64-bit and 32-bit
@Greentearoxxd (51)
Malaysia
March 12, 2010 6:44pm CST
Okay, I have seen something called Windows Xp 32-bit and Windows Xp 64-bit, Windows Vista 32-bit and Windows Vista 64-bit as well as Windows 7 32-bit and Windows 7 64-bit. If I am not wrong, I think I have seen something called 16-bit. What is this bit and what is the difference between the bits in terms of computer?
4 responses
@topffer (42156)
• France
13 Mar 10
16, 32, 64 bits is the width in binary notation of a register and determines the maximum working area of a computer : a 16 bit computer is able to work in an 2|16| (2 power 16) area = 65536 bytes (it was the limit for the old MSDos ".COM") ; a 32 bit can address 2|32| = 4 Gb, a 64 bits 2|64| = 16 exabytes.
It determines the maximum memory size that can use a computer, so a 32 bits computer can't address more than 4 Gb of RAM.
Hope this help.
@Greentearoxxd (51)
• Malaysia
13 Mar 10
That means my Xp can hold 2 more GB of ram then, thank you for the information!!
@kaylachan (71779)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
13 Mar 10
The numbers and bits are designed to perform best under certin resulations, or pixels and color brightness etc. Different monitors display things differently. for example 64- is sharper then 32. 32 is most common, but 64 is for those who have the higher defenition resulations on their monitors to make their computer experance a lot more sharp and clear for them.
@pierone (1894)
• Italy
13 Mar 10
Sorry friend. The number of the bit you saw in the operative systems you named, is not related to the monitor.
Is related to the number of bits your CPU can handle.
Actually CPU's are 32 or 64 bit. It means they can handle 32 or 64 bit instructions.
Although a 64 bit cpu can run 32 bit software, the same cpu performance will be enanched using an operative system natively designed for this kind of cpu. In this case, infact, the operative system knows the capabilities of the cpu and use it all.
Running a 32 bit operative system on a 64 bit cpu will give you, as result, decreased performance compared to the possibilities of the cpu. (the cpu will be used as a 32 bit one).
On the contrary, you CAN NOT RUN a 64 bit operative system on a 32 bit CPU.
@chrystaltears (3392)
• United States
13 Mar 10
What I've run into with the 32 and 64 bit stuff is that when I want to download I find that they have two different links. One for the 32 which can not hold as big a download as the 64 bit. I guess you have more space with the 64.
@kingdomfei (9)
• China
15 Mar 10
i think the 64-bit computer system is more advance more than the 32-bit,it could have a faster speed than 32 or 16.just like cpu,which but i'm not sure.
