AMD Chipset and Cpu compatibility and so on...

[AnotherGuy]

I wanted to know... how the upgrade path with AMD will go...

This is what i had in mind:

Step 1: Buy now a cheap socket am2 board (Biostar Tforce 550) with an AM2 processor... say the x2 3600+ brisbane and say 2 gig of DDR2 RAM.

Step 2: When Barcelona comes out and maybe prices go down sometime next year or end of this year get a Barcelona processor (AM2+) that should fit into AM2 current socket... (correct me if im wrong pls)

Step 3: Then sometime by the end of 2008 my mobo will feel old and maybe we will have the ddr3 motherboards out with the socket AM3. SO I buy the new AM3 board that should fit my Barcelona chip??? Is that correct or not? Will they be compatable? I am not sure if AM3 will support the current DDR2 memory or it needs DDR3... but i could buy new ram if i have to.


If all these Steps are possible to take then.... I definitly think AMD has a better upgrade future path than Intel and still remaining very performance compettive with Intel....

Intel current conroe boards will not be compatable with the coming Penryn chips... and I think neither penryn boards will be compatable with Nehalem chips or whatever the name for next native quadcore Intel chip is.... is that correct??

Does this make sense to go for a am2 setup right now and then follow these steps in the future???
I dont want to build hole new systems every year... thats y, and since AMD seems like will be the cheap choice in these generations... i think its worth it.

Any advice?

 

[myocardia]

AMD has never said that AM2+ will work in AM2 boards, though they might. Like all rumours, a few turn out to be true. But, no AM2+ processors will function in an AM3 board, since AM3 boards will use DDR3, and AM2+ processors only have DDR2 memory controllers.

 

[eggrolls]

even if barcelona works on AM2, your "cheap" board might not be able to handle it...

 

[AnotherGuy]

Originally posted by: myocardia
AMD has never said that AM2+ will work in AM2 boards, though they might. Like all rumours, a few turn out to be true. But, no AM2+ processors will function in an AM3 board, since AM3 boards will use DDR3, and AM2+ processors only have DDR2 memory controllers.

Hmmm Am i lucky or what.... http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=7132 today they mention barcelona will be backward compatible with am2 boards... But as of todays article... u are right AM3 boards most likely will not be compatable with Am2+ chips... so that leaves my upgrade path only up to Step 2... and whenever I feel that i need a better motherboard of socket Am2+ i can always upgrade that from this cheap $75 board...

I could also wait for Barcelona to come out and save my $60 for cpu + $75 mobo + $20 HSf = $155 now... but I am afraid Barcelona will take too long to come out and maybe when they do its gonna be very expensive... at least until Penryn comes out or smthn...
I dont feel like spending too much for my new setup...

What do u guys think on the timeframe?

 

[AnotherGuy]

Eggroll maybe my "cheap" motherboard will be able to handle it.... Do u have any reason to believe that it won't, besides the fact that its cheap?