AM2, AM2+, and AM3

StrangleHold · 08-05-2009, 01:53 AM

The Difference in socket AM3 is kinda confusing. The Sockets - AM3 has 941 pin holes, but the AM3 processor has 938. Am2/+ Socket has 940 pin holes and the processor has 940.

On a AM3 socket, with the locking lever on the right, the place that has missing pin holes, the top left 2 missing holes and bottom right 2 missing holes have been moved up one row. Plus a Added pin hole has been added to the lower left, but is not used at this time

Thats the reason the AM2/+ processor will not fit. The AM3 processor has missing pins where the holes have been moved, hence the reason it has 938 pins not 940 like a AM2/+ processor.

AM2/+

AM3

AM3 on the left

**bomberboysk** · 08-05-2009, 02:01 AM

Just to add to what stanglehold said, future socket am3 processors may use 941 pins.

StrangleHold · 08-05-2009, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomberboysk

future socket am3 processors may use 941 pins.

My guess would be that. But it would end the backward compatibility. Straight up AM3/DDR3 socket. Dont know how much more room on the memory controller it takes up for having a controller for DDR2 and DDR3. Dropping DDR2 might save them some die space. Maybe dropping the DDR2 controller gives them the opportunity for a Quad controller

**bomberboysk** · 08-05-2009, 03:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StrangleHold

My guess would be that. But it would end the backward compatibility. Straight up AM3/DDR3 socket. Dont know how much more room on the memory controller it takes up for having a controller for DDR2 and DDR3. Dropping DDR2 might save them some die space. Maybe dropping the DDR2 controller gives them the opportunity for a Quad controller

Hopefully, would love to see amd stomp intel's i7 just to get the pricing more competitive between the two.

StrangleHold · 08-05-2009, 03:52 AM

Dont really now how they would work out a quad controller. Have 8 memory slots on a board would be kinda asinine

. With 4 slots, something like unganged mode, one 64 bit controller for each core. Ganged mode for a single 256 bit controller.

**bomberboysk** · 08-05-2009, 03:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StrangleHold

Dont really now how they would work out a quad controller. Have 8 memory slots on a board would be kinda asinine

. With 4 slots, something like unganged mode, one 64 bit controller for each core. Ganged mode for a single 256 bit controller.

8 memory slots=bragging rights hehe.

StrangleHold · 08-05-2009, 04:11 AM

They would have to come out with a new board standard. 8ATX.

**bomberboysk** · 08-05-2009, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StrangleHold

They would have to come out with a new board standard. 8ATX.

How so? ATX is just the form factor, not how many memory slots. X58 boards have 6 slots and are atx form factor, dont see why you couldnt fit 8 slots onto an atx board...

Stildawn · 08-05-2009, 04:34 AM

It would start getting rather tight though, I wish they had bigger boards even now... To be able to spread out features etc.

**bomberboysk** · 08-05-2009, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stildawn

It would start getting rather tight though, I wish they had bigger boards even now... To be able to spread out features etc.

Especially with the memory, because on the amd boards right now, the clip is positioned in such a way, that tower heatsinks such as the S1283 and the TRUE are horizontal rather than vertical, and can cover up memory slots.

08-05-2009, 01:53 AM	#1 (permalink)
StrangleHold VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 11,181	The Difference in socket AM3 is kinda confusing. The Sockets - AM3 has 941 pin holes, but the AM3 processor has 938. Am2/+ Socket has 940 pin holes and the processor has 940. On a AM3 socket, with the locking lever on the right, the place that has missing pin holes, the top left 2 missing holes and bottom right 2 missing holes have been moved up one row. Plus a Added pin hole has been added to the lower left, but is not used at this time Thats the reason the AM2/+ processor will not fit. The AM3 processor has missing pins where the holes have been moved, hence the reason it has 938 pins not 940 like a AM2/+ processor. AM2/+ AM3 AM3 on the left __________________ NZXT Apollo S75QB 750W ZEROtherm FZ120 Phenom II 720BE (X4) 3.5GHZ. Gigabyte GA MA790X UD4P G Skill DDR2 1066 4GB. MSI GTS 250 Seagate 7200.12 500GB. Welcome to the show Last edited by StrangleHold; 08-05-2009 at 03:19 AM.

08-05-2009, 02:01 AM	#2 (permalink)
bomberboysk Moderator Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Northeast Ohio, But mainly infront of computer Age: 16 Posts: 8,110	Just to add to what stanglehold said, future socket am3 processors may use 941 pins. __________________ CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 @ 3.90Ghz Custom Water Loop \| Mobo: EVGA 790i Ultra SLI \| GPU: 9800gtx and GTS250 in SLI\| Ram: 4GB(2 x 2gb) 1333Mhz ddr3 \| Case: Xclio WTBKAdvanced \| Sound: X-fi Fatal1ty Championship, Z-5500 5.1 Surround\| HDD: 2x Raid 0 7200.11 500gb \| PSU: Zalman ZM-1000HP \|OS: Windows 7 Enterprise x64\| Dont skimp on a power supply,if it fails, it usually takes out other components alongside it. New? Dont forget to read the rules. Heatware P.M. If interested in Shin Etsu X23-7783D

08-05-2009, 03:52 AM	#5 (permalink)
StrangleHold VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 11,181	Dont really now how they would work out a quad controller. Have 8 memory slots on a board would be kinda asinine. With 4 slots, something like unganged mode, one 64 bit controller for each core. Ganged mode for a single 256 bit controller. __________________ NZXT Apollo S75QB 750W ZEROtherm FZ120 Phenom II 720BE (X4) 3.5GHZ. Gigabyte GA MA790X UD4P G Skill DDR2 1066 4GB. MSI GTS 250 Seagate 7200.12 500GB. Welcome to the show

08-05-2009, 04:11 AM	#7 (permalink)
StrangleHold VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 11,181	They would have to come out with a new board standard. 8ATX. __________________ NZXT Apollo S75QB 750W ZEROtherm FZ120 Phenom II 720BE (X4) 3.5GHZ. Gigabyte GA MA790X UD4P G Skill DDR2 1066 4GB. MSI GTS 250 Seagate 7200.12 500GB. Welcome to the show

08-05-2009, 04:34 AM	#9 (permalink)
Stildawn Diamond Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 1,207	It would start getting rather tight though, I wish they had bigger boards even now... To be able to spread out features etc. __________________ AMD Phonem II x4 955 Cooler Master V8 HSF Asus M4A79T Deluxe AM3 GSkill 2 x 2gb DDR3 1600 HIS ATi HD4890 1GB TURBO 900/4000 WD 1TB 7200rpm HDD Corsair TX650 Zalman ZM-MFC1 Plus Cooler Master CM690

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