gistfile1.txt

USE [master];
GO

CREATE DATABASE [233445];
GO

USE [233445];
GO

CREATE TABLE dbo.CharacterData
(
	Id int NOT NULL IDENTITY(1,1) PRIMARY KEY,
	Variable nvarchar(500) NOT NULL,
	NotVariable nchar(500) NOT NULL,
	VariableNotUnicode varchar(500) NOT NULL,
	NotVariableNotUnicode char(500) NOT NULL
);
GO

INSERT INTO dbo.CharacterData
	(Variable, NotVariable, VariableNotUnicode, NotVariableNotUnicode)
SELECT
	LEFT(m.[text], 500), 
	LEFT(m.[text], 500), 
	LEFT(m.[text], 500), 
	LEFT(m.[text], 500)
FROM sys.messages m; -- 291,654 rows

SELECT Variable --196,736 memory grant
FROM dbo.CharacterData
ORDER BY Variable
OPTION (MAXDOP 1, USE HINT ('FORCE_LEGACY_CARDINALITY_ESTIMATION'));

SELECT NotVariable --373,328 memory grant
FROM dbo.CharacterData
ORDER BY NotVariable
OPTION (MAXDOP 1, USE HINT ('FORCE_LEGACY_CARDINALITY_ESTIMATION'));

SELECT VariableNotUnicode -- 107,736 memory grant
FROM dbo.CharacterData
ORDER BY VariableNotUnicode
OPTION (MAXDOP 1, USE HINT ('FORCE_LEGACY_CARDINALITY_ESTIMATION'));

SELECT NotVariableNotUnicode -- 195,320 memory grant
FROM dbo.CharacterData
ORDER BY NotVariableNotUnicode
OPTION (MAXDOP 1, USE HINT ('FORCE_LEGACY_CARDINALITY_ESTIMATION'));