Why is building a solution slower on a Core i7 than on a Core i3 processor?

Question

Background:

We have a C# solution with 49 projects and it uses VS2005 SP1 (didn't upgrade to higher version due to old version of Syncfusion 4.x lib). The project uses Ant with ISharpCode zip library for packing components and much of the build time is used here. I usually built it in my office PC and home PC. Due to my recent modification in project to support win7 x64, one of the team member (lived in USA) complained that it is slower than ever and took about 7-10 min.

So, I tested it in my office and home PC. Here are the PC specs and build times – a full rebuild of all attached projects:

• Office PC: Intel Core-i3 540 3.0 GHz, 2 cores, 4MB L3, 4GB RAM (1333-DDR3), Win7 x64 Ultimate (recent installation)

  Build time: 1 min 13 sec.

• Home PC: Intel Pentium Dual E2160 1.8 GHz, 2 cores, 1MB L2, 4GB RAM (1333-DDR3), Win7 x64 Ultimate (old installation)

  Build time: 3 min 36 sec.

For mobility and faster build than my office & home PC, I've bought a

• Dell XPS L502X laptop with Core i7 2630QM 2.0 GHz, 4 cores, 8 threads, 6MB Cache, 4GB RAM (1333-DDR3), Win7 x64 Home premium configuration.

  Build time: 1 min 28/30 sec

Both PCs (not laptop) had multiple IDE running (not building anything). And both PCs and laptop have Avast Antivirus and Comodo firewall installed (sometime affects the build for the first time). It should have taken less time than core i3 system.

My old office PC (replaced by i3) with Pentium Dual Core 2.6 GHz 2GB RAM and Win7 x86 ultimate used to take about 2 min 25 sec to build another almost similar project (47 projects attached). Upon my request, I'd been given core i3 machine which took the same project (^) to build about 1 min 46 sec.

These things were considered to buy Core i7. But I'm disappointed.

Is there any specific reason for the slowness?

Answer 1

Laptop hard drives tend to be slower than desktop hard drives. Compiling is disk intensive.

Because VS2005 has no support for parallel compiles within a project, you're only compiling on one core. Per core, the 2630QM is only about 11% faster than the 540.

So basically, there's no reason it should be any faster.

Answer 2

I agree with Kev, it'll be the disk. Check them with HDTach or some HDD benchmark utility.
A solution (a software's complete source ... be it java, C#, C++) consists of a lot of small files.

HDDs are slow to read them.
The solution?
If it's a laptop: Get a WD Black Caviar (7200rpm high-performance laptop drive).
Or if you can afford it, get an SSD. (Smaller, but high IOPS.)

If it's a desktop PC: SSD > 10,000RPM Raptor > 7200rpm black caviar (WD) > 7200rpm drive ... and so on.

A 7200rpm black drive won't be as fast as an SSD (sequential read/write), but it is STILL a huge boost compared to a normal 7200 or a 5400rpm laptop drive.

(ps.: I'm not a WD fanboy, I just don't know any other company who would make such "high performance" drives. If they exist, feel free to edit my answer, post them in my comment.)