Given 3gb of ram, 32 bit or 64 bit os?

[JonJ678]

Hey. I know a a very similar question to this is asked frequently, but for once the answer isn't "buy more ram". This is for a virtualbox machine, which will be allowed at most 3gb of ram, but possibly less.

So, I would like to know if there are any actual benefits to using the 64 bit os over the 32. In use both appear close to identical, with 32 bit slightly easier for compatability. I suspect under identical conditions, 64 bit code is slower than 32 bit, but I do not know this.

Whats the general opinion?
Cheers

 

[JonJ678]

Windows would be running some computer aided design progeams and some antique games. 3D CAD work in virtualbox is probably the biggest potential problem, and I suspect I'm going to have to test that.

Linux will be gnome, firefox, text documents. Nothing numerically intense. A lot of programs running at once, but none of them difficult to run individually.

Both open at once, so need to be both 32 bit or both 64 bit. Linux probably doesn't matter, so I may be judging it solely on which windows version copes best with solid edge.

(Strange question I know. I'm trying to move from two computers down to one while still running both operating systems)

Cheers Corasik