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Well, today when I headed to download page, there were 3 options for me as follows:

  1. 64 Bit
  2. 32 Bit (for machines with less than 2 GB RAM)
  3. 64 Bit Mac (AMD64)

I know that you need a good system to run 64 Bit operating system. But the 32 bit download option have confused me, because it tells you to install 32 bit in those machines which have got 2 GB RAM.

In my case, I have got 3 GB RAM. But my processor is Core 2 Quad, I have an old NVIDIA Graphics Card- I don't think I should use 64 bit in my PC. So I am in a fix, I am confused about the extra words tagged with the 32 bit download option.

So in brief, If I try to use 64 Bit, I don't think it would be good for my PC as I don't have much good specs. And If I try to use 32 Bit, I have to have less than 2 GB ram, but I have got 3 GB.

Ahmed Sadman
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  • It says "less then 2GB", and you have more, so the anwser is clear - 64bit. Not really sure what you mean by "good system" and "it would be good for my PC". – mikewhatever Sep 30 '14 at 18:23
  • I hate to say this, but the guidelines on the Ubuntu download page don't seem to make any sense at all. It doesn't even address whether you have a 32-bit or 64-bit CPU. And a 32-bit OS can access (approximately) 4 GB or memory. – Marty Fried Sep 30 '14 at 18:35
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    A few month ago I've come across a test performed with an old laptop, with 1 gb ram. 64 bit Ubuntu showed better performance in almost all testing. The thing is that 64 and 32 bit os are pretty much the same, but 64 bit os can take advantage of better specs while 32 is limited. So 64 bit os can be installed on your machine, and you have good enough specs for that. – Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy Sep 30 '14 at 18:44
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    @MartyFried You're right. For the first time it confused me. Why they are saying about 2GB when 32 bit can access about 4 GB RAM, there must be a cause, isn't it? – Ahmed Sadman Oct 01 '14 at 12:48
  • @mikewhatever 32 Bit can access up to 4 GB RAM, so why are they saying 2GB? – Ahmed Sadman Oct 01 '14 at 12:50
  • I think that if you have 2GB or less, and you run more than one large app at a time, you will get decreased performance with a 64-bit system due to use of swap, but with only one large app, you'd be OK. So they may be taking the safe route in their advice. But it's still not addressing a 32-bit system with more than that - it implies that you should use the 64-bit version, which is not correct. – Marty Fried Oct 01 '14 at 14:53

2 Answers2

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Your processor is 64 bit with 4 cores, you have enough memory to comfortable work, so why not to install 64 bit system ? You definitely should try it. You will be satisfied with performance of ubuntu 14.04 64 bit

EdiD
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If you have a 64 bit processor, I think it's best to use a 64 bit OS when available. It doesn't matter what video card you have. But with 64 bit, you can access more than 4 GB of RAM if you decide you need it later. But you can't upgrade from 32 to 64 bit, so once you install one, you would need to reinstall to change in the future.

One thing to remember about linux is that you can copy the OS from one system to a new system. So, if you get a new computer that's more powerful, you can copy your existing 64 bit OS to the new system if you want, and it will work.

Also, I believe many tests have shown that the 64 bit system performs better in some situations.

EDIT, I don't know who came up with the guidelines for which version to use on the Ubuntu page, but it doesn't really make a lot of sense. Why 2GB? 32 bit can access up to 4 GB. And it doesn't even address whether you have a 32 bit or 64 bit CPU.

Marty Fried
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  • I would definitely try. However, what's the difference between '64 Bit' and '64 Bit Mac (AMD64)', please explain. Which one of them should I install? – Ahmed Sadman Oct 01 '14 at 12:53
  • I would say the short answer is that the "64-bit Mac" version is for an Apple Mac system. I've never used it, but there is some info in this answer. – Marty Fried Oct 01 '14 at 14:42