Asus motherboards to support Bulldozer with a BIOS update??

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

This would be great news if this is true:

http://translate.google.com/translat...tering&act=url

[Repressor]

I'd be very tempted if this is true!

I presume this is for most 8XX motherboards from most manufacturers then?

[Domestic_Ginger]

You need the socket on the mobo with the correct number of pins. I think they are the black ones.

[scaryjim]

If it's true - and I'm very sceptical - it'd mean AMD have been utterly sandbagging about the change in number of pins on the new processors, and that the socket redesign is a complete blag. Seems unlikely to me. Nice, however, to see they do have a full range of AM3+ boards planned for the full range of chipsets and therefore all pricepoints. I have a feeling an 8-core Bulldozer chip in a 760G motherboard could make for an awesome low-power folding rig

[shakerist]

hmm would be nice if true i got m4a89gtd pro and supposedly it is supported with bios update, but i dont think its gonna happen

[DanceswithUnix]

BSN are running the story as well:

http://www.brightsideofnews.com/news...os-update.aspx

If this is true, then I can't wait to see what wackyness Asrock come up with

[Repressor]

http://event.asus.com/2011/mb/AM3_PLUS_Ready/

and Asus have added 3012 to the list of BIOS revisions on the M4A89GTD PRO page.

Things are looking up.

[shakerist]

I thought there was a few extra pins on the new bulldozer cpu's, hmm lets see how this turns out.
I probably will sell my 95w 1055t and get one of the bulldozers if this is true.

[DanceswithUnix]

Wikipedia says there is one more hole in am3+ (942 compared to 941) but AM3 cpus currently have 938 pins so perhaps they just added another sense pin/hole.

The more I think about this, I wonder if AMD have simply dropped DDR2 support in AM3+. That would allow AM3+ motherboards to run AM3 cpus, would allow people like ASUS to add unofficial AM3+ support to some AM3 existing boards, but older boards like mine with DDR2 memory but otherwise an AM3 socket will never support the new chippery despite an "am3" logo.

If dropping DDR2 support means AMD can drive the DDR3 that bit faster, then I for one would be OK with that.

[scaryjim]

The more I think about this, I wonder if AMD have simply dropped DDR2 support in AM3+.

I'd be very surprised if they hadn't, tbh. With the majority of users on DDR3 now trying to tweak the engineering on a hybrid memory controller to boost speeds is probably harder then just re-engineering a pure DDR3 controller - and given they're supporting upto 1866MHz officially with bulldozer it looks like they've done a decent job.

It is a bit dissappointing if the new processors will still be pin compatible with AM3 sockets after the big fuss AMD made about creating a "new" AM3+ socket for them. If they were going to be AM3 / DDR3 only compatible, then say "We've made them socket AM3+ - they're pin compatible with AM3 sockets but only work with DDR3 memory, so you can't use one in a DDR2 motherboard." rather than "We've made them socket AM3+ - it's a super-duper new socket which means they won't be backwards compatible at all and you have to buy a whole new platform." Saying the latter just makes you look shifty whern motherboard manufacturers suddenly declare all their existing AM3 motherboards bulldozer compatible

Of course, the other possibility is that ASUS got advance warning of the socket change and cunningly (silently!) used the new sockets on some of their premium AM3 boards, allowing them to look very clever when bulldozer finally made it to market...? Or am I being far too cynical with that one?

[shakerist]

Of course, the other possibility is that ASUS got advance warning of the socket change and cunningly (silently!) used the new sockets on some of their premium AM3 boards, allowing them to look very clever when bulldozer finally made it to market...? Or am I being far too cynical with that one?

I am now very tempted to count the pins on my mobo, or maybe they will give some sort of tweezers to get rid of extra pin(s)

[Doherz]

AMD really needs to tell people if there is any proper compatibility. But obviously they won't do that because it would damage sales of new or existing hardware in some way.

It is odd that conflicting things are said. With Mobo manufacturers saying there is backwards compatibilty and AMD saying nothing. The evidence points to a new socket though because of the different pin configurations.

I'm just tired of waiting for info to be honest. I'm seriously considering buying sandybridge because I'm fed up of waiting.

[JF-AMD]

AMD has continually said that we will support Bulldozer in AM3+ sockets only.

[MadduckUK]

AMD has continually said that we will support Bulldozer in AM3+ sockets only.

That is fine, as long as the motherboard manufacturer supports it we are good to go

[DanceswithUnix]

AMD has continually said that we will support Bulldozer in AM3+ sockets only.

I am sure you have, and I for one am very happy with that simple position.

Still, if ASUS are saying they can BIOS update an AM3 motherboard to AM3+, then that constitutes a neat hack, and l think all of us here like hardware hacks

ofc I have never seen an AM3+ socket specification so have no idea whether what they are saying makes sense, though Opteron compatibility hints it might be.

Heck my motherboard is DDR2 memory so I know that I am going to require a new motherboard, but even with nothing to gain this still piques my techie interest