Next step, opening the throttle on GPU cores (nVidia CUDA or Intel HD 3rd Generation), which is even faster than relying on the CPU and it’s limited bottle necks. And since companies are so slow to adapt to 64b architecture other companies are making leaps and bounds and no longer limited to using CPU cores. Multi-core architecture has been available for some time now and those of us who have purchased new machines within the last 10 years, chances are it is a minimum dual core machine on a 64b version of Windows. Even those of us who built our machines for gaming purposes only to find out the game only comes in a 32b version and even worse it won’t work with multi-cores as with most programs. A good majority of the programs released even today are only 32b programs. What doesn’t make sense is the whole idea why companies are slow to release 64b versions when Windows has been available as a 64b version since XP.

If you see firefox.exe *32 there, it is a 32-bit version.

If you see firefox.exe listed there, it is a 64-bit version.

Use Ctrl-Shift-Esc to open the Task Manager.

It is relatively easy to find out if you are running a 64-bit version of Firefox on Windows.

How to find out if you are running a 64-bit version of Firefox

Even if it won't be the first version, it is clear that a 64-bit version of Windows will land in one of the next stable updates. It is unclear at this point in time if Firefox 38 will be the first version of the browser that supports 64-bit officially on Windows on all channels. The downsides to running a 64-bit version of Firefox are that some plugins won't be supported since you can only install 64-bit versions of plugins, and that the memory overhead of the browser is higher. Last but not least, there are rumors that Microsoft may ship Windows 10 as a 64-bit version only. The release of a 64-bit version may help Mozilla stay competitive (most competing browsers are offering 64-bit versions on Windows already). Web applications and games are becoming complex and will benefit from 64-bit both performance wise but also memory wise. Mozilla too gives reasons why 64-bit is important. It is likely that similar benefits come with 64-bit versions of Firefox.

Mozilla firefox for windows 10 64 bit