Have you heard about x32, x64 and x86 but you have no idea what these terms mean? Here we will explain to you what is the difference between x32, x64 and x86.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN X32, X64 AND X86?

WHAT DOES X32 MEAN?

Although formally wrong, the term x32 refers generally to the 32-bit version of a given operating system. In fact, the term x32 would be better suited to designate an application binary interface created to allow programs to take advantage of the x86-64 instruction set using 32-bit pointers, thus avoiding the overhead of 64-bit pointers.

WHAT DOES X86 MEAN?

Usually, with the term x86, we refer to the 32-bit version of a given driver, program or operating system. Technically speaking, however, with the term x86 or x86 architecture, we refer instead to a family of Intel processors and the set of instructions that they are able to use. The term x86 was born as a set of 16-bit instructions for certain 16-bit processors (the Intel 8086 and the Intel 8088), then it was extended as a set of 32-bit instructions for certain 32-bit processors ( the Intel 80386 and the Intel 80486 ), and has now been extended as a 64-bit instruction set for all 64-bit processors.
It should also be noted that at the beginning the word x86 was written as 80 × 86 to reflect the value that changed in the numbers that identified the various models of the chips (therefore 80 3 86, 80 4 86, 80 5 86, and via saying), but at some point the 80 that was before has been eliminated, leaving only the x86.

WHAT DOES X64 MEAN?

Commonly, with the term x64, we refer to the 64-bit version of a given driver, program or operating system. Technically speaking, however, with the term x64, x86-64, x86_64, AMD64 or Intel 64, we refer instead to the 64-bit version of the instruction set with x86 architecture. More precisely, when the 64-bit processors compatible with the x86 architecture were introduced, they were referred to as x86-64 (the terms x86-32 and x86-16 they were used, respectively, for 32 and 16-bit processors compatible with the x86 architecture). Later, perhaps to simplify things, it was decided to use the terms x64 to refer to 64-bit and x86 processors to refer instead to 32-bit processors.

WHAT DOES 32 OR 64 BIT MEAN?

By definition, a 32-bit processor can handle both 32-bit instructions and refer to 32-bit memory addresses. But what does 32 bit mean? In other words, 32 bit indicates the abbreviation of a certain number that contains 32 bits, that is, only 0 and 1 (for example, 11000100011011101101100010110101 is a number of 32 bits). Since each digit in this number can only be 0 or 1, the total number of combinations that can be used is therefore 2 ^ 32, ie 4,294,967,296 (0 to 4,294,967,295). And 4.29 billion memory addresses (each capable of storing one byte of data) equals 4 GB, which is why a 32-bit processor can access up to 4 GB of RAM without software expedients to try to use even more.
Similarly, a 64-bit processor can access a maximum of 2^64 memory addresses, i.e., about 18.4 exabytes of RAM memory. The only difference from a 32-bit processor is that a 64-bit processor, in addition to handling 64-bit instructions and referring to 64-bit memory addresses, is also able to handle 32-bit instructions. bit and is to refer to 32-bit memory addresses. In other words, a 64-bit processor is capable of performing both 32-bit and 64-bit operations, while a 32-bit processor is capable of performing only 32-bit operations.
Another important thing to say is that, as well as processors, even operating systems, programs and drivers they can be both 32 bit and 64 bit. Therefore, since a 64-bit processor can run both 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems, programs and drivers, and a 32-bit processor can only run 32-bit operating systems, programs and drivers, then it is very important to understand which of the two versions your program is and it is also necessary to decide from time to time to install.

So, at this point, you should finally have realized what the difference is between x32, x64 and x86.