1200m
-XX:SurvivorRatio=1
-XX:MaxTenuringThreshold=2
-XX:InitialTenuringThreshold=2
-XX:+UseParallelOldGC
-XX:ParallelGCThreads=8
-XX:-UseAdaptiveSizePolicy
-XX:+DisableExplicitGC
-XX:-DontCompileHugeMethods

 

Unfortunately when they upgrade, it is going straight to Web. You are going to feel that web page refresh lag. And, a lot of features are going to disappear.

The days of performant windows clients are over. Everything is being built to be phone friendly.

 

most of the idiots here reinstall windows every day

 

Lots of folks complain , but never really say what it is they cant do

Buying and selling is fast and easy , even using the classic screen. I prefer it .

What amazing thing are you clowns doing that has you bugged ?