01-04-2011, 05:34 AM
The terms "32-bit" and "64-bit" refer to the way a computer's processor handles information. The 32-bit versions of the Windows operating system can use up to 3 GB of memory while the 64-bit versions of Windows can use more memory (up to 128 GB of RAM). More memory helps increase overall system and application performance, especially with applications optimized for 64-bit.
No matter how much RAM you have installed you won't be able to "see" it (when seeing the boot screen whilst booting), or use any more than 3Gb with a 32bit operating system.
Therefore, to answer your question, if speed is important to you, then a 64bit O/S and the "Optimised for Windows 64bit" version of PP will do things faster.
I've been using my version of PP on both Windows XP Pro SP3 32bit and on Windows 7 64bit (the O/S I'm using now) and to be quite honest, I can't see any difference at all in the way PP operates. Windows still takes forever to boot up and shut down and the apps. I use most frequently run just as fast on 64bit Windows as they did on 32bit.
Other users may (and probably do !) have an alternative view but what I've just told you is my own experience. The extra RAM I can now utilise on this 64bit Windows 7 (8Gb) certainly helps when I'm running graphics intensive software, ripping DVDs, defragging, scanning with my antivirus software etc.
I've been using Windows in all it's incarnations since 3.11 For Workgroups (when it came on 4 DOS floppies and 8 programme floppies) up to this 7 version, and while most software has become bloatware, so have the operating systems. I'm not pushed for time with anything computer, so how long something takes isn't all that important, but I can appreciate how those with a deadline would want things to happen yesterday !
No matter how much RAM you have installed you won't be able to "see" it (when seeing the boot screen whilst booting), or use any more than 3Gb with a 32bit operating system.
Therefore, to answer your question, if speed is important to you, then a 64bit O/S and the "Optimised for Windows 64bit" version of PP will do things faster.
I've been using my version of PP on both Windows XP Pro SP3 32bit and on Windows 7 64bit (the O/S I'm using now) and to be quite honest, I can't see any difference at all in the way PP operates. Windows still takes forever to boot up and shut down and the apps. I use most frequently run just as fast on 64bit Windows as they did on 32bit.
Other users may (and probably do !) have an alternative view but what I've just told you is my own experience. The extra RAM I can now utilise on this 64bit Windows 7 (8Gb) certainly helps when I'm running graphics intensive software, ripping DVDs, defragging, scanning with my antivirus software etc.
I've been using Windows in all it's incarnations since 3.11 For Workgroups (when it came on 4 DOS floppies and 8 programme floppies) up to this 7 version, and while most software has become bloatware, so have the operating systems. I'm not pushed for time with anything computer, so how long something takes isn't all that important, but I can appreciate how those with a deadline would want things to happen yesterday !