A method of determining an estimated data throughput capacity for a computer system includes the steps of creating a first model of data throughput of a central processing subsystem in the computer system as a function of latency of a memory subsystem of the computer system; creating a second model of the latency in the memory subsystem as a function of bandwidth demand of the memory subsystem; and finding a point of intersection of the first and second models. The point of intersection corresponds to a possible operating point for said computer system.