Biggest Question of All Time!

Kornowski

Kornowski

VIP Member
I'm cunfuzzled!

I don't know what to do, right, which-ever option I pick, it costs the same, so that isn't a problem...

Get 32Bit Vista and have 3GB of RAM & 8800GTS.

Get 64Bit Vista and have 4GB of RAM & 8800GTS, BUT, may not be able to have working wireless internet.

Gamble! :confused:

I don't know what to do, or keep XP and my 7950GT...

You guys know of Wireless Adaptors that do work with 64bit Vista that you can link to in the UK?
 
Nope, it's my desktop... It won't move, but I already have a wireless adaptor and I don't know if I can get the wire from the router downstairs to my room...
 
XP and 7950, wait and see if XP service pack 3 (im so excited) will have dx10 support before upgrading to vista
 
In my opinion what is the point of having a computer with out the internet? I mean you need the internet for updates, drivers, software, not to mention a wonderful source of entertainment and information.

There is a lot of misinformation going on around here. Let me set you straight.

Here are the advantages of 64bit architecture

64-bit memory addressing to everything on your system bus on your motherboard. This includes PCI-E cards, memory, front side bus, etc. You have more bandwidth. That is all really.

Disadvantages:

32bit applications do not benefit from this
driver support is janky


Now, I will say that no game out there let alone very very few applications actually require 4 Gigs of RAM. Maybe if you were running Final Cut studio, with like 8 or so high end plug ins all running at once, with an internet browser open and a MP3 player maybe you might get close to using up 4Gigs of RAM. No video game uses that much RAM, and if it does it is extremely poorly coded. It is most likely filled with memory leaks, and that is why it is eating up your RAM. Unused RAM does not increase performance at all. The only time RAM boosts performance is when it is being used. So, unless you are actually using over 3Gigs of RAM and starting to use tons of virtual memory (which is slower) then you will start to see a decrease in performance. At my work our Maya labs do more number crunching and rendering than any PC does with video games and they are only running on 2Gigs of RAM each. They run pretty fast.

This is exactly why I won't upgrade to Vista anytime soon, because it actually lowers system performances with it's high demanding requirements.
 
tlarkin, I'd just like to take this oppertunity to thank you for all your answers, they're all really detailed and helpful! Thanks man! :D

In my opinion what is the point of having a computer with out the internet?
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Yeah, that's true. But I wouldn't be with-out it. I could see if I could get it wired, but I doubt it. If I could get it wired, would 64bit even be worth going for then?

From what you've told me, 64bit sounds a little pointless! But, will it become the next big thing, I know you've mentioned in the other thread that it may do, but it'll take an age!

Yeah, I see were you're coming from with the 4GB of RAM, it is slight overkill, I must admit! But, I can get 2GB of the XMS2 for the same price as 1GB, so should I snap it up? I know I'd have 4GB, but I wouldn't be able to see it all... That's probably my main question.

Thanks a lot for your help!
 
I think you may would be able to get your wireless working on 64bit, myself or no one else i know of has had a single problems with drivers and as i said before 99% of the time if a website has drivers for vista they will for 64bit also, so the driver support isn't "janky" and if it were that would mean 32bit is too. But if your worried and don't want 4gb of ram or need the 64bit support or the "future" proof of 64bit apps as i don't see coming out for some time to come i suppose 32bit would suit you fine..

One reason for 64bit being just as supported is that both versions are sold with the retail versions of vista, as xp was only sold with 32bit
 
Put some elbow grease in and run the cable. out the window up the wall under the carpet... It will work till then.
 
u arent gonna benefit from 64 bit at all for your needs, in reality there are hardly any needs at this point in time for a 64 bit OS anyway, just stick with 32 bit

Id suggest staying with XP, there are no reasons to upgrade besides DX10 and as said above, maybe DX10 support in the future? no need to waste money right now
 
I'll see if I can run a cable to my PC, I'll let you know if it'll work out...

So XP could see DX10? Hmmm.

Still stumped though!

just out of interest, how will you get either option for the same price?
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It's £30 to buy 2 x 512mb sticks and I know a friend who's selling 2GB for the same price.
 
out of curiosity, would we have to pay for XP SP3 or will it be an update and we'll just download it? i was using 98 before changing to XP SP2.
 
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ThatGuy16 said:
I think you may would be able to get your wireless working on 64bit, myself or no one else i know of has had a single problems with drivers and as i said before 99% of the time if a website has drivers for vista they will for 64bit also, so the driver support isn't "janky" and if it were that would mean 32bit is too. But if your worried and don't want 4gb of ram or need the 64bit support or the "future" proof of 64bit apps as i don't see coming out for some time to come i suppose 32bit would suit you fine..

One reason for 64bit being just as supported is that both versions are sold with the retail versions of vista, as xp was only sold with 32bit
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When I say 'janky' I mean this coming from my work, and how vista does not fully support half of our network printers, half of our other third party peripherals do not work either (doc cams, wireless interface devices, and other smart technologies). Given the amount of hardware I have seen with no support, or with crappy support gives me the matter to say that, yes 64bit driver support is janky.

At my work I support over 10,000 computers, so you can say that I have had a little experience. You say 'future proof' yet you don't explain how. You sound like a salesman. How is it future proof when no one majorly is making the migration to all 64bit platforms? Microsoft really screwed this up with Vista, they should have done what Linux and OS X did with their 64-bit OSes. It is such a marketing scheme as well.
 
x64bit Vista and 4Gb's of RAM is future-proof, discounting the insane amount of problems with 64bit tech and Vista. The only question is if it's advisable to make the jump now, when none of us know for certain when games and apps will actively use 3+ Gb's. Hell, Even I find myself using closer to 1Gb than 2 when gaming, though this is apt to change, as all things computing. Games with larger textures, larger game file that will make heavy use of memory mapping and addressing, will slowly make 2Gb's a bottleneck, I can see this happening as early as late 2008-2009, with the introduction of DX10 titles, and the devs clumsy efforts to make their games look like Crysis. So is it prudent to upgrade now? Of course not you have the time. Let the bugs work themselves out, buy an extra gig of RAM if that time of the year comes around and be happy you haven't had the fuss of the "early adapters".

On another note, yesh, SP3 has had some rumors abound concerning DX10 support. Alky's project is currently revising the DX10 API set to function under windows, as we all know it could've, but M$ removed the support. It's possible jealous Microsoft will attempt to beat them to the punch. Doesn't matter, if the rumors are true. Then we can all forget Vista for alittle while!
 
jnskyliner34 said:
out of curiosity, would we have to pay for XP SP3 or will it be an update and we'll just download it? i was using 98 before changing to XP SP2.
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No. Service Packs are massive updates to the software. They are free to download, but may have prerequisites (WGA, prior Service Packs, etc.).
 
Right, so you're saying don't get Vista yet, wait to see if XP SP3 includes DX10? And don't get the extra RAM just yet? I think for £30 though, I can't go wrong!

and be happy you haven't had the fuss of the "early adapters".
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What does that mean? My adaptor is pretty old :P
 
wireless internet has more ping doesnt it? how do you game with more ping?

i know it has the same bandwidth in some situations but ping is an issue for me.


and buy the sticks off your friend only if they are the same branda/model as yours, you'll get different max oc's on them
 
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