Hardware specification for dealing with large files (again)

[jg]

I know there was a conversation on this topic last year, but I'm not sure
there was ever any resolution.

I do analyses of large Excel files (>50,000 rows) which make extensive use
of named ranges, lookups and array functions. I'm using Excel XP on Windows
XP Pro, with no plans to upgrade to Excel 2007 or Vista.

My current rig has 1GB ram and an Intel Pentium M at 1.20GHz, and its
woefully underpowered for the work I'm doing. A manual recalculation will
frequently peg CPU usage at 99%, and memory usage at 50%, for 3-5 minutes
(and sometimes more).

So I'm considering a new machine, and am trying to decide between a Lenovo
Thinkpad X60 and an X60s. The X60 has a T5500 Intel Core 2 Duo; the X60s
has an L2400 LV Intel Core Duo. Both processors run at 1.66 Ghz and have
2MB L2 cache and 667 Mhz FSB. The X60s is 20% lighter than the X60 (a big
plus for me), and about the same price. Both can be had with 2GB of RAM.

I've been searching the web and Intel's web site and can't find any
information about performance difference between an Intel Core Duo and an
Intel Core 2 Duo.

Does it make the slightest bit of difference, performance-wise, which one I
choose?

Thanks.

 

[MH]

Go for the Core 2 Duo.

MH

 

[Niek Otten]

Note that Excel 2003 will not profit from multiple cores or processors. Excel 2007 will, but the effect depends on how many (if
any) independent "threads" Excel can find.
Also, Excel 2003 will not use more than 1 GB of memory.

For lots of info about Excel's performance, visit Charles William's site:

www.decisionmodels.com

For improvements in 2007, read this (40+ pages):

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/li...ice2007excelperf_ExcelPerformanceImprovements

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten
Microsoft MVP - Excel

| Go for the Core 2 Duo.
|
| MH
|
| | >I know there was a conversation on this topic last year, but I'm not sure
| >there was ever any resolution.
| >
| > I do analyses of large Excel files (>50,000 rows) which make extensive use
| > of named ranges, lookups and array functions. I'm using Excel XP on
| > Windows XP Pro, with no plans to upgrade to Excel 2007 or Vista.
| >
| > My current rig has 1GB ram and an Intel Pentium M at 1.20GHz, and its
| > woefully underpowered for the work I'm doing. A manual recalculation will
| > frequently peg CPU usage at 99%, and memory usage at 50%, for 3-5 minutes
| > (and sometimes more).
| >
| > So I'm considering a new machine, and am trying to decide between a Lenovo
| > Thinkpad X60 and an X60s. The X60 has a T5500 Intel Core 2 Duo; the X60s
| > has an L2400 LV Intel Core Duo. Both processors run at 1.66 Ghz and have
| > 2MB L2 cache and 667 Mhz FSB. The X60s is 20% lighter than the X60 (a big
| > plus for me), and about the same price. Both can be had with 2GB of RAM.
| >
| > I've been searching the web and Intel's web site and can't find any
| > information about performance difference between an Intel Core Duo and an
| > Intel Core 2 Duo.
| >
| > Does it make the slightest bit of difference, performance-wise, which one
| > I choose?
| >
| > Thanks.
| >
| >
| >
|
|