is x86 32 bit?

Harry P

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Why does x86 represent 32bit when x64 represents 64bit? I am guessing 32bit is still good enough these days because some processors still in 32-bit. Anyone know the story of this or can explain me why?
 

Localnode

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In Linux, you'll typically see i386 representing 32bit, whereas x86_64 is for 64bit.
The article in question you can read here.

32bit is still used, sure, but it really should be 64bit these days.
 

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There are still some software that is not 64-bit compatible. However 64-bit systems offer backward compatibility for 32-bit software. Also if your system has less than 4 GB of RAM then there is no point of using 64-bit.
 

HostYourNet-DR

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x86 is 32bit in operating system terms Microsoft still likes to call x86 for 32bit no idea why.
32bit system is ram limited depending on the operating system your using. for win 7 32 bit you can only use a max of 3gb.

64bit OS's allows you to use the full ram available on the system.

With operating systems today 32bit backward compatibility is now included within 64 bit OS so unless your software is super old you shouldn't have any issues.
 

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vpsrus
I believe the x86 does not have anything to do with Microsoft has more to do with intel. In the beginning, Intel start to commercialize their processor with 8086 then came 80286 and 80386 and 80486 so the last ones with 32-bit instruction CPU then came x86 now the 64 I believe came from AMD the 64-bit instruction CPU that was called _64 so I believe that according to the use of x86 prefix for 32-bit came 86_64.

This is what I can remember, maybe I am wrong
 

Harry P

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32bit is still used, sure, but it really should be 64bit these days.
Does 64bit have any advantages over 32bit? and why 32bit is still being used today?

64bit OS's allows you to use the full ram available on the system.
You are right, I use CentOs 64 bit, windows 64 bit and it supported to have full ram on my desktop.
But other than that, I don't know if 64bit has other advantages or it is just a new technology today.
 

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vpsrus
The 64-bit technology is not new it started with IBM back in the year 2000 so it is 17 years old, as for the advantages some of them are:

CPU was made for processing (calculations) a number of calculations that 64-bit CPU can make in a second is far far far bigger than the 32 bits so complex process like rendering video, images and so on is way faster than the 32-bits CPU.

Another aspect is the memory addressing, the 32-bit CPU can address up to 4GB of RAM the 64-bit CPU can potentially address up to 4 billion times that amount.

64-bit CPU can run a 32-bit OS and 32-bit application there are some incompatibilities, though, in the other hand 32-bit CPU can not run either 64-bit OS or applications.
 

Harry P

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Harry P
Although 64-bit is not a new technology but it is still being used nowadays and doesn't have any alternative to it?
I saw RAM, CPU used 64-bit but I don't know there is a better solution over 64-bit or not.
 

HostYourNet-DR

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having a 64 bit OS with a 64bit processer helps it process the data a lot more due to the data length been double.

Let me try put it this way,
If you have a 10cm hole and want to put 40cm of sand in you have to wait around 4 seconds for it to filter though.
but if you had a 20cm hole and 40cm sand you only need to wait 2 seconds.
Hope that helps.

Thats the best i can describe it without going super technical.
 
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