Are 64-bit Binaries Really Slower than 32-bit Binaries?

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OSNews have thrown up a new guide called Are 64-bit Binaries Really Slower than 32-bit Binaries? Read on and find out!

When running tests, installing operating systems, and compiling software for my Ultra 5, I came to the stunning realization that hey, this system is 64-bit, and all of the operating systems I installed on this Ultra 5 (can) run in 64-bit mode.

I wondered if it would be best to compile my applications in 32-bit mode or 64-bit mode. The modern dogma is that 32-bit applications are faster, and that 64-bit imposes a performance penalty. Time and time again I found people making the assertion that 64-bit binaries were slower, but I found no benchmarks to back that up. It seemed it could be another case of rumor taken as fact.

So I decided to run a few of my own tests to see if indeed 64-bit binaries ran slower than 32-bit binaries, and what the actual performance disparity would ultimately be.

Are 64-bit Binaries Really Slower than 32-bit Binaries?