Which version of Windows 7 to choose - x86 and x64?
With the premiere of the system Windows 7 there was a problem that many computer users probably had to face. Select version 32 (x86) if 64-bit marked with x64 ? Of course, 64-bit versions of systems from Microsoft had appeared before - after all, we had a choice Windows XP , and Vista in this very version. However, for various reasons, none of them was well received by a wider audience. XP, due to the fact that, first of all, the premiere of this version took place a few years after the x86 version was launched and was not well advertised, which apparently did not care much for the producers, and secondly - as the architecture x64 systems was still in its infancy, numerous problems of a technical nature appeared, such as compatibility of drivers and their low availability, etc. And what about the system Windows Vista ? This, in turn, was simply not very well received by a wider audience - a large proportion of computer users preferred to stay with Windows XP showing no interest in Vista, let alone switching to 64-bit operating system .
Advantages and disadvantages of Windows 7 with 64-bit architecture
WITH Windows 7 however, it is different - after all, Microsoft announced that the basic version of the "Seven" is the version marked with the x64 symbol. But how does it look from the point of view of an ordinary user? Is it worth switching to the 64-bit "Seven"? You know that 64-bit architecture is the future. But what about the present? Is it already beneficial to move to these newer operating system standards? To answer this question, you should read all the advantages and disadvantages of 64 bits, and assess your and your computer's capabilities.
What do the symbols x86 and 64 even mean?
A 32-bit operating system processes instructions that are just 32-bits long. As the 64-bit counterpart of such a system handles twice as long information, it reduces the time needed for data exchange. This is because x64 systems use more memory, which can make your system respond faster. Individual versions of Windows are designed to run on computers with 32-bit and 64-bit processors, respectively. Thanks to the emulator built into Windows systems, however, it is possible to run a 32-bit system on a computer with an x64 processor. The other way around, it doesn't work anymore - with a 32-bit processor we won't run a 64-bit operating system. Newer devices, however, are equipped with 64-bit processors. So if our computer was purchased no more than 3 years ago, we almost certainly already have a 64-bit processor. To check it, check the processor model - on the manufacturer's website (or in the box) you will definitely find information about this component.
Support for more RAM
For a layman who is faced with this choice, the matter will probably be very simple. System Windows 7 x86 supports memory in the amount of only up to 3.5GB, while its 64-bit counterpart perfectly copes with larger capacities (Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise editions in practice support up to 192GB). Today, with some computer games requiring more than 4GB of memory, installing more RAM in new computers is slowly becoming the standard. Not to mention people who need high-powered computers to work. So, apparently, the choice is simple - if you plan to buy equipment (or we already have one) with more than 3.5GB of RAM, you should definitely choose the x64 version, otherwise some memory will not be supported.
32-bit programs
Supporting more RAM is an important issue, perhaps crucial for some, but is that all? As you know, many applications today come in two versions - for systems with the x86 and x64 architecture. But what about programs that only run in 32-bit? As it turns out, they work fine on 64-bit systems, there is also no noticeable drop performance in their work. So you can freely use 32-bit applications on the x64 system. Additionally, it is possible to check the mode in which a given program works when working on a 64-bit system. Just start the Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc combination) and switch to the Processes tab. There, in the Image Name column, each x86 process will have '* 32' appended to the end of its name.
The problem only exists with 16-bit applications. No 64-bit system can handle them. Fortunately, they are used less and less and are successively replaced by 32-bit tools.
Drivers and legacy devices
This is where the stairs begin. While you can freely use x86 applications on a 64-bit system, the drivers must have drivers suitable for the 64-bit system. Until some time ago it was a serious problem (hence the failure of Windows XP x64), but nowadays more and more drivers are available for this version of the system. The problem now appears only with older devices that went out of sale a few years ago, and the manufacturer has stopped releasing updates and new drivers for these devices. Unauthorized drivers are also excluded - those installed on a 64-bit system must have trust certificates and be authorized by Microsoft. This makes it impossible to use drivers written by users or smaller companies, the tools of which Microsoft has not approved. Looking at it from the other side, there are also positive aspects - it eliminates the use of software of unknown origin, which to some extent threaten the security of the computer.
So what choice?
With a 64-bit processor (it's actually a standard today) and more than 4GB of RAM, there's actually not much to think about - it's worth betting on 64-bit Windows. Only the issue of drivers and older devices remains to be considered - if our printer is already several years old, it is worth checking whether it will be possible to use it on a new system before we decide to buy Windows 7 x64. 64-bit systems bring new opportunities, and according to forecasts, they will slowly gain greater market share. Having such a system, however, requires a little more work and control from the user than was needed when using a 32-bit system, although owners of the 64-bit version generally praise and recommend such a system. To sum up, it turns out that it is probably worth betting on the "Seven" marked with the x64 symbol. Today's technology is so developed that the problems associated with the use of this version of the system are actually a thing of the past. In the end, however, each user has to make his own decisions about choosing the version of the system.
With the premiere of the system Windows 7 there was a problem that many computer users probably had to face. Select version 32 (x86) if 64-bit marked with x64 ? Of course, 64-bit versions of systems from Microsoft had appeared before - after all, we had a choice Windows XP , and Vista in this very version. However, for various reasons, none of them was well received by a wider audience. XP, due to the fact that, first of all, the premiere of this version took place a few years after the x86 version was launched and was not well advertised, which apparently did not care much for the producers, and secondly - as the architecture x64 systems was still in its infancy, numerous problems of a technical nature appeared, such as compatibility of drivers and their low availability, etc. And what about the system Windows Vista ? This, in turn, was simply not very well received by a wider audience - a large proportion of computer users preferred to stay with Windows XP showing no interest in Vista, let alone switching to 64-bit operating system .
Advantages and disadvantages of Windows 7 with 64-bit architecture
WITH Windows 7 however, it is different - after all, Microsoft announced that the basic version of the "Seven" is the version marked with the x64 symbol. But how does it look from the point of view of an ordinary user? Is it worth switching to the 64-bit "Seven"? You know that 64-bit architecture is the future. But what about the present? Is it already beneficial to move to these newer operating system standards? To answer this question, you should read all the advantages and disadvantages of 64 bits, and assess your and your computer's capabilities.
What do the symbols x86 and 64 even mean?
A 32-bit operating system processes instructions that are just 32-bits long. As the 64-bit counterpart of such a system handles twice as long information, it reduces the time needed for data exchange. This is because x64 systems use more memory, which can make your system respond faster. Individual versions of Windows are designed to run on computers with 32-bit and 64-bit processors, respectively. Thanks to the emulator built into Windows systems, however, it is possible to run a 32-bit system on a computer with an x64 processor. The other way around, it doesn't work anymore - with a 32-bit processor we won't run a 64-bit operating system. Newer devices, however, are equipped with 64-bit processors. So if our computer was purchased no more than 3 years ago, we almost certainly already have a 64-bit processor. To check it, check the processor model - on the manufacturer's website (or in the box) you will definitely find information about this component.
Support for more RAM
For a layman who is faced with this choice, the matter will probably be very simple. System Windows 7 x86 supports memory in the amount of only up to 3.5GB, while its 64-bit counterpart perfectly copes with larger capacities (Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise editions in practice support up to 192GB). Today, with some computer games requiring more than 4GB of memory, installing more RAM in new computers is slowly becoming the standard. Not to mention people who need high-powered computers to work. So, apparently, the choice is simple - if you plan to buy equipment (or we already have one) with more than 3.5GB of RAM, you should definitely choose the x64 version, otherwise some memory will not be supported.
32-bit programs
Supporting more RAM is an important issue, perhaps crucial for some, but is that all? As you know, many applications today come in two versions - for systems with the x86 and x64 architecture. But what about programs that only run in 32-bit? As it turns out, they work fine on 64-bit systems, there is also no noticeable drop performance in their work. So you can freely use 32-bit applications on the x64 system. Additionally, it is possible to check the mode in which a given program works when working on a 64-bit system. Just start the Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc combination) and switch to the Processes tab. There, in the Image Name column, each x86 process will have '* 32' appended to the end of its name.
The problem only exists with 16-bit applications. No 64-bit system can handle them. Fortunately, they are used less and less and are successively replaced by 32-bit tools.
Drivers and legacy devices
This is where the stairs begin. While you can freely use x86 applications on a 64-bit system, the drivers must have drivers suitable for the 64-bit system. Until some time ago it was a serious problem (hence the failure of Windows XP x64), but nowadays more and more drivers are available for this version of the system. The problem now appears only with older devices that went out of sale a few years ago, and the manufacturer has stopped releasing updates and new drivers for these devices. Unauthorized drivers are also excluded - those installed on a 64-bit system must have trust certificates and be authorized by Microsoft. This makes it impossible to use drivers written by users or smaller companies, the tools of which Microsoft has not approved. Looking at it from the other side, there are also positive aspects - it eliminates the use of software of unknown origin, which to some extent threaten the security of the computer.
So what choice?
With a 64-bit processor (it's actually a standard today) and more than 4GB of RAM, there's actually not much to think about - it's worth betting on 64-bit Windows. Only the issue of drivers and older devices remains to be considered - if our printer is already several years old, it is worth checking whether it will be possible to use it on a new system before we decide to buy Windows 7 x64. 64-bit systems bring new opportunities, and according to forecasts, they will slowly gain greater market share. Having such a system, however, requires a little more work and control from the user than was needed when using a 32-bit system, although owners of the 64-bit version generally praise and recommend such a system. To sum up, it turns out that it is probably worth betting on the "Seven" marked with the x64 symbol. Today's technology is so developed that the problems associated with the use of this version of the system are actually a thing of the past. In the end, however, each user has to make his own decisions about choosing the version of the system.
