To X64 or not?

[BulldogMcC]

This may sound like a dumb question, but I have not been paying attention to MS operating systems. I am building a new rig based on an Asus P5L2D and a P4 805 and am want to use WinXP Pro, but some of the reviews on NewEgg about the X64 version have concerned me. Any feedback on whether X64 would be a better OS than the 32 bit version? My primary uses for the rig will be office applications, programming in .NET, crunching Seti and a little video encoding.

Thanks in advance.

[ErikD]

I have a rig that is dual boot with XP Pro and Pro x64. It is no big deal really, but based on the Server 2003 kernal so I suppose it is a bit more stable in theory. There are a few problems with it as a dekstop OS though. The primary one would be driver compatability, not all devices have drivers that work with x64. Another would be that some programs won't install on it becuase it is based on the 2003 kernal, and they see it as a server OS.

Unless you have a real need for a 64 bit OS, then just go for XP Pro. Most applications are still 32bit only anyway, so what is the point really?

[tenchi86]

As mentioned XP64 bit is really more of a beta type OS right now, by that I mean that there is a good chance some of your hardware and programs won't work with it. If you think you can afford to buy XP or Vista in a year or two when the support is there and 64bit is really needed then I would say go with the basic XP. If you really cannot afford that though then yes 64bit is the future.

[BulldogMcC]

Thanks Guys, I plan to update to Vista with the machine about 18 months after Vista gets released ;) so the OS I am running will be with me for a while. I just remembered buying XP Pro for my last two builds, all the way back to 2001, so was trying to figure out if there was some unseen benefit to going with X64. Now to go beg the wife for money :)