Is the 64 bit worth it?

Message

StonedZealot · Post by **StonedZealot** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 5:23 pm

I own an Ath64 3000+, so I'm not asking about the viability of the chip or anything, but I have a 32 bit Gentoo install on it because I used to be connected soley to a wireless network via ndiswrapper (which doesn't like 64 bit).

Now, I'm wondering, is it really worth recompiling everything now that I don't have any 32 bit packages I need? Will the 64 bit programs run noticeably faster than their 32 bit counterparts?

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 5:43 pm

Here are some benchs. Some of them (those in which the x86 is better

) are a bit out of date. For example, I tried the x86-64 version of xvid (ported by Niona) and it's as fast as the x86 version. And the last time I tried encoding using x86-64 ffmpeg, it was also as fast as the 32 bits version.

In the rest of the tests the 64 bits programs are quite faster than the 32 bits versions.

You decide

.

Magistrat · Post by **Magistrat** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 5:56 pm

i did a mistake while installing my system in the beginning and installed a 32-bit system and worked some days with it. after i noticed it's _not_ 64-bit i reinstalled everything to the right arch. so maybe i can tell some differences, if they are any.

starting programms is faster than 32bit, but some programms don't show much differences between 32 and 64-bit, but in the whole i would say 64bit is faster and it's worth to deal with the problems that result in using x86_64 .. but my point is -> simply _why?_ using 32bit on an 64-bit arch ?? for what spending that extra money and why not using windows in the first place?

Post by **pjp** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 6:01 pm

Having to deal with 32-bit apps in a chroot is a pain in the butt. If you don't need them (mplayer, mplayerplug-in, flash, etc) why would you avoid 64-bit?

mooseboy · Post by **mooseboy** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:02 am

the only 32 bit apps I run are firefox and binary plugins. Everything else is 64 bit and flies. It's worth it.