Win 7 32 bit or 64 bit upgrade

[bleung]

Hi guys,

I'm currently running vista home premium
on a laptop

specs:
Intel core 2 Duo @ 1.83 Ghz
3Gb DDR2 RAM
Nvidia 8400M GT
OS: Vista Home Premium dual boot with Win 7 32 bitUltimate RC Build 7100

I'm wondering weather I should upgrade to a 32bit Win 7 home premium or a 64bit.

And if I upgrade to a 64bit version do i have to buy a entire new system or just the upgrade version??


Thx

 

[Jonathan_King]

Check to see whether your hardware is 64 bit compatible. But with only 3GB of RAM, you may want to stick with 32 bit.
As for upgrading, there is no way to upgrade from one bit to another. You will need to do a clean install. I know there is a way to install a clean copy from an upgrade version, but last I heard they were considering stopping it.

 

[DeaconFrost]

You're system is more than capable of running x64. Memory is dirt cheap too, so I'd go the x64 route, planning to upgrade the memory later on.

 

[Zardoc]

T5550; Multi-Core processor technology Dual-Core; 64-bit processor Yes

It's the way to go. With XP64, it was quite a headache but not since Vista 64.

 

[sagebrushfire]

I'd say the upgrade to 64bit could be beneficial, especially if you upgrade your RAM.

The only thing is that support for 64bit OS is still slowly coming around. If you play a lot of PC games and use programs that don't offer support for 64 bit windows you may run into problems.

Ask yourself this: "Am I still going to have this computer in 2 or 3 years?"

If the answer is yes then by all means install 64 and upgrade like crazy. If the answer is no or maybe, I'd stick with 32 bit for now and save up for a new computer down the line. A lot of pre-built computers already come with the option to go 64 at no extra costs so if you plan on getting a new computer in the semi-near future the option will be there.

Eventually you won't have to make the choice because 32bit will get phased out but it takes time for that kind of thing to happen.

 

[DeaconFrost]

The only thing is that support for 64bit OS is still slowly coming around. If you play a lot of PC games and use programs that don't offer support for 64 bit windows you may run into problems.

It was slowly coming around three years ago when Vista was released. It's been perfectly fine since then. Issues with x64 compatibility are few and far between. Furthermore, most hard-core gamers are running x64 OSes right now so they can address more than 4 GB of system memory. Many recent games will chew up quite a bit of RAM.

 

[sagebrushfire]

The only thing is that support for 64bit OS is still slowly coming around. If you play a lot of PC games and use programs that don't offer support for 64 bit windows you may run into problems.

It was slowly coming around three years ago when Vista was released. It's been perfectly fine since then. Issues with x64 compatibility are few and far between. Furthermore, most hard-core gamers are running x64 OSes right now so they can address more than 4 GB of system memory. Many recent games will chew up quite a bit of RAM.

Well I can't say I'm with the times. The most recent game I've played is Startopia.

All the same there is a deficit in programs that specifically take advantage of the 64-bit architecture. Adobe only recently started doing it and it's not perfect yet.

 

[sup3rsprt]

most hard-core gamers are running x64 OSes right now so they can address more than 4 GB of system memory.

There's a problem with that logic, and I really wish you would stop spreading it for the sake of all gamers worldwide. Running a 32-bit process* in 64-bit Windows can actually degrade performance when it does not require more than 2GB of RAM (and most games don't require that much memory. In fact I can't even think of one PC game that does, even at maximum eye candy!).

*Most PC games are 32-bit programs.

All the same there is a deficit in programs that specifically take advantage of the 64-bit architecture.

Excellent point sage! And it really helps drive my point home as well

 

[bleung]

Thanks for the help guys....

i'll have to think about it....cause i might get a new pc in the next 2 or 3years

thx for the advice anyway!

 

[DeaconFrost]

There's a problem with that logic, and I really wish you would stop spreading it for the sake of all gamers worldwide. Running a 32-bit process* in 64-bit Windows can actually degrade performance when it does not require more than 2GB of RAM (and most games don't require that much memory. In fact I can't even think of one PC game that does, even at maximum eye candy!).

And I really wish you would try things out before lecturing others. Experience doesn't translate into fact, of course, but you seem to enjoy following me around, disputing things I post (that are facts) simply because you don't agree with me. CoD:MW has already been using 2.5 GB of memory for me in task manager. Hell, I've seen Sims 3 go over 2 GB on my wife's laptop.

I'm also going to borrow your viewpoints for a second, and steal a comment you used against me in another thread. If a game is using a lot of memory (like a VM, as you said) that would degrade performance for the rest of the system right? I often play a game or so while I'm running other apps, like Handbrake, or something of the sort that can queue up a few jobs.

Here's my suggestion to you. Instead of following me around to disagree for the sake of disagreeing, just try this stuff out on your own. I'm being 100% serious. My proof is that you aren't keeping a linear argument....you are jumping sides of a debate, just to disagree with me. Try this stuff out...that's all it takes.

I'm not one of these people who talk about a subject they don't know about. Forums are littered with them. If I type something, it is either a fact, or something I can back up with experience. Don't treat me like ones who spout BS.

By the way, in the spirit of facts, running games on x64 Windows doesn't degrade their performance. In fact, some would tell you that due to the better memory management, the games run better. In keeping with my philosophy on forums of only speaking facts or my own experiences, I'll tell you that my experience has not been such. I can't find a repeatable difference between x86 and x64 in terms of gaming with Vista, or now with Windows 7. The FPS differences are will within margin of error, and close enough to call it a draw for me. Many review sites are also showing them as the same, and a small few are showing x64 in the lead.

 

[sagebrushfire]

I still don't see anything suggesting that switching to x64 at this moment will be so advantageous that x86 is just absurd.

I just don't see the point of switching to x64 right this moment unless you plan on having your current PC well into the future. There are still (However rare)slight chances of compatibility issues (glares at SPORE).


The transition also relies heavily on people knowing what the hell 64bit operating system means. If people don't know what it is they won't buy into it, and if no one is buying into it then software companies won't bother making programs that take advantage of it.

Since there's no price difference I guess it doesn't really matter whether or not you choose x86 or x64 at the moment; You might as well go with x64 on the off chance that you'll use a program that can use it to its advantage.