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Lenovo Laptops for Trading


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Lenovo Laptops for Trading

  #1 (permalink)
 sysot1t 
 
Posts: 1,173 since Nov 2009

Most people tend to trade with lots of screens and workstations with good compute capabilities; personally I prefer to have the same setup, but given that i travel and work I still need a portable platform to satisfy not only my trading but compute needs for work. I assume there are others who might also find that they need a portable platform for trading, and perhaps my experience and research can help them on making a decision.

Contrary to lots of people, I prefer Lenovo Thinkpads. They are sturdy, of solid quality, and lately a bit more cost effective. I normally get a new laptop every 2 years or so and it is about that time for me. This time I am looking to replace my W500 and X301 with a new set of laptops. My setup is such that I carry two laptops, one for technology management(X301), and the other for personal trading/financial management(W500).

What I have today:

- W500 (4058CTO), Intel Core2 T9900 3.06GHz, 4GB DDR3 1066Mhz, Intel SSD 160GB G2, ATI FireGL V5700 with 15.4" 192x1200 LCD on Windows 7 Enterprise Edition.

What I am looking for in a new trading laptop are the following things:

- Screen: 15.6" 1920x1080(1200) LCD with 200+ nits
- CPU: Intel i7 2nd Generation 4 Cores preferred 3GHz+
- Memory: 8GB RAM (maybe 16GB this time around)
- Hard Disk: 80GB or 160GB SSD Drive (I prefer Intel)
- 500GB to 1TB 7200RPM SATA for archive at the same time as the SSD (tired of carrying my USB ones)
- Wireless: WWAN (Cell Access)
- Video: NVidia GPU 32 Cuda Cores or better

There are reasons for what I need. I need the screen real estate for charts and other things; I want the most cores I can get (I Run VMWare for testing software), I need lots of memory for the VM's, and I prefer an SSD drive with a mSATA storage drive. Cell phone wireless access, I am a road warrior, and CUDA for messing with MatLab and GPGPU processing.

I dont mind the weight (~7lbs), I personally use TUMI bags, and they are quite comfortable to carry even when one is taking about 25lbs with one around between papers and two laptops. Given I dont need lots of power for my technology computer, I have been looking at an IdeaPad U260 or even an X120e, or maybe just keeping my X301 and then putting the remainder of the funds on a dock and dual screens for when I am home., or I might load up the W520 and just run everything 100% on VM's..

Anyhow.. Lenovo announced their new lines recently, from which I really like:

- Lenovo W520
- Lenovo T420s
- Lenovo X220t

I am very much split between the T420s and the W520 ...

Some differences between the W520 and the T420s that make the W520 more worth it to me..

Laptop: W520 T420s
CUDA: 96/192 48
Screen: 15.6 14"
Resolution: 1920x1080 1600x900
NITS: 270 230
Memory: 32GB 8GB
Weight: 6lbs 5lbs
Thickness: 1.4" 1.2"

You might have noticed that cost is not an issue for me; the way I see technology is that at times quality is tied to cost, specially when it comes to computer components. I believe technology has to be reliable, and I dont mind paying a bit more for that reliability.

My planned software stack is as follows:

- Windows 7 Enterprise 64b
- VMWare Workstation (latest)
- MarketDelta Pro
- TradeVec
- NT7 (VM)
- Atrader (VM)
- TradeAccountant Pro (VM)
- Intuit ProSeries (VM)
- MS Office Pro Suite
- Multicharts (VM)
- MatLab 2010b (VM)
- IBKR TWS
- Adobe Acrobat Pro
- Camtasia Studio & Snagit

Some of the reviews I have looked at online so far are:

Lenovo ThinkPad W520 quadcore desktop replacement outed - SlashGear
Lenovo ThinkPad T420s, T420 and T520: up to 30hrs battery life - SlashGear
Lenovo Announces ThinkPad X220 Series: 12" IPS with Sandy Bridge - AnandTech :: Your Source for Hardware Analysis and News

As I continue my research, I will post more information.

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  #2 (permalink)
 
LordAlfa's Avatar
 LordAlfa 
Scarborough, Ontario
 
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I have a W700DS.

8GB RAM and dual SSDs in RAID 0 for fast boot. It was bought 2 years ago and serves me well when I get out travelling and need to just let the market pay for some holiday expense.

It is a beast. TSA all have said that this was the biggest mother that they have ever seen. Its heavy but I like the big screen. The small screen is for a larger TF chart. Irony, small screen for a larger TF.

I do have Vmware on it to run Linux apps. I too am in IT. I am deciding to run all on Linux and run Ninja/XP on Vmware. I am still on Ninja 6.5. I'd prefer stability.

My guess is for the W520. The W701 is way too heavy. I have a special large backpack to carry the beast. Took me 3 months to find one that fits. If you run Vmware, a multicore with 8GB RAM is easier on the tasks.

If you want storage, boot with SSD but replace the optical ultra-bay with a HDD ultra-bay. You don't always need the optical drive. You can get the ultra-bay clones from eBay. Shipped from HK and is exactly the same as the original ultra-bay without that brand name stickers.

I have the X301 as well. Light, boots fast.

In fact the family is a Lenovo shop. 2 of my kids are using the X100e and the eldest is using the Edge. My wife is using the X201.

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  #3 (permalink)
 
Big Mike's Avatar
 Big Mike 
Manta, Ecuador
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I have an older T61p, have enjoyed it very much, the best notebook I've ever used.

When I buy a new one though my needs are quite different than hours. I mainly want a light weight, as light as possible. Second is big screen (I enjoy my 1920x1200 resolution on this one) so 15.4 is minimum but possible 17". Third concern is battery use, higher = better.

CPU, memory, HDD, can all be more or less the minimums as I really use it as a tablet or netbook, and not a full laptop.

Which thinkpads would you guys recommend I look at?

Mike

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  #4 (permalink)
 
LordAlfa's Avatar
 LordAlfa 
Scarborough, Ontario
 
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Only the W701 has the 1920 x 1200 resolution but at the expense of weight. Do not get the DS version. The secondary screen is just a gimmick.

But still heavy. The power brick for this is a 120W huge brick. That adds weight.

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  #5 (permalink)
 sysot1t 
 
Posts: 1,173 since Nov 2009


LordAlfa View Post
I have a W700DS..

That is a monster, but the dual screen is a cool little feature


LordAlfa View Post
I do have Vmware on it to run Linux apps. I too am in IT.

funny... small world... I wonder how many IT guys are traders.. that would make a nice poll @Big Mike ... I run VMware to run all my linux and solaris apps as well as windows application that deal with storage management, etc.


LordAlfa View Post
If you want storage, boot with SSD but replace the optical ultra-bay with a HDD ultra-bay. You don't always need the optical drive. You can get the ultra-bay clones from eBay. Shipped from HK and is exactly the same as the original ultra-bay without that brand name stickers.

That is what I had before with my T60p, I never use the DVDR, so I replaced it with a HDD... but with the W500 I could not find a carrier, so I was stuck with carrying 2x1TB WD 2.5" USB drives around.. one for ISO images and another for backup disk.



LordAlfa View Post
In fact the family is a Lenovo shop. 2 of my kids are using the X100e and the eldest is using the Edge. My wife is using the X201.

my family is more of an apple base... wife only uses macbooks... so I am always having to get her one every so often.. and the kids learned on her computer so they mainly care for the same thing.. I am all lonely on the lenovo/thinkpad land... I wish they would switch so I could just give them my older laptops instead..

X100e are great netbooks.. the X120e is ever nicer (and super tiny)... I had gotten the kids S10e's when they first came out and loaded UNE on it... they hated the tiny screen and went back to their mom's macbookpro 17...

but I agree overall... Lenovo/Thinkpad's are great machines... very durable.. and retain their value very welll.

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  #6 (permalink)
 sysot1t 
 
Posts: 1,173 since Nov 2009


Big Mike View Post
I have an older T61p, have enjoyed it very much, the best notebook I've ever used.

When I buy a new one though my needs are quite different than hours. I mainly want a light weight, as light as possible. Second is big screen (I enjoy my 1920x1200 resolution on this one) so 15.4 is minimum but possible 17". Third concern is battery use, higher = better.

CPU, memory, HDD, can all be more or less the minimums as I really use it as a tablet or netbook, and not a full laptop.

Which thinkpads would you guys recommend I look at?

Mike

your biggest challenge is the resolution... 16:10 aspect ratio you will now only be able to find on the MBP17 and W701ds... I am not sure if Lenovo will continue their W701ds... obviously, the MBP17 is the lighter of the two... I've purchased two MBP17 over the past 4 years for the wife.. and they are certainly light when compared to the lenovo W701ds.

The best you can get now on the 15.X" size is 16:9 1080P or 1920x1080...

If you dont care much about top of the line specs, just look at their T520... you can have pretty much the same thing in terms of specs.. with the main difference being the CPU, GPU and that it will only do 8GB of memory.

but your issue is still weight, it will be around 5-6lbs...

to me the the T420s is a good compromise between weight and screen resolution... if you dont care much about the specs for performance, just wait until the T420s is out in another few more weeks and then try to grab the T410s at big discounts.. I usually look at their outlet for good deals, at times their refurbs are new and merely returns and you get a good discount.

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  #7 (permalink)
 
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 Big Mike 
Manta, Ecuador
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Thanks guys. But I refuse to buy anything more than 5.0 lbs. It might be best that I get a tablet for this one, like a Xoom or iPad 2.

Mike

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  #8 (permalink)
 timefreedom 
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Big Mike View Post
Thanks guys. But I refuse to buy anything more than 5.0 lbs. It might be best that I get a tablet for this one, like a Xoom or iPad 2.

Mike

According to their spec sheet, the Lenovo T420s weighs 3.94 lbs (1.78 Kg) with optical drive. That's with the 14" display.

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  #9 (permalink)
 sysot1t 
 
Posts: 1,173 since Nov 2009


timefreedom View Post
According to their spec sheet, the Lenovo T420s weighs 3.94 lbs (1.78 Kg) with optical drive. That's with the 14" display.

correct, the compromise there is no longer being able to get 1920x1080 but instead you get 1600x900.. which to me is still decent res for such a small screen...

the XOOM is 1280x800 and the iPAD is 13XXx768 I think...

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  #10 (permalink)
 
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 sam028 
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sysot1t View Post
...

funny... small world... I wonder how many IT guys are traders.. that would make a nice poll @Big Mike ... I run VMware to run all my linux and solaris apps as well as windows application that deal with storage management, etc.

...

It seems we are at least three here

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