Tuesday, March 15th 2011
AMD FX Zambezi Processors Compatible with ASUS AM3 Motherboards Using BIOS Update
AMD's upcoming FX series "Zambezi" desktop processors based on the "Bulldozer architecture are also expected to bring with them compatible motherboards, as AMD, on a number of occassions, stated that the chips will require a new socket (referred to as AM3+) and compatible chipset, and that the chips will be incompatible with existing AM3 socket and existing chipset. Information available with SweClockers points to the contrary.
According to the source, motherboard major ASUS is planning to provide support to AM3+ processors to some of its existing AM3 motherboards using mere BIOS updates. That's right, Zambezi will indeed be backwards compatible with AM3 and existing chipset, only what remains to be seen is if the processors will perform to their full potential and overclock well on existing platform. Amongst ASUS' Schindler's list are top of the line AM3 models, such as ROG Crosshair IV Formula and Extreme, M4A89TD PRO/USB3, and even AMD 890GX-based motherboards such as M4A89GTD PRO. The list also shows certain AM3+ motherboards that use dated chipsets such as 760G, probably the entry-level of ASUS' M5A series of motherboards.
Source:
SweClockers
According to the source, motherboard major ASUS is planning to provide support to AM3+ processors to some of its existing AM3 motherboards using mere BIOS updates. That's right, Zambezi will indeed be backwards compatible with AM3 and existing chipset, only what remains to be seen is if the processors will perform to their full potential and overclock well on existing platform. Amongst ASUS' Schindler's list are top of the line AM3 models, such as ROG Crosshair IV Formula and Extreme, M4A89TD PRO/USB3, and even AMD 890GX-based motherboards such as M4A89GTD PRO. The list also shows certain AM3+ motherboards that use dated chipsets such as 760G, probably the entry-level of ASUS' M5A series of motherboards.
145 Comments on AMD FX Zambezi Processors Compatible with ASUS AM3 Motherboards Using BIOS Update
i wonder if they ditched the DDR2 controller completely?
First have a look at the difference of AM3 and AM3+
Which in fact does make it physically impossible for a AM3+ CPU, to fit in a AM3 motherboard.
However, current AMD chipsets like the 890, 880, 870, 790, 760- series etc. IS compatible with Zambezi/Bulldozer/FX AM3+ CPU's.
So, what the motherboard manufacturers are currently doing, is fitting AM3+ sockets on existing AM3 motherboards, and calling them a new revision.
To sum up: For a motherboard to support Zambezi/Bulldozer/FX, it will need a AM3+ socket, but not (necceseraly) the new 990FX / 990X chipset.
Generally AM3+ sockets are black, and AM3 sockets are white, so it's actually quite easy to spot which boards are compatible, and which are not.
Just have a look at Gigabytes website, and you'll be able to spot both AM3 and AM3+ sockets on motherboards (confusingly) under the AM3 tab:
gigabyte.com/products/list.aspx?s=42&jid=10&p=2&v=2
If you want to check if you board has an AM3+ socket, just look for 3 things:
1) Black socket
2) Written "AM3b" in it
3) Has one less pinhole
the fact is we dont know how they're doing this, until the chips actually come out.
I'm curious as to what benefits the new chipset will bring as the memory controller is in the CPU.
Patience is a virtue .. if it didn't take so friggin long!
:p
My point was that if the CPU was actually incompatible, then what ASUS is doing wouldn't be possible. But in reality, the CPUs obviously work in in AM3 boards, AMD just decided to not allow them to be used in AM3 boards. AMD added a pin so that AM3+ processors couldn't be put in AM3 boards. They did a similar thing with AM2 to AM3, they removed a pin from the AM3 socket/processors so that an AM3 processor could still be put in an AM2 motherboard, but the extra pin on AM2 processors would prevent them from being put in AM3 moherboards. These pins are never actually used for anything.
I would't be surprised if ASUS is expecting people to remove that extra pin, which I can almost guarantee is unused.
but if you have a am3 processor (no comment about this) better don´t flash it because it may not boot
event.asus.com/2011/mb/AM3_PLUS_Ready/
i don´t understand, it looks like you can put on this motherboards am3+ processors right now but HOW?
On the other hand, they could've tried with the 65nm Brisbane's, as that shrink brought about quite a bit of extra space, a loss of L2 cache, and a slight drop in performance over the Windsor.
Either way, the s754 -> s939 upgrade was completely necessary (no avoiding it whatsoever). On the other hand, I bet if Intel really tried, they could have made the lga1155 processors compatible on the lga1156 (not in their current state, but only if they had forwards compatibility in mind at the beginning).
edit: on topic, i just checked out gigabytes website. they've released a new revision of my board (3.1) which has AM3+ support. no mention of BIOS updated support yet.
OH and I just updated my MSI bios I went from A.80 to B.A0....Now I gotta go find out what the update was
2. Flash the new BIOS.
(3. Switch the thing off.)
4. Remove the old CPU.
5. Install the new AM3+ CPU.
6. Boot your AM3+ CPU equipped AM3 board.
7. Study what compomises this all means, like if the Turbo CORE works or not, etc.
UPDATE: I think ASUS updated the linked page, the text about not booting with old CPU is missing, it now reads:
"** Current BIOS update is a beta release. Please check the ASUS support site for continual updates."
event.asus.com/2011/mb/AM3_PLUS_Ready/