x64 VS. x32 XP Performance Noticability?

[eyefeast]

I'm sure the experts around here have answered this a bazillion times, so I apologize if I'm a severe case of deja vu.

I have a desktop with 4GB of RAM, and an Intel Duo Core CPU that I just purchased. It came running a 32-bit version of XP with 2GB of RAM, but I upgraded to 4GB and didn't realize the 64-bit mistake. So as I understand it, if I switch to 64-bit, I should notice a pretty big jump in performance?

My big question is, will the performance jump be "worth it" enough to justify formatting my drive and having to "redo" what I currently view as a comfortable computing environment?

Thank you in advance for your advice/knowledge.

Best,
-Chris

 

[PurdueRy]

I would because not running optimally bugs me. However, if you don't have an easy way to store the files you want to keep it might be more trouble than its worth.

I would say go for it.

 

[Roguestar]

64-bit XP is terrible. It's just a bone microsoft threw to us all when we had athlon 64s and wanted something to do with them. Vista x64 is a different story, thankfully, but at the moment I'd not recommend XP-x64 to anyone.

 

[Schadenfroh]

There is a performance difference for me, xp 32bit is faster due to better AGP / Mobo drivers.

Assuming your system has 64bit drivers that are just as good as the 32bit drivers, are you going to be using any 64bit software?

 

[0roo0roo]

http://www.dansdata.com/askdan00015.htm

 

[jkresh]

If you are going 64 go with vista, as others have said its 64bit implementation is much better then xp's. From my experinece 4+gigs of ram on vista 64 does make a big difference but it depends on what you use the pc for (ie word processing and web viewing wont see much of a difference, most games wont but lots of multitasking, rendering, photoshop... will).