What is the Difference Between x86 and x64 (aka 32bit and 64bit) OS?

This is the most and frequently asked question among common people that \”What is the Difference between 32bit and 64bit ?\”. Even I had this question in my mind when I came to hear the term 64bit. Those times, I couldn\’t answer my friends properly about this topic since I didn\’t care about it.

But, nowadays it is an important factor to choose which architecture to use for your Operating System, i.e. 32bit ot 64bit. In this post, let us discuss about the Differences, Advantages & Disadvantages of these two architectures.

There are many things to be considered when you choose the architecture of you Operating System even your processor is a 64bit processor.  They will be discussed in this post.

First of all, let\’s check whether your system is running on 32bit or 64bit. To do this, Right Click on My Computer, click Properties and there you can see your processor information…

This is my system\’s configuration. I use 32bit Windows 8.1 OS but I have a 64bit processor (I will tell you why I choose 32bit OS…). Like this, you can check your\’s. Now, to the main points…

The terms 32bit and 64bit refer to the way a computer\’s processor (also called a CPU), handles information. The 64-bit version of Windows handles large amounts of random access memory (RAM) more effectively than a 32-bit system.

Comparison:

32bit Processor	64bit Processor
Low Addressable space Allows only up to 4GB RAM Also supports 16bit Applications (you can run old programs) Drivers are easily available Requires only a small memory (for Windows, 1GB or 2GB RAM enough) Offers a GOOD performance	Large Addressable space Allows up to 8TB RAM Does not support 16bit Applications (you can’t run old programs) Drivers harder to find Requires large memory (for Windows, minimum 4GB for best performance) Offers an AWESOME performance

Some Misconceptions:

Here are some misconceptions about the archiutectures:

• Only difference is the RAM: some people thinks that the RAM difference is the only thing in considering both processors
• Incompatibility: some people thinks that the apps eon\’t work in 64bit processors. but, there are 64bit versions for almost popular apps like 64bit Photoshop
• Performance: some people thinks that there is no performance differences, but If the configuration is right 64bit gives a super performing PC!
• 32bit is good for Gaming: this is a very bad decision for gamers… there are gaming drivers for 64bit processors and this will make your gaming experience even more better!

Verdict & Advices:

• According to these analysis and my experience, x64 or 64bit is the best one for those having a good PC configuration. It gives an excellent performance.
• If you have a RAM less than 4GB then 64bit is NOT RECOMMENDED
• If you want to use old applications and games and features, then stay in 32bit OS.
• If you\’re planning to get 64bit then must choose a minimum 4GB RAM and better hard disk space ( minimum 40GB for C: ). Some people using 64bit pc gets their pc hanged because of lower memory…

So, keep these things in your mind before planning your PC. Hope this article helped you… 🙂