The bitness (or bitness) of the central processing unit (CPU) is the number of bits that the CPU can process in one instruction. The bit width determines the number of bits allocated for storing one data cell. That is, if the architecture of your processor, for example, is 32-bit, then it can work with numbers that are represented in a binary code of 32 bits, and it can process these numbers in one command.

In the same way (for one command), data of less length can be processed, just their most significant bits will be ignored. Modern CPUs can handle 8, 16, 32 and 64 bit data types. All currently used CPUs in computers are either 32 or 64 bit.

Often, reading the descriptions of the CPU, you can come across the notation x86 - this means that we are dealing with a 32-bit architecture. If the inscription x64 is found, then we can say that this CPU has a bit capacity equal to 64.

Important! Often times, the bitness of the CPU is mistakenly taken as the basis for determining the maximum amount of memory that it can access. This, of course, is not the case. The address and data buses of almost any CPU have different bit rates and do not affect each other in any way.

The value of the CPU bitness plays an important role for users, since the bitness of the operating system (OS) and the processor that are used with each other must match. However, the principle of backward compatibility works here: on a 64-bit CPU, both 32 and 64-bit operating systems can be installed.

The version of the operating system in this case does not matter: for example, all Windows or Linux operating systems, starting with the appearance of the first 64-bit CPUs, have both 32-bit and 64-bit assemblies. That is, there are all versions of Windows (from XP to 10th) that have both 64 and 32 bit environments.

Important! It is impossible to install on the CPU of the x86 families the OS, in the name of which "x64" appears! Not only that, it is impossible to run executables for 64 bit CPUs on 32 bit OS.

This is why determining which data (32 or 64 bit) is being used by the CPU is very important. Often, the performance of large enough groups of users using the same software depends on this.

This article will discuss how to find out the processor bitness using various methods.

There are many ways to determine the bitness of the processor. You can view information about it either using software or BIOS tools; as a last resort, you can simply see the marking of the CPU and already use it to determine how many bits are allocated for data processing. Sometimes this information is quite easy to get: for example, if the number of CPU cores is more than one, then this CPU is 64-bit.

Through the command line

One of the most effective ways to determine the bitness of the processor without using additional tools. To implement it, start the command line - open the "Run" item in the "Start" menu (or press Win + R on the keyboard) and type the command "cmd" in the window that appears, then press "Enter".

The shell console opens. In it, enter the "systeminfo" command. The result of its execution will be a long list of system parameters. The item of interest to us is called "Processor (s):" The name of the CPU model will be written in it. And its bitness must be indicated (either in numbers 32 or 64, or in the inscriptions "x86" or "x64").

Via computer properties

You can determine what bit depth the processor supports by looking at the system properties.

One of the ways to do this is to enter the "System" parameter of the control panel and there, in the "System type" section, you can see its bit depth. If it is 64, then the CPU is also 64 bit.

However, as stated earlier, since a 32-bit system can be shipped with a 64-bit CPU, it will be necessary to clarify the type of CPU used. To do this, go to the "Device Manager", the link to which is on the same page, select the CPU in "Devices" and open the "Details" tab in its properties.

In this tab, the parameter we are interested in is called "Equipment ID". It will indicate the type of processor used - 64 or 32 bit.

An alternative is to examine the properties of the device, called "Computer" in Device Manager. It may contain a description of the type of PC used, indicating its bit rate.

Similar to the properties of the processor, you should go to the properties of the computer and in the "Details" tab look at the description of the device. The parameter may also be called Display Name. In any case, it will contain either the inscription "x86" or "x64", which will correspond to the bitness of the used CPU in 32 or 64, respectively.

Find out the bit depth via the Internet

To do this, just type in the search bar the phrase "find out the bit depth online." The first 5-10 search results will give links to sites that define this parameter. After that, you should go to this site and the active content will automatically recognize the number of CPU bits and the OS version.

Important! The execution of active components can be blocked by the browser, and in this case it will not be possible to determine the parameter of interest. To do this, you must allow the execution of active content on the page.

Via BIOS

The easiest way, no software required at all. When booting the PC, enter the BIOS by pressing F2 or Del. Next, you should select the section "System Settings", "Main" or "CPU Settings" - depending on the manufacturer of the BIOS, it can be called differently, and look at the value of the "Processor Type" parameter. It will indicate the manufacturer, the model of the CPU, its frequency and bit depth.

Good hour everyone.

Very often, users ask themselves the question of what bit depth of the Windows operating system they have on their computer, and what it gives in general.

In fact, for most users there is no difference in the OS version, but you still need to know which one is installed on the computer, since programs and drivers may not work on a system with a different bit depth!

Operating systems, starting with Windows XP, are divided into 32 and 64 bit versions:

1. 32 bits are often prefixed with x86 (or x32, which is the same);
2. 64 bit prefix - x64.

About the main difference What is important for most users, 32 from 64 bit systems is that 32 bit systems do not support more than 3 GB of RAM. Even if the OS shows you 4 GB, then the applications running in it will still use no more than 3 GB of memory. Thus, if your PC has 4 or more gigabytes of RAM, then it is advisable to choose the x64 system, if less, install x32.

The rest of the differences for "ordinary" users are not so important ...

How to find out the bitness of a Windows system

The methods below are relevant for Windows 7, 8, 10.

Method 1

Press the button combination Win + R and then type in the command dxdiag, press Enter. Relevant for Windows 7, 8, 10 (note: by the way, the line "run" in Windows 7 and XP is in the START menu - you can also use it).

1. time and date;
2. computer name;
3. information about the operating system: version and bitness;
4. device manufacturers;
5. computer model, etc. (screenshot below).

DirectX - System Information

Method 2

To do this, go to "my computer" (note: or "This PC", depending on your version of Windows), click anywhere with the right mouse button and select the "Properties" tab. See screenshot below.

You should see information about the installed operating system, its performance index, processor, computer name and other information.

System type: 64-bit operating system.

Opposite the item "system type" you can see the bit depth of your OS.

Method 3

There are special utilities for viewing the characteristics of a computer. One of these is Speccy (you can find more details about it, as well as the download link in the link below).

Several utilities to view computer information -

After starting Speccy, right in the main window with summary information, it will be shown: information about OS Windows (red arrow in the screenshot below), temperature of the CPU, motherboard, hard drives, information about RAM, etc. In general, I recommend having a similar utility on your computer!

Pros and cons of x64, x32 systems:

1. Many users think that as soon as they install a new OS on x64, the computer will immediately start working 2-3 times faster. In fact, it is almost no different from 32 bit. You will not see any bonuses or cool additions.
2. x32 (x86) systems only see 3GB of memory, while x64 will see all of your RAM. That is, you can increase the performance of your computer if you previously had an x32 system installed.
3. Before upgrading to an x64 system, check the manufacturer's website for drivers for it. It is not always possible to find drivers for everything. You can, of course, use drivers from all sorts of "craftsmen", but then the performance of the devices is not guaranteed ...
4. If you work with rare programs, for example, written especially for you, they may not work on an x64 system. Check them out on a different PC before moving on, or read the reviews.
5. Some x32 applications will work as if nothing had happened in the x64 OS, some will refuse to start or behave unstably.

Should you upgrade to x64 OS if x32 OS is installed?

Quite a common question, especially for novice users. If you have a new PC with a multi-core processor, a large amount of RAM, then it is definitely worth it (by the way, such a computer probably already comes with x64 OS installed).

Earlier, many users noted that more frequent crashes were observed in the x64 OS, the system conflicted with many programs, etc. Today, this is no longer observed, in terms of the stability of the x64 system, it is not much inferior to x32.

If you have a regular office computer with no more than 3 GB of RAM, then you probably should not switch from x32 to x64. In addition to the number in the properties, you will receive nothing.

For those who use a computer to solve a narrow range of tasks and successfully cope with them - they switch to another OS, and indeed change the software - there is no point. For example, I saw in the library computers with "self-written" bases of books, running under Windows 98. To find a book - their capabilities are more than enough (probably, that's why they don't update them :)) ...

That's all. Have a great weekend everyone!

In information technology, everything is tied to bits. These are logical units. For a modern laptop or desktop CPU, the unit is too small a scale. It operates with the so-called words with a length of 32 bits (4 bytes, 8 bits each). Those processors that support 64-bit calculations work with 64-bit words (8 bytes by 8 bits). Finding out exactly what you have is quite simple, and what, for example gives a transition to 64-bit computing and which system is better already a little more difficult question.

How to find out which 32 or 64 bit is on your laptop

Most users do not know exactly what version of the system they have installed. How to easily recognize 64 or 32 bit system on your laptop?

If the laptop processor does not support 64-bit computing (paragraph 4.1 of this article) or a 64-bit system is already installed on the laptop, then the question of advantages is irrelevant for you. For the rest, we will tell you that you win when you switch to an increased bit depth.

Which is better 32 or 64-bit system?

For ordinary laptop and computer users, this question is perplexing. Users are used to dealing with more understandable things. For example, it is known that increasing the RAM size almost always has a positive effect on the speed of programs. And the transition to an SSD drive can speed up the process of loading the operating system on a laptop dozens of times. For the layman, the result of the transition, for example, to a 64-bit system is ambiguous. However, this does not mean that such a transition is useless. Choosing the right system will allow. That is why it is important to determine which is better.

The best system is the one that matches the capabilities of your processor. The main and defining difference between 32 and 64-bit systems is that you can install more memory on your laptop... This automatically opens up another fairly easy way for you to increase the performance of your laptop.

RAM - random access memory.

Why switch to 64-bit computing?

Moving to a 64-bit version of Windows did not provide any visible benefits with less than 3 GB of RAM. And such at the time of the appearance of the first 64-bit version of "windows" was the majority. On the contrary, problems appeared when 32-bit versions of programs worked in a 64-bit environment. Why does Microsoft still recommend using the 32-bit version of its Office even on a 64-bit OS?

The secret is simple. If a laptop has 4 or more GB of RAM, then you can use it effectively only under a 64-bit OS. If you have less than 4 GB, then you will not get any advantages, except for probable failures in the work of old programs.

It is especially worth mentioning here that users who decide to add memory to their laptop must also think about switching to 64-bit Windows. After all, without it, the laptop simply will not see the additional volume, and the money will be wasted. The maximum amount of RAM a 32-bit system can handle is something like 3.5 GB.... The figure is approximate, since on most laptops part of the RAM is reserved for the integrated video card.

How to upgrade to 64-bit Windows

Microsoft developers did not foresee any transition from one version to another. The system files are fundamentally different in the two builds. To switch to another version you need. When downloading, you will need to select a 64-bit system image.

Does your laptop support 64-bit

Before installing a new system, make sure your laptop can handle it. To check this, follow the simple instructions below.

The description necessarily indicates whether the processor supports 64-bit.

How to find out how many bits the program supports - 32 or 64

In addition to system applications, each user will find their own favorite programs. Will they work in the new 64-bit environment? In fact, most applications do not require any specific version. Both versions work perfectly in a 64-bit operating system: both 32 and 64-bit programs.

How to find out the 32 or 64 bit versions of the applications you need? It's simple. If the Application must use a large amount of memory in its work, then it is better to choose the 64-bit version. And if the program is simple and not too demanding on laptop resources, then leave the old and debugged 32-bit versions.

It makes sense to search and install 64-bit versions of the following programs:

• Graphic editors like Adobe Photoshop and similar monsters. The speed of applying "heavy" filters for image processing increases with a large amount of memory;
• Antiviruses. They are highly integrated with system applications and require the same bitness as the operating system;
• Archivers. Compressing large files can be more efficient;
• Accounting and economic programs. For example, 1C, which also knows how to use memory efficiently;
• Office suites when working with large data. For normal work with text documents, a large amount of memory is not required, and 32-bit versions of programs can be used.

The general rule is as follows. If the program requires a large amount of memory to work, which is easy to determine by the Task Manager, then install the 64-bit version. Otherwise, use 32 bits.

What does the "Program Files (x86)" directory mean

Unlike 32-bit Windows, the 64-bit version has two directories on the system disk. They are just needed to install programs of different bit sizes. X86 symbols can identify a 32 or 64-bit program... New, 64-bit ones are installed in the regular Program Files directory. And those that are installed in x86-32-bit applications.

Here we need to remind you of the meaning of x86. This is the name of the architecture, several generations of processors starting from the 8086. The first 32-bit model in it was the 80386, or simply i386. But the transition from 16-bit to 32 happened so long ago that over time, x86 began to be identified with 32-bit. Support for x86 meant that the program could work on i386 and later, which means that support for 32 bits had to be by definition. The x86-64 platform extension brings 64-bit support... Why is it a little confusing for users who often looked for the answer to the question "32-bit is it 64 or 86?", Which has a number of other formulations.

You can determine which version of Windows to use on your laptop, 32 or 64 bit, by two points: the presence of support for the new mode in the processor and the excess of 4 GB of RAM. If you get a positive answer to both questions, feel free to upgrade to the new version. No - it's safer not to take any action and work on the old 32-bit one.