I have HP 620 WT162EA laptop (64bit processor and 2gb ddr3 ram memory). Based on your experience, which version of ubuntu I shall install: 32bit or 64bit?
From what I already read here, people suggest 64bit version if there is more than 4gb of ram memory, but in terms of performance ll it work better than 32bit on my laptop? Vice versa?
I'm complete newbie in this field and I just came here to ask a question :)
Thanks!
With the current cost of laptop memory, I would expect you would want to max out your memory in the near future. On this fact alone, I would go with 64-bit. Furthermore, the 64-bit OS will leverage your processor much better than the 32-bit. In my experience, it becomes a situation as to why not? And truthfully, I cannot see a benefit to not running 64-bit. Unless there is some major flaw with the OS (that I have not yet heard of.)
My personal rule of thumb is
If it is able to run a 64-bit operating system, install a 64-bit operating system
However, I draw a lot of conclusion from Windows operating systems.
On Windows, even if you only have 2GB of physical memory, that's not all that has to be addressed. The memory of your graphics card might also have to be addressed in addition to your physical memory, so does your virtual memory or memory-mapped files.
Even though this is all Windows-related, I would imagine that at least some of it applies to Linux-based operating systems as well.
64 bit shines when running games, video editing software, encryption, and other memory intensive processes. Otherwise the difference between 32 and 64 bit is not noticeable. That said I'd recommend the 64 bit OS. Most applications, browser plugins included, have been ported over to 64 bit. I've been running the 64 bit versions of Ubuntu for a few years now and I'd consider 64 bit very mature at this point.
