Bulldozer - socket backwards compatibility

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I believe AMD stated that Bulldozer will use a new socket(AM3r2) that will allow older processors to be put into the socket, but Bulldozer won't work in older AM3 boards. They supposedly did this to make Bulldozer work at its best.
I don't think they will call the new socket AM4, since the # refers to the type of Ram used(AM2-DDR2/AM3-DDR3).
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I believe AMD stated that Bulldozer will use a new socket(AM3r2) that will allow older processors to be put into the socket, but Bulldozer won't work in older AM3 boards. They supposedly did this to make Bulldozer work at its best.
I don't think they will call the new socket AM4, since the # refers to the type of Ram used(AM2-DDR2/AM3-DDR3).
 
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I haven't heard much about why they were doing this, but there must be a good reason.

I have heard that AMD is updating the memory controller(same memory speed=more throughput), so it could possibly be more channels.
 
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To really see what Bullldozer may have, you could look at the chipsets,etc used with the Opteron G34 based CPUs. AMD has said Bulldozer WILL be compatible with G34 socket. So we could assume that pin out of the "Bulldozer" CPUs will be similar to the current "Magny-Cours" CPUs.
 
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Server chipset feature set is different from client feature sets.

G34 has 2 processor dies and 4 memory channels so it will not look like a client socket.

The fact that you can put an AM3 CPU in an AM3+ socket should be your best indicator of what to look for.
 
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I don't really understand the ram part, of course Quad-Channel sounds sweet n all but all I do is game and my system barely uses 2.5 to 3Gb at the most under load. I'm just going to wait till DDR4 becomes mainstream, no need for any board/ram upgrades till Q1/Q2 2012.

Seems like upgrading to Zambezi will cost an arm and a leg since you will have to upgrade the Board/CPU and most likely will not be able to recycle your current ram 🙁

 
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DDR4 should be adopted by Intel in either 2012 or 2013. Which means AMD will adopt it a year after them.

As for Bulldozer, I doubt they are adding a thrid memory channel to AM3+ (AM3r2). The whole reason why Intel has two sockets right now is because one has 2 DDR3 channels and the other has 3 which requires more traces and more pins. So I highly doubt AM3 having 1 more actual pin than AM2 (940 vs 941) would grant them the ability to have tri-channel DDR3.
 
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I don't really understand the ram part, of course Quad-Channel sounds sweet n all but all I do is game and my system barely uses 2.5 to 3Gb at the most under load. I'm just going to wait till DDR4 becomes mainstream, no need for any board/ram upgrades till Q1/Q2 2012.
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For desktops, it doesn't really matter. However, for servers/HPC it matters quite a lot. Given that the same die is used in consumer and server line up, it makes sense to have more RAM channels.
 
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So is AMD ever going to go LGA rather than sockets? From a purely installation point of view, I guess I prefer sockets, though I did buy this i5 in part to experience LGA. I thought LGA gave some benefits (higher pin density), though I suppose that only matters if you can make the array correctly (*cough*Foxconn*cough*).
 
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I personally like LGA over PGA. Not only does it give higher pin density but it also maximizes contact space while lowering exposed areas. Plus it reduces the risk of breaking a pin on a CPU.

Its pretty hard to break a pin on a LGA mobo. You would have to try really where as a drop or slight touching of the pin on a PGA setup can bend one pin and the CPU could end up dead.

As for AMD, I have been wondering that myself. They know its the better way to go but who knows.
 
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It seems it should be, but for a while I was helping fix bent LGA pins in the Motherboard/Systems section almost constantly. But that was probably more due to the bad QC that was occurring with those sockets at the time. LGA certainly is nice in that there is now only one delicate component - the motherboard (which always was delicate). Now you'd have to let your dog chew on your LGA CPU to kill it.
 
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Yeah...

No backward compatibility for Bulldozer. So all those people who were selling AM3 platforms to people (promising them compatibility as a sales pitch) and with whom I had arguments must now eat their words and apologize for misleading so many potential buyers.

The AM3 platform will likely get more CPUs (based on existing architectures) but advancement wise... it is pretty much dead (unless they release mainstream Bulldozer chips lacking features).
 
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I would like to know who promised what.. AFAIK nobody yet has even planned on buying an AM3 board for Dozer since nobody knows yet if it will be a dual/quad channel platform.
 
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This forum has been flooded with people for months that have advised getting a Phenom II/AM3 combo and upgrading to Bulldozer later instead of getting an I5/I7 because they're on dead end sockets with no future. In fact, most any thread where the OP asked the question Phenom II or I5, the drop in Bulldozer cpu was usually mentioned.

There are also a number of people that falsely claim buying a Phenom II X2 555 will almost always result in a working quad core too, and they recommend them over Athlon II X4 processors for people who have clear use for quads. Different thing, but still AMD fan boys misleading people.
 
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pins.. lga... i say we go back to the socket days... liek my socket celeron .. that bad boy overclocked to 500Mhz in its day 😀

but srsly yea anybody who bought a am3 board expecting to drop in bulldozr really just wasn't thinking. there woudl be no use for legacy support of ddr2 anymore and with such a drastic architecture change a new socket was inevitable
 
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Threads like this you mean?
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/281073-28-1366#t2102030
 
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