What are the limits of 64 bits?

Delicieuxz · 01-16-2011, 10:33 PM

I'm just wondering, like how 32 bits has limited RAM use and I don't know what else. What thresholds of resource consumption will have to be surpassed in order to provoke a move onward to, I guess it would be 128 bits architecture?

Jiminator · 01-16-2011, 11:31 PM

32 bits can address 4GB of memory. with each bit added the potential memory size doubles. so it is really going to be a while before full 64 bits memory space can be utilized.
now there are other types of operations that work on 64 bit data or even 128 bit data. floating point, string, multimedia. but not what you are talking about.

Kristian Joensen · 01-27-2011, 06:03 PM

As I understand it, we are talking about 16 exabytes or almost 17 million terabytes, in other words over 17 billion gigabytes. IIRC currently existing 64 bit OSes can't actually address that much memory, but still it will probably be awhile before that becomes an issue.

8IronBob · 01-27-2011, 07:05 PM

Guess that means that 64-bit technology's not going anywhere anytime soon when it comes to how much memory that can be utilized. Looks like we'll have fun with that for quite some time.

Jiminator · 01-27-2011, 10:04 PM

what the heck are you talking about? 64 bit memory allows you to use more than 4GB of ram. You could do it in a half-assed fashion with 32 bits but there were tons of issues. true, you cannot use the full memory space of 64 bits. but you can use the full ADDRESS space. address space gives the processor more flexibility in loading dlls and allocating memory. one of the selling points for x64 was that massive searches could run faster. Additionally some motherboards support 24 GB of ram and this will continue to improve.

8IronBob · 01-29-2011, 07:36 AM

I meant that just as long as 64-bit can address almost an eternity of memory, it probably will be a long time until we see an amount of RAM that will use the maximum that it can support.
By the time that happens, we'll already be deep into 128-bit architecture...maybe 256-bit. :P

Crosma · 01-29-2011, 10:29 PM

Commodity 64-bit hardware isn't properly 64-bit. Addressing is limited to 48 bits. The other 16 bits are not used at present, but can be in future hardware, so it's not a real problem.

I doubt we'll switch to 128-bit. Some other (perhaps quantum, or possibly even analogue) architecture will supersede 64-bit.

01-16-2011, 10:33 PM	#1
Delicieuxz	What are the limits of 64 bits? I'm just wondering, like how 32 bits has limited RAM use and I don't know what else. What thresholds of resource consumption will have to be surpassed in order to provoke a move onward to, I guess it would be 128 bits architecture? __________________ Anticipating: GTA V, The Banner Saga, Wasteland 2, Assassin's Creed III, Overgrowth, Star Wars: 1313, Double Fine Adventure, Grim Dawn, Guild Wars 2, Doom 4, MechWarrior Online, Hawken, Far Cry 3, Dishonored, Xenonauts, Baldur's Gate EE

01-16-2011, 11:31 PM	#2
Jiminator	Re: What are the limits of 64 bits? 32 bits can address 4GB of memory. with each bit added the potential memory size doubles. so it is really going to be a while before full 64 bits memory space can be utilized. now there are other types of operations that work on 64 bit data or even 128 bit data. floating point, string, multimedia. but not what you are talking about. __________________ big badass nasty weapons here....

01-27-2011, 06:03 PM	#3
Kristian Joensen	Re: What are the limits of 64 bits? As I understand it, we are talking about 16 exabytes or almost 17 million terabytes, in other words over 17 billion gigabytes. IIRC currently existing 64 bit OSes can't actually address that much memory, but still it will probably be awhile before that becomes an issue. __________________ The Philosophy Of Liberty, Chaos Theory Tachyons, Time Travel, and Divine Omniscience A Refutation of Moral Relativism(Transcript) Last edited by Kristian Joensen; 01-27-2011 at 06:06 PM.

01-27-2011, 07:05 PM	#4
8IronBob	Re: What are the limits of 64 bits? Guess that means that 64-bit technology's not going anywhere anytime soon when it comes to how much memory that can be utilized. Looks like we'll have fun with that for quite some time. __________________ PC Specs (a.k.a. "Galacticus Prime"): http://pcpartpicker.com/p/7Vk7FT

01-27-2011, 10:04 PM	#5
Jiminator	Re: What are the limits of 64 bits? what the heck are you talking about? 64 bit memory allows you to use more than 4GB of ram. You could do it in a half-assed fashion with 32 bits but there were tons of issues. true, you cannot use the full memory space of 64 bits. but you can use the full ADDRESS space. address space gives the processor more flexibility in loading dlls and allocating memory. one of the selling points for x64 was that massive searches could run faster. Additionally some motherboards support 24 GB of ram and this will continue to improve. __________________ big badass nasty weapons here....

01-29-2011, 07:36 AM	#6
8IronBob	Re: What are the limits of 64 bits? I meant that just as long as 64-bit can address almost an eternity of memory, it probably will be a long time until we see an amount of RAM that will use the maximum that it can support. By the time that happens, we'll already be deep into 128-bit architecture...maybe 256-bit. :P __________________ PC Specs (a.k.a. "Galacticus Prime"): http://pcpartpicker.com/p/7Vk7FT

01-29-2011, 10:29 PM	#7
Crosma	Re: What are the limits of 64 bits? Commodity 64-bit hardware isn't properly 64-bit. Addressing is limited to 48 bits. The other 16 bits are not used at present, but can be in future hardware, so it's not a real problem. I doubt we'll switch to 128-bit. Some other (perhaps quantum, or possibly even analogue) architecture will supersede 64-bit. __________________ (define love (lambda () (map conquer all)))