I am going to get a new laptop and I wanted to know if the Windows Vista 64bit has a huge advantage over the 32 bit one.

You should post this in the PC section since the afficionados don't always visit off-topics.

From my experience with 64-bit Linux, there is a significant difference in performance, at a cost of higher RAM requirements.

Go on wikipedia and look up 64-bit to get a pretty good article on the advantages and disadvantages.

I think 64 bit software can use 4GB+ of memory and 32 can only only use up to 3GB... I'm sure there's more to it but that's how I think it works.

32 bits.

http://www.bit-tech.net/bits/2007/10/16/64-bit_more_than_just_the_ram/1

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).

Yeah there are very few 64 bit native games but they tend to be the most high profile ones.

Most Valve and Epic games are 64 bit native or have versions that are.