is Conroe 64 bit processor?

[AlucardBelmont]

ok, this might be stupid, is Conroe a 64 bit processor?I've read the anandtech review, but it isn't mentioned there.
if it is a 64 bit processor,will it be able to run 32 bit application?(just like the current AMD processor? )
thanks.

 

[Nightmare225]

Yes, it is 64 bit. Same functionality as the 64 series.

 

[soydios]

It can run either 64-bit or regular 32-bit. It was designed as a 32-bit processor with added 64-bit functionality, FYI.

 

[dakotagts]

so its vista ready... yey

 

[Aluvus]

Originally posted by: dakotagts
so its vista ready... yey

Vista will be very much available in 32-bit flavors.

 

[tatteredpotato]

Vista has 64 bit versions so it would run anyways. Ive read that the 64 bit Vista is buggier, at least in its beta stage though.

 

[coldpower27]

As was said Vista will have both 32/64 Bit version, but Conroe has EM64T and can run both.

 

[aka1nas]

Originally posted by: BlameCanada
Vista has 64 bit versions so it would run anyways. Ive read that the 64 bit Vista is buggier, at least in its beta stage though.

The main thing is that 64-bit Vista won't benefit from application shims and other methods that MS is using to make current and old apps compatable with Vista.

 

[AlucardBelmont]

great, thanks for the information.

 

[scsi stud]

Okay, so I don't understand. AMD's Athlon 64 CPUs are fully architectured for 64-bit processing, correct? the New Core 2 Duo processors are the same way, or are they 32-bit architectured?

 

[dexvx]

Originally posted by: scsi stud
Okay, so I don't understand. AMD's Athlon 64 CPUs are fully architectured for 64-bit processing, correct? the New Core 2 Duo processors are the same way, or are they 32-bit architectured?

None of them are "fully architectured for 64-bit". They are both 32-bit processors that can run 64bit, rather than vice-versa.

 

[crimson117]

All the current reviews that I've seen have been done in 32-bit mode on Windows XP. I'd be interested in seeing some intense testing of AMD X2 vs. Intel e6x00 using a 64-bit OS and 64-bit apps

 

[Vee]

Yes , Conroe is a 64-bit processor.

In one mode, legacy mode, the mode in which most x86-64 processors still run today, it's a 100% 32-bit processor. In this mode, it has no added 64-bit functionality nor is it a 32-bit processor that can run 64-bit. It's exactly the same as all previous 32-bit x86 processors. It has no additional tricks and certainly can't run 64-bit code either.

In another mode, long mode, it's a new 64-bit processor. In this mode it's a different processor and not fully backwards compatible with 32-bit x86. The system interface is different so it's not compatible with old system level instructions and interrupts. It does however have a layer that converts segment registers and a 32-bit address into a 64-bit address. So this way it can execute old application level 32-bit instructions. This provides the ability, for a 64-bit OS, to also run old 32-bit applications.

 

[Brunnis]

Originally posted by: dexvx
None of them are "fully architectured for 64-bit". They are both 32-bit processors that can run 64bit, rather than vice-versa.

I'm interested to know why you consider them to be 32-bit CPUs with 64-bit capabilities tacked on, instead of 32/64-bit hybrids. From what I've been able to gather, the K8 and EM64T CPUs are just as much 64-bit as "64-bit only" CPUs. I've not really seen anything that make them "less 64-bit and more 32-bit", but it's certainly possible that I've missed or misunderstood something.

 

[Pabster]

Originally posted by: crimson117
All the current reviews that I've seen have been done in 32-bit mode on Windows XP. I'd be interested in seeing some intense testing of AMD X2 vs. Intel e6x00 using a 64-bit OS and 64-bit apps

I'll have to dig around, but I've seen some figures showing Conroe's 64-bit performance trumping AMD's by a healthy margin. That's a big shift from previous Intel EMT64 efforts where it fell way behind on the 64-bit side.

 

[Dravic]

The only thing that is keeping them from being complete 64bit procs is the inability to address 64bits of memory space. The a64 can address 48bits and the EM64T an address 36bits of memory.


Im not sure if te EM64T numbers have changed with conroe.

 

[coldpower27]

Originally posted by: Dravic
The only thing that is keeping them from being complete 64bit procs is the inability to address 64bits of memory space. The a64 can address 48bits and the EM64T an address 36bits of memory.


Im not sure if te EM64T numbers have changed with conroe.

EM64T has already been extended to 40Bit Addressing for memory, so 1TB of Memory can now be accessed.

Not that this is a big deal, with the amount of memory we have right now.