32 bit vs 64 bit Comparison

Good info Lord.

I tried both versions of Adobe's Lightroom the other day and got to say 64bit version just seems a lot quicker importing files and adjusting photo's. Maybe it's a little more RAM that helps too as I have 4GB and 32bit OS can't use the whole of that right? even less if you have integrated graphics too, which I don't thank God :)

It's a shame drivers still seem a bit of a nightmare when it comes to a 64bit OS.

Great post lots of good info.


I was just wondering about this:

-A 64bit OS can address up too 8Tb of RAM (128 in 64 bit Vista, and 192Gb in Seven).

It says 64 bit can address up to 8Tb of Ram but then it says in Windows Seven only 192Gb what does that mean? Why only 192Gb if it can address up to 8Tb ?

Also am wondering if you think Windows 7 64 bit is good for gaming? I have Windows 7 64 bit and am wondering if I should get a duel boot scenario with 32 bit for gaming or should just wait for more 64 bit compatible games?

knk17forever said:

Also am wondering if you think Windows 7 64 bit is good for gaming? I have Windows 7 64 bit and am wondering if I should get a duel boot scenario with 32 bit for gaming or should just wait for more 64 bit compatible games?

Why would you want to run one OS for gaming that is limited in the amount of memory it can use? Let's say you had 8 GB in your system...typical for a serious gaming system. If you run x86, you are seeing roughly 3.25 GB of it total. If you run x64, you'll see all of it.

Windows x64 OSes aren't something new and uncharted. Windows Vista x64 was every bit as stable and usable as Vista x86, proving that x64 OSes were ready for everyday OS on a workstation. That was almost 5 years ago, roughly. Windows 7 has been available for 18 months now....nothing to be afraid of.

Thanks for responses and info...

To Lordbob... yeah I know my mother board will only support upto 16g and that seems like alot and I have 4g atm I think if I add 2 more gig for a total of 6 it might help me a bit for gaming but more than that will slow me down... I am interested mostly in gaming atm and very new to computers... I am curious about how much RAM personal computers will actually use in the years to come, 8TB seems huge would take some kind of motherboard and psu and whatever else to run that and make it fast lol... imagine how small they would have to make the RAM chips to fit on the mother board lol... can't wait to see!

To DeaconFrost... yeah 32 bit systems can't use as much RAM... there are few games that would not install on my computer because it said it needed 32 bit... but I found a software called DOSbox that might help me to install them and run them if I really want to play them. I am guessing I did right thing in getting Windows 7 64 bit then and don't need the other... I am also guessing from your reply that soon 32 bit will be a thing of the past... am I right?

Thanks again for replies and info!

knk17forever said:

To DeaconFrost... yeah 32 bit systems can't use as much RAM... there are few games that would not install on my computer because it said it needed 32 bit... but I found a software called DOSbox that might help me to install them and run them if I really want to play them. I am guessing I did right thing in getting Windows 7 64 bit then and don't need the other... I am also guessing from your reply that soon 32 bit will be a thing of the past... am I right?

They must be some really old games! Yes, you did the right thing. There was talk that Windows 7 would be x64 only, and the latest Server OS, Windows Server 2008 R2 is x64 only...so yes, x86 OSes are soon going to be a thing of the past.

I just want to give a great thanks to the author of this thread. It clarifies a lot of things in my mind.