AMD's "bulldozer" will work on AM3 socket motherboards?

[Monkey_Business]

I read a rumor that AMD's 8-core "bulldozer" processors are going to be compatible with AM3 socket motherboards, with a BIOS update. Or is it necessary to have an AM3+ socket, or AM4 socket motherboard to use the bulldozers?

For example, will the bulldozer CPU work on an ASUS Crosshair III Formula motherboard if I update the BIOS as necessary?

 

[dajeepster]

check the asus support website to see if the motherboard will support it... that's what anyone else would do. And if it's not on the website, contact asus... otherwise the answer is just based on conjecture.

 

[frostedflakes]

AMD's been pretty good about maintaining backward compatibility in the past, and I'm hoping that trend continues with Bulldozer. I suspect it will be compatible with AM3, but AM2/AM2+ users are probably out of luck, because it doesn't sound like the CPU will come with a DDR2 memory controller.

If it is backward compatible, that board will probably get a BIOS update to add support. Gigabyte and ASUS both seem to be pretty good about this, especially with their high-end/enthusiast boards.

 

[Monkey_Business]

AMD's been pretty good about maintaining backward compatibility in the past, and I'm hoping that trend continues with Bulldozer. I suspect it will be compatible with AM3, but AM2/AM2+ users are probably out of luck, because it doesn't sound like the CPU will come with a DDR2 memory controller.

If it is backward compatible, that board will probably get a BIOS update to add support. Gigabyte and ASUS both seem to be pretty good about this, especially with their high-end/enthusiast boards.

I wonder how long Intel's 1366 sockets will last. The Core i9 will be compatible with that socket, but when will Intel release a new micro-architecture? The Core i9 is a Six-core Core i7.

LGA775 is already a dead socket.

 

[heyheybooboo]

From Anand.

If you read the roadmap 'literally' the initial BD core (Zambezi) will be AM3. I've seen comments regarding 'AM3+' designations for some sockets but I'm not sure how that fits in the program.

My 'understanding' is Zambezi may not be the 'Official Fusion' core. That would be 'Liano' APU with the GPU integrated on-die. Probably a safe guess this would not be pin-compatible with AM3. I have no idea what relationship this may have with 'AM3+'.

I'll guess that Zambezi will utilize 'some' of the SSE5/AVX instruction set with full adoption of expanded instructions with Liano.


You will be tested later





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[Monkey_Business]

From Anand.

If you read the roadmap 'literally' the initial BD core (Zambezi) will be AM3. I've seen comments regarding 'AM3+' designations for some sockets but I'm not sure how that fits in the program.

My 'understanding' is Zambezi may not be the 'Official Fusion' core. That would be 'Liano' APU with the GPU integrated on-die. Probably a safe guess this would not be pin-compatible with AM3. I have no idea what relationship this may have with 'AM3+'.

I'll guess that Zambezi will utilize 'some' of the SSE5/AVX instruction set with full adoption of expanded instructions with Liano.


You will be tested later
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No AM4 yet? What socket type is AMD's next generation chipsets? The bulldozers will not be pin-compatible with let's say, the ASUS Crosshair III Formula motherboard?

 

[BD231]

Did you really have to ask the question in the form of a statement? You had me thinking there was good news in this thread ... and none of that contrived, pulled out the a** bullsh ... I mean conjecture.

 

[Monkey_Business]

I was just curious if I would have to buy the next generation AMD chipsets (800 series) if I wanted to use their next-gen processors.

 

[jvroig]

Aren't the 800 series still AM3? If so, then even if you get an 800 series chipset and Bulldozer isn't AM3 compatible, then it still won't work. If you are basing your buying decision today on whether it will be ready to accept Bulldozer chips in the future, then you best hold on until we have real information from AMD.

 

[heyheybooboo]

No AM4 yet? What socket type is AMD's next generation chipsets? The bulldozers will not be pin-compatible with let's say, the ASUS Crosshair III Formula motherboard?

The 'rumahs' are the first BDs will be Zambezi (look at the chart) and will be pin-compatible with AM3 ---- so the Asus Crosshair III most likely will be GTG with a BIOS update.

There have been 'hints' that Zambezi will coincide with the release of AM3r2 motherboards, or what folks typically refer to as AM3+ (AM2r2 became AM2+ so folks tend to assume AM3r2 as AM3+).

The 'conjecture' is AM3+ will incorporate elements of 'enterprise socket G3' enhancements such as HyperTransport 3.1, the 'HT Assist' probe filter, more memory channels, etc.

Because the 'Liano' BDs incorporate the GPU 'on-die' the educated guess is this will be the 'next' socket ----- with the 'assumption' being a BGA package.

Aren't the 800 series still AM3? If so, then even if you get an 800 series chipset and Bulldozer isn't AM3 compatible, then it still won't work. If you are basing your buying decision today on whether it will be ready to accept Bulldozer chips in the future, then you best hold on until we have real information from AMD.

If you look at the chart from AMD the first Bulldozers will be Zambezi on an AM3 platform.

That, of course, is no guarantee that OEMs will update motherboard BIOSs - but if the past is any predictor AMD partners have been great with updates on 'enthusiast' boards such as the Asus Crosshair III.

But then they tempt you with the 'enhanced' AM3+ - LOL



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[hans007]

i would assume it will work. thinkgs like HT assist and such are not necessities, and i'm sure it will be just like when AM2+ came out vs am2 with the split voltage planes and ht 2.0 and such as the "+" features.

I have noticed asus is actually not the brand you want to get for this type of thing. my brothers asus 690g microatx board, will boot with aphenom ii in it, but they wont release a bios (so it just says unsupported scpu, you press f1, and it all works fine).

asrock seems to really support even their really old motherboards with new bioses. they have agp am2 boards on nforce3 that can run am3 chips. i think gigabyte is pretty good about supplying updates too.. then again if they supply updates that lets people not buy a new board, but it is quite nice of them.

 

[Kuzi]

From what I know BD should be at least compatible with the new 890FX/890GX motherboards that will release next month. And since they are all socket AM3 based, BD may also work with the older 790FX mobos, maybe with a BIOS update.

Llano will be a modified Phenom II with a powerful IGP, so I think it will use a new socket.

 

[hans007]

From what I know BD should be at least compatible with the new 890FX/890GX motherboards that will release next month. And since they are all socket AM3 based, BD may also work with the older 790FX mobos, maybe with a BIOS update.

Llano will be a modified Phenom II with a powerful IGP, so I think it will use a new socket.

well the 890gx is a 785G with a higher clock, so its likely it will work with any AM3 board like 790GX as well.

 

[Kuzi]

You're probably right. But it may just depend on the mobo makers if they want to release BIOS updates to support BD.

 

[LoneNinja]

well the 890gx is a 785G with a higher clock, so its likely it will work with any AM3 board like 790GX as well.

The 8XX chipsets have a completely new southbridge, it's not likely, but the difference with compatibility may be found there.

As to the thread, BD is rumored to be AM3 compatible, but I wouldn't build today expecting to drop a BD cpu into the current board next year.

 

[eternalone]

They should make it compatible with AM2+ just by virtue alone. We are in hard times an din a down economy it would be the smart thing to do.

 

[GlacierFreeze]

Why do people worry about stuff like this? Why not just buy a motherboard that comes out at the same time as the CPU? If someone gets a mobo now for a CPU that won't be out for a year or year and half, then they'd be missing out on newer motherboard technologies such as USB 3.0, faster supported memory busses, etc.

I guess there would be one good reason to worry about something like this and it would be if you worked at McDonald's or something. And if you're that hard off on money, then you probably shouldn't be worried about $250+ CPUs.

 

[MJinZ]

I wonder how long Intel's 1366 sockets will last. The Core i9 will be compatible with that socket, but when will Intel release a new micro-architecture? The Core i9 is a Six-core Core i7.

LGA775 is already a dead socket.

Core i7 980x is probably the last. I highly doubt a new architecture will make it to 1366.

I'm not concerned however, because 6 cores/12 threads at 4+ghz will do fine for the next few years.

 

[Lonyo]

Llano is probably going to be like Clarkdale anyway, and will require a new motherboard/chipset for the graphics, even if the socket is the same.

 

[konakona]

Why do people worry about stuff like this? Why not just buy a motherboard that comes out at the same time as the CPU? If someone gets a mobo now for a CPU that won't be out for a year or year and half, then they'd be missing out on newer motherboard technologies such as USB 3.0, faster supported memory busses, etc.

I guess there would be one good reason to worry about something like this and it would be if you worked at McDonald's or something. And if you're that hard off on money, then you probably shouldn't be worried about $250+ CPUs.

I concur.

My guess is 'people' might be looking at different price brackets for the said motherboards. I usually go for whatever cheapest that will give me stable overclock with no frills, but those that take a more costly route with all the bells and whistles, replacing a mobo might be a bit more pain (of course, they could sell the old mobos if they really wanted to do something about it). Just a guess. I haven't been totally satisfied with 'hybrid setups' or 'recycling the scraps' in the past, except for the sole case of being able to use DDR2 on AM2+. That was due to the once abnormaly cheap price on DDR2, no such luck most other times.