Ok first thread and might as well start a war here.
Why should a gamer go with 64bit? Most games dont support it yet. You have to get a new OS and MoBO. The 32bit chips are faster than the 64bit in 32bit mode. IE get a P4 3.6 for 300 bucks, or get an AMD dualcore 4800 (which only runs at 2.4 in 32bit mode) for 600 bucks.
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Cataclysm
lol... I'm basically repeating what most people are saying, but I just can't help myself. 64 bit or 32 bit AT THE MOMENT isn't very important for games. IMO that will start to change when Vista comes out, but for now, either one will do.
What is getting confused here, are 4 major changes that took place in the processor world over the past year. (Some affect each other, but are fundamentally different)
First was the main stream 64 bit processors (which don't take a performance hit running in 32 bit mode btw... whoever says they are slower is either lying, or is ignorant)
Second, was the Multicore Architecture. One Dye, multiple processors.
Third is what Intel feels proud to label "Performance per Watt" to lower power consumption and make processors more efficient.
And Fourth is Instructions per Clock Cycle, which is I believe is the most important of all...
The last one here is where you’re getting hung up here Cataclysm. Intel and AMD didn’t slow down their processors so they can make them run 64 bit extensions. You’re seeing the 64 bit stuff, and then looking at the processor speeds, and thinking the 32 bit versions are faster, because they have higher MHz. But as the processor generations go on, they become more efficient. It’s like comparing a Harley with a 1000cc motor to a Honda Crotch Rocket with a 750cc motor. I promise you the Honda’s faster, because of the engine, weight, and design of the bike.
Because of More efficiency, processors can be running at slower speeds so they require less power, but have more processing power than their previous generation. I believe AMD picked this time to start releasing their 64 bit technology because of these other fundamental shifts in processor architecture; it’s just easier to design one processor that does them all at once. The 64 bit capability of the newer processors on the market has nothing to do with their performance compared to the previous generation.
If you read these forums, there’s quite a war with the whole Conroe processor. My reason for bringing this up, is that Intel’s Conroe processor running at just over 2 GHz, was beating the 3.6 GHz Pentium 4 over clocked to over 4 GHz!
The reason you’re getting such confusing information here, is because technically 64 bit CAN increase performance a lot; especially in a gamming environment. However, that’s not even the issue right now. 64 bit has nothing to do with the slower clock speeds of the newer processors, its more efficiency. The newer processors are much faster, and more capable, even at slower clock speeds.
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