Maximizing PC->PLC comm rate

The project I'm currently working on has a GUI running on a PC taking input from a pair of joysticks, along with some touchscreen functionality. Data from this is sent to a datablock on an AB PLC (previously a Micrologix 1500, soon to be a CompactLogix 1769-L35E) This data is used to drive various live functions.

The datablock being written to the PLC is a 50 integer array, and is mirrored in a identical array used to report results (which is read back at a fractional rate of the writes). All this is being carried out thru OPC over RSLinx.

I'd like to get the number of writes to the PLC per second has high as possible (60Hz would be ideal), I didn't have any luck exceeding ~7Hz on the Micrologix which was only borderline acceptable for realtime behaviour.

Question is, what kind of speedup can I expect moving to the CompactLogix, and what can I do to eke out every bit of additional speed?

Any suggestions/comments would be appreciated.

try setting the baud rate higher if not already done.
try splitting the 50integer block into two smaller blocks.
the "real time" block should be small and contain only
essential data. by transfering smaller amount of data
you can achive faster update time.
the "not so real time" block would be transfered less
frequently.
i think compact logix has same port limits if you go
serially (19.2kbps) so you might try ethernet.
Don't expect miracles from it either.