There appears to be a shift taking place in the PC industry: the move from 32-bit to 64-bit PCs.

We've been tracking the change by looking at the percentage of 64-bit PCs connecting to Windows Update, and have seen a dramatic increase in recent months. The installed base of 64-bit Windows Vista PCs, as a percentage of all Windows Vista systems, has more than tripled in the U.S. in the last three months, while worldwide adoption has more than doubled during the same period.  Another view shows that 20% of new Windows Vista PCs in the U.S. connecting to Windows Update in June were 64-bit PCs, up from just 3% in March. Put more simply, usage of 64-bit Windows Vista is growing much more rapidly than 32-bit. Based on current trends, this growth will accelerate as the retail channel shifts to supplying a rapidly increasing assortment of 64-bit desktops and laptops.

64-bit PCs running 64-bit editions of Windows Vista typically have 4GB of memory or more. Compared to 32-bit systems, which top out at around 3GB of memory, 64-bit PCs can offer added responsiveness when running a lot of applications at the same time and have the potential for greater performance and new experiences as next-generations applications are written to take advantage of this new platform.

What started out as a gradual (some would say "glacial") movement toward 64-bit PCs, driven primarily by technology enthusiasts, seems to have turned into a swift transition, likely fueled by the falling cost of memory and consumers' desire to get the most out of their PCs.

This change begs a few questions:

Is the 64 bit market ready to go mainstream?

Will consumers realize the benefits from larger chips and 4GB or more of memory?

The answer to both of these questions is yes - but a qualified yes.

Preconfigured 64-bit PCs obtained from retailers or PC manufacturers should work quite well.  This is in stark contrast to the experience of many technology enthusiasts who built their 64-bit PC from scratch and may have had to scour the Web looking for drivers.  So, unless you really love to tinker with your PC, we suggest you buy a pre-built 64-bit PC at retail or directly from a PC manufacturer.

Beyond the box, you also need to consider the hardware peripherals and software programs you plan on using with your new PC. Any hardware or software product displaying the ‘Works with Windows Vista' or ‘Certified for Windows Vista' logo must be compatible with both the 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows Vista in order to warrant the use of the logo. If you don't see the logo, visit the Windows Vista Compatibility Center and check the 64-bit compatibility status. Hardware and software vendors continue to test and improve their products. Please note that the Windows Vista Compatibility Center is currently in beta. In some cases it is possible that a device may be marked as not compatible when in fact it is. I recommend that you also check with the device manufacturer to see if the compatibility status of your desired device has changed.

On the performance front, 64-bit PCs can provide a more responsive experience when running many applications simultaneously. Websites such as Bit.Tech.Net and Tom's Hardware have published performance benchmarks detailing some of the improvements realized from running the 64-bit PCs. In addition, PC Accelerators built into Windows Vista, such as Windows SuperFetch, improve performance by keeping commonly used programs in memory, even when the program is closed. More memory capacity on 64-bit PCs allows SuperFetch to do its job more efficiently.  

But if you only use your PC for a few tasks, and rarely do them at the same time, then you're unlikely to realize a measurable performance benefit today.  Of course, buying extra capacity for your future, unplanned needs is always worth considering.

In the future, we expect both compatibility and performance of 64-bit PCs to continue to improve. Most hardware devices have 64-bit drivers today and most software products work unmodified because of the 32-bit emulation technology in 64-bit Windows Vista (called WOW64). But there are some gaps, especially in the long tail of the market, but we expect rapid improvement now that 64-bit PCs are getting so popular.

Over time we'll see more 64-bit-optimized programs hit the market, which promise dramatic performance and experience improvements. A few key ones, like Adobe Lightroom & Photoshop and Sony Vegas Pro video editing software, are due to be released this fall. If you're a software or hardware developer, visit our 64-bit readiness page to learn more about 64-bit compatibility and optimization.

One thing that will push most people to buy computers today would be because of gaming purposes. Whether this is pertaining to online gaming or stand-alone, the type of games today have increased in requirements for an avid gamer to enjoy them.

We have seen famous games such as the World of Warcraft which put focus on memory chips and video card requirements. Unlike before when video cards were limited for graphics-related work, gaming has stepped in to require higher memory in them. As a PC user, you would say that these gaming software are crazy to think that there will be people who would go through the trouble of getting high-end graphics card just to play a silly game. But the fact of the matter is that there are people, young and old, who do buy these cards even if they cost a lot.

But the question is, would you upgrade your computer to save you the trouble of doing it part by part. Some people put this in mind. If they were to get a new computer, they would consider what things they could do with it. While the usual paper work and spreadsheets will be there, gaming and other related things that they can do with computers will be inserted in the consideration circle.

Besides, if you are going to spend on a new set, then why not put in all the things you can think of when you use a PC? It is not a childish approach. It is a reality where most people today just look at PCs more than for work-related purposes.

For sure, most of us will not be content with the current PC configuration that we have. Depending on the length of time that we have had our personal computers, we are bound to want more in terms of speed and features of personal computers offered in the market. But the real question is what in particular do we look for?

There are a lot of options we can think of today. Ranging from processor chips, memory modules and video cards, it may seem that the possibilities are endless. But considering that these upgrades carry costs, it would be wise to determine what you really need. There are some who go for overkill specs and traditionally these would not be put to full use. Some only need a computer for word processing or browsing the web. So how sophisticated of a specification would you need?

Others tend to be drawn into tempting sales talks from PC vendors. For example, you would seek a certain specs and the usual thing you would hear is for an extra couple of bucks, you can get this higher version. Some do it to help a buyer decide and get more value for their money while others just want a better sale. When these factors set in, you are bound to go for the higher priced and supposed higher specs.

But in the end, it all depends on you. You are the buyer and depending on your sound judgment, it will be you who will be paying for it. Think wisely and broadly and work on a budget.

If people had their way, as long as a memory module would fit onto the motherboard slot, they would install them. But wait. Memory modules also have their proper classifications as well. This dates back to the type of memory modules that are acceptable.

We look back at the Pentium III or IV. If you will recall, they had these tags of either a PC 100 or PC 133. To this day we see them still and one thing you will note, memory modules of a different kind do not work well together. You will notice this if you dare try. Other than seeing your operating system not loading properly, you will get tons of blue screens which will point to numbers which you may try to figure out.

While you are busy trying to determine which hardware component this may be, take out one of the memory modules and see if the blue screen will go away. If it does, then you are trying to do something that will be constantly giving you headaches.

At times when you may not even know which is the proper ram module to use, it would be best to try them one at a time. Module compatibility also depends on how the motherboard will accommodate them. After you have determined which specific module type is acceptable, then that is perhaps the best way to stick to the brand that suits your PC.

Testing memory modules will not really hurt your PC immediately. But if you are wise and cautious, it would be best to stick to the actual PC specs given and avoid experimenting for the proper well-being of your PC.

Each year we see new programs being introduced in the market. Games and graphics lead the pack of new software in the market and you have to wonder which part of your PC hardware would have to be upgraded. Memory modules? Hard disk space requirements? New dual processors?

We often hear of new hardware upgrades available in the market. They come often and you have to wonder why computer peripheral manufacturers develop them ever so often. In fact, you have to wonder if there is a link with the software developers and them. For sure there will be some and also a business development aspect to which current IT trends and development help manufacturers devise new hardware for the future.

That is why you will notice, whenever a new program comes out, chances are you will need the minimum PC requirements. There are times when you have the minimum requirements but would have issues as far as optimized performance. With that said, what would a computer owner resort to? What else but to buy new hardware of a higher capacity in the market.

If you look at it, it is like a merry-go-round. You have to adhere towards current demands of the market based on the common PC user. A PC is always open for improvement. That is why computer peripherals are offered individually and compatible with various motherboards and sockets these days. Technology will always offer you something new. It has been common for us to check them out and if satisfied, buy them. New programs need higher specs on peripherals. Users need to be a step ahead to be assured of optimized performance.

Windows places a file on your hard drive that it uses when your computer goes into hibernation mode. If you do not use hibernation mode, or your computer does not properly support it, you may want to disable hibernation and clear the file off your hard drive to free up some space (the file will use as much space as you have in physical memory, so if you have 1GB of RAM, it’s going to use 1GB of your hard drive space). (more…)