Difference Between 32 Bit and 64 Bit

The main difference between 32 Bit and 64 Bit is that a 32-bit system can address up to 4GB of RAM at a time while a 64-bit system can address up to 16 Exabyte of RAM at a time.

A bit is the smallest unit of data in a computer. It can have a binary value; that is, either 0 or 1. The data storage, transmission, and processing depend on this basic unit. When there are more bits, the data processing happens in large chunks and is more accurate. It also allows the system to point to or address a large number of locations in the physical memory. Thus, 32 bit or 64 bit describes the amount of memory it can address.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is 32 Bit
      – Definition, Functionality
2. What is 64 Bit
      – Definition, Functionality
3. Difference Between 32 Bit and 64 Bit
     -Comparison of Key Differences

What is 32 Bit

A 32-bit system is capable of transferring 32-bit data at a time. Thus, a 32-bit processor can handle 32-bit binary numbers. Therefore, the system breaks the data larger than 32 bits. Intel Pentium and AMD are examples of 32-bit processors.

A hard disk is a permanent storage while RAM is a temporary storage. However, the data transferring rate of RAM is high. When the capacity of the RAM is high, the system can respond quickly to heavy loads. Therefore, RAM is a significant component that helps the system to perform faster. Initially, the data is on the slower hard disk but later, loaded into RAM to run the program. Because of this, the CPU can access the data quickly.

A 32-bit system can point up to 2³² amounts of RAM. It is equivalent to 4GB. It may not be enough to hold all the data necessary for the computer to run faster. In this situation, the hard disk stores the additional data. Therefore, the data has to go to the hard disk as well. That can result in minimizing the speed of the computer.

What is 64 Bit

A 64-bit system is a replacement for the 32-bit system or 0x86. A 64-bit system is capable of transferring 64 bits at a time. It also refers to the width registers in the computer processor. AMD Opteron, Athlon 64, Pentium 4, Core i3, i5, i7 are some examples of 64-bit processors.

A 64-bit system can point up to 2⁶⁴ amounts of RAM. It is equivalent to 16 Exabytes, which is four times higher than 32 bits. As the 64-bit system can support more memory than 32 bit, it is possible to store more data into the RAM, instead of storing that on the hard drive. Because of this, the applications respond quickly, and the computer performs faster.

Difference Between 32 Bit and 64 Bit

Definition

32 Bit: A type of CPU architecture that is capable of transferring 32 bits of data per clock cycle.

64 Bit: A kind of CPU architecture that is capable of transferring 64 bits of data per clock cycle.

Processing Time

32 Bit: Requires more time to process and response.

64 Bit: Requires a minimum time to process and response.

Supporting Address Memory

32 Bit: Can address up to 4GB of RAM.

64 Bit: Can address up to 16 Exabytes of RAM.

Cost

32 Bit: In a comparison of both, this is cheaper.

64 Bit: COmparatively, expensive.

Usage

32 Bit: Used as a personal computer and to run routine office tasks.

64 Bit: Used as personal computers and for video editing, audio editing, server applications, etc.

Conclusion

Both 32 bit and 64 bit are CPU architectures that describe the data transferring rate. The difference between 32 Bit and 64 Bit is that a 32-bit system can address up to 4GB of RAM at a time while 64-bit system can address up to 16 Exabyte of RAM at a time. Overall, a 64-bit system is faster and can perform a high amount of computation than 32 bit. A 64-bit system also tends to have a most robust design with more registers and functional units.

Reference:

1. 32 Bit vs 64 Bit, PowerCert Animated Videos, 1 June 2016, Available here.
2. IGZ Software house Follow. “What Is-32-Bit-and-64-Bit.” LinkedIn SlideShare, 16 Mar. 2015, Available here.

Image Courtesy:  

Pixabay