Why do I want a 64 bit machine?

[Xeno Chauvin]

For 10+ years I've intermittently built my own machines.
It was so easy when the choices were a 486, or a 486DX.
When bus speeds were all the same (66 MHz) and the CPU had a
(pretend) relative number.
Now AMD has XP, Sempron, 64, and 64FX.
I've tried reading the spec's but fell asleep.
Pricing these various CPU's leaves one wondering where
the differences are when their relative speeds are the same
and the prices are about the same. FSB's seem to range from 133 to 1000Mhz.
Then there's the "BIT" factor.
Since I'm not a "power user" or big "gamer" nor do I brag about the size
of my Processor in public, to what end would I, could I put a 64Bit
processor?
Thanks for any and all opinions.
Xeno

 

[ToolPackinMama]

Since I'm not a "power user" or big "gamer" nor do I brag about the size
of my Processor in public, to what end would I, could I put a 64Bit
processor?

You don't need one.

 

[JAD]

you have too much money and you need a write off?

 

[Ed Cregger]

For 10+ years I've intermittently built my own machines.
It was so easy when the choices were a 486, or a 486DX.
When bus speeds were all the same (66 MHz) and the CPU had a
(pretend) relative number.
Now AMD has XP, Sempron, 64, and 64FX.
I've tried reading the spec's but fell asleep.
Pricing these various CPU's leaves one wondering where
the differences are when their relative speeds are the same
and the prices are about the same. FSB's seem to range from 133 to
1000Mhz.
Then there's the "BIT" factor.
Since I'm not a "power user" or big "gamer" nor do I brag about the size
of my Processor in public, to what end would I, could I put a 64Bit
processor?
Thanks for any and all opinions.
Xeno

My hobby is composing and recording music and taking photographs with my
digital camera, among other things. A 64 bit computer "could" speed these
processes up considerably, and, conceivably, could enable the programmers to
take much finer samples of audio and video data.

Also, we could run more processes simultaneously than is currently possible.

I just bought an eMachines T-6000 just because it was equipped with an AMD
Athlon 64 3200+ CPU. I want to run Microsoft's free beta Win 64 OS and
Cakewalk's free beta Sonar 64 music production program. I already own
Cakewalk's Sonar 3 & 4 programs in 32-bit. Incidentally, M-Audio offers free
64-bit drivers for some of their products.

Do you NEED 64-bit? Probably not. Neither do I. It's just something to play
with, but soon it will be the only choice.

Ed Cregger

 

[Garry Boyd]

For 10+ years I've intermittently built my own machines.
It was so easy when the choices were a 486, or a 486DX.
When bus speeds were all the same (66 MHz) and the CPU had a
(pretend) relative number.
Now AMD has XP, Sempron, 64, and 64FX.
I've tried reading the spec's but fell asleep.
Pricing these various CPU's leaves one wondering where
the differences are when their relative speeds are the same
and the prices are about the same. FSB's seem to range from 133 to 1000Mhz.
Then there's the "BIT" factor.
Since I'm not a "power user" or big "gamer" nor do I brag about the size
of my Processor in public, to what end would I, could I put a 64Bit
processor?
Thanks for any and all opinions.
Xeno

You really don't need one. Save the bucks and buy quality components.

 

[Fred Ginzola]

Save what bucks? You will save next to nothing staying 32 bit.

 

[petermcmillan_uk]

Save what bucks? You will save next to nothing staying 32 bit.

It depends a 64bit CPU requires a different motherboard, so it depends
what kind of upgrade the person wants to do. Upgrading to a Sempron
costs hardly anything.

 

[petermcmillan_uk]

For 10+ years I've intermittently built my own machines.
It was so easy when the choices were a 486, or a 486DX.
When bus speeds were all the same (66 MHz) and the CPU had a
(pretend) relative number.
Now AMD has XP, Sempron, 64, and 64FX.
I've tried reading the spec's but fell asleep.
Pricing these various CPU's leaves one wondering where
the differences are when their relative speeds are the same
and the prices are about the same. FSB's seem to range from 133 to 1000Mhz.
Then there's the "BIT" factor.
Since I'm not a "power user" or big "gamer" nor do I brag about the size
of my Processor in public, to what end would I, could I put a 64Bit
processor?
Thanks for any and all opinions.
Xeno

You could buy something cheap, and then take another look in a year or
two's time when the market has settled. I dunno what you've got at the
moment, but a Sempron upgrade could cost less than £40.

 

[hona ponape]

For 10+ years I've intermittently built my own machines.
It was so easy when the choices were a 486, or a 486DX.
When bus speeds were all the same (66 MHz) and the CPU had a
(pretend) relative number.
Now AMD has XP, Sempron, 64, and 64FX.
I've tried reading the spec's but fell asleep.
Pricing these various CPU's leaves one wondering where
the differences are when their relative speeds are the same
and the prices are about the same. FSB's seem to range from 133 to 1000Mhz.
Then there's the "BIT" factor.
Since I'm not a "power user" or big "gamer" nor do I brag about the size
of my Processor in public, to what end would I, could I put a 64Bit
processor?
Thanks for any and all opinions.
Xeno

I feel that some advantages are more of an advantage than others. I hope
this answers your question.

 

[Mxsmanic]

Since I'm not a "power user" or big "gamer" nor do I brag about the size
of my Processor in public, to what end would I, could I put a 64Bit
processor?

If you can't think of a reason to go with 64 bits, don't.

 

[Mxsmanic]

Save what bucks? You will save next to nothing staying 32 bit.

You may not save money, but you'll save time and grief, since the
software hasn't caught up with 64-bit systems yet.

 

[Papa]

The questions I always ask myself when a new hardware release becomes
available is - Is there any software available to take advantage of it, and
will performance be enhanced to any significant degree just by installing
that new hardware?

A third question might be - Do I have to replace any non-related hardware
(motherboard, RAM, etc.) if I decide to use that new hardware?

 

[JAD]

OP 's current machine 32 bit - stays with it - costs him nothing.....fair
savings I would think

Save what bucks? You will save next to nothing staying 32 bit.

 

[Rob]

I assume these 64 bit processors run 32bit Windows fine? Otherwise I
imagine sales wouldn't be so great. Do they run 32bit natively or do
they need to do translation (ie does it slow down when running 32bit).
They seem to be the same price as 32 bit processors at the same speed
so why wouldn't I buy 64bit I guess would be my question.

 

[johns]

When you do things like imaging, or restore from image,
the data rate will make that seem trivial .. over 1 gig / min.

When you price a comparable 32 bit machine, it will
cost more, and perform less.

On my machine, I can watch cable TV in a window
while browsing the net. My ATI 9800 Pro loves this
AMD 64. It screams with fps over 300 in games.

CPU fan is much quieter. My AMD 64 idles at 38 C.

For some reason, I have not lost this machine to hackers
on the net ... like I did with my 32 bit cpu ???
That was happening often, but this thing simply will
not let them in. It will not run certain kinds of crap,
and AMD told me why that was. They have some
kind of web security built into the AMD 64.

I am testing AMD 64s in my CAD labs. They run
AutoCAD and Solidworks much better than the
P4s. Much less crashing and corruption of drawings.
The 64s run much cooler than the P4s.

johns

 

[Mxsmanic]

When you do things like imaging, or restore from image,
the data rate will make that seem trivial .. over 1 gig / min.

When you price a comparable 32 bit machine, it will
cost more, and perform less.

On my machine, I can watch cable TV in a window
while browsing the net. My ATI 9800 Pro loves this
AMD 64. It screams with fps over 300 in games.

CPU fan is much quieter. My AMD 64 idles at 38 C.

For some reason, I have not lost this machine to hackers
on the net ... like I did with my 32 bit cpu ???
That was happening often, but this thing simply will
not let them in. It will not run certain kinds of crap,
and AMD told me why that was. They have some
kind of web security built into the AMD 64.

I am testing AMD 64s in my CAD labs. They run
AutoCAD and Solidworks much better than the
P4s. Much less crashing and corruption of drawings.
The 64s run much cooler than the P4s.

You're attributing way too much to 64-bit architecture.

 

[Xeno Chauvin]

What operating system are you running?
Xeno

 

[Xeno Chauvin]

I just bought an eMachines T-6000 just because it was equipped with an AMD
Athlon 64 3200+ CPU. I want to run Microsoft's free beta Win 64 OS

What operating system came with the machine?
Is it some type of "modified" Win XP?
I note at the Microsoft site that they are not
giving the Beta 64 away anymore. Hope you
got your order in for it.
Do you have any older mundane programs like Word, Works
that you have loaded? Do they work O.K.?
Did you have problems with drivers for printers and
scanners etc.?
Xeno

 

[Al Smith]

On my machine, I can watch cable TV in a window

while browsing the net. My ATI 9800 Pro loves this
AMD 64. It screams with fps over 300 in games.

CPU fan is much quieter. My AMD 64 idles at 38 C.

For some reason, I have not lost this machine to hackers
on the net ... like I did with my 32 bit cpu ???
That was happening often, but this thing simply will
not let them in. It will not run certain kinds of crap,
and AMD told me why that was. They have some
kind of web security built into the AMD 64.

I have an Athlon 64 also, and I'm pretty sure it makes my teeth
whiter.

 

[Xeno Chauvin]

I have an Athlon 64 also, and I'm pretty sure it makes my teeth
whiter.

<TIC> Must make you feel better after loosing the election?

What operating system are you using?
Do your "older" (legacy) programs run O.K.?
Hoe about printers, scanners, camera's etc?
Xeno