[Liberator]

Buy a faster 32-bit.

64-bit is the future, it's not going anywhere.  But until there are apps and OSes that natively support 64-bit processing, you're just paying a lot more than you have to for the level of processing you're doing.

If you buy a good 32-bit system now, it will probably last you until 64-bit stuff becomes more common.

[Setekh]

Originally posted by WMCoolmon
I'm curious...how much will a 64-bit processor speed things up?

At the present moment, hardly at all. If you're buying within the next couple of months, a faster 32-bit processor will serve you well.

[Kamikaze]

Most likely people will not see performance gains even when Windows and applications are widely available in 64-bit. Bit changes affect scalability (important in the server/workstation/supercomputer markets) more than, say, gaming performance. As I said before, there is no automagical end user performance gain from 64-"bitness". There will be some indirect benefits to even end users (mainly to do with application infrastructure), but this probably won't be too noticed by those who aren't developers.

[Grey Wolf]

The thing is, there currently isn't a cheaper, faster 32-bit processor for gaming, since the A64 3400+ comes close to even the P4 3.2 Extreme Edition, and is less than half the cost.

[Stealth]

Originally posted by aldo_14
Worth pointing out that the new 64-bit chips are totally useless without a 64-bit Os - which rules out windows till about 2005 (based on what I've heard of longhorns' release woes)

Also a good idea to keep an eye for a replacement case standard for ATX, known as BTX - which will mean new, expensive BTX mobos and a drop off in price for ATX as the new tech gets taken up.

yeah, but more and more people are using operating systems other than Windows these days, which is good

also, that would be badass to see motherboard (ATX)s dropping