I've been trying to track down information on the benefits of using a 64-bit OS, but everything I come across just implies that 64-bit is a waste of time, and decreases system and game performance. So, I was wondering what the benefits to 64-bit are? Why is 64-bit an option? Thanks for any info.

Deja vu

Here's a thread that may answer some of your questions:

To be 64bits or not to be 64bits, that's the question...
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ion...-611315/

If you're into numerically intensive computation, 64 bit words give you twice the number of significant digits with which to work, provided the arithmetic processing actually uses all 64 bits.

If you're a computer design engineer, a 64 bit word size significantly increases the number of "primitive" operations you can support in your processor and increases the RAM you can directly address. (Of course, if the "sales engineers" control development, you'll be forced to make so many compromises to "maintain compatibility with existing software," that you'll seldom be able to actually design a processor that's really better then older ones.)

If you're a sales engineer, it gives you another reason to label you competition "old fashioned," and make another sale.