Goodbye x86, hello x64!

By TCA
in Microsoft (Windows)

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Grand Master

TCA

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Posted

Well I just wanted to say is I have decided to rid myself of x86 Ultimate. I am now running Ultimate x64 Window 7. I can say it was the right choice to make, after being on 32 bit since XP(2002 ver.). I would rather the system use all my ram instead of half. Which the first thing I put on here was Waterfox and I think it's better then Firefox. Also, things seem to run smoother then before. So now I am officially 100% through with 32 bit operating systems. Right now I only have 2GB but will be upping it to 4.

To the hundreds of posters and thread makers alway's raising the topic of sending x86 into exile, I will agree all the way. 64 is the future and it's pure fact...maybe, lol

  • spaceelf, f0rk_b0mb and Reacon
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Grand Master

+InsaneNutter MVC

Posted
  • MVC
Posted

Welcome to x64 land, i mad the jump with Vista in 2006 and never looked back!

Apart from been able to use all your ram you will probably not really notice much difference, although at the time the Dolphin emulator (GameCube / Wii) worked so much better on x64 Windows than x86.

Veteran

sagum

Posted
Posted

Ever since I switched to x64 windows I have had no problems with software compatibility. So I wonder why people are still stuck on 32-bit, 64-bit works flawlessly. Am I missing something?

Windows 7/8 hasn't been too bad for 64bit drivers. However, when 64bit XP came out, or even 64bit Vista, drivers were next to non-existent and the ones that were there for hardware were very poor. Not only that, but 64bit drivers used to have to be signed as well. It made simple things such as some DVD burners incompatible between 32bit and 64bit systems.

Grand Master

PGHammer

Posted
Posted

Well I just wanted to say is I have decided to rid myself of x86 Ultimate. I am now running Ultimate x64 Window 7. I can say it was the right choice to make, after being on 32 bit since XP(2002 ver.). I would rather the system use all my ram instead of half. Which the first thing I put on here was Waterfox and I think it's better then Firefox. Also, things seem to run smoother then before. So now I am officially 100% through with 32 bit operating systems. Right now I only have 2GB but will be upping it to 4.

To the hundreds of posters and thread makers alway's raising the topic of sending x86 into exile, I will agree all the way. 64 is the future and it's pure fact...maybe, lol

Welcome to the Land of X64, TCA.

To be honest, x32 (regardless of operating system - it's far from unique to Windows) hangs on for two reasons - inertia of users and inertia of developers.

I was where you are RAM-wise when I crossgraded to x64 with Vista - 2 GB; however, that is simply an excuse, as I have crossgraded folks with less (Mom had 1 GB, and some had a mere 512MB of RAM).

Gettiing past the inertia and FUD is the hard part.

Grand Master

Denis W. Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted

The problem is many developers still won't make 64bit until Microsoft ditches 32bit Windows. >.<

So long as an application has no need to access more than 2 GB of memory (assuming defaults), having a 64-bit binary isn't an absolute necessity. Though one valid reason to require 64-bit binaries is if it's an Explorer extension and of course drivers. Your browser or PDF reader doesn't need to be 64-bit especially if it's portable.

The OS being 32-bit or 64-bit is a different case. People don't realize the loss of user-accessible memory if they complement a standard system with 4 GB of RAM (which perhaps they heard from others is the upper limit) with a discrete graphics card whose VRAM cuts into that limit.

I suppose, though feel free to correct me wrong, any speed differences if noticed is down to the reduced need of throwing away data in memory to meet limits in a 32-bit environment, plus a boost to computational-related tasks due to the number of CPU registers - those aren't a night and day difference though in most everyday applications.

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Grand Master

spaceelf

Posted
Posted

The problem is many developers still won't make 64bit until Microsoft ditches 32bit Windows. >.<

EA said a 64 bit only title is in the works. I believe Stardock said they're planning to make 64 bit only DLC. Many devs are recommending 64 bit OSes instead of just newer OSes.

It doesn't seem like 32 bit has too much longer to live in gaming.

Grand Master

Detection

Posted
Posted

Been x64 for a long time on my Desktop, Laptop is currently 32bit and only has 2GB RAM but occasionally gets a 64bit install, depends which ISO is either already on a USB stick or easiest to find, makes no difference with the Laptops performance if I'm honest

Grand Master

TCA

Posted
  • Author
Posted

EA said a 64 bit only title is in the works. I believe Stardock said they're planning to make 64 bit only DLC. Many devs are recommending 64 bit OSes instead of just newer OSes.

It doesn't seem like 32 bit has too much longer to live in gaming.

I could believe that, I felt 32 wasn'tinadequate for what I like to do. Which also, I think x86 is better suited for just casual browsing, gaming(windows pre-installed) etc. But for those that like us that are power users especially when it comes to playing higher level games 64 is the only true way to actually use your system how it should be. (bad analogy?)

I would like to move back to W8 because I am kinda missing it, go figure eh? But I am not sure how well Sims 3 would take to it....especially, now that Seasons will be out the 13th or 14th and the latest patch for it was issued days ago.

Grand Master

spaceelf

Posted
Posted

Sims 3 works fine in 8. It'll reset your display settings the first time you run it, but I haven't had any problems past that (in the preview releases the settings were hosed every time I launched unless I ran it in 7 compatibility mode.)

x86 isn't really better suited for anything but old games.

Grand Master

TCA

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Sims 3 works fine in 8. It'll reset your display settings the first time you run it, but I haven't had any problems past that (in the preview releases the settings were hosed every time I launched unless I ran it in 7 compatibility mode.)

x86 isn't really better suited for anything but old games.

Ah okay I may have to go to W8. But I will give it another month before I truly decide. I had to re-install them all except pets...can't play it(deformed pets) so I sold it to my friend, When I get a dedicated GFX, I'll just buy it from Origin

I would switch to x86-64 (not x64) bar one thing ... AlfaClock doesn't work on x86-64 - it's 32bit only.

It doesn't even work if you changed it to backward compatibility?

Grand Master

Elliot B.

Posted
Posted

Well I just wanted to say is I have decided to rid myself of x86 Ultimate. I am now running Ultimate x64 Window 7. I can say it was the right choice to make, after being on 32 bit since XP(2002 ver.). I would rather the system use all my ram instead of half. Which the first thing I put on here was Waterfox and I think it's better then Firefox. Also, things seem to run smoother then before. So now I am officially 100% through with 32 bit operating systems. Right now I only have 2GB but will be upping it to 4.

To the hundreds of posters and thread makers alway's raising the topic of sending x86 into exile, I will agree all the way. 64 is the future and it's pure fact...maybe, lol

"XP(2002 ver.)"

Windows XP came out in October 2001. There is no "2002 version".

Mentor

OOOOOOOO

Posted
Posted

Welcome to two or three years ago :D hehe ... Seriously tho, there's no massive obvious reason for most people to do it because systems are still being marketed with only 3 or 4 gb Ram and half the time that's shared with video. So most of those people wont notice the difference, but you made the right choice for future proofing and Ram increases :)

  • Tha Bloo Monkee
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Grand Master

Elliot B.

Posted
Posted

Welcome to two or three years ago :D hehe ... Seriously tho, there's no massive obvious reason for most people to do it because systems are still being marketed with only 3 or 4 gb Ram and half the time that's shared with video. So most of those people wont notice the difference, but you made the right choice for future proofing and Ram increases :)

Most systems now, even budget laptops, come with 4 GB RAM.

Luckily, all currently sold systems/laptops that are currently sold come with x64 and not x32.

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