64-bit refers to the number of
bits (the smallest unit of
information on a machine) that can be processed or transmitted in parallel, or
the number of bits used for single element in a data format. When the term is
used in conjunction with a
microprocessor, it
indicates the width of the
registers #&151; a special
high-speed
storage area within the
CPU. A 64-bit microprocessor can process data and
memory addresses that are represented by 64 bits.
The
term is often applied to the following:
See also 32-bit and "What
Is 64-bit Computing?" in Webopedia's
Did You Know...
section.