Another 32 vs 64 bit thread?? Please input.

[adinu]

Im stuck once again when trying to get my next computer. I keep leaning towards the 64bit side and then back to 32. I dunno what to do.

Im looking at laptops right now, and I would really like to get a decent gaming one. That said, the better ones by far are pentium m 32bit. I want to get that so bad, but i keep thinkin about the stupid 64bit crap and how its gonna take over soon. I know that it will take a while, but since im gonna spend agood amount of money on this, i would like to keep it for a couple of years.

I know most of you have ideas about when 32bit computing will become obselete, but are there any proven facts about this and when it will happen.

 

[003]

64-bit, if you are still hesitant, refer to my sig. And BTW, pentium M's SUCK for gaming.

 

[senseless]

If you decide to go the amd route.. Make sure the laptop supports regular AMD processors and not the mobiles... The mobiles are lacking in the processor power department. If you ever decide you want to upgrade the machine (6 months ish) you'll have working dualcore processors to look forward to.. However, you'll be limited to a 1-2 hour battery life.

003, arrogance has been the downfall of everyone from napolean to hitler to hussein. Why do you think you're so god damn special? =)

 

[horndude]

32 bit will be around for years yet,Id guess at least 5 more years anyway before 64 bit is more mainstream than 32 bit is, on the software end of the deal for desktop end users anyway

64 bit has been out for what,about a year, maybe longer?Still no true 64bit OS from anybody for desktops, not even OS X is completely and 100% 64 bit, and its been around longer than 64 bit AMD chips.Sure, winblows has a 64 bit kernel now(that should prob still be beta), and linux has had one for about a year, but no real 64 bit drivers or hardware to speak of.

If your only going to keep this laptop a couple of years, you'll be getting a new one about the time 64 bit gets more mainstream, IF it does at all.Multicore processing may end up making 64 bit a moot issue, time will tell.

 

[DJ-CHRIS]

We have real 64 bit hardware and drivers

And the mobile AMD's are not lacking in the power department compared to their desktop counterparts either

 

[horndude]

we have some 64 bit drivers and hardware, but its still quite rare, you can almost count them on one hand LOL, for desktop use anyway

 

[DJ-CHRIS]

Soundblaster sound cards, 64 bit support
ATI, 64 bit support (non beta)
Nvidia, 64 bit support (non beta)
CPU's, AMD Athlon 64 and Intel 6XX seires, native 64 bit
All Athlon 64 mobo's, 64 bit support

Only problems you have is printer, scanner, camera ect drivers.

 

[horndude]

Google for 64 bit drivers and a whole heap of links will show up illustrating what im getting at, just like Apple has spent the last two years still slowly converting ALL of OS X to 64 bit, theyre almost done with that project.

windows 64 shipped with about 50,000 of them if you believe what they say, many are beta drivers(no big deal most vid drivers are beta for months after release), still, its a tiny drop in the bucket, there's an awful lot of hardware out there with no 64 bit drivers yet, not much 64 bit software as of yet either

At least the AMD 64 bit chips handle 32 bit quite well, Intel's dont.

 

[woot7800GT]

wait, so certain peripherals wont work with 64 bit?

 

[horndude]

most peripherals will work fine, they just wont have real 64 bit drivers, alot of hardware out there is 32bit anyway, actually most of it is

just for perspective, windows 98 and maybe XP too(not sure), will work with old 16bit legacy ISA hardware, ya its rare to see that stuff anymore, but some is still around

The migration to 64bit will happen in spurts, and not all at once, backwards compatibility will in most cases be preserved, but not all parts of ANY OS for the desktop are 100% 64 bit yet, probably wont be for a couple years.At some point Im sure if 64bit ever really does take hold, AMD will probably drop 32bit support in their CPU's, Intel will likely do the same.