I Dont Know What To Do!!

I don't see any point on getting a 64bit CPU any time soon in the next few years. AMD 64bit processer isn't just a 64bit CPU but a 32/64bit hybird, so the way i understand it is that if you install standard 32bit windows XP and other 32bit OS, it runs in 32bit mode giving you no 64bit advantage.

Now if you spend extra money on the 64bit Windows XP made for 64bit processers, you have to get 64bit software to go with it which means games you want to play would have to be written or patched into 64bit mode. how soon will we see a mass amount of 64bit software and games is still too early to tell.

you won't need a 64 bit CPU for at least another 2 years or so. And it will be at least a year before the average user could actually benefit from a 64 bit CPU as 64 bit aplications aren't very common let alone 64 bit OSes...

Despite what others have said, it can never hurt to be 64 bit ready. Even when not using 64 bit, the A64 kicks major ass anyway.

Additionally, games are already coming out or being converted. UT2k3 is already able to run 64 bit code, and MS is getting ready to release XP-64...

MS 64 has already been out for a while. Its been used on corporate machines i think. The reason I say this is about a year ago, i wanted to dl drivers for my computer, and i was at microsoft's site. I had to choose between Microsoft XP 32 bit, and 64 bit. Take in consideration that this was a year ago too. Also, is the prescott processor 64 bit? And will the current 5680s be compatible with 64 bit processors, or the prescott chip?

The MS 64 OS that is out, is made ONLY for the Itanium chips.


The new OS will be XP-64, which will be x86-64 compatable. SO, just like we can still run 16bit code, it will be able to run all normal 64 bit, plus the "older" 32 bit...

Our boards are SUPPOSED to be prescott compatable, but with the way Intel puts out new chips, i suspect they wont be really...

wait wait wait....i better not NEED any 64 bit processer for a damn long time, cause im a collage student buying a 5680, and ill be sure as sh*t that im not gona upgrade all my hardware cause new chips are mainstream in a few years....im not gona spend 2500 on a lappy that wont be able to play the majority of programs in a few years....id have to kill someone

Umm, what are you expecting? A 3 year old lappy, unless you upgrade it, probably will not be able to play the majority of newer programs in 3 years, 64 bit or not.

While there may well be a gradual upgrading of games and programs for 64 bit, you can bet its not going to be at the loss or exclusion of 32 bit machines. Its inconceivable the industry would alienate that many users that quickly. I mean, even now, 16 bit machines can use most of the programs out there and its been years since 32 bit became the norm.

I would guess it will be at least a couple of years before 64 bit will be the standard and by that time, it will be time for a new machine anyway.

Meanwhile, the benchmarks I've seen comparing the Athlon 65 to P4s doesn't show all that much improvement, in most cases not much more than 10% to 15% and in some few situations, its actually not as good. That's undoubtedly due in part to running 32 bit programs instead of 64 bit programs and that what there is out there to run isn't optimized for 64 bit. Nonetheless, the Athlon is a long ways from establishing 64 bit.

This goes back to the old waiting game dilemna, to buy now and play like crazy on the best currently available or to wait and get the latest whiz-bang sometime down the road. This is unquestionably one of the bigger and more significant threshholds, but its still the same game and at this point, I'd go for the here and now rather than sit and twiddle my thumbs while I wait for the 64 bit leap to land.

This is totally from a marketing stand point. With any new developement, there are always three phases -- the early adopters, the main streamers and the late adopters. Just look at how many years we have had computers and how many people still don't have computers in their home -- these are the late adopters. The early adopters are those that jump on the bandwagon as soon as something is available. The rest of us are the main streamers. Time and time agian, this has been proven -- how many people actually have high definition TV? So it will be the case with 64bit computing. There will be those people that will run out and buy one as soon as it is released. Then once the chip and the MoBo is done, the software developers have to follow. After the Chip, MoBo and software are all there, then people will start considering to buy. All these will take several years. Then, there are people who still will not buy because their current system suits them just fine and no developer will be stupid enough to rule out a whole segment of the market completely so we're going to see 32/64bit compatible software for a while. I would say, all in all, you'll have at least 3 to 4 years (or longer) with your current laptop before ever you'll have to consider 64bit. Just my $0.02.

MARQUISDARQUIS beat me to it.

64 bit or not, our laptops wont be able to play new games very well (if at all) in years... So, you better start killing people... especially the guy who told you your laptop would be useable that long...

*Disclaimer* DO NOT FOLLOW THE STATED ADVICE. I DO NOT ADVOCATE THE KILLING OF ANY INNOCENT HUMAN BEING. ANY ACTIONS ARE YOUR OWN, AND WERE NOT ADVISED BY ME IN ANY WAY!!! I HOLD NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS!!!*

haha nice advice

ok, disclaimer up...

oh really Atremis, so in a few years my 5680 wont be able to play most of the new games?...thats why when i look at the stats for games that are coming out now, i see them only requiring 32 or 64 meg video card? even though there are 256 meg video cards out now, that doesnt mean the minimum requirements for games in the next few years will be nothing less than 256. the games that will be coming out for years to come will be able to be played by the Sager lappys...theres always new hardware coming out, yes, i know that....but that doesnt mean we should upgrade every two years to get 100 percent perfomance out of our machines, if our machines can play doom and Half life 2 flawlessy (like they've been proven too) then im sure many people will be happy with what they have in the near future

If you won't even consider getting a 5680 to last 4 years, you're out of luck. It's the most powerful laptop out there right now. Not even most deskopts are as good as it. DDR400 dual channel 800MHz FSB, 3.2GHZ, 7200RPM HD. And it's very hard for something to last 4 years, let alone a computer. I got this computer (PII 450MHz) 4+ years ago, and it was top of the line then. Now....ha. Plays CS with hardware lag. I mean cmon, I'll bet the 5620 (2.4GHz/400MHz FSB, 64MB Mobility 7500) can play UT2K3 pretty well still.

I think it will be more like when windows went 32 bit with a long conversion time. In the mean time, why not get a lesser processor like I did, and then get a new screamin' P4EE when the price drops down. I mean, thats the big benefit of Sager is that its upgradable in my opinion.

I'd meet you in the middle and say you'll deffinitly get a good 3 years out of it. I know from 16 bit ms to 32 was a while, but I also notice things moving alot more rapidly now. It used to be a new proc was latest thing out for a few months, now its only weeks if that. So the times have sped up some, but software dev's arent likely to give up on places that have hunderds of employee's running 32 bit so I think your safe a lord knows the big companys love to save money. I worked for NASA in Florida and they still had windows 95 on a majority of their office systems, their reason was that all of its problems had been documented (ok cough!).