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Difference between 32 bit and 64 bit version

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What is the difference between 32 bit and 64 bit versions of Ubuntu and whose performance is better in terms of CPU and memory utilization?

My concern is related to the GNS3 software which i'm running on 32 bit Ubuntu linux but since it is only supporting 3GB of RAM i can have only certain number of devices working in GNS3, i need to load more than 10 devices in GNS3 which will require atleast 4GB of RAM. Would the 64bit version be able to help me in loading more devices and also i need to know if this version is cpu friendly then the 32 bit one.

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marcobra (Marco Braida) (marcobra) said : 		#1

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/32bit_and_64bit

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delance (olivier-delance) said : 		#2

Boot on a 64 bits Ubuntu CD, choose "Try but don't install".
Then System->Administration->Check hardware and see if it works.
For me, it works, and instead of 3.2GB I have 3.9GB, which is usefull with lot of virtual machines.

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Andres Bracho (andres-bracho) said : 		#3

What is the difference between 32 bit and 64 bit versions of Ubuntu and whose performance is better in terms of CPU and memory utilization?
If your computer is a 64bits then use the 64 bits version, it is faster and better in performance terms of CPU, and about memory utilization, 32 bits goes up to 4 Gb, 64 bits recognicez more than that, but if you have 3 Gb of RAM, no matter which version do you use, you'll always have 3 Gb of RAM.

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delance (olivier-delance) said : 		#4

32 bits Linux uses 4GB only if you get a PAE enabled kernel, else it's 3.2GB (due to space address reserved for devices).

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