64-bit Windows 8.1 tablets are coming later this year

Shawn Knight

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finally windows tablet 64-bit windows 8.1

Here’s something you may not have noticed before – most Windows 8.1 tablets that are currently on the market are loaded with the 32-bit version of Microsoft’s latest operating system despite the fact that they carry 64-bit processors. That’s about to change, however, according to at least one source familiar with the matter as reported by CNET.

As the publication points out, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo and Samsung all offer Windows 8.1 slates powered by Intel’s Bay Trail (Atom) CPU but oddly enough, these machines have all included 32-bit versions of Windows 8.1. Why is that, exactly?

The main reason that most users opt for a 64-bit installation is to be able to use more than 4GB of system memory. That really hasn’t been a concern just yet for tablets as they don’t pack a ton of RAM but as Nathan Brookwood, principal analyst at Insight 64, points out, there’s demand for 64-bit tablets from IT organizations that want to standardize on 64-bit images and 64-bit apps.

True enough, the first wave of Bay Trail slates were largely marketed as consumer-level devices. The next batch is expected to target business customers, hence the push for 64-bit Windows. And at least one major PC maker is expected to introduce a 64-bit tablet at Mobile World Congress later this month.

Dell also told the publication they would be rolling out 64-bit OS support for the Venue 8 Pro and Venue 11 Pro tablets running Bay Trail later this year. Additionally, Microsoft confirmed there will be multiple Windows 8.1 devices running 64-bit on Atom as well.

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Ohh Joy!

A 64-bit OS with 8-bit color squares. At least the OS is getting an upgrade in bit quality for these devices. Meantime the desktop is still stuck with the same ugly ****.

Please someone tell me you can use transparency, as a color for these damn squares.
 
Ohh Joy!

A 64-bit OS with 8-bit color squares. At least the OS is getting an upgrade in bit quality for these devices. Meantime the desktop is still stuck with the same ugly ****.

Please someone tell me you can use transparency, as a color for these damn squares.

A developer is free to make their tile design with as many or as little colours as they like, just like with traditional icons. The only difference is that the "tiles" don't support translucency in the same way that icons do (similar to translucency in PNG vs. JPG) But I think the functional benefits of live information that can be displayed is a fair trade off for some merely cosmetic transparency.

You people always talk about the squares as if it's some kind of insult. What's so bad about the squares? It provides consistency. In reality it's really not much different than the SQUARE GRID OF ICONS you've had on your desktop for the last 19 years.
 
Only if it's less than 500 bucks.

Then I'll pick it up right before the next model comes out for $299.
 
You people always talk about the squares as if it's some kind of insult. What's so bad about the squares? It provides consistency. In reality it's really not much different than the SQUARE GRID OF ICONS you've had on your desktop for the last 19 years.
There is nothing wrong with the square itself. The problem is that not everyone makes the square look pleasant to the eye (my eye anyway) the way the icon are for pre-win8. Hell even Windows 95 made the icon's square designated coordinates look better to me than Metro. And that is because the coordinates wasn't all icon, and you couldn't really tell where the coordinate edges were.
 
I agree that beauty is in the eye of the beholder but if you showed Windows 7 and Windows 8 to someone who nothing about computers at all, and then asked them which was the newer operating system? Metro may work for some but I hate it. It looks very basic and ugly to me. I have 'upgraded' my new laptop from windows 8 to Windows 7 and continue to use 7 on my desktop PC. Roll on Windows 9. Tried Windows 8 - Hated it and will NEVER use it again.
 
Mine is running 64-bit Windows 8.1 Pro on 64-bit Atom dual core. Whoever decided to put 32-bit version of Windows 8.1 on 64-bit Atom is beyond me. I also must say Windows 8.1 not bad better than Windows 8 was. Still they need to get rid of the old Windows and make all apps run like Metroapp. If I launch Chrome 32-bit it goes to the old style desktop and run. If I run the IE Metro app is runs in metro. That's the biggest issue MS has right now this flip/flop OS they peddling.

Quad and dual systems I run Windows 8.1 run better than Windows 7. But I am not installing it on all systems. There is a lot of whops to go through every time it boots. I have to keep the OS really lean and clean otherwise still suffers from sluggish OS. Once cleaned up everything is running full steam ahead. I did see an issue with Metro Video Player. I had to use VLC instead.

I know a major update was pushed to my system, so I'll see if that fixes that issue.

Also don't expect much from full 64-bit OS on Atom 64-bit dual Core CPU. They need to give more RAM. I have to run Free Windows Tuner to make sure the RAM is release and system is at 100%. Would it make more sense to have 8GB on tablet instead of 2GB, 4GB. They're going to say it cost too much. But yet they charge too much for 2GB tablet.
 
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