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AM2+ or AM3

J

jboggeye

n00b
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
8
Hi all,
Is it worth the extra cash to get an AM3 mobo versus an AM2+ right now? What benefits/disadvantages am I looking at?
 
If you are buying a whole new system I would just go for the pure AM3 setup then. AMD may support backward compatibility for a while yet with their chips but I'm sure eventually they will have chips that can only run on AM3 boards and then you would be SOL if your still on an AM2+ board and want a newer chip.
 
Considering that there is no significant price difference between AM2+ and AM3 mainboards at this point there is no good reason not to go with an AM3 mainboard, especially considering that it can run both AM2+ and AM3 CPUs at their full capacity.
 
DDR2 and DDR3 are around the same price nowadays. At least 3 will likely be something you can move over to a new upgrade a year or two from now.
 
Elledan said:
Considering that there is no significant price difference between AM2+ and AM3 mainboards at this point there is no good reason not to go with an AM3 mainboard, especially considering that it can run both AM2+ and AM3 CPUs at their full capacity.
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AM3 Motherboards can run AM2+ CPUs at full capacity? Are you on crack? It wouldn't even fit in the socket! :eek:

And I can think of a good reason go get an AM2+ board. I already had tons of DDR2 laying around and i'm relativity poor. (AM3 Boards require DDR3)
 
actually, DDR3 is cheaper than DDR2 (or at least it was 2 weeks ago.) that's why i went with a AM2+ board instead.
 
I'd get an AM3 board. Pure and simple. It's not much more than an AM2+ board.
 
FrEaKy said:
Are you on crack?!?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010200022%201070946434&name=AM2%2b%2fAM3

If AM2+ didnt fit into the AM3 socket's, than people wouldnt sell boards that handle both.
Click to expand...

No, i'm right on this. The link you have given me is for AM2+ Boards running on DDR2. Newegg has AM2+/AM3 in the product description because the motherboards supports both processors just like any AM2+ board would (possibly bios update required.) That's what the plus means. Regular AM2 (not plus) boards don't support AM3 CPUs or if one did it would be very rare. Lol I can't believe so many people here don't understand that. :( Look at this thread right here "OMG I failed" http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1475854
Poor n00B forces an AM2+ processor into a AM3 motherboard and destroys everything. This is a costly mistake for a detail so gravely important!
 
ZodaEX said:
No, i'm right on this. The link you have given me is for AM2+ Boards running on DDR2. Newegg has AM2+/AM3 in the product description because the motherboards supports both processors just like any AM2+ board would (possibly bios update required.) That's what the plus means. Regular AM2 (not plus) boards don't support AM3 CPUs or if one did it would be very rare. Lol I can't believe so many people here don't understand that. :( Look at this thread right here "OMG I failed" http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1475854
Poor n00B forces an AM2+ processor into a AM3 motherboard and destroys everything. This is a costly mistake for a detail so gravely important!
Click to expand...

Yep.

AM3, true AM3 sockets have DDR3 and AM3 ONLY.

AM2/AM2+ (am2 is less likely to have BIOS support for AM3 CPU, but it's true) work with AM3 CPU, because AM3 CPU (atm) have backup DDR2 controllers and can step down their HT speeds (for AM2) for AM2/AM2+ support.

However, since AM2/AM2+ CPU have no DDR3 controller (and cannot physicaly fit in a AM3 socket), AM2/AM2+ CPU cannot work with AM3-only boards.

Just most "AM3" boards out there are really AM2+ boards with DDR2, and AM2+ sockets.
 
FrEaKy said:
clients (2x Q9550), 6x Single Core clients (3x E8600)
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Damnit. I hate when Intel guys speak up to answer nitty gritty critically important technical details about AMD systems they obviously aren't experts with what so ever. It's just so annoying. If you don't know the answer, don't pretend that you know. Just keep moving on until you find someone you genuinely can help or are done entertaining yourself.
 
I was in the same position as you a month ago and I went with AM3. Just because ram prices were about the same for both and I feel like DDR3 has a better chance to drop in price as it becomes more widely adopted.
 
ZodaEX said:
Damnit. I hate when Intel guys speak up to answer nitty gritty critically important technical details about AMD systems they obviously aren't experts with what so ever. It's just so annoying. If you don't know the answer, don't pretend that you know. Just keep moving on until you find someone you genuinely can help or are done entertaining yourself.
Click to expand...


And you make a giant ass out of yourself by just ASSUMING that because their current setup listed in their sig is intel that they wouldnt know shit if they had their head up their ass.
 
Elledan said:
Considering that there is no significant price difference between AM2+ and AM3 mainboards at this point there is no good reason not to go with an AM3 mainboard, especially considering that it can run both AM2+ and AM3 CPUs at their full capacity.
Click to expand...

True AM3 boards do not support anything besides AM3 CPUs.

If you need a AM3 board that supports both AM2+/AM3 processors you're going to have to settle for DDR2 memory tho.

I don't see any reason not to go with a true AM3 board. While DDR2/3 memory are at a parity right now, I don't expect it to stay that way for very long. This will also hinder your upgrade ability in the future whenever DDR2 goes way of the dinosaur.
 
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