There are many differences between a Falcon computer and a mass-produced computer. The differences can be broken down into three major areas:
Speed:
We have the fastest processor speeds and the fastest memory speeds.
Multiple Monitors:
We can support as many monitors as you will need at a very economical cost.
Support:
We have the best technical support staff and can offer you the highest quality care.
Computers differ widely in price and features: A used HP Superdome costs over $160,000 while a new HP mini-netbook costs just $300. We do not offer the lowest end products to our customers because they will not be sufficient for trading. To make a fair comparison, you will need to go beyond a few superficial specifications.
To have a computer that is fast enough to trade, you need to compare three key performance differences:
Today's volatile high-volume markets generate a huge amount of trading data that must be processed by your trading software. This demands the best processor running at the fastest speeds. To support the processor you need the fastest memory. To support the processor and the memory, you need a motherboard that deploys the best technology.
The picture on the right shows an example of the little bare-bones motherboards found in many inexpensive computers. Next to that is a full-sized full-featured motherboard similar to what we use in our computers.
A fast processor on a cheap motherboard will have its performance reduced. Motherboards provide pathways and services to support the processor, memory, and many other features.
Our trading computers are much more scalable than mass-produced computers. You can expand its capabilities to add more monitors, memory, or whatever.
Falcon Trading Computers are designed with the markets in mind, built with high-performance parts, and tested thoroughly. The higher price of Falcon Trading Computers translates into better performance than any of the main stream computer manufacturers, with the customer service and support to back it up.
All of our desktop systems are built, tested, and supported by our United States based facility. Our laptops, while not built by Falcon, are thoroughly checked and tested for quality before they are shipped to our customers. We also fully support our laptops and work with the manufacturer on your behalf.
Apple has a well deserved reputation for building quality electronic equipment. The vast majority of trading software will not, however, operate on their hardware and they typically do not support more than one or two monitors.
Apple often trades off processing power for aesthetics features. Falcon computers have an intense focus on processing power without trade-offs.
Apple assembles their hardware in China using sub-contractors. Falcon proudly assembles and tests all our desktops at our own facility in the USA. Our laptops, although assembled overseas, are vetted for quality before being shipped to our customers.
In 2006 Dell had between 18% and 19% of the computer market worldwide. Dell's market share declined to a low of 10.4% in 2012 and is currently at 16%.
In 2006, Dell acknowledged that it had problems with customer service and long wait-times. In May 2008, the New York Supreme Court ruled that Dell and Dell Financial Services "engaged in fraud, false advertising, deceptive business practices, and abusive debt collection practices".
A study by Dell found that OptiPlex computers sold from 2003 to 2005 had bad capacitors and were expected to cause problems up to 97 percent of the time over a three-year period. Dell hired a contractor to investigate the situation. The contractor found that 10 times more computers were at risk of failing than Dell had estimated. Dell also replaced faulty motherboards with other faulty motherboards. See Full Story.
While any computer builder can be a victim of bad parts from their supplier, how hard they work to serve their customers when there is a problem is a key test. Falcon has an excellent track record in serving our customers.
HP is a master of the ordinary use computer. Their computers are well suited for routine tasks such as Web surfing, documents, tax preparation, accounting, and sorting through a collection of photos. Service has its limitations: some models do not offer any phone based technical support (you need to use email or chat). Most support is provided by call centers in foreign countries like India or Nigeria. We feel that faster processor speed, additional features, and superior technical support service that Falcon offers provides you with a better match to your trading needs.
