Sometimes during volatile stock movements the level 2 freezes on my platform for a few seconds. I cannot figure out what causes this. I contacted my broker and they always say there is no lag on their part. My specs are. i5 650 3.33ghz (Benchmark is only in the 3100's.) 4 gb ram Broker: TradeZero (Zeropro platform) Software tools I use: Trade ideas, tradingview, benzinga pro, stocktwits. What do you think is the problem and what do you recommend I upgrade? Buying a completely new PC is out of my budget atm. Do you think I can get away with just upgrading the ram to just 8gb? Any advice would be appreciated.
4GB is pretty darn low if you are using something bloated like Win OS. If you are, just check your task manager when this happens, and see the disk, memory and CPU usage during those spikes.
4 gb ram? Is this a 32 bit OS or 64 bit OS? It might be lack of RAM, your location, your internet (Do not use WIFI to trade), your broker's server or all them. No way to tell unless you borrow a friend's Higher End PC or laptop and try the software at your location to rule out the hardware. I would try a run just the trading program at those times to see if it helps.
It's 64bit OS. Also, I forgot to mention when the level 2 freezes my charts on tradingview and trade ideas alerts still show accurately so I know it isn't my whole computer that is freezing but just my level 2 on my platform. I suspected my broker but I haven't heard of any complaints about lag issue from other customers so idk. (Steven Dux uses Tradezero) Maybe my platform uses more ram/proccessor so it's the only one freezing? Pretty sure it isn't my internet connection.
Trade-Ideas Pro is a 32-bit application. Your 64bit OS is using a lot of your 4Gb. Then you have the requirements of the other software. I'd love to blame your broker but no WIN 64Bit hardware should be sold with less than 8GB. For what you are running, your i5 is fine but you need more RAM and make sure you have enough swap file space on your hard drive.
most likely its your broker. Then it's your ISP and the internet. if you want speed get a cable direct to exchange port. or at least run it on AWS near the broker.
If you are going to buy RAM, and the PC is a desktop and everything else is near new, I would spring for 12gb or 16gb. I don't even trade anymore and this is mine. I built it to save money.
Yeah, on 2nd thought I think you're right it is likely my broker and not my computer specs. I did a search on youtube and found this...It seems they get a lot of delays when huge volume is pouring in. As a momentum daytrader that sucks. Sidenote: I checked my memory use while opening all my tools and platform and it only uses 2.57gb of 4 gb so I don't think it was likely the cause of my freeze ups not when other traders are experiencing the same thing. Thou upgrading my ram wouldn't be a bad idea anyways.
I work in the biz, I've seen bad technologies from other trading firms, aggregator/brokers are even worse. Even if they have good intention, their hardware and use case won't permit them. One product moves everything else moves at the same time. You need to pay big $$ up front to see what you want to see. The question is of course, can you make it back? That's why we work at firms VS running our own. hope that clears some things up