64-bit, worth it?

[Sanius]

hello. i'm still thinking about if I should get a 64-bit motherboard, and a 3000+ 64 bit processer (FX-53), or get a 3000+ 32 bit processer. I would save myself $150 (more or less). but i'm not sure if 64-bit is worth it. does it really give a preformance boost over most games today? is windows 64 bit unstable? can I use windows 32 bit? and will 32 bit program run just as fine, while ones optimized for 64 bit run better?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Ok, first of all, a 3000+ is not an FX-53... they are different processors. The FX line is a waste unless you're doing extreme overclocking and need unlocked multipliers or you have money to burn and want bragging rights.

If you're building a whole new system, then A64 is a great value. A good A64 motherboard would run you around $100 and a 3000+ A64 is around $150.

Tom's hardware has a bunch of CPU benchmarks for a variety of applications so you can see what kind of performance impact a faster processor would make.

A64 really excels at games.

Windows 64-bit isn't out yet afaik. A64 will run everything a 32-bit processor can run. It runs Windows XP 32-bit just fine.

Not much is out yet that's meant for 64-bit, but once there is, the A64 will really shine.

What is your current setup? You actually might be better served by a videocard upgrade instead of CPU if you're doing this for a gaming upgrade.

 

[uOpt]

64 bits is only very rarely a performance advantage, and often a disadvantage (due to pointers being twice the size and hence bigger work sets lower cache effectivity).

The only game that I am aware of that has a 64 version right now is the AMD64 build of Unreal Tournament 2004 for Linux/AMD64. Didn't benchmark it.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: MartinCracauer
64 bits is only very rarely a performance advantage, and often a disadvantage (due to pointers being twice the size and hence bigger work sets lower cache effectivity).

The only game that I am aware of that has a 64 version right now is the AMD64 build of Unreal Tournament 2004 for Linux/AMD64. Didn't benchmark it.

It's not 64-bit capability that makes A64 so great at games, it's the whole architechture of the chip.

 

[uOpt]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: MartinCracauer
64 bits is only very rarely a performance advantage, and often a disadvantage (due to pointers being twice the size and hence bigger work sets lower cache effectivity).

The only game that I am aware of that has a 64 version right now is the AMD64 build of Unreal Tournament 2004 for Linux/AMD64. Didn't benchmark it.

It's not 64-bit capability that makes A64 so great at games, it's the whole architechture of the chip.

Exactly.

But many people expect a magic speedup just by running 64 bits code.

It gets even funnier when they expect that while they are running a 32 bit OS 🙂

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: MartinCracauer

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: MartinCracauer
64 bits is only very rarely a performance advantage, and often a disadvantage (due to pointers being twice the size and hence bigger work sets lower cache effectivity).

The only game that I am aware of that has a 64 version right now is the AMD64 build of Unreal Tournament 2004 for Linux/AMD64. Didn't benchmark it.

It's not 64-bit capability that makes A64 so great at games, it's the whole architechture of the chip.

Exactly.

But many people expect a magic speedup just by running 64 bits code.

It gets even funnier when they expect that while they are running a 32 bit OS 🙂

Ok, but for somebody like the OP who doesn't know anything about 64-bit, I think your post would seem to suggest that getting a 64-bit chip would cause reduced performance. I just wanted to clairify that it isn't the case.

 

[uOpt]

How can you use a computer if you don't know what a pointer is?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: MartinCracauer
How can you use a computer if you don't know what a pointer is?

What? 😕

 

[SynthDude2001]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: MartinCracauer
How can you use a computer if you don't know what a pointer is?

What? 😕

lol...I don't know if you've done any programming, but a pointer is basically just a memory address. I assume he was trying to be funny and saying you shouldn't use a computer unless you understand 100% of everything that's going on inside, on every level...or something like that. 😕

 

[NiKeFiDO]

Originally posted by: SynthDude2001

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: MartinCracauer
How can you use a computer if you don't know what a pointer is?

What? 😕

lol...I don't know if you've done any programming, but a pointer is basically just a memory address. I assume he was trying to be funny and saying you shouldn't use a computer unless you understand 100% of everything that's going on inside, on every level...or something like that. 😕

maybe he thought the pointer was the mouse curser?

 

[SynthDude2001]

Originally posted by: NiKeFiDO

Originally posted by: SynthDude2001

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: MartinCracauer
How can you use a computer if you don't know what a pointer is?

What? 😕

lol...I don't know if you've done any programming, but a pointer is basically just a memory address. I assume he was trying to be funny and saying you shouldn't use a computer unless you understand 100% of everything that's going on inside, on every level...or something like that. 😕

maybe he thought the pointer was the mouse curser?

That's possible too, although that doesn't have anything to do with 64-bit anything....😛

 

[Mik3y]

99% of people dont buy an athlon 64 for 64-bit capabilities. they buy it cuz it still beats P4's in the 32-bit environment in the majority. 64-bit is a plus.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: SynthDude2001

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: MartinCracauer
How can you use a computer if you don't know what a pointer is?

What? 😕

lol...I don't know if you've done any programming, but a pointer is basically just a memory address. I assume he was trying to be funny and saying you shouldn't use a computer unless you understand 100% of everything that's going on inside, on every level...or something like that. 😕

I know what a pointer is, I'm just confused about what the heck that has to do with anything... and why you would need to know what one is to use a computer.

 

[nycdude]

Originally posted by: Mik3y
99% of people dont buy an athlon 64 for 64-bit capabilities. they buy it cuz it still beats P4's in the 32-bit environment in the majority. 64-bit is a plus.

My thought exactly. 😉

 

[l Xes l]

lol.. this thread is getting confusing...

 

[uOpt]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
I know what a pointer is, I'm just confused about what the heck that has to do with anything... and why you would need to know what one is to use a computer.

I was kidding.

I still think that a license should be required for using a computer on the Internet 🙂

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: MartinCracauer

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
I know what a pointer is, I'm just confused about what the heck that has to do with anything... and why you would need to know what one is to use a computer.

I was kidding.

I still think that a license should be required for using a computer on the Internet 🙂

.... I don't get it. 😛

 

[Brazen]

Windows XP 64 is out, RTM right now and should be available to the general public next week. The best thing to do is to wait until Anandtech or Tomshardware do a performance review of the final version. Then you'll know if the 64bit bandwagon is worth jumping on.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

64 bit or not, the A64 is the best chip (price/performance) on the market

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
64 bit or not, the A64 is the best chip (price/performance) on the market

Yeah, even if Windows 64-bit is a POS it shouldn't be any reason not to get an A64.

 

[winterlude]

Originally posted by: Mik3y
99% of people dont buy an athlon 64 for 64-bit capabilities. they buy it cuz it still beats P4's in the 32-bit environment in the majority. 64-bit is a plus.

Exactly right

 

[Brazen]

Originally posted by: winterlude

Originally posted by: Mik3y
99% of people dont buy an athlon 64 for 64-bit capabilities. they buy it cuz it still beats P4's in the 32-bit environment in the majority. 64-bit is a plus.

Exactly right

So the OP is asking if he should get a Sempron. I'm guessing he wants to know if a Sempron 3000+ is just as good as an A64 3000+ in 32bit code. Well a quick look here would indicate that you are not only missing out on the 64bit capability, but also taking a performance hit in 32bit code with the Sempron.

 

[montag451]

What would be the result when you run A64 cpu, in 64bit XP but running 32-bit software [like 99.9% is at the moment]?

I think it might not show any real improvement, and MIGHT possibly show a small decrease in performance.

 

[MobiusPizza]

Most native 64-bit programs benched on a 64-bit XP on AMD64 do so improvements; Majority of the improvements are minor, but well still there're improvements.