new System and Windows question

[wodin]

Im building a new system online a AMD64 San Diego 3.7 CPU.

SO I have a choice of Windows OS.

Do I go for

1. Windows Home edition £52

2. Windows Pro £92

3. WIndows Pro 64 bit £97

Obviously you would buy the Pro 64 over the Pro due to such a small priec range. However is it worth buying the Pro or 64bit version over the Windows home OS? I save £40 so its a reasonable saving if there is no real benifit.

HOWEVER this sytem is being bought now to last me a long time indeed so I want the most future proof.

Thanks

[Terminus]

You should probably go for the 64 bit system, as it's the newest.

Paradoxically, that may also be its weakness, as the "old" XP has settled down and gotten rid of a lot of its flaws.

[ravinhood]

Seems I read an article not long ago about Windows coming out with a "gamers" OS. You might want to wait on that depending on your computer use. I'd say my system is 90% game system with 10% business, storage use. I use the XP home edition myself and it will be some years before I move up to the 64 bit technology since there's really nothing out there right now or projected for it's use that would warrant that kind of money into a upgrade right now. Technology is pretty far ahead of gaming and even business use. Staying in the mid-range has always been the best spot for me. I went top of the line one year and within 6 months to a year it was middle class, so I've learned not to jump on the high end band wagon anymore. Right now I'm oogling a 300mb hard-drive for $129, now that's my kind of upgrade.

[Terminus]

Must have more HD spaaaaaace... (shuffles away zombie-like to the computer store) [:D]

[wodin]

I never buy top line myself.

I usually go a few steps down as the price drop is incredible.

Im going for a Geforce6600GT 128 rather than a 6800 or the Ati X800.

Its the CPU Im really spending on as everything else is easly upgraded.

[FlyingElvis]

I'd hold off on 64-bit XP for awhile. Let the OS mature a bit, unless you like being a guinea pig. [:D]

[Terminus]

ORIGINAL: ravinhood

Seems I read an article not long ago about Windows coming out with a "gamers" OS.

That seems very unlikely, seeing as how Microsoft would like us all to buy XBox 360's.

[ravinhood]

That seems very unlikely, seeing as how Microsoft would like us all to buy XBox 360's

Heh, bite your tongue, it will be a cold day in hell before I buy a console. lol

If I can find that article again I will post a link, though, I might have read it in one of my PCgamer/Computer Gaming Strategy magazines. I viewed it as something else for Bill Gates to gouge us with more $$ for yet another OS. Windows is getting like gasoline, if you want to drive your systems in the future, you have to give ole Bill more money.

[Terminus]

ORIGINAL: ravinhood

Windows is getting like gasoline, if you want to drive your systems in the future, you have to give ole Bill more money.

I AM GATES OF BORG... YOU WILL BE ASSIMILATED... RESISTANCE IS FUTILE.

[SemperAugustus]

I don't see any reason to get the 64-bit version of Windows, unless you intend to use a 64-bit processor. Running 32-bit programs on a 64-bit machine using 32 bit emulation is a bit of gamble IMO. I have only used the Win2k3 64 bit RC2 beta OS, so can't really comment on WinXP-64

Its a lot better with XP Home unless you intend to use it in a company network running an active directory domain. The difference between XP Professional and XP Home is that Home lacks network features like support for active directory, offline files, remote desktop, web publishing, certain encryption features, plus other things like support for multiple processors, advanced system recovery and dynamic disks. The only one I find remotely usable, for a home user, of the features listed above is the IIS, but that would be if you feel like having your own web site.

I would put the 40 quid into more RAM and buy the XP Home edition.

[oi_you_nutter]

Windows XP 64bit is very short on drivers for hardware when compared to the 32bit XP versions
you still have the 64bit cpu if you need to upgrade later on

apart from servers, I do not know if the XP 64bit is going to take off before the next version of Windows (i.e. the much delayed longhorn)

stick to the XP home editon if the 40 quid extra for Pro is lot of dosh for you.
if you are going to connect to a business type network or need the ability to setup detailed file level security then get the Pro version