Asus M2N-SLI Deluxe with Phenom X4 9950 best option?

[Joshua05]

I currently have the AMD 64 X2 6000+ and I've been looking through the list of "supported processors," but I'm hesitant, because I don't want to have to do some crazy mod after buying a new proc.

Is the AMD Phenom X4 9950 the best option on this list?
http://www.cpu-upgrade.com/mb-ASUS/M2N-SLI_Deluxe.html

A bios update's no hassle, but can I just pop this thing with no trouble?

 

[ModestGamer]

My expereince with AMD cpus has been as follows.

am2 cpu works in a am3 socket. am3 cpu won't work in a 2+ socket. sockets have the backwards compatability not the cpu's and there were pin changes from am2+ to am3 etc. the 9950 might not work in the am2+ socket depending on how the board was built and if it has a full implementation of the am2+ design.

My advices. buy a am3 board or wiat till next year to upgrade.

 

[VirtualLarry]

AM3 chips work just fine in an AM2+ board, as long as there is BIOS support.

 

[Joshua05]

Ok thanks for the input... I've been searching about, and I think I'm going to go with the Phenom X4 9850 (125W version). It looks like people are having trouble with the 140W versions of both the 9950 and 9850, however they have been successful with this proc with 1502 BIOS.

And newegg still has it available... processor price drops never cease to amaze me:
AMD Phenom 9850 2.5GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 2MB L3 Cache Socket AM2+ 125W Quad-Core Black Edition Processor HD985ZXAJ4BGH, $75 free shipping

 

[ModestGamer]

AM3 chips work just fine in an AM2+ board, as long as there is BIOS support.

I would not take this as verbatim as the am3 has a few pinout changes not in the am2 socket. Unless you have personally confirmed a am3 cpu functioning on a given am2 am2+ MB its bad advice.

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

My expereince with AMD cpus has been as follows.

am2 cpu works in a am3 socket. am3 cpu won't work in a 2+ socket. sockets have the backwards compatability not the cpu's and there were pin changes from am2+ to am3 etc. the 9950 might not work in the am2+ socket depending on how the board was built and if it has a full implementation of the am2+ design.

My advices. buy a am3 board or wiat till next year to upgrade.

AM2 CPU does NOT work in an AM3 socket.

AM3 CPU's will work in an AM2/2+ socket if BIOS support is available, as VirtualLarry has pointed out.

Joshua05, don't go for the 9850. The AMD Athlon II X4 and Phenom II X3 you linked to on the support list are better, and the Phenom II X4 is better yet.

 

[ModestGamer]

AM2 CPU does NOT work in an AM3 socket.

AM3 CPU's will work in an AM2/2+ socket if BIOS support is available, as VirtualLarry has pointed out.

Joshua05, don't go for the 9850. The AMD Athlon II X4 and Phenom II X3 you linked to on the support list are better, and the Phenom II X4 is better yet.

wow don't tell my MB that.

typing this from this MB with a AM2 cpu

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131382

but please carry on my wayward son.

 

[Joshua05]

Joshua05, don't go for the 9850. The AMD Athlon II X4 and Phenom II X3 you linked to on the support list are better, and the Phenom II X4 is better yet.

Ignorance WAS bliss... THANKS

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

wow don't tell my MB that.

typing this from this MB with a AM2 cpu

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131382

but please carry on my wayward son.

The mobo you've linked to is one of many "hybrid" AM2/AM2+/AM3 motherboards.

A "true" AM3 motherboard uses DDR3 memory, which makes it incompatible with AM2 and AM2+ CPU's whose IMC supports only DDR2.

I'll quote from Wikipedia:

Socket AM3 breaks compatibility with AM2/AM2+ processors due to a subtle change in key placement. The AM3 socket has 941 pin contacts[1] while current AM3 processors have only 938 pins. Tom's Hardware removed the two obstructing key pins from an AM2+ Phenom processor in order to fit it into an AM3 socket. The processor did not work in the AM3 socket, but still worked in an AM2+ socket, suggesting that compatibility issues run deeper than merely the key pins.[4] It is likely due to the fact that the built-in memory controller in AM2/AM2+ processors only support DDR2 (unlike AM3 processors, which supports both DDR2 & DDR3 memory).[5]

As AM3 processors also support DDR2, they are backwards-compatible with Socket AM2/AM2+, contingent upon a BIOS update for the motherboard. Manufacturers including Asus,[6] Gigabyte,[7] and others have labeled existing AM2/AM2+ boards as being "AM3 Ready" or similar, indicating that BIOS support is provided for the specified boards. This allows existing AM2/AM2+ systems to upgrade the CPU without having to upgrade any other components.

 

[ModestGamer]

The mobo you've linked to is one of many "hybrid" AM2/AM2+/AM3 motherboards.

A "true" AM3 motherboard uses DDR3 memory, which makes it incompatible with AM2 and AM2+ CPU's whose IMC supports only DDR2.

I'll quote from Wikipedia:

That was my point. I would always try to find someone running a potential socket config to make sure it actually works. delivery often falls short of claimed compatability.

they also make true amd3 ddr 2 boards as well. the wiki is not all knowing or correct all the time.

 

[gumbology]

Ok so... i know it's been a little while, but did this ever get solved?

I have a Very similar question and situation.

I have an Asus Crosshair v1 (AM2), with an old FX-62 in it. I want the "best" possible cpu on this board, before i deem it "finished." The compatibility list shows the (125w) 9950 BE, as the "best" compatible option.

However, i am having trouble finding any direct AM2: "FX-62 vs. 9950" comparison charts.

FX-62 = 2.8GHz dual core
9950 = 2.6GHz quad.

Asus says the board will accept the chip, and that it's compatible through a BIOS update, which is available on the site.

Will the 9950 be "crippled" in any way, by the AM2 socket?
Are 2 of the 9950 cores @2.6, as fast or faster than the 2 cores of the FX-62?

I would imagine the answer is "yes, the 9950 is Way better than the FX-62."
But by how much? Is it worth dropping in the 9950? Or is the 9950 just not "that" much better than the FX-62, on the AM2 platform?

If anyone knows, if anyone has tried it, i'd like to know. I just want what's best for *this* rig, before i stop messing with it altogether, once the AM3+/990FX boards release. This old rig will then be my backup:

Lian-Li PC-60b PLUS
FX-62 (Zalman 9700CNPS)
Crosshair v1
2x2Gb DDR2@800MHz
8800gt SLI
PCP&C Silencer 750

I was actually thinking of using this box as my first attempt at water cooling... But i might just throw a few giant heatsinks in there, (thermalright 120, 2x T-rad2, bunch o fans...) Mild OC, and call it done. I've been running it stock w/ a single 8800gt, for the last few years. I'm ready to squeeze the last out of it.

So... FX-62 vs. 9950 (125w TDP)
Worth it or not?

 

[palaciav]

Will the 9950 be "crippled" in any way, by the AM2 socket?
Are 2 of the 9950 cores @2.6, as fast or faster than the 2 cores of the FX-62?

As far as this: yes. The 9950 is an AM2+ chip, and the Crosshair motherboard is AM2, leaving you stuck at Hypertransport 2.0 instead of the 3.0 the 9950 is capable of. You also don't get to take advantage of the split power planes on the chip which iirc allows parts of the chip to sleep while other parts stay active.

At this point it just becomes Quad Core v Dual Core, and whether it's worth it is up to your usage on the computer. If you're doing anything that would take advantage of the quad core chip then sure. If you're not, web browsing, listening to music, single threaded games etc, then you won't.