Most modern MS Windows laptops with Display Port and equipped with NVDA or AMD chip should be able to output to a max of 4 monitors easily using a cheap $25 display port hub. Why the hell do you need more than 1 monitor is beyond me? Unless you’re a super human and can trade several securities at once. If not stick with 1 screen, 1 asset, 1 timeframe.
I also can't understand the need for 3 or more monitors. They made sense back when resolutions were very low and screens were small. Nowadays with a high resolution, you can pack a lot of information on 1 screen - more than any human can actually process. That said, I use 1 myself but I preferred to use 2 because at the open with a lot of activity, I'd want to move everything non-trading related to the second screen.
We're drifting off-topic, but I have one entire screen for Excel and one entire screen for charts. The laptop screen is redundant. I'd prefer 3 screens actually for multiple time frame analysis, but due to the nature of my trading, 1 screen is sufficient. One instrument only...
Honestly, the Lenovo was the only piece of hardware that failed on me. And I'm going all the way back to 1994 when I started building my own computers. Maybe OEMs just use cheap parts. I also periodically cleaned out the fans which may have helped. One bit of credit that I will give the Thinkpads is that I still like the keyboards. I really don't like the Macbook / HP keyboard. Other laptops that I have seen just don't feel as good.
Not sure if a non-integrated graphics card is necessary (nVidia / ATI). Sure, it's more powerful, but common charting software is all 2D. Intel's integrated GPUs have also made a lot of progress over the past few years. Integrated GPU consumes a lot less power and is just one less thing to fail.
Higher resolution means you can fit more information on the screen while keeping it still readable. No matter how good your eyesight, at lower resolutions with smaller letters they become a blur. I think the resolution talk does go a bit too far sometimes but higher generally is better.
I can't read my 1280x1024 laptop screen text isn't small but can't focus on that low a res, ipad mini 1 can't read either low res but mini 2 with retina no issues.
I did some more searching around tonight and it seems like the Dell Inspiron 15 7577 is getting great reviews. It's just at my budget as well. So, unless anyone protests, I think maybe I'll go for that one?