64-bit worth it?

[thilanliyan]

I mainly use my computer for gaming, some video encoding, and internet so would it be worth it to use a 64-bit OS? I'd be using Windows 7 64-bit.

I have lots of ram I can use but I was running with 3GB for a long time and never ran into a problem until I was playing Half Life 2 with the fakefactory mod, which for the 1st time ever gave a low on memory warning (although that isn't really that big of a deal).

I can understand 64-bit is worth it for servers and such but is it worth it for a desktop? Are drivers no longer a concern for 64-bit?

 

[mechBgon]

Look at it this way: you might be using it until 2018 and beyond. Might as well get 64-bit.

If W7 is like Vista, then its 64-bit version will also have some additional security features. Microsoft's latest Security Intelligence Report showed that 64-bit Vista was statistically considerably less likely to be infected than 32-bit Vista, so it evidently means something in the real world.

 

[masteryoda34]

For most people you can base your decision like this: If you want to use 4GB+ RAM then use 64bit. If you aren't interested in greater than 4GB, then 32bit should be fine (for most people.)

If you are using a DDR2 system then a 8GB setup is super cheap at today's prices.

Drivers are not much of a problem any longer. Only problem I have is the lack of a 64bit Cisco VPN client.

 

[thilanliyan]

Originally posted by: masteryoda34
If you are using a DDR2 system then a 8GB setup is super cheap at today's prices.

Is 8GB even useful though?

Maybe I'll give it a shot. I have 6GB of DDR2 that I can use.

 

[MBrown]

Yes.

 

[VinDSL]

Really...

I don't think it makes any difference - x86 or x64 - and I run both on the same machine - can't tell a bit of difference between them, sooo...

Since you asked, worrying about x64 drivers is sooo last year. Forget about it!

What you have to worry about is some developer accidentally sticking some x86 files in a x64 package, but that's a rarity and quickly caught.

So, do what you want - it's of no consequence, IMHO - except for bragging rights!