Outlook PST File Size 97-02 vs 03

I just transferred my old-format Personal Folders PST file into the new 2003 format. After compacting, the old file was 17MB, and the new file 27MB!

I know the new format allows the PST file to eventually become much larger.

But is it also a much larger file in general?
Less effecient storage?
Less efficient to access/work from?

I've found many references to maximum PST sizes and how convert, but nothing about the pros and cons of the new format (other than its maximum size).

Thanks for any input!

 

Clarification about size

Sorry, to clarify: I'm not concerned about maximum size, and my PST files are ridiculously small because I'm still testing Outlook. However, the way I sync files between my work & home computers every day, unecessarily toting around extra megabytes makes a difference, and if I'd save 20% more space using the older file format, all other things being equal I'd prefer to do that. Thanks, ckp

 

outlook 97-2002 support the pst file limited to 2GB, the larger one could not work.
outlook 2003 support the pst file limited to 32GB.

 

Making a guess here but I strongly suspect the additional 10Mb is administrative overhead to support the new storage structure and that what you are seeing is all you will get. Additional storage will probably be about the same size with either format so what looks huge now will be fairly trivial as you get more size to the file.

17 + 10 = 27 and a major difference

700 + 10 = 710 and not enough to notice.