Almost 77-87.8% of people around the world use windows as their primary operating system. Windows have their different versions but do you ever hear about 32-bit and 64-bit windows in your device.
The common question roaming in our mind is what’s the basic difference between 32-bit and 64-bit windows. In today’s topic, we will discuss what’s the difference between a 32-bit and 64-bit Windows operating system and how they can impact our device.
What are 32-bit and 64-bit Windows?
In computers, everything works depending upon microprocessor and every microprocessor works as per bit operation. Every processor works on bit clocking operations. Like our decimal digits are counting as 0 to 9 but in bit operation, the digits are count as 0 and 1.
Every operation which is conducted through bit operation can be operated by 0 and 1 only. For that reason, a 32-bit Windows can perform 2^32 times addresses which are almost 4,294,967,296 addresses. Rather than a 64-bit operating system, it is able to perform 2^64 or 18,446,744,073,709,551,616 which is a more vast operation than a 32-bit processor operation.
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How to choose between 32-bit and 64-bit windows
You have seen that 64-bit windows can handle more operation than 32-bit windows can. Previously in the time of Windows XP, there were only 32-bit windows that came with the operating system. A 32-bit window can manage up to 4GB RAM utilization rather than a 64-bit window can manage to handle 16GB or more RAM utilization.
The common misconception happened sometime that a computer has 16GB RAM but it has 32-bit windows, it can only operate up to 4GB RAM utilization and the rest memory will not be used anymore.
What is a problem for using 32-bit and 64-bit Windows?
As per common uses, there is nothing happened if you use 32-bit windows or a 64-bit window. But one thing you have to remember is that 32-bit windows can’t operate a 64-bit compatible software.
Yes, the biggest problem which everyone has faced is the compatibility problem of using the software in your device. If you have a 32-bit Windows, you can’t install 64-bit software in your device.
But on the other side, a 64-bit windows system can easily handle a 32-bit compatible software. As you know that 32-bit windows can handle a 4GB RAM utilization, a 64-bit program can’t be compatible easily with that configuration only.
Some old programs need to run on 32-bit Windows only and that kind of processor can’t run on the 64-bit windows. And the most important thing is that You can’t upgrade from 32-bit Windows to 64-bit windows easily.
How to find a difference in 32-bit and 64-bit on your device
Do you want to find what version of your windows? You can find that from your windows 10. Go to the Start Button of your windows and click on the Setting. Now go to system > about and you will find what version of windows is running on your device.
On the earlier versions of Windows like Windows 7 or Windows XP, you can check your operating version following these steps: go to Start Menu > Properties.
If your device is running 64-bit Windows, you will find two folders on your C:/ drive where you can find Program Files and Program Files(x86) that contain different programs installed as per their compatibility.
All kinds of 64bit software are installed in the Program Files and all the 32-bit software are installed on the Program Files(x86).
Know what is best 32-bit or 64-bit windows – Final Words
Earlier days there are only 32-bit windows available and it comes with 4GB RAM. But in 2020, all the devices come with a lot of customization, and a lot of powerful processing speed. Now 8GB RAM is common for everyone and 64-bit windows come with every device.
Now all the developer works with their 64-bit windows system for developing their own program because 32-bit windows can handle maximum 4GB RAM but nowadays 4GB RAM is too less for running software nowadays.