What Is Your Preference?
It’s really an interesting question because what I’ve learned over time is that it’s a very personal decision. I think what it really boils down to is what you are most comfortable with. For my trading setup, I like having every single application that I use on a daily basis open all at the same time. I like having everything open because for me it’s a lot less clicking. It’s a lot less searching in the taskbar for the window that I want. In other words, it’s a lot less of something that I call click strokes. I have to admit, I’m a bit of a screen space junkie myself. I use 8 monitors. This allows me to have TradeStation, thinkorswim, and Fidelity Active Trader open; while at the same time allowing me to watch the Bloomberg business channel, open emails, monitor visitors to my website, and chat with my team on Slack. And I can do all of this without having to search in the taskbar for each individual application. I can do this in very few clicks. And this is what I see as the benefit of upgrading to multiple monitors. If you are only used to using one monitor now, and thinking why you should upgrade to multi-monitors, I would recommend starting with 4 monitors and working your way up to 6 or 8 over time, if you’re so inclined. An array of 4 monitors with 2-over-2 is very efficient, and it fits beautifully on any desk.TV vs. Computer Monitor
Another similar question I get from traders is: Can I just use like a 42-inch TV that you can pick up at Walmart for 300 bucks? Well, the short answer is No. The biggest difference between a TV and a computer monitor is that TVs are designed for you to sit 6 feet back or more. If you own one of these TVs, try getting up really close to the screen, like a foot-and-a-half away, like you would with a computer monitor. And if you take a good look at the TV, you’ll see it’s very, very grainy. The pixels on these TVs are much bigger, which give them that grainy appearance up close. And again, that’s because they’re designed for you to watch them from six feet back. Computer monitors, on the other hand, have a much greater and tighter pixel density so you get a much higher definition and picture, even sitting very close up.Multiple Monitors
If you put together four 1920×1080 resolution high-definition monitors with 2 monitors over 2, essentially what you have is one huge 4K monitor with incredible pixel density for your trading setup. So the multiple monitors provide a much higher definition picture sitting very close up. Another nice feature of upgrading to 4 or more monitors in a monitor array is that it’s convenient to have the screens in different quadrants. You can open applications and programs on them. In other words, the screens are broken up and divided conveniently, which allows you to use your applications more efficiently. You can even angle each screen towards you if you have a very nice monitor stand to go with it. Do what works for your trading setup so that you can just focus on the important stuff.* * * * * *
Thanks for watching, and if you haven’t already, please feel free to download our Complete Guide to Trading Computers by clicking the link. This guide is packed with great tips so you can totally optimize your trading experience. If you are ready for more monitors, you can look at the Monitor and Monitor Stands that we have available specifically designed for traders. My name’s Eddie Z. Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you in the next video.
