Windows XP x64, Promise and Reality

Features
By
Published

Test Setup

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Processor
Single Core CPUAMD Athlon 64 FX-57 (2.8 GHz, 1 MB L2 Cache)
Dual Core CPUAMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ (2.4 GHz, 2x 1 MB L2 Cache)
Memory
AMD Platform (DDR400)2x 512 MB - DDR400 (200 MHz)Corsair Pro Series CMX512-3200XL (XMS3208 V1.1)(CL2.0-2-2-5-1T @ 200 MHz)
Motherboards
AMD PlatformAsus A8N-SLI Deluxe (Rev. 1.02, BIOS 1007)NVIDIA nForce4 SLI Chipset
System Hardware
Graphics Card (PCIe)NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT (Reference Board)GPU : NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT (350 MHz)Memory : 256 MB DDR-SDRAM (500 MHz)
Hard DriveWestern Digital WD740 Raptor74 GB, 8 MB Cache, 10,000 rpm
Networkintegrated NVIDIA GbE Ethernet
DVD-ROMGigabyte GO-D1600C (16x)
Power SupplyTagan TG480-U01, ATX 2.0, 480 W
Software
Chipset DriversNVIDIA Forceware 6.53
Chipset Drivers x64NVIDIA Forceware 6.66
Processor DriverAMD CPU Driver 1.1.0.18
Graphics DriverNVIDIA Forceware 71.84
DirectXVersion : 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
OS 32 BitWindows XP Professional 5.20.3790,Service Pack 2
OS 64 BitWindows XP Professional 5.10.2600,Service Pack 2

Benchmarks And Settings

Swipe to scroll horizontally
OpenGL
Doom IIIVersion : 1.0.12621024x768 - 32 bitVideo Quality = High Quality"custom timedemo"Graphics detail = High Quality
WolfensteinVersion : 2.56 (Patch V 1.02)
Enemy Territory1280x1024 - 32 bitTimedemo 1 / demo demo4Geometric detail = highTexture detail = high
DirectX 8
Unreal Tournament 2004Version : 32041280 x 1024 / 32 bit / Audio = offTHG8-assault-single
3DMark2003Version 3.6.01024x768 - 32 bitGraphics and CPU Default Benchmark
DirectX 9
FarCryVersion 1.1 Build 12561280x1024 - 32 bitQuality options = low
3DMark 2005Version 1.01024x768 - 32 bitGraphics and CPU Default Benchmark
Video
Mainconcept MPEG EncoderVersion : 1.4.21.2 GB DV to MPEG II(720x576, Audio) converting
Pinnacle Studio 9 PlusVersion : 9.1.2From : 352x288 MPEG-2 41 MBto : 720x576 MPEG-2 95 MBEncoding and Transition Rendering to MPEG-2/DVDno Audio
Auto Gordian KnotDivX 5.2.1XviD 1.0.2Version : 1.95Audio = AC3 6chCustom size = 100 MBResulution settings = Fixed widthCodec = XviD and DivX 5Audio = CBR MP3, kbps 192182 MB VOB MPEG2-source
Windows Media EncoderVersion : 9.00.00.2980720x480 DV to WMV320x240 (29.97 fps)282 kbps streaming
Windows Media Player 10Version : 10.00.00.36.46
Audio
Lame MP3Version 3.96Wave 17:14 minutes (182 MB) to mp332 - 320 kbitVBR = level 3
Applications
WinrarVersion 3.42283 MB, 246 FilesCompression = BestDictionary = 4096 kB
3D Studio Max 6.0DiscreetCharacters "Dragon_Charater_rig"Pixel : 1024 x 768Rendering Single
Synthetic
PCMark 2004 ProVersion : 1.3.0CPU and Memory Tests
SiSoftware Sandra ProVersion 2005, SR1CPU Test = MultiMedia / CPU ArithmeticMemory Test = Bandwidth Benchmark
WstreamVersion : 5100 Operations with 25 MB file
Patrick Schmid
Patrick Schmid
Editor-in-Chief (2005-2006)

Patrick Schmid was the editor-in-chief for Tom's Hardware from 2005 to 2006. He wrote numerous articles on a wide range of hardware topics, including storage, CPUs, and system builds.

6 Comments Comment from the forums
  • mr roboto
    Woah there's a 64 bit Windows now? What's next 128 bit versions. As I'm still rocking my 8 bit NES.
    Reply
  • oneof10
    Thank you for the article. Though this article may seem outdated and therefore fairly irrelevant, I just happened upon a free copy of XP 64 and was exploring the value in dual booting my XP 32 system. Thanks for saving me a potential headache for very little benefit.
    Reply
  • iLoveWOW
    I found an OEM copy at Tveak.com for only $59.99 + free shipping. Great! :))
    Reply
  • iLoveWOW
    ilovewowI found an OEM copy at Tveak.com for only $89.99 + free shipping. Great! )
    Reply
  • I found some newer games that would not work on Win7 (and fyi, Win7 XP mode is *not* for gamers, no 3D graphics) so I dual booted with WinXP x64. Thankfully I had a great system driver disk, though at this time availability of 64 bit drivers is not the issue it used to be.
    But ... lemme say WinXP x64 ROCKS ... I was getting some butter-smooth frame rates with every video setting max'd. Yeah, I know there's multicore CPU, a GPU, chipset, etc. in the picture ... but just a gut check tells me that data is *flying* in there, even if it is 32 bit code. The OS overhead must be much less or something.
    Reply
  • bakra downloads
    what i learned today is not to trust idiots at tomshardware
    windows xp 64 bit is godlike
    it's performance is mind blowing
    I would pay money to anybody who can get me a windows xp 64 working on newer hardware (like HP laptops)
    newer hardware only supports windows 7 64
    windows 7 64 is nothing when u compare it to windows xp 64

    dunno why it is so "butter smooth" and fast. I speculate win xp 64 less drivers (eg. hibernation is not supported) thus less DPC processing and more butter smoothness
    Reply