Performance benefits for specialized, technical applications
The performance of 64-bit computing offers advantages in fields such as automobile or airplane design, by allowing engineers to create larger, more complex models. With such systems, engineers can use simulation software to analyze the effects of airflow, stress, and heat on materials of a car or plane, and then study the results to improve product design. Likewise, 64-bit computing is a benefit for digital content creators, including 3-D animators, digital artists, and game developers who can significantly reduce the time spent to digitally render three-dimensional models. In the areas of scientific and high performance computing, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition will aid in oil and gas exploration, seismic analysis, computational fluid dynamics and scientific visualization, among other applications.
Very large memory support, familiar Windows desktop
Windows XP Professional x64 Edition runs on the AMD Athlon 64, AMD Opteron, Intel Xeon with EM64T, and Intel Pentium 4 with EM64T as the platform for customers who are reaching the memory limits of 32-bit systems. The key difference between 32-bit and 64-bit Windows XP-based computing lies in the 64-bit version’s ability to use much more system memory. Windows XP Professional x64 Edition initially supports up to 128 gigabytes (GB) of RAM and up to 16 terabytes of virtual memory. Physical memory support will grow in the future as hardware capabilities expand. Data in memory is accessed thousands of times faster than it is on a disk drive, offering a tremendous performance benefit for applications that are developed to use this greater system memory.
Single desktop for technical and business applications
Windows XP Professional x64 Edition provides a single desktop for technical and business applications, eliminating the need for technical workstation users to maintain a PC for business applications and a separate workstation for high-end technical applications. Most Windows-compatible 32-bit applications run "as is" in a subsystem of Windows XP Professional x64 Edition with comparable performance to 32-bit Windows. Workstation users can take advantage of rich integration capabilities and productivity tools on the Windows platform. Designers can build a model and easily share it with others in the company, copying it in to a Word document for the finance group or adding it to a PowerPoint slide deck for the marketing team. If you use only 32-bit applications and work with data sets not larger than 2 GB, you will find that 32-bit, Windows XP Professional is the best desktop system for your applications.
Windows XP Professional x64 Edition systems can be added to existing Windows-based networks and managed alongside 32-bit systems with the same administrative tools, making life easier for the IT department. Overhead costs for maintaining and administering two systems are reduced.
Increased reliability and security on the desktop
Built on the Windows Server 2003 SP1 code-base, Windows XP Professional x64 provides increased reliability for business critical desktop computing. Users can now experience the stability and security of a server product on their PC.
Best platform for new generation of applications
Developers with 32-bit Windows skills will be comfortable and productive creating the next generation of application for Windows XP Professional x64 Edition. Developers will find the development environment virtually identical to the development environment for 32-bit Windows; the Microsoft Win64 application programming interface (API) is the same as the Microsoft Win32 API. The existing APIs have been modified where necessary to allow them to reflect the precision of the platform on which they are running. The result is programming simplicity and a short learning curve for the developer—writing code for 64-bit Windows is just like writing code for 32-bit Windows.
The 64-bit Windows development environment supports the same feature set as 32-bit Windows, including UI and programming models, networking, security, graphics, multimedia, directory service, Plug and Play, and tools features. Many of the functions have been modified to reflect the computational precision of the platform on which an application is run. |
