Buying new laptop: Windows Vista 32-bit or 64-bit?

There are no 54 bit applications for Vista. By there time there are, MS is expected to have completed the Windows 8. XP has more features than all versions of Vista except the Vista Ultimate edition. Here is a link to the features MS claims each Vista edition has. As you can see, XP has more features than all versions except Vista Ultimate. The only difference between Vista Ultimate and XP is that Ultimate has an Aero feature that most turn off because its an unnecessary memory hog and it can use Direct 10X, a graphics platform that nobody uses-it's only used for very rare gaming applications for gamers that have the faster processors made. When you get Vista, you first need to ask yourself what do you want from the Edition you are buying that XP cannot do better and more efficiently.

If you spend $1,000 on hardware for a new laptop, test show your applications can never run faster or more efficiently on any Edition of Vista. Test also show that Vista will run applications slower using modern hardware on the Pavillion you want, that a 5 year old computer's hardware using XP. I have returned three Vista SP1 computers and now have the modern hardware pushing XP. It does much better than any version of Vista I had. I would recommending asking for downgrading Vista to XP-legally they have to offer it. I have three free Editions of Vista my friends have given me an refuse to use them.

If you must get Vista, I would recommend the 32 bit Edition of Home Premium with SP1 for home use even though it will do less than XP and slower with more bugs. About 50% of Vista users, when asked, would prefer XP over Vista they already have. On the other hand, nobody wants to volunteer too upgrade their computer from XP to any version of Vista.

You are the doctor. In my view, Vista give an end user no reason o upgrade their computer. If you cannot get a computer than you can downgrade to XP, I would suggest considering a MacBook where can can load XP and have far less maintenance and problems . It also come with $200 worth of software called iLife that neither Vista or XP have and top choice among students.

64-bit is much faster and a bit more stable but it will have incompatibility issues with software because many software writers/publishers are not yet up to the tasks of writing 64-bit software (has nothing or at least very little to do with Vista).

The Dv5 is a great laptop using the 64-bit vista home premium but nothing too special with 32-bit so overall I'd probably go with the 32-bit because of the anatomy and physiology software but probably not a dv5....

There are a few differences between the two types. x64 can run twice as many colours than x32, giving a much better looking image than you would be used to. Also, performance-wise, x64 is much faster than x32, and the difference is immediately noticeable. Besides that, on an x32 system, the max amount of RAM that can be installed is 4GB, whereas on Vista Ultimate x64, you can have 128GB.

The main disadvantage of x64 (on XP mainly though) was that alot of programs still aren't compatible, deciding to stay with x32 for a little while longer. But seeing as Vista is primarily an x64 system, that problem won't be around much longer.

Hope that helps=]

The 32 bit is good. I haven't heard any problems being fixed about the 64 bit. If you don't like vista though you should get windows XP professional sp3.

Get the 32-bit. I just built a new computer this summer, and I put 32-bit in. In about 3-6 years, when you buy a new computer, hopefully 64-bit will be fully supported by apps, because it does have advantages. Until then, stick with 32-bit.

Windows XP, theres a good chance those software may not work with Vista, nevermind 64bit

Unless you're playing Crysis or running graphics dependant programs, you won't need 64