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32-bit vs. 64-bit systems
I just ordered a Dell XPS 9000 which runs Windows 7 64bit.
I was just talking to someone who said they hate 64 bit. I did not get a reason but I wanted to know if there were any drawbacks to 64 bit these days?
I'll just check the year - yes indeed 2010!
I'll try explain this quick - if you have less than 4GB's ram in your machine run a 32bit OS, if you have 4GB's or more then run a 64bit OS.
Mostly ALL of your 32bit applications will work on a 64bit version of Windows. Most recent devices have 64bit drivers. The only drawback I can think of would be if you had a specific device that you don't have 64bit drivers for.
64bit computing is pretty much defacto lately, 32bit is dying out.
Also I would question this friends motivations for hating 64bit computing, What exactly does he hate about it - the ability to use more than 4GB's of RAM, or the extra stability and slight speed increase of 64bit computing? Hating 64bit computing, is like hating "The Beatles"
As JL says the only real reasons why you shouldn't go for 64-bit is if you specifically have something that will not work on 64-bit, like an old scanner or other peripheral that has some special drivers.
I have a PS2 to USB converter that does not work, only a small loss but I would like it to work and the company that supplied it say they cannot make the 64-bit drivers as it costs money to get the certificate to sign the drivers so that Windows 7 64-bit will load them.
Past that I really don't see any reason not to go 64-bit, even if you only have 3GB of RAM you might want to upgrade later and having 64-bit on a machine will make it that much easier. If you're on an old machine that doesn't support more than 3-4GB of RAM then you're stuck to begin with but any modern machine shouldn't have that limitation.
Other than what I said the only times I have seen problems with 64-bit is with old programs that should have gone the way of the dodo many years ago, everything else just works.
