64 bit or x84

The old desktop is 32 bit
the new laptop is 64 bit
So why is it that I read x84?

I'm not sure I fully understand your question but it appears you are referring to x86 and not x84, correct?

x86 is the name for the basic instruction set architecture of the processor and encompasses 16 bit, 32 bit and 64 bit systems.

Thanks Miked ... you did understand the question
It's just me (and no doubt lots of others like me) who are slow with
the jargon. It's just a fact of modern, electronic life that new things
are rarely explained ...one has to find out for oneself.
Now there's one more bit that I do understand.

No Tews, Win 7 is istalled as 64-bit

x86 refers also mostly to the PC 80x86 processor based stuff, which includes 8 bit, 16 bit and 32 bit processing. Basically, the PC started as a 8086 Processor, and then became the 80286, 80386, 80486, then morphed into Pentium (80586) processor name. Since around Pentium 4 or so, the PC processor started being able to do 64 bit processing (Well, more so when the Xeon and then Itanium class Processor was brought in). When the 64-bit processors started coming, the need for 64 bit operating systems for this class of processor was necessary for Windows to take actual advantage of the hardware and also the new boundaries it can branch out to.

Remember, we did have 'transitional' bounds with certain OSes. Like With Win95/98, we had drive space boundaries and it was mostly flipping from different drive formating (Like FAT32 to NTFS) and the ever growing ability of memory. 32 bit bit processing had a limitation with memory addressing which 64 bit processing now exceeds.

Microsoft still had to support prior processing needs, namely the 32 and 16 bit programs, but also wanted to separate out the 64 bit programs from installing over the 32 bit processing needs, hence the (x86) designation in the installers when they look at 64 bit Windows OS.

I wouldn't call it new jargon. Microsoft has been using the x86 and x64 terms for quite some time now, probably close to a decade. The problem is, two many people insist on typing out 32 bit or 64 bit, instead of sticking with the standard, simpler terms.

I believe the x86 came from the fact that Intel numbered thier line of processors 8086, 80186, 80286, 386, 486, 586 (pentium) etc, so it ended up being referred to as the x86 instruction set. The early chips are 16 bit and the 386 and up are 32 bit. At some point people just dropped the 80 and would say I have a 386 or 486 etc.

Lemur said:

You have a 64-bit processor running a 32-bit operating system. No harm. You always can purchase a 64-bit operating system later on. Note - you cannot upgrade from 32-bit to 64-bit operating system. It has to be a new full install.

This reminds me of the following joke:

Windows 95: n. 32 bit extensions and a graphical shell for a 16 bit patch to an 8 bit operating system originally coded for a 4 bit microprocessor, written by a 2 bit company, that can't stand 1 bit of competition.