Nvidia to cease producing new drivers for 32-bit systems

[steve2470]

Link to tweet

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/12/nvidia-to-cease-producing-new-drivers-for-32-bit-systems/

While most people have probably made the switch by now, yet another reason to drop 32-bit operating systems and move to 64-bits is coming. Version 390 of Nvidia's graphics drivers, likely to arrive in January, will be the last to contain support for 32-bit versions of Windows (7, 8/8.1, and 10), Linux, and FreeBSD.

There will be another year of security updates for 32-bit drivers, but all new features, performance enhancements, and support for new hardware will require the use of a 64-bit operating system and 64-bit drivers.

Reasons to stick with 32-bit Windows are at this point few and far between. 64-bit Windows has superior security to 32-bit, and while it varies with workload, 64-bit applications can run somewhat faster than 32-bit counterparts; for workloads that won't fit within the constraints of 32-bit software, the difference is of course enormous. Generally, those who continue to use the 32-bit operating system tend to be subject to some kind of legacy constraint. 32-bit drivers won't work in 64-bit Windows, so obscure but mission critical hardware can extend the life of 32-bit systems.

There can be software issues, too: 32-bit Windows can run both 16-bit Windows and 16- and 32-bit DOS applications. 64-bit Windows cannot. Virtualization software such as VMware, or emulation software such as DOSbox, is arguably the better option for anyone who still needs that kind of compatibility.