Better gaming performance on X64 or X86?

Simple question, but I haven't tested it out. I would think X64 bit would be better. Is there a noticeable difference between the two?

Thanks

Edit title should be X86 not X32

 

Depending on your OS version and the games that you play as well - if you are using the same machine type.

cheers ...

 

For example Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. Windows XP -Same machine

Computer with a 3.0 Quad-Core and 4gb ram, Nvdia GTX 260. Obviously its going to run in with no problem. But will there be an fps boost say for if you trying to record an ingame video.

 

OK....

On XP 64Bit is a test OS - nothing more - its only mainstream since Vista - and really since Win7.

Games:
Same as any programme, possibly no difference, maybe even a tiny tad slower if you run a 32Bit programme on 64Bit - but definitely not faster - same or slower.

If you have a 64Bit programme, that will run better, but wouldn't run on 32Bit in the first place.

 

The game needs to be specially optimized for 64bit before you'll notice any difference.

 

You get the same performance on both because they're running the exact same instructions. I don't know of a single game that takes advantage of anything new in x86-64.

 

If you have X64,more than 4 gb of ram and a ram hungry game then you will definitely gain some better performance.

 

QFT. Under a 64bit OS a 32bit game has access to a full 4GB of address space. Under a 32bit OS, it only has 2GB.

 

Let me broad the spectrum. Let's say an operating system in general. Windows 7 would it be faster on 64 bit architecture, because it's specifically designed for 64 bit and has two times as many octets as 32 bit. Would it only by multitasking that would affected? Basically what are the pros and cons of of 32 vs 64 other than the ram.

 

64bts instructions allow for better optimization I think.

 

The main advantage you as an end user will notice is RAM and eventually(once developers start using x64 instruction code) perhaps program efficiency, but the real change is under the hood.

 

2 times as many what?

There is no two times between the two.

64Bit allows for processing larger amounts for data more quickly - a programme that does benefit it Photoshop.

See my Sig for more information - and search the forum.

This discussion has been beaten to death.

 

I can play more movies with 64-bit codecs (all 32-bit codecs built-in Windows are in both 32 and 64-bit flavor, including DVD codec)+ Windows Media player 64-bit (See program File to run it) on battery, as it uses less power to decode.

 

Octets: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octet_(computing)
The max size of a data bit in 64 bit is 8 octets, and the max size in 32 bit is 4 octets.. 2 times as many.

 

DetlevCM,
You need to add this line to your 64bit vs 32bit Guide too.
I think this is another benefit of using 64bit Windows.

 

I will if I get a source for it

I'm not 100% sure how it'd work.

 

I run W7 x32 instead of x64 on my gaming rig. I find older (2001 and below) games to install and run without hiccups as opposed to trying to run them on a 64 bit OS and yes i'm aware of Program Files x86. Still some of my older classic games freak out when trying to install them on W7 64bit.

I've run similar games on both OS'es and there's really no gains or performance drops by using either a 32 or 64 bit OS.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

It has nothing to do with "Program Files (x86)". This is an ordinary folder, it's just to separate Windows 32 and 64-bit built-in programs, like Windows Media Player.

You have 4 potential problems to why a game doesn't work:
1- It checks for Windows XP, or needs XP library (In this case, right-click on the setup or installed game executable, select "Properties", then go to the "Compatibility" tab, and set the program to run as if it was under Windows XP.)

2- If the setup requires Admin privileges, simply right-click on the setup and select "Run as Administrator"

3- The games wants to write stuff where the program is installed (very bad programming by complete morons who can't read a simple Microsoft OS documentation on who to layout your program to have everything clean and nice and ensure maximum compatibility and support for multiple accounts):
In this case, set the folder were the game is installed, to have full control in the permission.

4- The game is made in 16-bit (ie: DOS game). Sadly despite having ALL 32-bit CPU at the time XP was released, game companies programmers still programed in 16-bit (which is a same, as you have a nice performance boost by programming the game in 32-bit, meaning you could have run certain game with computer less power). 16-bit application support has been removed in 64-bit Vista/Win7. Windows 8 will only be in 64-bit flavor, so many of your old < 2000's games will not run anymore. What you could have done is try running your games under VirtualBox (free) with virtualization on, and 3D rendering.

Depends on your system configuration.
If you have a CPU that limits your GPU, going to 64-bit will show a slight increase in gaming performance... just because the OS is all in 64-bit (so the CPU has a little easier time with it), If it's your GPU that limits the speed oif your game, then nothing will show, and of course if you have nothing that limits the game as you run it at ~60fps at max max setting, then again nothing will show.

However, if by any luck 64-bit games comes out, like Crysis did, it will show a nice performance increase. This is because not only the CPU can execute longer instructions (64-bit long), but also has new operation codes that allows it to do calculations more efficiently and faster.

 

I've tried those steps in the past and TBH i've found it's not worth the hassle to tweak stuff just to get them to fit in a 64bit environment. Like I said whether I run the game in 32 or 64 bit there was no framerate increase or framerate drop by using either OS.

So for gaming i'll default to 32 bit as there was no gain for me and besides most of my games have been out for years as i'm into racing and flight simulators which today are a rare sight. Heck I still play Grand Prix 3 and Grand Prix Legends so a 64 bit OS will have no benefit to any of those games.

 

This is the type of explanation I was looking for thanks a lot!