Stata.com has an excellent quick reference guide on how to check if your computer is 32 bit or 64 bit.
The main difference in the two types of processors is the power you have available. A 64 bit systems has a much larger buss available than the 32 bit system. Infopackets gave a brief overview of the differences in 2006, noting that with the 64 bit system "Normal office productivity and web surfing will show no advantages at all, whereas graphics processing and scientific calculations will go much faster."
Here's a practical application of knowing the difference: If you're considering putting Windows on a Mac, you'll want to make sure the version of Windows is either 32 bit or 64 bit so it matches your processor speed.* I'm probably going to do this and I'll post an update on how well this goes.
*EDIT: Upon further research, it turns out the 64 bit OS is needed to utilize RAM 4GB and up.
3 comments:
On Windows Vista and 7 you can just right click "my computer" then "properties" and it will tell you which you have.
Good tip, Ben. That's a lot easier to memorize than what that person suggested.
For Macs, if you purchase a new one, it's going to be a 64 bit system. Mine, however, is 32 bit since I'm sporting OS X 10.4.11 and my processor is an Intel Core Duo instead of Intel Core 2 Duo. *Raises fist* someday... I will get a new computer! I digress.
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