• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

32 or 64 Ultimate

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
In my impression, in terms of perf x64 usually lags behind a bit compared to x86, not much, like 1-5% around for general applications. In reality that might not affect anything, but if you are perf sensitive, you may want to consider that. Honestly I seldom see applications perform better on x64 than x86, even with builds specifically for x64 and x86 each.
 
Originally posted by: cmdrdredd
32 because there is not and may not be 64bit native games for a while.

That's not valid. Just because there may not be 64bit games in the next two years doesn't devalue a 64 bit OS. If 32 bit games run fine under a 64 bit OS, where is the loss?

Also, there is (i believe I have read) some compatability issues when running 32bit programs not built for vista on the 64bit version of the os.

I think I've been hearing games built for 32-bit WinXP failing under Vista, regardless of platform.

Right now, I'm trying to decide between 32 bit WinXP, 64 Bit WinXP or 64 bit Vista.
 
Originally posted by: Aeridyne
Originally posted by: TheDrD
I think when I build my new system I will get the 32 Bit CD and a later on have Microsoft send me the 64bit one for a few bucks

**previous post got mucked up... sorry**

I have a few keys for vista that are legal, I know they work with 32 bit, so are you saying I can get a disk for 64 and they will work for that too?

If you have the retail version of vista 32 bit you can contact Microsoft if you want the 64 bit version and they will mail you one for a small fee

Don't quote me on that
 
okay you can quote me on it. I bought vista home premium upgrade, and for $10 ms sent me the 64bit version by mail of it. Now I just want to decide which to install.
 
What if you want to go from Widows Vista 32 bit to Vista 64 bit a year from now. Can you do that without losing any of your game or program installs and settings?
 
Just remember, retail you can go between 32 and 64 and OEM you cant. I honestly see no reason to go Vista 32 though, as the drivers for both vista's are released simultaneously for virtually everything anyways.

Also 64 leaves you a clearer upgrade path, and with the nice ways superfetch uses Ram, having 4 gigs is fantastic and maybe 8 in the future might become useful

IMO XP is a 32 bit OS and xp64 is a joke
Vista is a 64 bit OS and has quite good 32 bit support for everything I have tried but Nero (which has issues in vista 32 as well)
 
Originally posted by: krotchy
Just remember, retail you can go between 32 and 64 and OEM you cant. I honestly see no reason to go Vista 32 though, as the drivers for both vista's are released simultaneously for virtually everything anyways.

Also 64 leaves you a clearer upgrade path, and with the nice ways superfetch uses Ram, having 4 gigs is fantastic and maybe 8 in the future might become useful

IMO XP is a 32 bit OS and xp64 is a joke
Vista is a 64 bit OS and has quite good 32 bit support for everything I have tried but Nero (which has issues in vista 32 as well)

Nero works fine in vista 32 bit. I need nero or else my dvd burner won't work right for some reason. 😕

Deep burner refuses to make good burns with my dvd burner.
 
Originally posted by: pcslookout
Originally posted by: krotchy
Just remember, retail you can go between 32 and 64 and OEM you cant. I honestly see no reason to go Vista 32 though, as the drivers for both vista's are released simultaneously for virtually everything anyways.

Also 64 leaves you a clearer upgrade path, and with the nice ways superfetch uses Ram, having 4 gigs is fantastic and maybe 8 in the future might become useful

IMO XP is a 32 bit OS and xp64 is a joke
Vista is a 64 bit OS and has quite good 32 bit support for everything I have tried but Nero (which has issues in vista 32 as well)

Nero works fine in vista 32 bit. I need nero or else my dvd burner won't work right for some reason. 😕

Deep burner refuses to make good burns with my dvd burner.

Nero 7 works fine in Vista x64,I can vouch for that.
 
Originally posted by: Mem
Originally posted by: pcslookout
Originally posted by: krotchy
Just remember, retail you can go between 32 and 64 and OEM you cant. I honestly see no reason to go Vista 32 though, as the drivers for both vista's are released simultaneously for virtually everything anyways.

Also 64 leaves you a clearer upgrade path, and with the nice ways superfetch uses Ram, having 4 gigs is fantastic and maybe 8 in the future might become useful

IMO XP is a 32 bit OS and xp64 is a joke
Vista is a 64 bit OS and has quite good 32 bit support for everything I have tried but Nero (which has issues in vista 32 as well)

Nero works fine in vista 32 bit. I need nero or else my dvd burner won't work right for some reason. 😕

Deep burner refuses to make good burns with my dvd burner.

Nero 7 works fine in Vista x64,I can vouch for that.

Mem thanks. Mem do you know if you can go from Vista 32 bit ot Vista 64 bit as a upgrade path ? That way you don't lose any of your games, applications, or window settings ?
 
Nero works fine for me in 32-bit Vista too...not sure what's wrong with yours pcslookout
 
Originally posted by: pcslookout
Originally posted by: Mem
Originally posted by: pcslookout
Originally posted by: krotchy
Just remember, retail you can go between 32 and 64 and OEM you cant. I honestly see no reason to go Vista 32 though, as the drivers for both vista's are released simultaneously for virtually everything anyways.

Also 64 leaves you a clearer upgrade path, and with the nice ways superfetch uses Ram, having 4 gigs is fantastic and maybe 8 in the future might become useful

IMO XP is a 32 bit OS and xp64 is a joke
Vista is a 64 bit OS and has quite good 32 bit support for everything I have tried but Nero (which has issues in vista 32 as well)

Nero works fine in vista 32 bit. I need nero or else my dvd burner won't work right for some reason. 😕

Deep burner refuses to make good burns with my dvd burner.

Nero 7 works fine in Vista x64,I can vouch for that.

Mem thanks. Mem do you know if you can go from Vista 32 bit ot Vista 64 bit as a upgrade path ? That way you don't lose any of your games, applications, or window settings ?





A clean install is needed if you are using 32 and want to move to 64.
 
Originally posted by: m21s
Originally posted by: pcslookout
Originally posted by: Mem
Originally posted by: pcslookout
Originally posted by: krotchy
Just remember, retail you can go between 32 and 64 and OEM you cant. I honestly see no reason to go Vista 32 though, as the drivers for both vista's are released simultaneously for virtually everything anyways.

Also 64 leaves you a clearer upgrade path, and with the nice ways superfetch uses Ram, having 4 gigs is fantastic and maybe 8 in the future might become useful

IMO XP is a 32 bit OS and xp64 is a joke
Vista is a 64 bit OS and has quite good 32 bit support for everything I have tried but Nero (which has issues in vista 32 as well)

Nero works fine in vista 32 bit. I need nero or else my dvd burner won't work right for some reason. 😕

Deep burner refuses to make good burns with my dvd burner.

Nero 7 works fine in Vista x64,I can vouch for that.

Mem thanks. Mem do you know if you can go from Vista 32 bit ot Vista 64 bit as a upgrade path ? That way you don't lose any of your games, applications, or window settings ?





A clean install is needed if you are using 32 and want to move to 64.

Yep clean install is only option if you go from 32 bit to 64 bit.
 
Originally posted by: Mem
Originally posted by: aka1nas
If you have 3GB+ of RAM, then x64 is worth considering. Otherwise, there aren't really significant performance benefits from using it. FWIW, I am running Vista 64-bit Ultimate and it works great. I still have one or two peripherals that don't have drivers, but most games run fine.

Drivers is probably the most important thing with regards to Vista x64,however they are geting better all the time(I have them all for my PC,but pretty easy to check your hardware manufacturer for 64 bit driver support),do note from what I read Microsoft's next OS Vienna is going to be 64 bit only,so I'm hoping the push for 64 bit software will come with Vista x64 paving the way.

If everybody sits on their asses and stays with 32 bit ,we never get it done 😉.

That's why I am still using Vista 32 bit.


Ausm
 
Originally posted by: Ausm
Originally posted by: Mem
Originally posted by: aka1nas
If you have 3GB+ of RAM, then x64 is worth considering. Otherwise, there aren't really significant performance benefits from using it. FWIW, I am running Vista 64-bit Ultimate and it works great. I still have one or two peripherals that don't have drivers, but most games run fine.

Drivers is probably the most important thing with regards to Vista x64,however they are geting better all the time(I have them all for my PC,but pretty easy to check your hardware manufacturer for 64 bit driver support),do note from what I read Microsoft's next OS Vienna is going to be 64 bit only,so I'm hoping the push for 64 bit software will come with Vista x64 paving the way.

If everybody sits on their asses and stays with 32 bit ,we never get it done 😉.

That's why I am still using Vista 32 bit.


Ausm

Ditto!
 
wow.
so.. I really have no idea now. I wonder if the original poster is even more confused.
I know I have full 64bit hardware. But I am wondering it is best to wait until 64bit drivers are a bit more mature.
 
Originally posted by: Xarick
wow.
so.. I really have no idea now. I wonder if the original poster is even more confused.
I know I have full 64bit hardware. But I am wondering it is best to wait until 64bit drivers are a bit more mature.

If you want Vista go 64, the drivers for Vista 32 and Vista 64 are pretty much always released at the same time and have the same stability

XP 32 is the better OS, since XP 64 drivers were largely ignored.
 
Back
Top