AM2 mb questions

koOp

koOp

New Member
are mb for am2 limited? since AM2 can support ddr2 does this mean we cant use ddr? or does it depend on the mb? also could someone plz show me the best mb for am2 in the genre of gaming
 
im pretty sure since it supports ddr2 you can still use ddr but it won't go to the boards full ram speed potential i think how that works is only as fast as your fastest stick of ram
 
DDR is 184 pin, DDR2 is 240 pin. So physically its a no go.

I believe the move to AM2 was done mostly to allow addressing of DDR2 ram, so I'm unsure if you can get AM2 boards with 184-pin ram.
 
No, you cannot use DDR on an AM2 motherboard. There are two reasons.

1st. Size. DDR is 184-pin, DDR2 is 240-pin. The sticks won't fit into the same slot. So why don't we see hybrid mobos, or some mobos that support DDR? See reason 2.

2nd. Integrated memory controller. An integrated memory controller means all memory chip support is dependant on the processor. AM2 processors have different cores, which support DDR2. The chip cannot support both because of the integrated memory controller, and the layout is simply designed on that. While backwards compatibility could be maintained, AMD did not, probably because it's not worth it, and that DDR2 became a major selling point of the AM2 platform.
 
Yep, so if you want to use ddr and upgrade your cpu and mobo you have to go with socket 939 which I would pretty confidently say is the best socket that supports ddr. Since intel has been with ddr2 for a while now socket 939 is the last ddr socket we will probably ever see, now its time to wait for ddr3. Hmm does that mean it will be 296 pin ;) (240 pin- 186 pin) add another 56 pins and you have ddr3. Too bad by ddr4 it would be as long as our mobo's.
 
bball4life said:
Yep, so if you want to use ddr and upgrade your cpu and mobo you have to go with socket 939 which I would pretty confidently say is the best socket that supports ddr. Since intel has been with ddr2 for a while now socket 939 is the last ddr socket we will probably ever see, now its time to wait for ddr3. Hmm does that mean it will be 296 pin ;) (240 pin- 186 pin) add another 56 pins and you have ddr3. Too bad by ddr4 it would be as long as our mobo's.
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I like that :P ...
Why would want just DDR when you could get some crazy good DDR2? it is better, after all. Just get a good AM2 board that supports high DDR2 speeds, and you are good. Of couse, you could prob get Conroe now.
 
Actually, you can get a conroe board with DDR. You just need to find a manufacturer. As a matter of fact, the board someone posted in these forums a few days ago, the ASROCK with VIA chipset and AGP had DDR. You can have DDR on an Intel because the memory dependancy is on the chipset. Often chipsets will support more than one memory type, especially a lower end like the VIA PT880.

With DDR3 around the corner, it is clear that AM2 won't be a lasting socket type. DDR3 support will be built into the next architecture from AMD (K8L). I don't neccisarily think it's all to bad that with Conroe intel kept the controller onboard. What's puzzling me is that if AM3 and AM2 are interchangable, how memory controllers will work.

Unless AM3 won't support DDR3? Bad Move. I guess we'll see.
 
I bet ASRock has a mobo supporting AM2 and socket 939 and uses DDR for both. :P They always have all kinds of hybrid motherboards.
 
mrjack said:
I bet ASRock has a mobo supporting AM2 and socket 939 and uses DDR for both. :P They always have all kinds of hybrid motherboards.
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Yea, wouldn't surprise me. They at one time had the 754 and 939 hybrid board. They've also had AGP/PCI-E boards, and on a 775 they had 2xDDR, 2x DDR2. They also had a socket 478 motherboard with a 915G chipset and GMA 900 graphics. I guess they have kind of a market niche.
 
mrjack said:
I bet ASRock has a mobo supporting AM2 and socket 939 and uses DDR for both. :P They always have all kinds of hybrid motherboards.
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Nope, they have a mobo that supports sockets 939 and AM2 but it requires an add on card for the am2 slot, which also includes ddr2 slots, so you still have to use the ddr2 ram with the am2 cpu. But it does have ddr slots on the actual mobo for the socket 939.
 
bball4life said:
Nope, they have a mobo that supports sockets 939 and AM2 but it requires an add on card for the am2 slot, which also includes ddr2 slots, so you still have to use the ddr2 ram with the am2 cpu. But it does have ddr slots on the actual mobo for the socket 939.
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Which really doesn't make much sence, becuase the cost for all of that, you could probably get a nice AM2 board.
 
Iluvpenguins said:
The day DDR and AMD socket 939 dual core processors can't run diddily squat is when i will buy a new comp :P
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That sounds like a good reasoning to follow.
 
Iluvpenguins said:
The day DDR and AMD socket 939 dual core processors can't run diddily squat is when i will buy a new comp :P
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Honestly, unless your gonna be upgrading your comp, mainly your cpu a lot then 939 is fine, it will last a few years and that is all that matters.
 
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