Discontinuing support for 32-bit systems

Prism 8.4 will be the final version of Prism available for 32-bit Windows operating systems. Support for 64-bit Windows operating systems will remain unchanged. This decision was made in order to ensure that future performance, stability, and security updates to Prism were not limited by the restrictive framework of the 32-bit architecture.

What do you mean 32-bit?

There’s a lot of technical details involved in defining what is meant by a “32-bit” system, but ultimately it comes down to how much information a system’s CPU can access. CPU’s built with the 32-bit architecture are limited to accessing about 4GB of RAM. In contrast, the theoretical limit for 64-bit processors extends into the range of millions of terabytes… You’ll need a larger computer case to fit that much RAM in.

Interestingly, 64-bit processors aren’t as new as many people think. In fact, 64-bit processors were found in both the Playstation 2 and the Nintendo 64 (it’s right there in the name) when they were released in the late 90s/early 00s. Since then, the popularity of 64-bit processors has continued to increase, and nearly all modern computers and systems run on this 64-bit architecture.

How can I tell if my system is 32-bit or 64-bit?

Microsoft has put together a list of instructions that you can use to check if your system is 32-bit or 64-bit: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/13443/windows-which-version-am-i-running

What do I do if I’m on a 32-bit system?

Unfortunately, you cannot simply “update” a computer from a 32-bit system to a 64-bit system. This is determined by the computer's hardware itself. In some cases, you may be running a 32-bit operating system on a 64-bit capable processor. In these situations, the operating system can be updated to a 64-bit version.

Again, Microsoft has put together a useful set of frequently asked questions regarding this topic: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/15056/windows-32-64-bit-faq

What if my computer is a Mac?

Nearly all modern Mac computers are built on the 64-bit architecture. Additionally, Prism for Mac is only offered as a 64-bit application. As such, if you use a Mac, there's nothing you need to do!