AM2, AM2+, and AM3

Aastii

VIP Member
Dont believe (AMD) has said it going to be dual channel. Its a assumption people are making because AMD said AM3 processor will run on AM3+ boards.

If AM3+/ Bulldozer is quad channel, there is no reason a AM3 processor cant run in dual channel on a quad channel AM3+ board.

Edit.

It could be one of the reasons AMD didnt want the Bulldozer on AM3 boards. They decided not to include a dual channel controller for space and one of the performance hits they clamied it would take.

Everything that i have seen thus far has pointed towards bulldozer being dual channel.

From how I understand it from articles out so far, initially all domestic desktop bulldozer chips will be dual channel, and some server ones will be quad.

Can see it in the future becoming triple/quad channel for the hgher end market if they have the controller for it, but how many people could afford to get a straight out quad channel memory set, idk. As it is DDR3 suppose if you already have 4 sticks running in dual dual channel on your current system and they would work together, could just drop them in quad channel if there were support out eventually
 

P.C.Man

New Member
They are not unfortunately. Bulldozer will not work in AM3 boards. On the bright side that means new socket :)

From what I've read, they were initially supposed to becompatible with existing AM3 infrastructure, but they didn't want to sacrifice some of the features of the core that they felt were important. Whatever.
 

87dtna

Active Member
You can't keep new architecture backwards compatable forever.

Besides, I said this the first time I heard everyone saying that bulldozer will be AM3 compatable. Intel has 1366 pins on their super fast CPU's for a reason, 938 just isn't enough! I knew they needed a new socket with more pins.
 

StrangleHold

Moderator
Staff member
Dont believe (AMD) has said it going to be dual channel. Its a assumption people are making because AMD said AM3 processor will run on AM3+ boards.


In the last month or so, AMD has basically said the first desktop Bulldozer will be Dual Channel.
 

87dtna

Active Member
It doesn't matter, sandy bridge has proved that more channels isn't necessarily better. SB has WAY better memory bandwidth in dual channel than bloomfield/gulftown does with triple channel.
 

StrangleHold

Moderator
Staff member
Heard a interesting story last night. Its about Dirk Meyer leaving AMD. From what I was told it had nothing to do with what was reported on the Internet.

As most know Bulldozer/Zambezi was suppost to be developed for 45nm. and had working models way over a year ago. It was Dirk Meyer sole decision to put it off till the 32nm. Reason being it would be a large die size for 45nm.

Then 32nm. has some delays. So in the end Bulldozer/Zambezi is way off schedule and in the boards mind caused AMD to lose alot of market share againt Intel. The board looked at it like even though it was a large die on 45nm., they could have charged more for it and not lost but gained market share from Intel. Plus by now they would have already worked all the kinks out of it at 45nm. and it would be nothing but a die shrink for 32nm. And probably already released for 32nm.

In the end it was his death because they though it was a very very bad decision for a CEO.
 
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