i3, i5, and i7

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Kewl Munky

New Member
I know this is a bit old, but I just recently found out that the i5 series uses a smaller socket than the i7 series, and I can only speculate that the i3 will be smaller yet. My question is will the i3 and i5 CPU's fit in an i7 motherboard? It would be a really stupid move to make each CPU use a different motherboard because that would kill the upgrading process. It would mean someone couldn't buy an i7 board and buy an i3 or i5 chip now that they can afford and eventually buy an i7 when they have the money.

If they don't allow you to upgrade intel will lose a lot of customers because one of the main reasons they were so popular was because they had the same 775 socket for years.
 
i3 will be mobile(989) and the current socket 775 cpu's only. 1156 wont be compatible with 1366, because 1366 is triple channel while 1156 will be dual channel.
 
Incredibly stupid move on their part. So if you don't splurge for i7 right away but you need an upgrade you buy an i5, new RAM, and a new motherboard and then when you can get i7 you do it all again.
 
Intel is on their way to spreading themselves out too thin and/or pissing off their customer base with this stupidity.
 
Kewl Munky said:
will the i3 and i5 CPU's fit in an i7 motherboard?
Click to expand...
Here's the speculation:

47a.jpg


Ethan3.14159 said:
Intel is on their way to pissing off their customer base with this stupidity.
Click to expand...

Their "customer base" is OEM manufacturers, not enthusiasts.

Most people could care less which socket is in their pc.
When the majority of people want an upgrade, they just
buy a new pc, unlike enthusiasts.

Maybe AMD will figure out how to run Triple Channel RAM without
changing sockets...lol
 
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That's just a huge cluster**** of sockets. I guess there will be some upgrade ability with the release of a socket 1156 i7. Also, why is there a socket 1155 i5? They should have released two new sockets: One for desktops and one for laptops.
 
Tri channel practically just came out and now AMD wants to go to quad? Well ATI tried DDR4 and DDR5 ram and nvidia still pulled ahead by sticking with ddr3 so we'll see what happens.
 
Kewl Munky said:
Tri channel practically just came out and now AMD wants to go to quad? Well ATI tried DDR4 and DDR5 ram and nvidia still pulled ahead by sticking with ddr3 so we'll see what happens.
Click to expand...
Its not like quad channel would require any new tech...just 4 matched dimms vs 3...
 
Kewl Munky said:
That's just a huge cluster**** of sockets. I guess there will be some upgrade ability with the release of a socket 1156 i7. Also, why is there a socket 1155 i5? They should have released two new sockets: One for desktops and one for laptops.
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I totally agree.

I was hoping for an upgrade path for my 920 - but there's not going to be one. Oh well - it's a great chip - and in 3-5 years when I'll be looking to buy again - I'm sure there will be something better I'll be looking at. Probably with DDR4 RAM and a new MOBO whichever brand I purchased today.
 
Bodaggit23 said:
And you're certain it will remain in the same AM3 socket?
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Who said when they release a quad channel memory controller CPU it would be a AM3? If they wanted too I dont see why they could not do it. The memory controller is a small part of the Die. The Cores and Cache takes up most of the space.


But I would say AMD next major socket change will be going to LGA. But the point of it is, even if they do completely change sockets. I bet all of the processors released will all fit that one socket. Not one Socket for the Sempron, one Socket for the Athlon and one Socket for the Phenom.

Which is what Intel is going to do.

Its not about changing your socket. Its about (one) socket that will support your current processors full range from low/mid/higher end.

Not having to buy a new board just because I want to upgrade from a lower end processor to a higher end one.
 
StrangleHold said:
Who said when they release a quad channel memory controller CPU it would be a AM3? If they wanted too I dont see why they could not do it. The memory controller is a small part of the Die. The Cores and Cache takes up most of the space.


But I would say AMD next major socket change will be going to LGA. But the point of it is, even if they do completely change sockets. I bet all of the processors released will all fit that one socket. Not one Socket for the Sempron, one Socket for the Athlon and one Socket for the Phenom.

Which is what Intel is going to do.

Its not about changing your socket. Its about (one) socket that will support your current processors full range from low/mid/higher end.

Not having to buy a new board just because I want to upgrade from a lower end processor to a higher end one.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but Intel and board manufacturers don't make as much if all of their processors fit in one socket. That's all Intel cares about is making money. Not that AMD is very different, just they are a little smarter about it.
 
StrangleHold said:
Who said when they release a quad channel memory controller CPU it would be a AM3?
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That's the argument for AMD right? "Their socket is backwards compatible".


StrangleHold said:
If they wanted too I dont see why they could not do it. (quad channel memory controller CPU)
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Wonder why they haven't then?

StrangleHold said:
I bet all of the processors released will all fit that one socket. Not one Socket for the Sempron, one Socket for the Athlon and one Socket for the Phenom.
Click to expand...
Interesting concept. Can you name all the cpu's that fit in a socket 775?

StrangleHold said:
Not having to buy a new board just because I want to upgrade from a lower end processor to a higher end one.
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Can you put my Athlon 64 X2 5000+ in an AM3 board?
Would you put a Phenom II in a board that runs DDR2 800? Why?

At some point you're looking at a board AND cpu upgrade regardless.
 
Bodaggit23 said:
That's the argument for AMD right? "Their socket is backwards compatible".


Can you put my Athlon 64 X2 5000+ in an AM3 board?
Would you put a Phenom II in a board that runs DDR2 800? Why?
Click to expand...
1st- AM3+ or whatever it is called will probably work with am3, just wont run quad channel.

2nd- No, am3 is BACKWARD compatible, not forward compatible. the 5000+ simply doesnt have a ddr3 controller on die so its not physically possible. And would i run a phenom II in a ddr2 800 board? Of course, plenty of people still do, its called am2+ if you dont wanna spend the extra on am3 motherboard and ddr3 memory, you can grab an am3 phenom II and toss it on an am2+ board. Thats still essentially a "single socket" since its backward compatible, intel will now have, what is it now, 3 socket(4 if you count 775) plus mobile sockets?
 
Bodaggit23 said:
Can you put my Athlon 64 X2 5000+ in an AM3 board?
Would you put a Phenom II in a board that runs DDR2 800? Why?
Click to expand...

Unless you're looking at strictly an AM3 board, then yes you most likely can. My board supports AM2/AM2+/AM3. So, what if I still have DDR2 and will be using a Phenom II in the future? Was everyone with a Core 2 Quad and DDR2 not smart for that?
 
bomberboysk said:
Thats still essentially a "single socket" since its backward compatible
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No, it's essentially 3 sockets. AM2, AM2+, AM3. You could equate the AM2 with the 775 and not even count those I guess, since they're EOL.

Then you're left with 2 sockets, AM2+ and AM3, because as you stated, I can't put my 5000+ into an AM3 board, so I'd be forced to buy a cpu, motherboard and RAM to upgrade.

Essentially the same as Intel has done because the 1155 and 1156 will probably be the same physical socket, allowing you to run a Lynnfield or
a Clarkdale. So, you're left with 2 sockets.

We're not mentioning AMD mobile sockets, so why bring up Intels?


Ethan3.14159 said:
So, what if I still have DDR2 and will be using a Phenom II in the future? Was everyone with a Core 2 Quad and DDR2 not smart for that?
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Core 2 Quads can't run DDR3, so the analogy doesn't work.

My point is, why? If I threw down for a brand new Phenom II bad@ss cpu,
I can guarantee I'd want to utilize it to it's full potential, and therefore I would
get a board that could run DDR3.

Unless you're saying you can run DDR3 on AM2+ boards.?
 
Bodaggit23 said:
Core 2 Quads can't run DDR3, so the analogy doesn't work.

My point is, why? If I threw down for a brand new Phenom II bad@ss cpu,
I can guarantee I'd want to utilize it to it's full potential, and therefore I would
get a board that could run DDR3.

Unless you're saying you can run DDR3 on AM2+ boards.?
Click to expand...

Umm, have you been living under a rock? Core 2 Quad's can run DDR3, look at anybody with a X48 or 790i motherboard and Core2Quad. Since the memory controller isn't on the CPU. Please do your research first. I'll use Bomberboysk as an example, who even posted just above me, has a Q9450 and DDR3 1333

So, yes the analogy does work. What about people who want to upgrade from the slower Phenom to the Phenom II, like myself? This is a way to upgrade without needing to get new RAM, motherboard, and CPU all at once. Gradual upgrading is what it is. Makes more sense.
 
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