64 Bit OS, Big Deal?

So i have a Friend who moved here from Australia a few years ago, a very tech savy person indeed. He Says a 64 Bit OS is the best thing since sliced bread and i was also just wondering if anyone here has any expirience with the subject aswell. I came accross a copy of windows XP Pro 64 and installed it. and i wasn't impressed. I played games that utilize it, Far Cry and F.E.A.R to be exact, and i didn't notice the great improvement that i expected. Just wondering if anyone has any other insight, or things i should have tried istead, thanks.

this topic has been brought up several times.

bottomline, if you don't have 64bit apps, you won't gain anything with winxp64.

I think it is a big deal. I run both of my 64bit systems on WinXP64. I will be trying Vista 64 bit later today.

My feeling is that if you have to ask, you don't need it. It needs twice the RAM of the 32-bit variety and drivers are NOT available for many older peripherals.

I'm sorry, but novices do not need 64-bit operating systems.

Neither do gamers.