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Rumour: Bulldozer 50% Faster than Core i7 and Phenom II.

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Something probably changed that would make BD not work well in AM3 sockets (or perhaps, AM3-spec motherboards?).


Because of all this fuss, I've looked at close-ups of the boards posted on Asus' webpage and the AM3+ socket. Unless BD is missing a pin, it isn't going to physically fit. No BIOS upgrade is going to change that. If BD IS missing a pin, you have to ask yourself why AMD bothered with a new socket if they weren't going to enforce it. Anyway, I bought an 890 board in the hopes it would be compatible with BD, so I won't complain if that is how it turns out.

I just don't think it will. In the meantime, I will be anxiously awaiting AM3+ boards 😀
 
My motto on on this subject is that if someone is dropping $300 on a new CPU then a new $120-40 mobo shouldn't be a big deal at all.

I personally wouldn't want to recycle a mobo. Gives me a backup system and also most likely has newer features that the old one may not have had.
 
Any good BIOS hackers in these forums? Might be some interesting things to be found in the beta bios Asus has released...
 
This is awesome if Asus actually can get current motherboards to support Bulldozer. I will be extremely happy if my MSI board can run them with a BIOS update!
 
podspi said:
Any good BIOS hackers in these forums? Might be some interesting things to be found in the beta bios Asus has released...
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"Hey, look, there's a pin remover at 0x4b02!" :awe:

I'd bet that they are releasing new physical revisions that will support BD. Sadly for frugal enthusiasts, there is far more advantage in AM3+ supporting CPUs older than BD, than in AM3 mobos out there now supporting BD.
 
JFAMD said:
AMD is not supporting BD in AM3 sockets. Period.
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This seems like a dirty tactic on behalf of AMD if it's true that Asus has found a way to enable Bulldozer support on current AM3 motherboards. If AMD is seriously pulling this crap, I will no longer be purchasing their products. Even from an environmental standpoint it's wrong; think of all the motherboards that will go to landfill instead of remaining useful, just because AMD's marketing department got greedy and wanted to sell more chipsets. Lame. :thumbsdown::thumbsdown:
 
Some people will find anything to complain about. Environmental standpoint? I lol'd.

And it's always nice for people to get all upset about something before they even know any actual reasons. It's a flippin' motherboard lol, get a new one, not expensive sheesh. Oh well, whatever I guess.

I bet if Intel did it, they'd be praised as market innovators or some other dumb double standard crap.
 
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RobertPters77 said:
Is it because Amd will lose profits on the consumer side from lost chipset sales? Or is it that Amd's main focus with BD is servers and keeping those customers happy was top priority?
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From what AMD has stated, it wasn't possible to make BD compatible with AM3 while getting all of the performance they wanted at the same time.

I'm not really sure what the big fuss is all about. This is something that's been known for around six months now.
 
Cerb said:
"Hey, look, there's a pin remover at 0x4b02!" :awe:

I'd bet that they are releasing new physical revisions that will support BD. Sadly for frugal enthusiasts, there is far more advantage in AM3+ supporting CPUs older than BD, than in AM3 mobos out there now supporting BD.
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That isn't exactly what I was suggesting 😀

http://event.asus.com/2011/mb/AM3_PLUS_Ready/


According to ASUS, we're talking already sold MB's, not upcoming models. Doesn't make any sense to me either.
 
SickBeast said:
This seems like a dirty tactic on behalf of AMD if it's true that Asus has found a way to enable Bulldozer support on current AM3 motherboards. If AMD is seriously pulling this crap, I will no longer be purchasing their products. Even from an environmental standpoint it's wrong; think of all the motherboards that will go to landfill instead of remaining useful, just because AMD's marketing department got greedy and wanted to sell more chipsets. Lame. :thumbsdown::thumbsdown:
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We don't know this for sure. All we know is that ASUS has a webpage that appears to claim as much, but we have no proof that it actually works, nor any idea on what the downsides of it entail.

I can make USB2.0 thumbdrive work in a USB1.1 legacy port but I sure the heck don't find the transfer speeds all that enjoyable when I do it. (yes I know its backwards compatible, my point is that sometimes you don't want that backwards compatibility even if it is supported)
 
Idontcare said:
We don't know this for sure. All we know is that ASUS has a webpage that appears to claim as much, but we have no proof that it actually works, nor any idea on what the downsides of it entail.

I can make USB2.0 thumbdrive work in a USB1.1 legacy port but I sure the heck don't find the transfer speeds all that enjoyable when I do it. (yes I know its backwards compatible, my point is that sometimes you don't want that backwards compatibility even if it is supported)
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Spot on!! even if its an option it maybe be a big hit to the performance.
 
Idontcare said:
We don't know this for sure. All we know is that ASUS has a webpage that appears to claim as much, but we have no proof that it actually works, nor any idea on what the downsides of it entail.

I can make USB2.0 thumbdrive work in a USB1.1 legacy port but I sure the heck don't find the transfer speeds all that enjoyable when I do it. (yes I know its backwards compatible, my point is that sometimes you don't want that backwards compatibility even if it is supported)
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MSI has "AM3+ Support" printed right on the motherboard. This isn't a typo or something, these companies genuinely expect BD chips to work in their systems.
 
Idontcare said:
We don't know this for sure. All we know is that ASUS has a webpage that appears to claim as much, but we have no proof that it actually works, nor any idea on what the downsides of it entail.

I can make USB2.0 thumbdrive work in a USB1.1 legacy port but I sure the heck don't find the transfer speeds all that enjoyable when I do it. (yes I know its backwards compatible, my point is that sometimes you don't want that backwards compatibility even if it is supported)
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No need for rational thought here. Best to stick to wild, irrational rage based on no evidence.
 
Featured AM3 processors such PII X6 uses 938 of 940 AM3s connection entries (two of which were never and are not routed by default, except the cards ASUS lists in their press release). AM3 + socket has 941 connections. AM3 + CPUs, however, has 940 connections, the exact same number of AM3 socket. Hence it is suitable even reasonable physical. Just be aware that it "only" works in practice with the motherboards on ASUS list.

Important to say is that it's only those who work when they have the correct routing to the power circuitry to operate a AM3 + CPUs.
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What do you guys think ??
 
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Well I wouldn't go out and buy an ASUS AM3 board right now, but if I alraedy had one there is hope at least. I imagine it might be kinda like running SLI on an AMD chipset using hacked drivers... It works but it's not for the faint hearted.
 
drizek said:
MSI has "AM3+ Support" printed right on the motherboard. This isn't a typo or something, these companies genuinely expect BD chips to work in their systems.
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Is that because it actually is an AM3+ motherboard?

AM3+ is AM3 backwards compatible.

There is nothing preventing mobo makers from making AM3+ mobos but selling them as AM3 mobos and then claiming they will support AM3+ processors with a BIOS update.

(because the reality may be that it really is an AM3+ mobo that just needs a bios update for the new AM3+ processors)
 
wtf, its really confusing, so are the board can use some kind adapter to use AM3+ like intel P4 before 478 that can use adapter to make it compatible with P4 socket 478 cpu ???
 
Idontcare said:
Is that because it actually is an AM3+ motherboard?

AM3+ is AM3 backwards compatible.

There is nothing preventing mobo makers from making AM3+ mobos but selling them as AM3 mobos and then claiming they will support AM3+ processors with a BIOS update.

(because the reality may be that it really is an AM3+ mobo that just needs a bios update for the new AM3+ processors)
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Sounds like a spot-on assessment of the situation to me.
 
RobertPters77 said:
Is it because Amd will lose profits on the consumer side from lost chipset sales? Or is it that Amd's main focus with BD is servers and keeping those customers happy was top priority?
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This is not about profits and chipsets, it is about the ability to technically support the processor. For AMD to technically support the processor it needs to be in an AM3+ socket.

As we said before, if it was possible to do it in AM3 without compromising, we would have done it.

Our statement stands that AMD will support BD in AM3+ sockets only. Questions of support in AM3 should be directed at the people making the claims, not to AMD.
 
JFAMD said:
This is not about profits and chipsets, it is about the ability to technically support the processor. For AMD to technically support the processor it needs to be in an AM3+ socket.

As we said before, if it was possible to do it in AM3 without compromising, we would have done it.

Our statement stands that AMD will support BD in AM3+ sockets only. Questions of support in AM3 should be directed at the people making the claims, not to AMD.
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Can you say what is being compromised?

I would like to buy one of these boards.
 
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