Vista Enterprise

64-bit editions of Windows Vista are for serious computer users who have advanced high-performance needs and are running a computer system with a 64-bit processor.

Security features such as Data Execution Prevention (DEP) and Microsoft's PatchGuard provide an additional layer of security against threats, while increased memory capabilities improve the performance of applications with heavy memory demands.

For businesses, Windows Vista 64-bit editions are ideal for engineering (CAD/CAM) work, digital content creation, scientific/technical computing, and even demanding financial analysis, all on computer systems with 64-bit processors.

Since the AMD64 and Intel EMT64 ranges of processors happen to run 32-bit code extremely quickly, it's not surprising that even though probably the majority of machines sold these days are 64-bit capable, they are running the standard 32-bit version of the Windows XP operating system, with the 64-bit edition used mostly for workstation-class tasks such as engineering and scientific applications.

In the consumer market, Windows Vista 64-bit editions are for serious gamers, high-quality media creators, and enthusiasts who demand the most from digital media and are running computer systems with 64-bit processors.

The 64-bit editions of Windows Vista are not for everyone, and require a system with a 64-bit processor and 64-bit system drivers.

In Windows Vista, the choice becomes far more pertinent for most people.

Gone are the limitations of the 64-bit edition in terms of what software comes shipped with the operating system: a "Longhorn Basic" requirement for any feature to have been accepted into the operating system was to be supported on both 32-bit and 64-bit platforms.

But the 64-bit version also takes advantage of the hardware to offer some attractive security features that are exclusive to that platform.

On the downside, you'll still see weaker down-level compatibility on the 64-bit platform: for example, we don't support 16-bit code from the Windows 3.x days (which is a little more of an issue than many people realize due to the inclusion of 16-bit code in the installers for some decidedly 32-bit applications).

All editions of Windows Vista 64-bit provide increased memory support beyond the standard 4 gigabytes (GB) available with 32-bit editions. Refer to the specific edition of Windows Vista 64-bit to determine maximum memory capacity.

Memory Support for Windows Vista Enterprise : 128GB

More about 64 bit processing at Windows Vista Update

System Requirements for Windows Vista 64 Bit