32bit or 64bit Gentoo?

[vaporub]

After years of distro-hopping, not even the "Disrto Hopper Stopper" could tame me. Just when I settled on PCLOS2K7, it was January "2k8" and my craptop died. I came here for help and settled upon a tabletPC, based solely upon the cool factor.

The problem is that it came with the worst OS since Millenium Edition; Vista.

Here's my specs (wrapped like code for stunning visual effects):

HP TX 1410US
CPU: AMD64, dual core, 2.2GHz
RAM: 2GB
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150 (128MB Shared Video Memory)
HDD: 250GB SATA
WiFi: Broadcom 4321 (4328) a/b/g/draft n (works well in Mandriva with ndiswrapper)

So I want to get the 'best' installation of Linux possible. I know that there is no 'best distro' for everyone, and that it is foolish to think so. But I do beleive that a stage one installation of Gentoo is difficult to get on the first attempt.

I want to try anyway, and I want to do it both see just how much better it is, and to say that I've done it.

I had an acquaintence here in Korea who showed me his Gentoo on his laptop running circles around my dual-boot XP/PCLOS2K7 last year. Unfortunately, I think he moved away because I haven't seen him in a while. (Otherwise I'd ask him for his opinon.)

So, like the title imples, I would like opinons as to which arch I should use to get my system up and running.

I think that the key drivers I need (wireless and graphics) exist for both 32 bit and 64 bit Linux.

I do want to get my touchscreen working. Currently, I can click on it, but I cannot move the cursor unless I use the mouse or touchpad.

Eventually, I want to get Cedega and configure my laptop to play Anarchy Online. (AO is pretty nuch the only reason I use Windows anymore.)

After I create this topic, I will experiment with Gentoo using the 64bit cd I just downloaded, and I will try stage 3 first. Assuming that I can get it to work

 

[MyWorld]

I have been a Gentoo user since 2003, and there has been a lot of changes for the better and worse of Gentoo.

Installation:
They have done away with the stages and now offer a GUI installation as default. You just answer a few questions and "BAM" it is installed.
You can still do a stage 3 install from CLi, but I think they totally removed the stage 1 tarballs from the servers.

Us old hands will never use the gui, to this day I do not even fire up a LiveCD with a WM, I just need a shell and I'm happy, everything I need is there.

That said, the problem that came with the GUI install is that people no longer read the Gentoo Handbook, essential reading every few months if you want to keep up to date with changes in Gentoo and maintain your installation properly.
I cannot over emphasise the importance of the Handbook and http://www.gentoo-wiki.com

I have had my 32bit installation for more than 3 years now, and really do not see the need to upgrade to 64bit, that said if I was to install everything afresh I would go the 64bit route, utilize the full potential of your hardware.

Hardware:
If there is a way to get something to work, then Gentoo is the way. Since it is source based you have a very good chance of getting almost everything to work.