Quote from amp88 :

I realise there are some instances where you'd easily use 2+GB of RAM, but most of those would be in business or research where the chances are you wouldn't have the 32 bit problem anyway.

Well, there's also video/photo editing...

And of course, there's X-Plane, which on it's own gobbles up MORE than 2 Gb of RAM.

Quote from Shotglass :

i regularly max out 6 gig and recently according to ps i went over 100% ram usage on a 16gig sun

I knew you Germans took your porn seriously, I didn't know it was that extreme.

Quote from Stang70Fastback :

Well, there's also video/photo editing...

And of course, there's X-Plane, which on it's own gobbles up MORE than 2 Gb of RAM.

Ever looked up the word "most" in the dictionary?

Quote from Crashgate3 :

It's a limit of the hardware achitecture, not the OS running on it. A 32-bit system will *never* be able to address the full 4GB.

I'm guessing the total it can address is exactly 4GB, powers of two and all that, but that includes things like graphics RAM which takes the amount of addressable system RAM down. The more memory your graphics card has, the less system ram it can see.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_Address_Extension

You can activate it on Windows Vista 32 so it's possible to have (and windows detecting it) more than 4GB both Vista 32 and 64

http://www.thegeeksweek.com/bl ... 32-bit-windows-vista.html

Quote from amp88 :

Ever looked up the word "most" in the dictionary?

I know. I was just giving examples. Most people don't do video editing... or fly X-Plane.

i know i would be flamed for opening a new thread so im bumping this one

are there any other advantages to 64bit other than more ram?

is there a big difference between 3.3GB and 4GB ram?

Quote from anbiddulph :

i know i would be flamed for opening a new thread so im bumping this one

are there any other advantages to 64bit other than more ram?

is there a big difference between 3.3GB and 4GB ram?

Don't really notice much. Device drivers are well enough supported now for 32 and 64 bit, applications will run in 32 bit mode if they don't have a 64 bit version.

Well, I got 32bit on my laptop with W7, because the 64bit didn't work, but now I fixed that, So I will reinstall it with 64bit. I'd say it's worth it. I think not all hardware say it's 3,3Gb, my laptop says I have 3072MB RAM, So I think 64bit is worth it. It's worth it anyways, if you're planning to get more then 4GB ram, and like dawesdust_12 said, the support for 64bit is good, so I see no reason not to get it.

Quote from Bose321 :

Well, I got 32bit on my laptop with W7, because the 64bit didn't work, but now I fixed that, So I will reinstall it with 64bit. I'd say it's worth it. I think not all hardware say it's 3,3Gb, my laptop says I have 3072MB RAM, So I think 64bit is worth it. It's worth it anyways, if you're planning to get more then 4GB ram, and like dawesdust_12 said, the support for 64bit is good, so I see no reason not to get it.

If you'r CPU can handle 64Bit so buy a 64Bit system. There are one reason.
The 64 Bit ist cheaper than the 32Bit and if the Program cant be run with 64bit the system will it start with 32bit compatible mode.

So if you want to save money buy a 64Bit system=)

i run 4gb on 32bit

Quote from JR Cosworth :

1. I asume you have xp 32 bit?
   
2. If you change your os to 64 bit, than alot of your "aps". will not be compatible. Your 32 bit printer "for example" will not work with 64 bit unless there is an update for your printer & other "aps".
   

1. Wow, old thread.
2. I went to Vista64 and had no problems at all.

probably best to get 64bit unless your using some high tech stuff which you think might have driver issues.
Best to get 64bit just because it makes use of all 4gbs
for me its been compatible with everything, all my software, g25 and game controllers etc.

Pretty difficult to get 32bit OS from any decent computer manufacturer these days. The likes of Dell have been shipping 64bit only OS's for a while now.

Now Windows 7 is out, (with it's full support for 32bit apps), I'd be amazed to see anyone shipping the 32bit version.