title: Best CPUs for Numpy
body: <p>Which CPU for an Intel Windows system would give the best performance for this example Python code?</p>
  
  <pre><code>import numpy as np
  
  X = np.random.randn( 1e7, 10 )
  Y = np.random.randn( 1e7, 1 )
  
  %timeit I = X&gt;Y
  
  np.show_config()
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The example code does not use multiple cores, so I am not sure if I need to get an expensive multicore i7 or not.</p>
  
  <p>Could I be better off with an i5 that has a faster clock speed?</p>
  
  <p>Also, how will the cpu cache affect these?</p>
  
  <p>Note: Edited the original question to provide a concrete example.</p>
  
  <p>Adding Unutbu's suggestions, my output is</p>
  
  <pre><code>1 loops, best of 3: 255 ms per loop
  mkl_info:
      define_macros = [('SCIPY_MKL_H', None)]
      libraries = ['mkl_lapack95_lp64', 'mkl_blas95_lp64', 'mkl_intel_lp64', 'mkl_intel_thread', 'mkl_core', 'libiomp5md', 'libifportmd']
      library_dirs = ['C:/Program Files (x86)/Intel/Composer XE/mkl/lib/intel64']
      include_dirs = ['C:/Program Files (x86)/Intel/Composer XE/mkl/include']
  blas_opt_info:
      define_macros = [('SCIPY_MKL_H', None)]
      libraries = ['mkl_lapack95_lp64', 'mkl_blas95_lp64', 'mkl_intel_lp64', 'mkl_intel_thread', 'mkl_core', 'libiomp5md', 'libifportmd']
      library_dirs = ['C:/Program Files (x86)/Intel/Composer XE/mkl/lib/intel64']
      include_dirs = ['C:/Program Files (x86)/Intel/Composer XE/mkl/include']
  lapack_opt_info:
      define_macros = [('SCIPY_MKL_H', None)]
      libraries = ['mkl_lapack95_lp64', 'mkl_blas95_lp64', 'mkl_intel_lp64', 'mkl_intel_thread', 'mkl_core', 'libiomp5md', 'libifportmd', 'mkl_lapack95_lp64', 'mkl_blas95_lp64', 'mkl_intel_lp64', 'mkl_intel_thread', 'mkl_core', 'libiomp5md', 'libifportmd']
      library_dirs = ['C:/Program Files (x86)/Intel/Composer XE/mkl/lib/intel64']
      include_dirs = ['C:/Program Files (x86)/Intel/Composer XE/mkl/include']
  lapack_mkl_info:
      define_macros = [('SCIPY_MKL_H', None)]
      libraries = ['mkl_lapack95_lp64', 'mkl_blas95_lp64', 'mkl_intel_lp64', 'mkl_intel_thread', 'mkl_core', 'libiomp5md', 'libifportmd', 'mkl_lapack95_lp64', 'mkl_blas95_lp64', 'mkl_intel_lp64', 'mkl_intel_thread', 'mkl_core', 'libiomp5md', 'libifportmd']
      library_dirs = ['C:/Program Files (x86)/Intel/Composer XE/mkl/lib/intel64']
      include_dirs = ['C:/Program Files (x86)/Intel/Composer XE/mkl/include']
  blas_mkl_info:
      define_macros = [('SCIPY_MKL_H', None)]
      libraries = ['mkl_lapack95_lp64', 'mkl_blas95_lp64', 'mkl_intel_lp64', 'mkl_intel_thread', 'mkl_core', 'libiomp5md', 'libifportmd']
      library_dirs = ['C:/Program Files (x86)/Intel/Composer XE/mkl/lib/intel64']
      include_dirs = ['C:/Program Files (x86)/Intel/Composer XE/mkl/include']
  openblas_lapack_info:
    NOT AVAILABLE
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>My CPU is an ancient i7 920 2.67GHz with 24.0GB Ram, Windows Vista Business 64 Bit</p>