Which AM2+ motherboard?

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

The Gigabyte GA-MA770-UD3 is quite a decent budget motherboard for overclocking. Here is a review of the first version of the motherboard:

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum...rd-review.html

Ebuyer currently stocks the improved second version of the motherboard.

[Domestic_Ginger]

I've got that mobo so can answer any queries. My has been nice and stable it should get about 280 on the HT ref clk. Thuban support and is a good unlocker ;O)

Fleabay has a few going; the 770s and 790s seem to all go around the same prices. Thought about getting a 790 for a while.......

[Pob255]

OK Question which one?

Gigabyte GA-MA770-UD3 £60.55+free P&P http://www.ebuyer.com/product/159073

Asus M4A77 £56.13 + Free P&P http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductID=1210905
It says AM3 but it's actually AM2+ http://www.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=alTDgKGT1KpDnTxA well the support list includes AM2 and AM2+ cpus and it's ddr2 not ddr3 which should make it AM2+

Asus M4A77D £50.42 + £8 p&p = £58.42 http://www.lambda-tek.com/components...prodID=B251443 (I've never bought from Lambda-tek before, don't know what they are like.)

Only difference between the M4A77 and the M4A77D that I can see off hand is the D has firewire (not really needed) it there any thing else that I'm missing?

[Zaim]

Well it's sad to say but Project spork has developed issues.

It's randomly turning off, any where from 30seconds to 5min of powering up. (not just within attempts to load OS but also when sitting in BIOS)
I've tried different memory (and slots), psu, gpu, out of case, reseated the cooler, removed the retention bracket (ie cooler just standing on top of the cpu which I know did work as I originally tested it this way), repasted and reseated the north bridge cooler.

Something is up, it's ether the cpu or motherboard, I'm leaning towards motherboard atm.

So what's a good cheap am2+ motherboard?
ideally with 4 memory slots

atm this is the best I can find
or

Any other sugestions?

hi mate, the 785G board you linked is AM3, the one CAT-THE-FIFTH suggested looks good tho.

[Pob255]

hi mate, the 785G board you linked is AM3, the one CAT-THE-FIFTH suggested looks good tho.

No the one I listed in the OP is the M4A785D-M PRO which is AM2+ if is was AM3 it would be the M4A785TD-M
Well done.

Many AM2+ motherboards are listed as AM3 socket by retailers as they can use the AM3 cpu's

It's as following
Socket AM2 = AM2 only cpu, ddr2 memory
Socket AM2+ = both AM2 or AM3 cpu, ddr2 memory
Socket AM3 = AM3 only cpu, ddr3 only memory

You cannot physically put a AM2 cpu into an AM3 socket, an AM3 cpu will fit into an AM2, AM2+ or AM3 socket but it the cpu will not be recognised by an AM2 socket/chipset

You also need to watch out for Wattage as some boards can only support certain cpu wattage levels.

The M4A785D-M PRO supports 140w cpu's so it's not an issue.

[Pob255]

Well I've gone for the cheap option of the Asus M4A77 partly because it's cheapest, partly because it's scan and partly because this is the AM2+ version of the board I had originally planned to use.

[nibbler]

Isn't it the other way round? I though that as AM3 has more pins (941?) it can't fit in an AM2 socket but an am2 cpu can fit in an am3 socket?

[Zaim]

Well I've gone for the cheap option of the Asus M4A77 partly because it's cheapest, partly because it's scan and partly because this is the AM2+ version of the board I had originally planned to use.

is it this:

http://www.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=alTDgKGT1KpDnTxA#

also what cpu are u going to use with it?

[Pob255]

I think it's the Windsor core 89w athlon x2 5600+ http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/K8/AMD...0CZBOX%29.html

As to the pin situation, yes and no, the AM3 slot has 941 contacts where as the AM2/AM2+ has 940
It's the placement of blanks on the socket that stops you fitting an AM2 cpu in an AM3 socket (the AM3 cpu actually only has 934 pins)
If you cut off the pins or punch out the blanks an AM2 cpu wil fit happly into an AM3 socket, it'll just not work because AM3 motherboards support DDR3 only and AM2 cpu's don't have a DDR3 memory controller.

Socket AM3 breaks compatibility with AM2/AM2+ processors due to a subtle change in key placement. The AM3 socket has 941 pin contacts[1] while current AM3 processors have only 938 pins. Tom's Hardware removed the two obstructing key pins from an AM2+ Phenom processor in order to fit it into an AM3 socket. The processor did not work in the AM3 socket, but still worked in an AM2+ socket, suggesting that compatibility issues run deeper than merely the key pins.[4] It is likely due to the fact that the built-in memory controller in AM2/AM2+ processors only support DDR2 (unlike AM3 processors, which supports both DDR2 & DDR3 memory).[5]

As AM3 processors also support DDR2, they are backwards-compatible with Socket AM2/AM2+, contingent upon a BIOS update for the motherboard. Manufacturers including Asus,[6] Gigabyte,[7] and others have labeled existing AM2/AM2+ boards as being "AM3 Ready" or similar, indicating that BIOS support is provided for the specified boards. This allows existing AM2/AM2+ systems to upgrade the CPU without having to upgrade any other components.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socket_AM3

Although now I'm a bit worried because all the AM2 cpu's listed on the Asus site are the later AM2 cpu's not the eairlier ones . . . well I'll see.

[Pob255]

I got the motherboard today, I was a little dissapointed it didn't come with a couple of the nice Asus extras, namely the Q-Shield (back of the IO Shield covered with a thin layer of foam and foil) and Q-Connect two (a connector block for front connectors)
Both are very simple but so handy.

I've not got around to testing it yet, however clearly written on the socket is "AM2" and slik screened on the motherboard "AM3 CPU Support"

[c.ruel]

Hope it works out! And those Q connect things are great, used a gigabyte board recently to do a mini itx build and really missed having it in such a confined space. I don't see why other manufacturers can't do it as well? ... maybe asus have the rights or something.

[Pob255]

Msi do them as well but not the Q-shield which I really like as you don't have all those thin sharp bits of metal to slice your fingers on or only discover that one of them bent and is blocking a port after you've got the board all screwed in.

[scaryjim]

I have to agree on Q-shield: the first time I encountered an ASUS board with one I almost wept with joy - they are *so* much better than the standard IO shields...

[Pob255]

Got around to testing it on friday . . . guess what?

I think it's the cpu