Computer, 64-Bit Machine

Computer, 64-Bit Machine, a computer that processes information in 64-bit chunks. Inside a computer, all information is represented by binary digits, or bits. Each bit is either a 1 or a 0, and different combinations of these 1s and 0s denote different pieces of information. In a 64-bit computer, the microprocessor—the central processing unit of a computer—transports information through the system 64 bits at a time. The data path, or bus, that runs to and from the microprocessor is 64 bits wide. Generally, 64-bit machines are faster than their 32-bit predecessors. The Intel Corporation, the leading manufacturer of microprocessors, offers a 64-bit processor for computer servers known as Itanium. Advanced Micro Devices, better known as AMD, the main competitor of Intel, offers a 64-bit chip for servers called Opteron and one for desktop personal computers (PCs) called Athlon 64 FX. See also Computer, 32-Bit Machine; Computer, 16-Bit Machine.