On 01/09/09 13:52, Tzafrir Cohen wrote:
On Fri, Jan 09, 2009 at 01:30:02PM -0600, Ron Johnson wrote:The only benefit which x86-64 has in 64-bit mode is extra registers. But that only benefits computationally-intensive programs.Those actually help just about anywwhere. As long as your compiler knows how to use them. And it does. Not using registers: reading from memory, and this is slower.
But if 99.9999% of CPU time is wasted, waiting for a human to press keys, that doesn't matter.
Even if watching a movie, a good video driver will shuffle as much as possible to the GPU, reducing the *effective* benefit.
IMNSHO, dual-core and lots-o-RAM[0] are much more useful than 64-bit apps.
OTOH, using larger pointer wastes more memory, and hence a larger chance of cache misses. Which is why this benefit is not automatic.
[0] Which is why I run 64-bit kernel and 32-bit userland. -- Ron Johnson, Jr. Jefferson LA USA "I am not surprised, for we live long and are celebrated poopers."