My work computers (KVM with two towers that run on two different domains):
1) 2002 Intel Celeron 1.8 GHz CPU on a Socket 478 motherboard. Williamette-128 core, 180nm.
2) 2003 Athlon64 2800+ 1.8GHz on a Socket 754 motherboard. Clawhammer core, 130nm.
They both have 1GB of RAM and use noisy, grinding 40GB hard drives. Unlike some of you who use AutoCAD, Pro/E or do heavy graphics work, my needs are rather modest. However, both my computers are at least five years behind where they need to be. My workflow is basically Office 2003, a proprietary Learning Management System and a proprietary CRM application (I work in the Training Department for the Customer Service department for a large service provider). But yes, I routinely work with large spreadsheets, upto a hundred megabytes in size with tens of thousands of records.
I usually work on those files from home on my Core i5 750 (overclocked to 4GHz) with 12GB of RAM because the work computers grind to a halt and are borderline unusable for anything more complicated than e-mail, IM and light Excel/Powerpoint stuff. Hell, even watching a 240p video on Youtube on Google Chrome brings the PCs to their knees. I don't have VPN access though, so it's a rudimentary 'email large files to yourself' workflow.
Managers get personal laptops with I think a four-year-upgrade plan. Every 'Manager of Managers' (Program Managers/Directors/AVPs/VPs) seems to have a less-than-a-year-old powerhouse of a laptop. Hell, CSRs have fantastic machines with dual-monitors and everything. Support staff (Training, Administration, Human Resources etc.) have Mesozoic Era computing power.
MLIA.