My New Laptop System - Please Critique

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by CPTrader, Jun 26, 2008.

  1. Tums

    Tums


    Buy the computer that meets your application.

    If backtesting is what you want to do... get the most powerful machine for it.

    Note the qualifier "FOR".

    "Powerful" doe not mean the most powerful hardware on the market.

    First thing to check is to see if your software is a power hog.
    Most people assume backtesting scenario requires lots of power. But you'd never know. I don't assume. I have done backtesting on option trades and it require very little power. Don't take advice from people who does not know how you operate. (including me, LOL).

    Second thing is to check to see if your software utilizes multi-core.
    If yes, get a quadcore, if not, a dual core would do fine. (nobody buys single cores anymore.)

    Don't assume that more memory is better.
    XP can read 4GB of memory, but the top 1 GB is reserved for the OS. THerefore the most you get out of 4 GB is a 3GB (+/- a bit, depending on your hardware/software settings).
    (You will notice some notebooks offer 3GB memory. THis is the reason.)

    At the same time, don't assume that more memory does not help.
    Read your software manual.
    A lot of people (eg Gnome) are still living in the dark ages. He believes 1GB is all you need. He has never tried the new breed of software, nor does he understand there are trading methods/setups that uses more memory than 2GB.
     
    #21     Jun 26, 2008
  2. gnome

    gnome

    Unless there is light behind the viewer, the orientation can be changed so that any reflection disappears.
     
    #22     Jun 26, 2008
  3. gnome

    gnome

    I'm not living in any dark age. All I suggest is that one check the Task Manager before determining how much RAM is appropriate. I've never been able to get a trading rig.. perhaps a dozen apps running at once in XP.. to use even 1GB of physical RAM. In fact, I've never seen in person nor a screen capture of a trading rig using >1G of physical RAM. (Didn't say "can't happen".. just I've not seen it.)

    If yours does, fine. Get more. If not, the extra is a waste.
     
    #23     Jun 26, 2008
  4. Attached is a screenshot showing 97% CPU usage..at times it gets as high as 99%


     
    #24     Jun 26, 2008
  5. gnome

    gnome

    That still doesn't tell you whether the problem is with a faulty TradersStudio software or not enough CPU horsepower.

    One way to find out... run the same software on a known faster CPU. If it's still 97%, problem is like software.
     
    #25     Jun 26, 2008
  6. Thanks,

    OK, will the new processor Core 2 Duo T9500 - 2.6GHZ increase my performance.

    Also TradersStudio has used as much as 8000MB of RAM on ccasion.

    What kind of tests can you run...how do we do this?
     
    #26     Jun 26, 2008
  7. Tums

    Tums

    read the bottom line of the TM Window.
     
    #27     Jun 26, 2008
  8. mnx

    mnx

    given the new information adding RAM (or getting a machine with a ton more RAM isn't going to make much of a difference...

    in your screenshot, TradersStudio is only using 100MB of RAM or so...

    still willing to test some stuff out for you, to see what kind of speed up you could get from various hardware configurations...
     
    #28     Jun 26, 2008
  9. Tums

    Tums


    You might need a 64bit OS.
    Check to see if TS supports XP 64 bit or VISTA 64 bit.

    Only 64 Bit OS can efficiently access memory beyond 4GB. (ie. Without swapping).
     
    #29     Jun 26, 2008
  10. mnx

    mnx

    well it depends somewhat on what have now?

    I think you said 2.0GHz but is that a Intel Core2Duo?

    I've got a laptop with a 2.5GHz (t9300) core2duo, we could definitely time a backtest and compare the results...
     
    #30     Jun 26, 2008