32bit or 64bit?

[Edvinas]

This might be a common question, but which OS should I install, 32 or 64bit and what are the benefits of using 64bit system (performance vise).

My specs: intel 2400, 4gb of RAM.

 

[dodger46]

1st thing that comes to mind is the ability to use all your RAM, especially if you want to upgrade above 4 gig... and a 64 bit system is more responsive in the way it handles RAM, ie better at handling several programs at once...

 

[frombehind]

64 bit OS allows you to use more then 4gb of ram... the acutal ammount that will be usable under 32 bit OS will be a bit less then 4gb.

It also allows you to run 64bit applications, which while they are more efficeint then 32 bit apps, the ammount of them on the market is still woefully small, and mostly limited to proffesional grade softwares such as adobe suite, etc...

MOST of your 32 bit applications will run under 64bit OS. Drivers INTENDED for 32bit, and applications that interact heavily with the OS (for example your anti-virus, or a CD/DVD emulator program) Will most likely not work - you will need to obtain a 64 bit version.

Other Programs and games should all work since they interact with your drivers (which are 64bit compatible) and not with windows directly - this is the primary reason that Direct X exists, for the games at least.

 

[navalweaponsofficer]

Install 64 Bit OS.

 

[13thmonkey]

been running 64 bit for 3-4 years now, no issues apart from some ancient games (homeworld in particular) that i can't make work

 

[Edvinas]

I will consider all of you post, thanks.

 

[Guest]

check that there are 64-bit drivers for any peripherals you use (in particular printers /scanners some high-end sound cards) before you commit
Win 7 64-bit is great, no complaints at all, but HP's lack of suuport on 64-bit drivers did cost me a printer...

 

[Edvinas]

It's for my desktop, I'm only worried about few programs, drivers are probably all going to work.

 

[harrysen]

You should use 64 bit os vista version because it can access from 1 gb ram to more than 128 gb of ram. 64bit vista version prevent a malicious program from updating the windows vista kernel. 64 bit is much faster than 32 bit os.

 

[Edvinas]

Best answer selected by Edvinas.

 

[nikorr]

This topic has been closed by Nikorr