64 Bit OS

[Miskatonic]

What are the benefits of a 64 Bit OS in this day and age? Is there any reason to go from 32 to 64 for the average user?

[ryuk999]

Not too much unless your doing some video or photo editing/programming that requires 3GB+ of ram to be used at once.

Or a game that actually uses 3GB+ of ram at once.

[Miskatonic]

One of the music software programs I have been looking at has a recommended 8gb ram amount for optimum performance.

[ryuk999]

Chances are your going to want a 64bit OS then, however what is your motherboard? Not all motherboards can support up to 8GB of ram.

Another thing to take into account is software compatibility. 32bit OS's typically have more software compatibility than a 64bit OS. So if you do decide to get a 64bit OS (unless you already have one) then make sure all the important software you have now is compatible with a 64bit version.

[Force Flow]

Originally Posted by KazigluBey One of the music software programs I have been looking at has a recommended 8gb ram amount for optimum performance.

What program?

[Lespaul20]

Originally Posted by ryuk999 Another thing to take into account is software compatibility. 32bit OS's typically have more software compatibility than a 64bit OS. So if you do decide to get a 64bit OS (unless you already have one) then make sure all the important software you have now is compatible with a 64bit version.

Software shouldn't be much of an issue, most 32bit software will run within a 64bit OS. The drivers are the thing to be mindful of, even so, unless your hardware is quite old there will probably be drivers for both 32 and 64bit assuming Vista or Win7.

[ryuk999]

Originally Posted by Lespaul20 Software shouldn't be much of an issue, most 32bit software will run within a 64bit OS. The drivers are the thing to be mindful of, even so, unless your hardware is quite old there will probably be drivers for both 32 and 64bit assuming Vista or Win7.

Thank you for correcting me