Argh. Just put DDR3 modules in my system...

[KDOG]

The power and fans would come on but thats it. I have that Jetway "Combo" board that is AM2+/AM3 that has both DDR2 and DDR3 slots.(No I didn't have them in there at the same time). Does DDR3 memory require the CPU to be AM3??? I hope not, cuz I have a nice BE 7850 running at 3.2Ghz that is an AM2+...would hate to have to sell it to cover a AM3 CPU....

 

[Schmide]

Yup I believe DDR3 is an AM3 only thing.

 

[Alienwho]

I believe if your mobo is AM2+ it means it will support an AM3 cpu because the CPU itself is reverse compatible with AM2+. So no, DDR3 will not work on an AM2+ mobo for the same reason that DDR2 won't work on an AM3 mobo.

After re-reading your post I didn't know they had a combo board with DDR2 and DDR3 slots. If that is the case you still would need an AM3 CPU to work with DDR3 memory so you're still out of luck.

 

[mmntech]

What the other guys said. DDR3 requires an AM3 CPU. That means you have to use a Phenom II based CPU in order to use DDR3. So basically any processor with a Deneb, Heka, or Callisto core with the exception of the X4 920 and X4 940 Black Edition, which are AM2+ only.

@ Alienwho
Just browsing Newegg. Asus, Jetway and ECS have boards that support both DDR2 and DDR3. AM2+ and AM3 are electrically compatible. It just depends on what memory controller the CPU itself has on board. AM3 processors are backwards compatible with DDR2 but AM2 processors aren't forwards compatible with DDR3. I briefly considered going this route. However, the problem with these legacy boards is that they sacrifice too many features to get that compatibility.

 

[jae]

Originally posted by: KDOG
Does DDR3 memory require the CPU to be AM3???

That is correct. Either sell your DDR3 and buy DDR2, or sell your 7850 and buy a X2 250 (+ $20).

 

[KDOG]

Well it looks like I'll be purchasing a AM3 CPU....

 

[jae]

X3 720BE! ;-)

 

[KDOG]

Nah I just went with this one. Should be good, gets great reviews, lots of Overclocking headroom so I have another system sitting here based on a 690G mobo, I'll throw the current CPU and the other memory in it and see if I can sell it.....