Every day trader needs a reliable keyboard to trade efficiently. While most traders focus on high-quality monitors when investing in a trading setup, choosing the right keyboard is just as important.
That said, since there is a large variety of keyboards you can find in the market, choosing the right one for day trading can be a little tricky. So in this post, you will learn how to choose a day trading keyboard.
The 4 Criteria You Should Consider When Looking for a Trading Keyboard
There are four main criteria to keep in mind as you shop for a keyboard:
1. Programmable keys
Also called hotkeys or macro keys, programmable keys are the most important feature to look for in a day trading keyboard.
Simply put, you can set up a programmable key to execute a command when you press it — hence the name. For example, you can use a programmable key to instantly buy 500 shares or place a stop-loss order. Other use cases include:
- Opening buy / sell orders
- Opening news ticker
- Canceling orders
- Buying and selling limits
- Etc.
You can assign day trading commands to programmable keys from your trading platform. The biggest advantage of using hotkeys is the time and effort you save every day — you will eliminate a lot of the repetitive manual steps in the trading process.
If you are a beginner day trader, you can use any keyboard — like a laptop keyboard — while you learn to trade. That said, a keyboard with programmable keys will definitely make your trading easier and faster in the long term.
2. Mechanical and membrane keyboards
Keyboards are divided into mechanical keyboards and membrane keyboards. Let’s see what the difference between the two is, and which to choose.
Mechanical keyboards are the most common type of keyboard. They have keys with spring-loaded switches underneath the keycaps. When pressed, these switches make a clicking sound to let you know a key has registered.
Mechanical keyboards tend to be very durable and are easy to clean because keycaps are removable. That said, they can also be rather loud. Where this is inconvenient depends on who you ask — some people like the clicking sound of keys while others don’t.
The other type of keyboard is membrane keyboards, also called rubber dome keyboards. They have a thin membrane layer that transmits the typing signal to underlying circuits.
Membrane keyboards are generally quiet, light, and more affordable. However, after using a membrane keyboard for some time, you may notice that a key doesn’t always register when you press it.
You can use either type for day trading. That being said, we recommend going with a mechanical keyboard as it is more durable and allows for more accurate typing.
3. Ergonomics
You most likely spend many hours sitting in front of your office, writing and typing data. So your keyboard should be designed to keep your hands comfortable. A poor typing posture can cause fatigue in the hands, wrist pain, and eventually even carpal tunnel syndrome. That’s why some keyboards have a palm rest (also known as wrist rest) that supports your hands and wrists.
You can also find keyboards that have a V-shaped layout that makes typing more comfortable. This feature is not essential but is worth considering.
4. Connectivity
Connectivity in keyboards means they are either wired or wireless. Which type you should choose depends on how you will use your keyboard.
If you trade mostly from home, a wired keyboard will do the job. You just keep it plugged into a USB port and you’re good to go. Plus, with a wired keyboard, latency is practically non-existent.
But if you want to have more operating distance, or if you take your keyboard outside with you often, you’ll prefer a wireless keyboard. These keyboards have become very reliable in recent years. Just be sure to charge them ahead of time. You don’t want to miss an important opportunity because your keyboard suddenly turned off.
Overall, both wired and wireless keyboards can work perfectly well for trading.
In Conclusion
A good keyboard for day trading will help you work comfortably, type accurately, and overall trade faster. By using programmable keys to eliminate repetitive manual steps, you free up the time to do research, refine your strategies, and seize more opportunities. So take the time to figure out what kind of keyboard you want and make sure it matches your trading needs.
If you would like some suggestions for a day trading keyboard, we have an article that lists four keyboards we highly recommend. Be sure to check it out here.
