64 bit windows question

[Saurion]

Just a quick question:

Im looking at building my own computer and have a AMD Athlon 64 3500+ CPU selected. Will i need to purchase the Windows XP 64bit version due to the processor? Or will it run fine on the old XP? OOOORRR will i get reduced performance from the CPU because its not running on/with a 64bit OS?

Thanks alot,

Saurion

 

[CrossFire851]

You will get a proformance degrade if you run windows xp x64, due to many programs still being 32 bit you would have to emulate them, (wich windows x64 has) wich will require more system resources because not only will you be running the program, but also the emulatore and it will take off some performance . You can run windows xp 32 bit (x86) no problem, wich I highly recommend due to lack of x64 driver support.


I would just stick with the old xp. It's your best bet.

 

[Saurion]

Alright, thanks alot for the quick reply!

 

[CrossFire851]

No problem, that's what I am here for, to help. Glad to be of assistance.


Best of Luck,
Rick

 

[Didou]

You will get a proformance degrade if you run windows xp x64, due to many programs still being 32 bit you would have to emulate them

Actually, you won't need to emulate them. XP 86-64 can run 32-bit applications natively thanks to AMD64/EMT64. It's only on Intanium based machines that it has to be emulated. 32-bit applications on XP 86-64 run just as fast as a regular XP, but the part of lack of drivers for certain equipment is true.

If your hardware is from big copanies like nVidia, Creative, etc. you won't have driver problems. But from smaller companies that do certain modems, scanners, etc. it will be harder if not downright impossible to find proper drivers for them.

 

[CrossFire851]

I thought that since that the x32 programs aren't "real" x64, they are emulated on the x64 technology for the that cpu, but still x32 programs. Oh, well. Just stick with x86.

 

[Saurion]

So even though im looking at getting the AMD Athlon 64 3500+ cpu, it would be my best bet to stick with XP until something like vista comes out?