[OT] End-user uses for x86-64 (was: Why are still not at 64 bits)

[Michael ODonnell]

>> End users of portable processing may benefit from clock rate
>> reduction.  The 64-bit internal and main memory paths double the
>> processor's instruction throughput.

If all data paths doubled in width you'd certainly see increased
througput/efficiency.  But many internal data paths in current
designs are already wider than 32bits, and cache line sizes (which
dominate the nature of exchanges w/main memory, and which are
also already quite large) wouldn't necessarily double just because
your programming model now allows you to utter 64bit addresses.