Phenom II Spec is not clear!?! ... Whats happening Brothers!!!

[crazydiamond]

the latest bios for the foxconn a7da-s did say 'added am3 cpu support' so

[roofsniper]

Deneb is not Barcelona. Just because Barcelona didn't have any DDR3 motherboards doesn't mean Deneb also will have disabled DDR3 capabilities. Deneb might very well be recognized in BIOS as an AM3 processor although on the box it says AM2+, I don't know.

the k10 guide still applies to deneb as well. its the k10 core overall. and considering that deneb has 940 or 938 pins im sure the bios could determine which one is am2+ or am3 based off of that.

[HamidFULL]

Damn!!! please someone come and make all things clear !!!!!! ...

[roofsniper]

Damn!!! please someone come and make all things clear !!!!!! ...

whats not clear?

[HamidFULL]

whats not clear?

could you please make a conclusion for me and this topic? (even short!)

[TomL]

http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/...E15363,00.html

Does this help?

[chew*]

http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/...E15363,00.html

Does this help?

Sure it tells us that older AM2 cpu's support ddr II, unfortunately this is a thread about am2+ and AM3 denebs......so that link is pointless.

[Mats]

According to news Phenom II 940 is compatible with AM3 and AM2+

No, only AM2+, and possibly AM2, just like the old Phenom 1. See links below.

Phenom II 945 is compatible with AM3 and AM2+

Yes, according to the news and reviews I've seen.

Really Phenom II have both of DDR2 and DDR3 memory controllers?!

Yes, at least for those who are AM3. I haven't seen any signs of AM2+ P2's with a working DDR3 controller.

What Anandtech said about getting an AM2+ CPU now:

The downside for AMD is that because Socket-AM3 Phenom II chips are right around the corner, it makes little sense to buy one of these Socket-AM2+ Phenom II processors - at least not until we know the pricing and availability of the Socket-AM3 versions.

[caveman_2]

yeh mats has got it.

according to what i read in guru3d

am2+ phenom II 940 & 920 have 940 pins on the cpu like all other am2 socket cpu's

the newer am3 socket will only use 938 pins so an am2 processor "wont mechanically fit" in a am3 motherboard & on the flip side an am3 socket cpu will fit into a am2+ motherboard. How well this all works i guess will depend on how quickly motherboard manufacturers get their bios's working with the new cpu's.

does anyone have any benchmark info about the am3 they can link too or release dates of am3 cpu's, all i've read so far is sometime in feb

[saveus222]

How the heck does a AM3 CPU have a 95W TDP (30W lower than AM2+) given they have two memory controllers: one for DDR3 and one for DDR2?

doesnt it have some separate power planes and stuff.. maybe thats the difference. plus. the current am2+ have linked pstates or something because of windows scheduler not being able to correctly turn off cores. and theyre working with microsoft to get that working properly with am3 so cores can independently switch off with individual pstates

[Mats]

doesnt it have some separate power planes and stuff.. maybe thats the difference. plus. the current am2+ have linked pstates or something because of windows scheduler not being able to correctly turn off cores. and theyre working with microsoft to get that working properly with am3 so cores can independently switch off with individual pstates

I can see how that will affect idle power, but not max power. And I think AM2+ does have separate power planes already, it's AM2 that doesn't have it..

The P2 uses a new 45 nm process, which will get better in time.

[BrowncoatGR]

AM3 also has a new circuit for measuring temps apparently and does not use a thermal diode.

[chew*]

yeh mats has got it.

according to what i read in guru3d

am2+ phenom II 940 & 920 have 940 pins on the cpu like all other am2 socket cpu's

the newer am3 socket will only use 938 pins so an am2 processor "wont mechanically fit" in a am3 motherboard & on the flip side an am3 socket cpu will fit into a am2+ motherboard. How well this all works i guess will depend on how quickly motherboard manufacturers get their bios's working with the new cpu's.

does anyone have any benchmark info about the am3 they can link too or release dates of am3 cpu's, all i've read so far is sometime in feb

Actually AM3 will have 1 extra pin not 2 less.........for 941 pins.....so physically am2+ will fit in the socket pin wise, only problem is they moved the other spaces where there are no pins so that it physically will not fit anyway......................Source=actual pictures.......not vaporware.

AM3 Red arrow showing only amount of pin difference
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...2&postcount=20

AM2 for comparison. Count the holes between the spaces, you will find them differing from AM3.
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...5&postcount=23

[Sgt.McRuff]

I don't think am3 cpu's it will have 1 extra pin or how would it fit in am2 board? and also it has 2 have 938 to fit in both am2 and am3 because of the spacing difference. I think because its a sample mother board that it just's has an extra hole or that pin + 2 others will come in play later in am3 sockets life.

[Lightman]

All is right!
AM3 socket will have 941pins (that's why AM3 mobo won't take AM2/+ CPU)
AM3 CPU will have 938pins (that's why AM3 CPU will work in both AM2+ and AM3 board)

Mystery solved.

[HamidFULL]

OK men thank you all ... problem solved !

[roofsniper]

Actually AM3 will have 1 extra pin not 2 less.........for 941 pins.....so physically am2+ will fit in the socket pin wise, only problem is they moved the other spaces where there are no pins so that it physically will not fit anyway......................Source=actual pictures.......not vaporware.

AM3 Red arrow showing only amount of pin difference
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...2&postcount=20

AM2 for comparison. Count the holes between the spaces, you will find them differing from AM3.
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...5&postcount=23

hmmm interesting to see the extra pin in the socket. the chip has 938 pins and the socket has 941?

I don't think am3 cpu's it will have 1 extra pin or how would it fit in am2 board? and also it has 2 have 938 to fit in both am2 and am3 because of the spacing difference. I think because its a sample mother board that it just's has an extra hole or that pin + 2 others will come in play later in am3 sockets life.

yea i was thinking the same too. idk why the extra pin is there because if the cpu actually has a pin that fits in there then that cpu wouldn't work in am2+.

[chew*]

yah so basically what i was told at the event was a blanket statement, TRUE ddr3 am3 boards won't work with am2+ it seems. If i had to guess the extra pin is there to future proof the socket or.....whats shangai have for a pin assignment/ddr3? cheaper to do one mold possibly?

[roofsniper]

yea that extra pin is interesting because i don't think am2+ and am3 both use it. and if am3 uses it then how does it fit in am2+? amd might be planning something in the future.

[chew*]

yea that extra pin is interesting because i don't think am2+ and am3 both use it. and if am3 uses it then how does it fit in am2+? amd might be planning something in the future.

AM2 left AM3 right. Even though the socket is pinned in the corner they arent using it, at least not yet.