Bulldozer/socket Q's

[CitanUzuki]

Pardon me if these are epically nubtastic questions.

First, I have read that the new AMD 6 core chips will be able to run on existing am3 socket technology. I have a 790fx-gd70 am3 board and I am wondering if I will be able to get the most out of the new processors without upgrading the mobo.

Second, I realize nobody can truly know until the chips are out, but I would like to hear the opinions of some of the more tech/industry savvy posters on how they believe these chips will stack up against today's core i7 processors.

Third, it seems intel transitions to new sockets at a faster pace than AMD, why is this? Is this required to deliver truly marked improvements from cpu's generation to generation? Perhaps this has something to do with my first question to the extent that I wonder how important the socket is to real performance increase generation to generation and whether AMD can match or exceed intel’s performance using the same socket that has thus far not been able to compete(at the higher end).

Thanks, I don’t want this to turn into a fanboy discussion, just curious.

 

[cbn]

Third, it seems intel transitions to new sockets at a faster pace than AMD, why is this? Is this required to deliver truly marked improvements from cpu's generation to generation? Perhaps this has something to do with my first question to the extent that I wonder how important the socket is to real performance increase generation to generation and whether AMD can match or exceed intel’s performance using the same socket that has thus far not been able to compete(at the higher end).

Switching sockets I am sure helps with making performance improvements. However, this hasn't always been the case. For example, Core 2 (ie, Conroe) was able to run on the same socket as the Netburst processors.

Regarding Bulldozer, which was mentioned in your title (but not in your post), I am pretty sure that CPU will require an entirely new mainboard.

 

[CitanUzuki]

Switching sockets I am sure helps with making performance improvements. However, this hasn't always been the case. For example, Core 2 (ie, Conroe) was able to run on the same socket as the Netburst processors.

Regarding Bulldozer, which was mentioned in your title (but not in your post), I am pretty sure that CPU will require an entirely new mainboard.

Perhaps im thinking of the wrong processor, which is being released relatively soon? Thuban I guess, oops! anyhow thanks for the reply.

 

[jones377]

In one of the presentations AMD showed in the past, Bulldozer was on socket AM3r2 (presumably means AM3 rev2) or something like that. It sounds like what AM2+ was to AM2.

 

[jvroig]

Perhaps im thinking of the wrong processor, which is being released relatively soon? Thuban I guess, oops! anyhow thanks for the reply.

Yes, you seem to be talking about Thuban, not Bulldozer. Thuban is a 6-core Phenom II. It is certainly an AM3 CPU.