In this video I break down stock trading PC hardware for 2025 and, more importantly, what actually matters versus what people waste money on. I start with the CPU, because that’s where trading performance usually lives. I explain core count vs single-thread speed, and why a lot of trading platforms are still built on older code that’s often single-threaded. That’s why I generally see 6 cores as a sweet spot for many traders—unless you’re specifically running a multi-threaded platform, in which case 8–12 cores can make sense. Either way, I prioritize single-thread speed (clock speed + IPC) because that’s what makes a trading system feel snappy. Then I go through RAM, storage, GPU, motherboard, and power supply choices the way I spec builds for clients. For RAM, most traders don’t need to go crazy—16GB minimum, 32GB recommended if you’re running Chrome/news feeds and extra apps. For storage, you don’t need a top-end drive, but you do want a solid SSD so if something goes wrong and you need a reboot, you’re back into your platform fast. And for GPU, I call out the biggest mistake I see: overspending on gaming cards. For charts and 2D vectors, I’d rather use a workstation card like the Quadro P620 for stability, 2D performance, and easy multi-monitor outputs.