32-bit computing: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 13:28, 5 May 2005

Revision as of 19:58, 3 July 2005

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'''32-bit''' is also a term given to a generation of computers, during which time 32-bit processors were the norm.

The range of [[integer]] values that can be stored in 32 bits is [[0 (number)|0]] through 4294967295, or -2147483648 through 2147483647 using [[two's complement]] encoding. Hence, a processor with 32-bit [[memory address]]es can directly access 4 [[Gigabyte|4GBGiB]] of [[byte-addressable]] memory.

The external address and data buses are often wider than 32 bits but both of these are stored and manipulated internally in the processor as 32-bit quantities. For example, the [[Pentium Pro]] processor is a 32-bit machine, but the external address bus is 36 bits wide, and the external data bus is 64 bits wide.

== See also ==

''See also:'' [[32-bit application]], [[History of video games (32-bit era)]], [[16-bit]], [[16-bit application]], [[64-bit]]

* [[32-bit application]]

* [[History of video games (32-bit era)]]

* [[16-bit]]

* [[16-bit application]]

* [[64-bit]]

[[de:32-Bit-Architektur]]