The world has become digital and with new and advanced technologies emerging in the market the banks are depending more on new and advanced equipment like laptops.
The traditional style of working has been replaced with new laptop systems and IT equipment.
Investment banking needs proper equipment like laptops to keep the data and records intact and safe. Modern solutions and advanced technology laptops have helped investment bankers to reduce the complexity of investment banking.
With the introduction of mobile banking, investment banking requires the workers to work on a high-tech laptop.
If you have the right equipment then investment banking becomes easier and safer. You need a specialized laptop suitable for investment banking as this will help you to handle finance and other data.
We have picked up the following best laptops for investment banking for all professional investment bankers for your ease. Please go through the buyer guide before making any choice.
Recommendations for Best Laptop for Investment Banking
Following table has short summary for the top pick of best laptop for investment banking.
| IMAGE | PRODUCTS | FEATURES | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 | Display: 13.5 Inches RAM: 16GB Storage: 512GB SSD Battery: Up to 11.5 hours | |
 | Apple MacBook Pro | Display: 16 Inches RAM: 16GB Storage: 1TB SSD Battery: Up to 11 hours | |
 | Dell XPS 15 | Display: 15 Inches RAM: 16GB Storage: 512GB SSD | |
 | Acer ConceptD 3 Ezel Convertible | Display: 14 Inches RAM: 16GB Storage: 512GB SSD | |
 | Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Business Laptop | Display: 15.6 Inches RAM: 16GB Storage: 512GB SSD | |
 | GIGABYTE AERO 15 OLED YC | Display: 4K OLED15.6" RAM: 16 GB Storage: 1 TB SSD OS Windows 11 Pro | |
 | Apple MacBook Pro With M1 Chip | Display: 13 Inches RAM: 8GB Storage:512GB SSD Battery: Up to 17 hours | |
 | Newest Dell Inspiron 15 5000 | Display: 15.6 Inches RAM: 16GB Storage:256GB SSD | |
 | Dell Inspiron 14, 2 in 1 Convertible | Display: 14 Inches RAM: 12GB Storage:512GB SSD | |
 | HP - Envy x360 2-in-1 Touch-Screen | Display: 15.6 Inches RAM: 8GB Storage:256GB SSD |
What role is technology playing in investment banking?
In this era, technology is playing a vital role in the banking sector, especially in investment banking. Some important interventions are like
Artificial Intelligence
AI has become the core of technology initiatives in every field. In investment banking, decision making is performed through the Decision Support module of AI, which relies on AI’s machine learning method.
Decision Support systems analyze large data streams while using stats, different computer models, and historical data/references, Bankers can take decisions more effectively and efficiently.
Blockchain
Blockchain is the next destination for technology-oriented businesses. Investment bankers also tend to adopt this technology to accomplish KYC, AML, etc. According to a report by Accenture, blockchain can save more than 30% of your business.
Virtual Data Rooms
Investment bankers need to share sensitive information with their clients to make a deal. However, increasing cyber security attacks has made it difficult. In order to tackle this, companies use their own VPN type Virtual Data Room(VDR).
It is an online database/data storage where companies store their sensitive docs and share them with others to avoid data theft and cyber-attacks.
What are some top software for Investment banking?
There are plenty of software programs that are useful and are being used by investment bankers. At a first place VDR or virtual data rooms are quite useful, and some of them involve
- Intralinks
- Firmex
- FirmRoom
- Merrill
While talking about some softwares used for research involve
- S&P Capital IQ
- Bloomberg Terminal
- FactSet
- PitchBook
- AlphaSense
Without project management software, the answer would be incomplete.
- DealRoom
- Slack and Trello
- Backstop Solutions
- Q4 Desktop
- Open Project
While InvestoPedia recommends the following software as
Personal Capital, Quicken Premier, Morningstar Portfolio Manager, Mint, Kubera, and StockRover.
Why does an investment banker need a laptop?
After reading the above, technology interventions have actually become inevitable for the banking sector or investment banking. You surely have to have a laptop to deal with routine tasks as an investment banker.
Whether you are working on an acquisition or merger project, searching for stats to lock in your deal, you have to buy a laptop to tackle all of these.
The analytics applications can also be maintained and run well if you have a proper laptop. A laptop is a daily tool that you need as an investment banker.
So, choose any laptop mentioned above with confidence.
What are the top investment banks?
According to Statista and another report, the following are some of the best investment banks of this year.
| Bank Name | US $ Revenue in 2022 |
| JPMorgan | $1.73 billion |
| Goldman Sachs | more than $1.5 billion. |
| Bank of America | $1.5 Billion |
| Morgan Stanley | $1.3 Billion |
| Centerview Partners | $ 1 Billion |
How to Select Best Laptop for Investment Banking – Buyer Guide
If you want to purchase one of the best laptops for Investment banking these are the factors you need to look for the following.
Processor
If you work for long hours on the internet to research for a merger or acquisition, then choosing the multicore processor will be a good option. You may need 4 to 8 core processors like Intel Core i5, i7 or any Mid level AMD Ryzen processor like Ryzen 5 5600X or Ryzen 3 3200G.
It is better to choose low-wattage processors with maximum cores and cache memory. It will save your day be consuming less battery and optimum performance.
RAM
Although bakers can work well with a 4 GB RAM laptop, but the more RAM the better laptop performance will be.
So, we recommend a minimum of 8 GB RAM while 16 GB RAM is enough for all investment bankers for multi-tasking, research or project management softwares.
Storage
It really depends on the workload of the bankers. If you deal with a lot of clients and have a lot of data then you should pick at least 512 GB SSD which is the fastest storage option.
If you have a medium workload then pick 256 GB SSD storage to tackle your routine business. Although 1 TB is far enough for any level of banker.
Although you may opt for cloud storage, which is reliable option but data security will always be a concern.
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
In general, GPU is not important for investment bankers, as they mostly have to deal with Power Point PPTs (presentations), Excel spreadsheet or PDF files. These types of tasks have nothing to load on dedicated GPU.
So, if you mostly do above mentioned tasks, then opt for built in graphics card, it is enough.
In case an Investment banker is also a casual gamer then pick any laptop with NVIDIA GeForce or AMD Radeon GPUs having required video memory like 2GB, 4 GB or 8GB for your favorite game.
Battery Life
When you are working on the laptop 24/7 considering the battery life is highly important. If you are an investment banker you need to use those laptops that are bulky and feature up to 8 hours of battery life.
The lightweight laptops have low battery life as it has to adjust battery accordingly. But a heavyweight can offer more battery timing as well.
Weight and Appearance
Most professionals like to use those laptops that feature sleek and lightweight designs. When you travel often, taking a bulky laptop will not be a convenient choice. On average considering the screen size weight of the laptop should be 2.5 – 4.0 pounds.
If you are looking for a longer battery life purchasing a thin laptop is a good option.
Price or Budget Range
There is no doubt a laptop is an investment and there is a certain budget that you need to keep in mind. Laptop prices vary a lot, for investment bankers price should lie $600 – $1500, although it’s not the limit.
You need to keep the quality of the laptop in mind and check the features before purchase. It is also important to know what your working requirements are.
Display/LCD Monitor
Your business laptop must have a full high definition display with a minimum screen size of 13-15 inches.
Although for fieldwork and broader screen visibility 17” screen size is recommended. The touchscreen display will be a plus as it will be easier to handle business tasks.
What Minimum and Recommended Specifications are Required?
| Features | Minimum | Recommended |
| Operating System | Windows 7 | Windows 11, 10 Pro MacOS 10 or 11 |
| RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB – 16 GB |
| Processor | Any Multi-core from Intel or AMD | Latest generation processor of 9th – 112th Intel Core or AMD Ryzen series CPU. |
| Screen Size | 13” | 15.6” – 17” inches |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD preferably | 512 SSD or Hybrid storage (SSD+HDD) |
| LCD/LED Monitor | LCD Monitor | IPS Full HD Screen |
1. Microsoft Surface 4 – Best Laptops For Investment Analysts
Microsoft Surface Laptop is one of the best laptops for investment analysts. The powerful laptop will give you the power to take care of your investment banking routine tasks as light.The screen of this laptop is 13.5 inches while PixelSense™ display is also impressive.
The resolution is high that features 2256 x 1504 . It has got all the power for what you want to do as it is 70% faster than before.You can show your best side on video calls as the front facing720 HD camera is good.
Being an investment banker you will be impressed with the theater-like audio quality. The dual far-field Studio Mics will help you make clear voice calls reducing any noise in the background.
The stunning PixelSense Touchscreen will help you to complete your tasks efficiently within the scheduled time.
The Microsoft Surface laptop features the 11th Gen Intel Core processor which will allow investment bankers to enjoy a smoother flow when they are switching between browser tabs.
The laptop comes with a lot of power as it offers a 24 hours battery life. It also has fast charging and you can also enjoy great typing comfort with the seamless design.
2. Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch) – Best Laptop For Investment Bankers
Apple MacBook Pro is one of the best laptops for investment bankers who want to defy their limits and choose to be creative.
You will not be surprised to know that MacBook Pro is one of the finest and most powerful notebooks in recent times. The laptop is manufactured with 9th gen having an 8-Core Intel Core i9 Processor.
The immersive Retina display is 16 inches while it is combined with the superfast processors. If we talk about the battery capacity it is much higher as compared to other options. You can carry out rendering 3D models and layering of tracks and effects in a matter of a few hours.
The next-generation graphics are breathtaking and the magic keyword also boasts a lot of convenience for users. It has a storage capacity of 1TB and features 16 GB RAM.
The workspace is big and beautiful and will help you achieve your creative endeavors. All the images and videos are true to life that will make your work dynamic.
The photo-alignment features liquid crystal molecules and easily produces 500 nits of brightness. Apple MacBook Pro has a Thermal design and features Pro 5500 M Graphics with GDDR6 memory.
There are 16 threads of processing power that promise exceptional performance for many hours.
3. Dell XPS 15 – Best Laptop for Investors and Investment
Dell XPS 15 is equipped with all those tools that will put you in the lead of investors to take the business to a new level. It renders high-quality resolution and graphics. The performance of the video will be accelerated with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti graphics.
Dual fans will distribute an equal amount of heat that will protect the machine. The thermal design makes sure that the users get a good experience while they are working.
The touchpad is 62% larger while the screen is 5% larger as compared to the previous versions. When it comes to the footprint it is 5.6% smaller and other elements are carefully planned. The craftsmanship of this laptop is impressive as it features stainless logos.
Dell XPS is polished with diamond cut side walls while the Corning Gorilla glass 6 is tough and durable. There is no flex in the display that is convenient for the users who have to work for long hours.
While talking about audio, there are more than 7000 speaker holes that will help the user embrace a 3D sound quality.
The quality of this laptop is good and you will find it as the best laptop for investors in banking or in any other financial institute.
4. Acer ConceptD 3 Ezel Convertible – Best Laptops For Real Estate Investors
Acer laptop offers six convertible working modes for the real estate investors to work in the field, at the couch, and at the office. It helps to create, collaborate and share documents, sales reports, and other property documents in different modes.
The ceramic surface adds a lot of strength and durability to the laptop. You will be surprised to see that it is 10% lighter than other laptops. It is lightweight, durable, and portable at the same time that’s why it is the best laptop for real estate investors.
The laptop features the 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10750H 6-Core Processor. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 comes packed with 4 GB of GDDR6 VRAM. The screen is 14 inches wide and the resolution is 1920 x 1080.
The scissor-switch mechanism keyboard is not only responsive but easy to use. The keyboard is quiet and features a tactile design that makes typing easy.
The Acer laptop comes packed with various ports including HDMI, SD 7.0, and much more. You can easily move the larger files from one place to another without taking much time. As Alexa is featured on your PC you can give voice instructions to get your things done.
5. Lenovo ThinkPad E15 – Best Laptop For Investment Banking Recommended by Reddit
Lenovo ThinkPad features a 15.6” full HD screen and is made of plastic. The keyboard gives a perfect typing experience and office users are going to love it. All the buttons on the Touchpad are easy to use as it supports multi-touch gestures.
It is equipped with Intel 10th Gen Core i5 and on the left side there is USB type C 3.1 Gen 1 port. These ports are suitable for charging the laptop and surprisingly it doesn’t take much time to charge it speedly.
There is a thin heat pipe inside that allows equal distribution of heat and will keep the laptop cool. As it has an IPS screen so It is easy to view angles from different sides comfortably.
When it has 16 GB and that works at 2666 MHz speed. The battery capacity is also high, having 45 Whr and Reddit also recommends it for investment bankers, that’s why it is the best laptop for investment banking.
The display screen quality is perfect as the screen ratio is 16:9 and the pixel density is good too and maximum brightness goes up to 272 Nits.
6. GIGABYTE AERO 15 OLED – Best Laptop for stock investors and Bankers
The GIGABYTE Aero 15 OLED XC is a powerful workstation and is perfect for stock investors and bankers.
It has amazing graphics performance as it has Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 having 8 GB video memory but doesn’t include the Quadro graphics. Further, it is equipped with NVIDIA DLSS that offers groundbreaking AI rendering.
The 10th Gen Intel Core i9 processor along with 64 GB RAM and a 2 TB PCIe SSD. This is the best laptop for stock investing as the keyboard lets you type without any delays.
As an investment banker, it is important to get a laptop with a responsive keyboard. GIGABYTE AERO 15 comes with a 16.7M Colored Backlit Keyboard. The Samsung AMOLED Display screen makes it easy for you to work efficiently.
7. Apple MacBook Pro With M1 Chip-Best Laptop for Stock Investment
The Apple MacBook Pro comes with an amazing M1 chip that is specially designed for Apple MacBook Pro series laptops. It is perfect for all investment bankers as it comes with a powerful CPU and GPU. That’s not the only reason for Its best laptop for the stock market but the powerful performance is there as well.
MacBook offers up to 20 hours of battery timing which is the longest battery life that any Apple laptop offers. If you are looking for an Apple MacBook laptop then this 8-core CPU will allow you amazing performance for stock investment then it is for you.
Apple MacBook Pro is designed with an M1 chip which allows the CPU, GPU, to give a powerful performance. The 8-core CPU offers 5x faster graphics.
It gives a fast and speedy performance which is 2.8x faster than other laptops of same class. You seamlessly manage your work on this notebook that is why it is the apple of eye for stock investors. It is equipped with the best graphics card and supports apps accordingly.
The laptop is equipped with infrared sensors. The fingerprint reader will help you to log in without a password. If you love backlit keyboards then this one is perfect.
8. Newest Dell Inspiron 15 5000 -Best Laptop for Online Trading
If you are looking for a powerful performance laptop then you must get the Dell Inspiron 15 5000. It is equipped with a giant 10th Gen Intel Quad-Core i5 processor which is far better for online trading and investment bankers .
The laptop gives a smooth and seamless performance and is an ideal choice for multitasking like trading, stock investing, real estate investments, etc.
If you are an online trader or investor then this is one of the best laptop for online trading. It is designed with an Intel HD Graphics which is perfect for routine use in trading.
This Powerful Dell laptop is designed with a 10th Gen Intel Quad-Core i5-1035G1 Processor. This allows the laptop to deliver an incredible responsiveness and smooth multitasking.
It has a super-fast processor and offers intensive multitasking. If you want a laptop that has a super-fast boot up then this is the perfect laptop. The 256 GB SSD is faster as compared to the HDD and 16 GB RAM is a perfect combination for traders.
9. Dell Inspiron 14, 2 in 1 Convertible – Best Laptop for Investment Banking Students
This new version of the Dell Inspiron 14 offers a better view and you can work efficiently as an investment banker. It can be termed as one of the best laptops for investment banking students due to offered specs in this budget.
Students are usually packed up with a lot of work so this laptop is perfect for students who have a lot of workloads.
The laptop screen offers a lot of flexibility and has a wide viewing angle. It is equipped with (WVA) technology and you can work with a group of students without any hassle. It comes with a wide variety of working modes and you can choose the best mode that suits your preference.
Dell Inspiron 14 5406 is a 2 in 1 convertible laptop with LED-Backlit Convertible Touchscreen.
The 11th Generation Intel Core i7 processor makes it one of the most powerful laptops. It is the best laptop for investment banking students because it is manufactured with Intel Iris Xe Graphics and shared graphics memory.
The Intel Wi-Fi 6 2×2 (Gig+) + Bluetooth 5.0 allows the students to connect with the internet seamlessly.
10. HP – Envy x360 2-in-1 Touch-Screen – Best Laptop For Online Banking
The HP Envy comes with a 15-inch screen. It is one of the best 360-degree-rotating laptops and is perfect for online bankers. Banking has become digital and having a powerful laptop with fast performance is a must for every investment banker.
This laptop is the best laptop for online banking. It is a bit heavier as compared to a conventional laptop.
The laptop screen is quite manageable and offers a convertible screen. The Envy x360 15 is a multi-tasking machine and allows you to perform your online banking tasks well.
The sleek design gives it a visually appealing look. The laptop has a metal design which makes it durable and strong. If you are looking for a laptop that offers advanced multi-tasking then choosing this laptop may be the best choice for you.
HP – Envy x360 2-in-1 is manufactured with a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 processor and the 8 GB RAM allows advanced multitasking easily. It has a 256 GB Solid State Drive (PCI-e) storage capacity and a 15.6″ Full HD multitouch screen which is bright and clear.
The 360° flip-and-fold design helps the users to store in bags and use it easily.
The processor fan can be loud sometimes but it is not always like that. It might not be as good as the Apple MacBook Pro but it comes with a lot of amazing features.
FAQs
1. What laptops do investment bankers use?
Investment bankers will have to rely on Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word, etc most of the time. In order to do this, there are many Windows-based laptops and one of the best is Microsoft Surface 4.
However, Apple MacBook Pro remains to be their most preferred choice just like other people.
2. What is the best laptop for stock trading?
There are plenty of options when it comes to choosing the best laptop for stock trading. Some of the most preferred choices include
3. What are the top books to read for stock investing?
Most of the students feel that it is wise to start investing as soon as they start their jobs. It is important to understand the options of investment available. Here are some good books for young investors who are looking to succeed.
The Little Book of Common Sense Investing
A Beginner’s Guide to the Stock Market
The Book on Rental Property Investing
4- What laptop is best for online banking?
Acer Chrome 15 is one of the best laptops for online banking. It is also recommended by many experts.
5- Is MacBook good for investment banking?
Yes, no doubt that Apple MacBook Pro a suitable choice for long-term use especially if you are an investment banker and want to excel in the investment banking carrier.
Conclusion
We have reviewed the top 10 best laptops for investment banking. Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 13.5” Touch-Screen leads the list while the runner-up according to us is Apple MacBook Pro.
Being an investment banker you can get the best of everything.