will 64-bit process double bits/clock cycle than 32-bit?

[coyote2]

I thought that an advantage of using a 64-bit OS was that it could process double the bits/clock cycle as a 32-bit OS.

But I've googled 64 vs. 32 bit advantages and seen this mentioned nowhere. So was I misinformed?

Seems the biggest 64bit advantage is access to >4GB RAM.

I do processing-intensive work like video/audio editing, so moving double the data sounded very attractive to me!

 

[Mr Kagouris]

Yes, you were misinformed, there is no performance benefit beyond access to much higher RAM capacities to a 64-bit OS. That isn't to say you should go with 32-bit though, because all modern applications are mainly supported on 64-bit.

 

[MarkW]

You act like being able to access a maximum of 4GB is not a limitation. But it is a HUGE HUGE limitation. Some people can seemingly get away with 2GB or 4GB. But I find even 8GB to be limiting. It is not until I have 16GB that my system runs silky smooth.

And think about the servers. There are millions of servers out there with as much as 4TB of memory, allowing us all to do what we do on the internet. What if all of those servers had to function with 4GB maximum??

There are 64 bit functions that are used. But the single biggest improvement was allowing our computers to use more than 4GB of memory.

 

[utroz]

Yes technically 64bits can process 2x more than 32bits per clock but you have to remember things like MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, and such that already allowed more than 32bit to be processed at a time on 32bit cpus. Also not all programs can make use of more bits, so 64bits can slow down some programs because of more coding overhead. So things are kinda tricky. Also there were ways around the 4GB limit such as PAE but they are a royal pain and still only allow 4GB per thread but the system runs many threads so more than 4GB total could be used IIRC.

 

[rgd1101]

yes and no. 32bit cpu can handle 32bit register. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Processor_register
64bit can do 64bit.

 

[coyote2]

Very interesting answers, thank you everyone! Not totally sure, particularly after reading utroz' "Yes technically 64bits can process 2x more than 32bits per clock" I understand totally...but in short it seems my hope for doubled processing speeds were unfounded.

And oh yes, I definitely covet >4GB RAM!! However the machine I'm about to do an upgrade on now has a 4GB limit (NAGAMI2L mobo) so for it the 4GB limit of a 32-bit OS isn't an issue. Also, the CPU is old enuf that at 64 bits it would by stuck on Win7 due to lacking CMPXCHG16b so I'd get a "CPU does not support CompareExchange 128" message. (AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ Toledo CPU, too broke for a new PC now.)

 

[Plumboby]

go with 64bit i always do 64 bit gives u so much advance it programs 32bit programs run on 64bit even games i use 10Pro 64bit even old laptops just core2 duo they go well most the advance in programing is running on 64bit i would run & recommend u to run 64 bit on ur set up no issues as after a withen 2009 most motherboards were manufactured to run 64bit OS take advantage & no price diffrence & all when u buy an OS take the 64bit OS

 

[gamerk316]

The main advantage to using 64-bit on Windows is the removal of two Address Space limitations: The *hard* 4GB limitation [that all 32-bit OS's have], and the removal of the 2GB user mode Address Space limitation [this is why all your programs don't use more then 2GB].

The secondary advantage is the use of the 64-bit exclusive registers exposed by X86-64, though this will only give very minimal performance improvements.