Intel Atom N550 64-bit processor: why does EeePC use it?

[Silent]

Greetings.

I have a 10.1" Asus EeePC 1015PEM that I use as my primary machine for everything(that includes web browsing, instant messaging, programming, graphical designing and porn websites). It has a Dual-Core Intel Atom N550 @ 1.5GHz that supports 64bit. Weird enough, the motherboard only supports up to 2GB of RAM.

As far as I know it's completely illogical to run a 64bit OS on such a setup(which is what I've done - Debian Squeeze for amd64. Just for the heck of it, probably gonna get rid of it soon). There are no real reasons to do it as the primary benefit of running 64bit is support of more RAM. So far the only difference I noticed is the lack of Mozilla FireFox and Adobe Flash Player. It just eats up more system resources, thus reducing battery life.

Having that said, why would the manufacturer(Intel) implement 64bit technology in a product in which I can't take advantage of it?

Discuss.

[Dave_G]

porn sites look the same in 32 or 64 bit
so don't worry you aren't missing anything.

[Silent]

lol.
I'm just wondering what was their point, because as I said before it really does no good. Furthermore, it causes the system to work more for the same results.

[darkcity]

it sounds cool on the specs 64bit! - it'll sell more units

[Dave_G]

Perhaps a marketing ploy by Intel so that they can advertise the N550
as 64 bit (even though not all benefits can be enjoyed) or they
hit power consumption problems with extra RAM and decided that 2GB
is a good compromise between performance and battery life.

Who knows what they were thinking, they have been known to do stranger stuff.

[Dave_G]

I suspect darkcity hit the nail on the head.

[Silent]

It would make sense in they would do it.
Seriously. I like to check everything before I buy something. I've never seen an ad in a store or a website or anywhere that mentions it's 64bit. I haven't noticed it on the box. I've only discovered it in some review on YouTube, then confirmed it with CPUz.
Besides, it ships with a 32bit OS.

[Dave_G]

http://ark.intel.com/products/50154/Int ... _50-GHz%29

[p310don]

porn sites look the same in 32 or 64 bit Smile
so don't worry you aren't missing anything.

Actually a friend of a friend told me that a lot of flash based pron doesn't work so well in 64bit linux, sometimes not loading at all. Flash for 32bit in linux is much better. So my friend's friend likes puppy being 32bit...

[Silent]

http://ark.intel.com/products/50154/Int ... _50-GHz%29

It does say it's 64bit, but I would expect it to be written in big golden or something to make sure everybody notices.