Build Advice Ideal Specs for high volume Excel, Data Processing, VBA, & Data Analysis ?

[oscian44]

Currently my work system is a frankenstein build I scrounged from existing workstations at my job and comes to a halt whenever I throw processing for our monthly data every month.

Current spec is an i7 7700 and 24gb of random ddr4 i could steal from old workstations.

Unfortunately the whole company moved to surface pros and docking stations a few years ago and cant understand why a data anyalst needs a permanent desktop system with more than 8gb of RAM so I need decent reason to argue why theyre spending money on me.

Even worse is the way the company is geared the data comes from extremely outdated, (talking windows 98 / XP era) proprietary data systems which only output in terribly formatted excel files and my VBA macros often take a good 30 minutes per report to process the terribly organised data to something usable, which is crippling the current system. I use powerquery as much as i can to organise the data but even like copy pasting cells within sheets absolutely destroys the current PC.

I've been asked to compile a parts list for a new system but I have no idea where to go CPU and Chipset wise, I know I could probably just pick a midrange modern CPU and it would blow my current one out of the water but I want the best value for money here long term, especially if i ever have to deal with yearly data sets.

GPU isnt really an issue so far so I could probably live with integrated or a low end low power enterprise geared card, but the way things work around here they dont exactly have a clue so I could always throw a low end 40 series in.

Current Needs:

• Better single thread performance
  • Data ends up having hundreds of thousands of numbers stored as text, converting this is forced to be a single thread task as its line by line
  • Excel limits itself to single thread when a Power Query connection exists for some reason, so when I do anything with a power query connection open it runs like a snail
    • I have to physically remove the power query connection so I lose my ability to refresh it if I want better performance for basic tasks.
• Solid overall Multi core for powerquery and VBA macros
  • Working with transforming millions of lines for the monthly reports

Budget doesnt really seem like an issue its more of a getting the most value so I dont have to ask them again for an upgrade for the foreseeable future, as it was already a pain to explain why the current workstation wasnt suitable.

 

[hotaru.hino]

I'd say in this case go with an Intel i5-14600K or i7-14700K. The only review I'm aware of that tests Microsoft office stuff is at https://www.techpowerup.com/review/intel-core-i7-14700k/11.html but their test description, at least on the surface, is generic and you'll just have to take their word for it.

However, instead of building it yourself, if your company has an IT department, sort things out with them on what to get. Unless your company size is basically under 10 and you're all your own tech support, I wouldn't want to try to insert a self-built machine into the company's IT side of things.

 

[oscian44]

I'd say in this case go with an Intel i5-14600K or i7-14700K. The only review I'm aware of that tests Microsoft office stuff is at https://www.techpowerup.com/review/intel-core-i7-14700k/11.html but their test description, at least on the surface, is generic and you'll just have to take their word for it.

However, instead of building it yourself, if your company has an IT department, sort things out with them on what to get. Unless your company size is basically under 10 and you're all your own tech support, I wouldn't want to try to insert a self-built machine into the company's IT side of things.

Company IT runs fully off an MSP that remotes in and manage everything, my current system is a custom built workstation which they used to previously use that I upgraded myself, so custom building should be no issue for IT side as it works fine with their management software.

The IT company doesnt handle purchasing of systems, I have to make my request direct to the CEO, CEO was the one to make the move to Surface pros because Covid, no other performance reasons they must have just got a good deal with microsoft, so I might be limited to prebuilt OEM systems but I'm going to push for a custom built, even if they pay a local shop to do it so we get warranty.

I imagine id pair either of those CPUs with what an X / Z series chipset respectively? Plus a decent 32gb of RAM

As I need reliability in the RAM controller and want best performance out of the CPU I imagine B series is off the table.

 

[faalin]

I did this build around 4 months ago for our cad guys at work. https://pcpartpicker.com/list/LyMwfy I ended up using a corsair PSU and a Quadro A4500 gpu, other then that the systems have been rock solid for them.


Graphically you just need a potato to output a signal, the Intel Arc is still rather strong for its price, or you can forget it and just run off the on chip graphics on the CPU.

 

[oscian44]

I did this build around 4 months ago for our cad guys at work. https://pcpartpicker.com/list/LyMwfy I ended up using a corsair PSU and a Quadro A4500 gpu, other then that the systems have been rock solid for them.


Graphically you just need a potato to output a signal, the Intel Arc is still rather strong for its price, or you can forget it and just run off the on chip graphics on the CPU.

Yeah this seems like the best route, I dont need anything more than integrated for data work and can probably get a systems builder to do it so theres a warranty to make my work happy.