Windows 7 32 Or 64 Bit - Which is the Better Choice?

Now that Windows 7 operating systems and 64 bit dual processors are becoming popular, many people are wondering if it would be better for them to get their Windows 7 in a 32 or a 64 bit version. In this article we will discuss the difference between 32 and 64 bit.

Through the last several years we have enjoyed the extraordinary power the 32-bit computer has brought us. Along with the computer, of course was the 32-bit Windows operating system we used to run these formidable computer systems.

However, a couple of years ago high power computers took yet another leap forward on the power scale when the 64-bit system came on the scene. Because the number 32 is half the number 64, it sounds like the 64-bit system would have twice the capabilities of the 32. This is not true. Potentially, the difference would be more in line with taking the number 1 billion and adding 9 more zeros to the end of it.

Actually, CPU's and chipsets available are not able to take full advantage of all the computing ability 64 bit has to offer. One area we do see a breakthrough because of 64-bit is with the memory limit our computers can address. With 32-bit we have an upper limit of 4 Gigabytes of RAM a computer can handle. 64-bit computers smash through that barrier. Theoretically, their limit is measured in Exabytes. The short definition of an Exabyte is a number that makes gigabytes and even terabytes seem tiny!

More than Enough

Yes, while it is true our current computer architecture can't yet take advantage of such a gaudy number, there are some computers around that are capable of addressing more than 100GB of RAM! WOW!

So, why do we home computer users need all this computing power? The answer in a word is video. The ability to work with very large amounts of RAM allows us to be able to process enough video frames per second to show, create and edit HD video flawlessly on our computers. Frankly, if there was no call for high quality video, probably not too many of us would desire more than a 32-bit system.

Windows XP, Vista and 7 all have 64-bit versions. It has been said XP 64 left some room for improvement. Vista 64 made these improvements and then some. Windows 7, though not yet time tested, comes with rave reviews! However, it is the Windows 64-bit Vista operating system that is doing most of the heavy processing these days. Is Windows 7 better? Probably, but right now nobody is sure.

Registry Cleaning a Must

As far as maintenance is concerned, these high powered OS's require the same attention Windows operating systems have commanded for the past several years. Mainly, they need to have excellent spyware/virus protection and good registry cleaner installed. Many computers come to you new already equipped with good spyware and virus protection. If yours doesn't, you really should look into it.

The main enemy of good computer performance is registry corruption. Registry corruption will build up in any Windows operating system. This is just the way it is. It doesn't take that much time for this corruption to build up, either. However, 64-bit registries are larger than 32-bit ones and in the world of registries, it seems the bigger they are, the harder fall.

When a registry is corrupt, it has no choice other than to lose all speed. So, whether it is a 32 or 64-bit, periodic use of a registry cleaner is necessary. When registry corruption is kept under check, the computer will remain fast; barring of course, some unusual type of software or hardware problem.

Finally, just like a lot of software is not yet compatible with 64-bit, spyware/virus cleaners and registry cleaners must be made for this system in order to work on it. If you try to use a 32-bit registry cleaner on a 64-bit system, nothing too terrible will happen, it just won't work.

In short, investing a little time and the very small expense involved to keep registry corruption out of your registry will be well worth the effort. The Windows registry is the hub of all your computer operations. If corruption invades it your computer, it could start acting up on you. This is true no matter how powerful your computer is.

The author, Ed Lathrop is a comp TIA A+/Network+ certified computer technician thoroughly familiar with how PC's operate. His site, Registry Cleaner Reviews, rates the latest 32 and 64 bit registry cleaners and reveals which ones work best and which might actually be dangerous to your computer. Also, for information about getting and keeping your computer fast, visit Slow Computer Solutions.