AMD CPU vs. SOCKET

  • Thread starter Thread starter Peter van der Goes
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Peter van der Goes

This AM2/2+ AM3 business has me scratching my head a bit, and I want to be
sure before shelling out $$.

You can put an AM3 CPU in an AM2/2+ motherboard and (if everything else will
support the new CPU), the cpu will work?

But, you *cannot* put an AM2/2+ CPU in an AM3 motherboard, correct?

I'm asking because I see posts in the Asus motherboard forums that *seem* to
claim that people are having success with this CPU:

AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black Processor Model
HDZ720WFGIBOX - Retail

in older AM2 motherboards, such as the M2N-E.

Seems like a bargain performance upgrade if it really can be done :-)
 
Peter van der Goes said:
You can put an AM3 CPU in an AM2/2+ motherboard and (if everything else
will support the new CPU), the cpu will work?
Click to expand...

Yeah. I don't know if it's _general_ compatibility, or whether it's
specific to certain chips, but I think all the current Phenom II chips
will work in an AM2+ socket.
But, you *cannot* put an AM2/2+ CPU in an AM3 motherboard, correct?
Click to expand...

Dunno about this, but it sounds right.
AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black Processor
Model HDZ720WFGIBOX - Retail

in older AM2 motherboards, such as the M2N-E.
Click to expand...

My understanding is that this should work if the BIOS is prepared to
deal with the new chip (and usually one can upgrade the BIOS easily
enough).

[Well to be honest, I don't _know_ that an old non-phenom-II-aware BIOS
would fail -- maybe it would actually work in some fashion. But I've
checked the website for my own AM 2+ MB, and see that they have Phenom
II aware BIOS upgrades out.]
Seems like a bargain performance upgrade if it really can be done :-)
Click to expand...

Yup... :-)

A good move on AMD's part...

-Miles
 
Miles Bader said:
Peter van der Goes said:
You can put an AM3 CPU in an AM2/2+ motherboard and (if everything else
will support the new CPU), the cpu will work?
Click to expand...

Yeah. I don't know if it's _general_ compatibility, or whether it's
specific to certain chips, but I think all the current Phenom II chips
will work in an AM2+ socket.
But, you *cannot* put an AM2/2+ CPU in an AM3 motherboard, correct?
Click to expand...

Dunno about this, but it sounds right.
AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black Processor
Model HDZ720WFGIBOX - Retail

in older AM2 motherboards, such as the M2N-E.
Click to expand...

My understanding is that this should work if the BIOS is prepared to
deal with the new chip (and usually one can upgrade the BIOS easily
enough).

[Well to be honest, I don't _know_ that an old non-phenom-II-aware BIOS
would fail -- maybe it would actually work in some fashion. But I've
checked the website for my own AM 2+ MB, and see that they have Phenom
II aware BIOS upgrades out.]
Seems like a bargain performance upgrade if it really can be done :-)
Click to expand...

Yup... :-)

A good move on AMD's part...

-Miles
Click to expand...

Thanks, Miles. I think I'll give it a shot. Worst comes to worst, I can
always get an AM3 motherboard, DDR3 RAM, etc. to work with the new CPU ;-)
 
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