Soleron on 22 August 2008
Advantages of 64-bit compared to 32-bit:
- About 5% faster for most CPU-limited programs (not games).
- Can use 4GB+ of RAM without hacks like PAE
Disadvantages of 64-bit compared to 32-bit:
- Can be slower for programs which are unoptimised for 64-bit or aren't CPU limited (games are usually this on both counts)
- Lack of drivers (Hardware may not work)
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Currently, on balance I would say go 32-bit for Windows, and 64-bit for other OSs. Oh, and get XP instead of Vista if you can. That will make a huge difference in performance and responsiveness on a laptop.
If you really can, of course, get something that isn't Windows. Mac OS X, BSD, Solaris, Linux, etc. are all faster than Windows (certainly faster than Vista).
