What are 32-Bit And 64-Bit Computers?

To maximize your computing power, it is important to know whether you are using a 32-bit computer or a 64-bit computer. The way you distinguish between 32-bit and 64-bit processors depends largely on the type of operating system your computer uses. It's easy to find out what kind of processor your computer is using.
First, let's look at the differences between these two types of processors.

Summary:

• Computers typically run on either a 32-bit or 64-bit processor; it depends a lot on the type of operating system the computer uses.
• 32-bit processors are the standard, the first processor introduced into home computers throughout the 1990s.
• 64-bit processors were created first for IBMs supercomputers and weren’t introduced into home computers until the early 2000s.
• Finding the type of processor a computer uses can be done fairly simply – by following a short number of steps – depending on the operating system the computer uses.

What are 32-bit Processors?

Computers with 32-bit processors are standard. These are the main processors that were installed in the first computers and remained until the 1990s. So what does it mean that a computer processor is 32-bit? While it sounds technical, it simply means that computer software and operating systems can only work with 32-bit wide data units. Computers with a 32-bit processor cannot be assigned an operating system with a higher-bit version.
Examples of operating systems that use 32-bit processors are- Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows XP.

What are 64-bit processors?

A 64-bit processor is also several years older than a 32-bit processor. It was developed in 1961 by the American tech giant IBM for the 7030 Stretch supercomputer. Originally unsuitable for smaller computers, the 64-bit processor wasn't introduced in home computers until the early 21st century. To match the new processor, Microsoft Corp. Released an updated version of Windows XP for use with 64-bit processors. Current Windows 7, 8 and 10 operating systems also run on 64-bit processors. 64-bit processors allow 32-bit operating systems to be installed on the computer. However, if a 32-bit version of the operating system is used, a 64-bit processor will not operate at full capacity.

How do you know if your computer uses a 32-bit or 64-bit processor?

Again, whether your computer uses a 32-bit or 64-bit processor depends on the operating system. Although some systems are mentioned above, this is not an exhaustive list and focuses only on Windows systems. Furthermore, it is not because the operating system is 64-bit that the processor is the same. So how can a user know whether they are using a 32-bit or 64-bit processor? To keep it fairly simple, let's break it down by Windows system and Mac system. Let's focus on the latest versions of the Windows system as most of the users have upgraded to Windows 8 or 10.

These are the steps to follow:

1. On the Windows welcome screen, use the search box and type "system information". This will give you the type of processor running on your computer.
2. If no search box is available:

• Press the Windows key and E to open the Explorer window.
• Right click on “My PC” on the left side of the screen.
• Select "Properties" from the menu.
• The "System Properties" window opens. This window lists both the operating system and processor type of your computer.

Now let's move on to the Mac operating system. To find out what kind of processor you are using, do the following:

1. Click the Apple icon in the menu bar and select About this MAC from the menu.

2. A window will open; select "More information". From there, select the "Hardware" tab.

3. The processor name is listed in the Hardware tab. You can tell if it's 32-bit or 64-bit by looking at the name, and you can tell with a simple internet search. However, to provide the most information in this article, the most common processor names and bit types are listed in the table below: