What h/w is best to handle large data sets in Excel?

[Mark_C]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

Currently using a MacBook running Leopard w/ 1.83 GHz core 2 Duo max'd out with 2G of memory; tried Excel 2008 but reverted to 2004 when 08 did not handle large data sets and plots well. My need is to scatter plot many input data cells, do averaging calculations that create an equal number of new cells, and then do simple statistical searches on the results. Right now I can struggle to about 140,00 input data cells. I could benefit by getting to at least 200k and still being able to maneuver crisply around the spread sheet including the scatter plot.

I am willing to buy a new computer IF it will significantly help my ability to work with large spreadsheets. Will a MacPro offer benefit due to better graphics capabilities for maneuvering around my plots? Is Excel 2008 multiprocessor-aware to take advantage of multiple processors? (Microsft is clear that Excel 2007 for Windows is multiprocessor-aware, but I can find no statement that Excel 2008 for Mac uses multiprocessors.) My calculations are highly parallel and there would be great benefit to multiprocessing. Will the faster bus speeds of the pro help? Is this as simple as just requiring a boat load of memory?

Thank you in advance for any guidance you can provide. Mark

 

[Shane Devenshire]

Hi,

From what I can tell Excel 2008 does not support multiprocessing. Since
Excel 2007 does, you might consider using it in a dual boot enviornmemt. I
run both on my MacPro.

However, one problem is recommending hardware or software modifications we
can really run in parallel to see the difference. For example, I have a dual
quad Mac Pro but I can't compare it with a MacBook since I don't have one.

What I can tell you is that I plotted a line chart in Excel 2007 and 2008
each with 18 columns x 3000 rows, one on my MacPro and the other on a Dual
Core IBM laptop running at 2.4GH and there was no comparison - the
laptop/windows vista/2007 outran the desktop/2008 hundreds of times! Of
course I can't say which factor influenced this the most.

But graphics in 2007 are slower than in 2003 because of the enhanced graphic
quality of the new version of Excel.



--
If this helps, please click the Yes button.

Cheers,
Shane Devenshire


:'

 

[Shane Devenshire]

Hi,

I want to add to my previous comment that on laptops power save modes reduce
performance so you can modify the appropriate setting and increase the speed
of the machine.

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

Currently using a MacBook running Leopard w/ 1.83 GHz core 2 Duo max'd out with 2G of memory; tried Excel 2008 but reverted to 2004 when 08 did not handle large data sets and plots well. My need is to scatter plot many input data cells, do averaging calculations that create an equal number of new cells, and then do simple statistical searches on the results. Right now I can struggle to about 140,00 input data cells. I could benefit by getting to at least 200k and still being able to maneuver crisply around the spread sheet including the scatter plot.

I am willing to buy a new computer IF it will significantly help my ability to work with large spreadsheets. Will a MacPro offer benefit due to better graphics capabilities for maneuvering around my plots? Is Excel 2008 multiprocessor-aware to take advantage of multiple processors? (Microsft is clear that Excel 2007 for Windows is multiprocessor-aware, but I can find no statement that Excel 2008 for Mac uses multiprocessors.) My calculations are highly parallel and there would be great benefit to multiprocessing. Will the faster bus speeds of the pro help? Is this as simple as just requiring a boat load of memory?

Thank you in advance for any guidance you can provide. Mark

Hi,

When graphing large data eets, consider whether or not you need every
single data point included in the graph.

If you can devise a formula that will provide sample data points, rather
than every point, your graphic will be produced quickly.

-Jim

 

[Bill W]

As an Excel for Mac user since I entered the workforce, I can tell you
with frustration that Excel for Windows performs calculations, tables,
sorts, etc. faster on Windows. In full disclosure I have not used
Excel 2008 due to it's lack of Visual Basic, but from everything I've
read on this very newsgroup, 2008 is not setting any speed records. I
have used EVERY other version of Office for Mac and Windows since
1994.

It should be said that speed should consider which version you work
quickest in. I perform much faster on Excel for Mac, even though the
software naturally is quicker on Windows. Your question was about
large data set calculations, and Excel in Windows is quicker. I don't
know if there's a speed diff between Office Versions on diff't Windows
versions, except to say Vista probably isn't a friend of speed.

 

[Mark_C]

Thank you for all of the insights. While I work much faster on a Mac, it looks like my large data sets and highly parallel calculations will be handled more effectively with Excel 2007 for windows.

Short term plan is to use Excel 2007 on my current little Macbook with bootcamp. When my company can spring for it, I'll go for a Mac Pro with 4 or 8 cores. I can boot in windows, use Excel 2007, and have full multi-processor capability. Then after I complete that portion of the data analysis, I'll reboot back to OS-X for greater ease in the rest of my work.

Thank you all for taking the time to share your insights. The responses in total gave me a complete and well-rounded answer. Best Regards, Mark