Trading Desks and Monitors from 24 Top Traders (2024)

by InvestorsLive | Oct 14, 2015

Stock traders spend a good portion of their days behind a trading desk, so it’s only right that they have some solid setups. A lot of day traders have a different approach to their setups, just like a lot of them utilize different trading strategies. In chat, you get to read the insights of many great traders, but you rarely get to take a look at where they are trading from. It’s cool to see other trading desksfor inspiration and motivation. If only there were a Top Gear: Trading Desk Edition, or better yet Pimp My Trading Desk. Unfortunately, there is not, so this is the next best thing!

Check out these trading desks from some of the traders that are well known in our community.

Trading Desk Setups

Nathan Michaud (@InvestorsLive) Trading Desk Setup

Nate’s setup has evolved over the years as he adds new monitors and repositions them accordingly.

UPDATE(6/27/16): Nate’s new trading desk

Phil (@ozarktrades) Trading Desk Setup

UPDATE(11/21/17): Phil’s new trading desk

Sandro (@splendores) Trading Desk Setup

Mark Messier (@biorunup) Trading Desk Setup

This may be one of the neater trading desk setups on the list.

Derrick Leon (@derrickjleon) Trading Desk Setup

Cameron Fous (@fousalerts) Trading Desk Setup

Cam (@IU_Chat) Trading Desk Setup

Sang Lucci (@sanglucci) Trading Desk Setup

Eric Wood (@elkwood66) Trading Desk Setup

UPDATE(6/27/16): Eric’s new setup

Gregg Sciabica (@lx21) Trading Desk Setup

Maribeth (@mb_willoughby) Trading Desk Setup

Michele (@offshorehunters) Trading Desk Setup

UPDATE(10/20/17):Michele’s new trading desk

Synapze’s Trading Desk Setup

Tyler (@IU_Tyler) Trading Desk Setup

Veritas (@VeritasGreen) Trading Desk Setup

George (@swedepilot) Trading Desk Setup

Emil (@cuzmane) Trading Desk Setup

Tim Bohen (@tbohen) Trading Desk Setup

Dan Shapiro (@danshep55) Trading Desk Setup

@Jokon888’s Trading Desk Setup

@Jamielissette Trading Desk Setup

BONUS: Shane (@shaneblackmon) Trading Desk Setup

Bonus #2: @ECNC1’s Trading Desk Setup

Bonus #3: @BullzoneTrader’s Trading Desk Setup

Bonus #4: @MonacoTrader’s Trading Desk Setup

Bonus #5: @ForrestTuten’s Trading Desk Setup

What Does Your Trading Desk Look Like?

We’re hoping to post more trading desk setups in the near future. What does your setup look like? Feel free to post it in the comments and you may be featured in the next post!

44 Comments

Cameron Fous on October 14, 2015 at 4:49 pm
Nice !! Bao’s set up is intense !
Reply
Francis on October 14, 2015 at 5:26 pm
Here is mine. I post it to show that my desktop can take a maximum of 4 screens and that my laptop is actually linked to my desktop via a program called «Mouse Without Borders». It’s free from Microsoft. Once linked (takes about 2 minutes to do), I can use my mouse plugged into my laptop and its keyboard to control my desktop computer as well. So my cursor can go from one computer to the other on every screen only using my laptop.There is a limit of 4 computers to be use with the program.This works with windows only though. With different OS there’s other paying options like «Synergy» and «Shared Mouse».
Reply
- bvocal on October 14, 2015 at 8:06 pm
  Thanks for the heads up on mouse without boarders! I knew such a thing existed, but didn’t know about this one… and free!
  Reply
  - Francis on October 14, 2015 at 9:24 pm
    Yeah it’s good stuff 🙂
    Reply
Ben LaVeille on October 14, 2015 at 5:36 pm
I’ll get in touch with Jeremy Clarkson and Xibit about a pilot episode. 😉
Reply
Dek on October 14, 2015 at 9:48 pm
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Dek @tryst
Reply
Susan Crew on October 15, 2015 at 1:52 am
Great seeing the desks sets up really interesting thank you Investors underground
Reply
BAZG on October 15, 2015 at 10:42 am
First step. I need to buy another 3 screens;)
Reply
Alex Delano on October 15, 2015 at 1:56 pm
Need more monitors…
Reply
Regularguygettingby on October 15, 2015 at 8:31 pm
My setup
Reply
- mcoleman on February 4, 2017 at 9:40 am
  https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9f516de02e90fe53253f78ff8d5d754928899e696145c5f23c603a9f5d7487e3.png
  Upgraded
  Reply
Market Monkey on October 16, 2015 at 9:18 am
Here’s my setup! I love the desk/bookshelf combo that my father-in-law made for me 🙂
Reply
artu on October 17, 2015 at 5:37 am
my setup.., couldn’t resist on posting it.
Reply
- Martin Sabucha on January 6, 2016 at 1:19 pm
  that 4 monitors are shining , what is it ?
  Reply
  - artu on January 6, 2016 at 1:24 pm
    Asus, From Digital Tigers… 1080p only 27 inch…
    Reply
Max Nunez on October 17, 2015 at 8:00 pm
This is my temporary setup, I’m looking into something in the future along the lines of six 27 inch screens.
Reply
frederick schwilgin on October 20, 2015 at 8:07 am
surprised to see so few standing desks, sitting is a killer!
Reply
- D.A.Walker on March 25, 2019 at 5:52 am
  Why is it a killer pls reply.
  Many thanks
  Reply
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Matt DeLong on November 11, 2015 at 2:01 pm
This is my trading rig. Alot of people ask about the background, they are actually sugar cane tiles along with Philips Hue smart lights, 2 vertical monitors and a 27″ iMac (28 GB RAM) running Apple Boot Camp & Windows for Das Trader Pro.
Reply
- TommyStocks on January 10, 2017 at 12:28 pm
  Nice setup! I have the exact same rig except I don’t like the apple mouse. Coming from the creative industry I have an iMac but will be making the transition back to WindowsPC this year.
  Reply
Nocturnaltrades on November 27, 2015 at 12:17 am
My set up, sit/stand desk, 3 Dell Ultra wide 29″ Monitors, and then the portable setup below
Reply
Primm Tr8dr on December 2, 2015 at 3:17 pm
This is My setup. Proud to say I built it myself
Reply
john davis on January 1, 2016 at 9:57 pm
This is the setup for Anmol Singh @DeltaNinety
Reply
Tel-Aviv Trader on February 7, 2016 at 5:56 pm
Planing my new computer. Planning to put 2 cards of “Nvidia GeForce GTX750 TI 2GB-5 GIGABYTE” to access 8 screens. Does anyone have an experience with it ?
any other recommendations ?
Reply
- ZioFascist on February 11, 2016 at 1:55 am
  Shalom,
  Do you trade US/Euro markets from israel..? or do you trade on the exchanges there?
  Reply
JPinto on February 12, 2016 at 10:11 am
My set up, sit/stand desk
Reply
- Kevin Hung on March 10, 2016 at 9:17 pm
  Nice setup. Where did you get the standup desk from?
  Reply
some guy on April 4, 2016 at 7:07 pm
4×27″, 1×24″, 2×19″, 32″ 4 surveillance ,55″ in the living room for couch study. i7-3930K overclocked to 4.3 Ghz.
Reply
Pascal Guyon on September 10, 2016 at 7:17 pm
here’s mine 🙂
Reply
Josh Chan on December 23, 2016 at 8:22 pm
Its not the best trading setup but when you’re a freshmen in college you try to find the cheapest/best trading setup you can possibly come up with (:
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9e03c6d443cb95d73305bbc71dd640fac6d4baf46a30ff070ca21ba82d878e74.jpg
Reply
- Josh Chan on December 23, 2016 at 8:35 pm
  Unable to claim 4 points for the giveaway ):
  Reply
Jorge Avalos on February 18, 2017 at 11:06 pm
My set up… https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b5fd3d876d723770e1de785191189f4996a23874a346a5fbb40894d37389c3b7.jpg
Reply
Mike Aitken on April 16, 2017 at 11:22 am
3 https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/32c6713a2005cf127052d49d2da3ebbfd92b9d82d49f86b3bd888f37c021956d.jpg
3x 40 inch LEDs TV running on a 4.6ghz on H20 (1×32 inch)
Reply
Alpha on April 16, 2017 at 12:50 pm
Linux laptop w/ compiz cube for me but fire up this rig at times when I get the itch…
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6bbffc3d51d1494a852c52ccf2e847c98eadf0dce9e5335cc914e7b4d67865be.jpg
Reply
Max H on May 12, 2017 at 9:04 pm
My favorite set up is offshorehunter!! Prob cuz I’m a TOS man for now
Reply
David Mc D on May 14, 2017 at 3:26 pm
some of these guys need to buy blue blockers or they will be blind in a few decades
Reply
Greg Volpe on April 7, 2018 at 2:16 pm
sandro’s got my vote for best location!
Reply
Rooch on October 21, 2018 at 5:11 am
Yeah, very motivating. Kool stuff, the era of the new Age trader is upon us.
But seriously will two Screens (25″, landscape, side-by-side on eye level) limit my trading capacity?? I would like to stay within three monitors utmost in the interest of a quality(green) work environment. I Like Cam’s and Eric’s setups (though I suspect both have upgraded to six screens by now) coupled with Nate’s Geekdesk. My money there.
Thank you.
Reply
Trader42 on January 14, 2019 at 3:49 am
I recently got a Mac mini 2018 for home system i7 with 32 gb of ram. I’ve been considering adding an egpu for better performance for daytrading.
I have 2 34” LG ultrawide curved monitors that I’d like it to power.
I use Etrade pro and thinkorswim plus additional programs, slack tweetdeck and chrome. Wondering if the Macmini can handle without a epgu?
Reply
Aaron Edmondson on July 14, 2019 at 6:54 pm
Beach side trade setup took the win! A nice plant next to the window was a nice touch.
Reply
Ryan on September 11, 2020 at 2:47 pm
Really nice to see the different setups.
Thank you
Reply
Peter Stefaniw on October 27, 2020 at 11:04 pm
Hey there Nate I am just am just amazed at the volume of information on these screens and the abilities that must be acquired to simply absorb and make judgements from this. I have a very simple setup, just one screen, I can squeeze 2 to 3 charts, and my span of control is limited to just 3 to 4 trades. I am able to sustain this comfortably for 2 to 3 hours, beyond that I need a break, like to stand up relax and allow the trade to come to me, standing really helps me to step back and regather myself.
My focus is in the planning and preparation, have a heard of at least 20 symbols that I scan and then cull to around 3 to 4. A real contrast to the way your mob operates. It must take amazing abilities and time to allow you to gather and maintain the span of control that some of these setups have,
Cheers thanks for the time and lessons your team have put into Investors Under Underground. Stay safe be well have a happy day. Pete
Reply
- mj on July 20, 2021 at 5:04 pm
  Sandro and Cam have the unbeatable ocean view going but I like Tim’s gym too
  Reply
Douglas S Stone on August 22, 2021 at 2:11 pm
Anyone have some info about the best way to set-up multiple monitors? I’m asking about the software aspect, not the hardware. Windows 10 environment please. do people rely on their trading platform or is there a feature in Widows 10 that is utilized, or is it better to get a 3rd party multi-screen platform?
Reply

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Trading Desks and Monitors from 24 Top Traders (2024)

FAQs

How many monitors should a day trader have? ›

How Many Monitors Do Traders Need? Given that the average monitor can comfortably display four different charts, many traders will opt for three or four monitors in order to keep an eye on as many metrics as possible, without having to switch between different windows.

What is the best monitor setup for traders? ›

Monitors with a refresh rate of at least 60Hz and a response time of 5ms or lower are ideal for trading purposes. Ergonomics should also play a role in your choice. Adjustable stands that allow you to tilt, swivel, pivot, and adjust the height of the screens can help you find the most comfortable viewing position.

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How do trading desks make money? ›

Trading desks generate an income by charging a commission on trades they transact. For example, a hedge fund may deal through an equity trading desk at an investment bank and pay a modest fee for each trade. In some cases, brokers may operate their own trading desk by being the counterparty for their client's trades.

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Which of the following are examples of trading desks are? ›

A sector in an investment bank is referred to as a trading desk. Depending on the investment bank, trading desks are likely to be divided into four main sectors: foreign exchange or forex, fixed income, equities, and commodities. Each of these sectors can be further subdivided.

What chart do most day traders use? ›

A day trader could trade off of 15-minute charts, use 60-minute charts to define the primary trend and a five-minute chart (or even a tick chart) to define the short-term trend.

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Is 2 monitors enough for trading? ›

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.

What computer do stock traders use? ›

To get the most out of your new computer setup, you should go for a computer with a multi-core processor. Fortunately, every desktop computer or laptop these days has one, but specifically, the best trading computers have an Intel Core-i7 or -i9 operating at peak performance..

Read On ›

How many monitors do I need for stock trading? ›

With the exception of ultrawide monitors (which we'll get to later), most monitors can comfortably fit a maximum of four charts. If you want to track 12 charts simultaneously, you should have at least three monitors. If you want to simultaneously track 16 charts, you should use at least four.

Find Out More ›

What platform do professional stock traders use? ›

Interactive Brokers was named the best broker for advanced traders as part of the 2024 Bankrate Awards. Commissions: $0.005 per share (stocks and ETFs) for the Pro plan (minimum $1) and $0 for the Lite plan; $0.65 per contract (options) and volume discounts are available.

Desk	Average Salary, 2023	Average Total Compensation, 2023
Macro sales and trading	$262,500	$484,518
Equities sales and trading	$223,109	$401,399
Credit sales and trading	$205,556	$394,444
Commodities sales and trading	$176,563	$368,750

Do day traders make a lot of money? ›

Few day traders consistently earn a profit over time. Therefore, consider spending your time and money on other, more productive activities and types of longer-term investing.

Who runs a trading desk? ›

Trading desks are under the watch of professional managers who are skilled in managing certain classes of securities. Professional traders are selected based on their past performance, alongside market traders and electronic trading systems, to identify the best strike prices for investors.

Get More Info ›

How to get a trading desk? ›

There are three primary paths to get a sales and trading job:

Convert an undergraduate sales and trading internship to a full-time offer.
Enter as a quant after completing a Master's or Ph. D. degree.
Internally transfer from the mid-office to the front office.

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What is a high touch trading desk? ›

What is high-touch trading? At its most basic level, high-touch trading means you have someone monitoring the markets and executing your orders on one or more venues.

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Why do traders use 3 monitors? ›

If you have multiple screens or split a screen, it is much easier to keep track of multiple time frames. With multiple monitors, you can look at shorter time frames to help you identify appropriate entry points for short-term trades.

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How many pairs should a day trader have? ›

While there are many pairs you could trade for most traders, it is best to stick to one to five pairs and become an expert. There is always a temptation to change markets when making losses. Other forex pairs can appear to have stronger trends, higher volatility, and easier-to-make profits.

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How to use multiple monitors for day trading? ›

1. Give each monitor a job

Monitor #1 would be your main trading area, displaying 5-minute charts.
Monitor #2 would be used for viewing daily and weekly charts.
Monitor #3 would be used for viewing closed trades and P/L for the day.
Monitor #4 would be used for your web browser or email.

Get More Info Here ›

How many trades should a day trader take per day usually? ›

Depending on the strategy employed, many day traders make tens to hundreds of trades per day, on average.

View Details ›