The current Ironman Motherboard

[joe_967]

Hi Folks, with quad core on the horizon, I had a question, maybe a few.

Are quad core amd's going to be using am2? And are future intel quad cores, with their new structure going to be using 650i/680i motherboards? I am not too partial to either intel or amd, which chipset currently looks like it will be around the longest?

 

[yourmothersanastronaut]

AMD's roadmap is confusing as hell right now. From what I gather, the regular AM2 is just a holdover until either AM2+ or AM3...which means that any AM2 user will have to upgrade their motherboards to get full use out of upcoming CPUs. I think quad cores will technically be compatible with AM2, but they won't get the benefit of the higher FSBs they use.

I know even less about Intel, tbh.

 

[fender22]

The upcoming Am2+ procs, Barcy/phenom will be compatible with am2 motherboards, thats why I choose this path. You will lack DDR3 support along with HT3... But that should have little or no effect on a consumer desktop, only on servers and stuff will the extra bandwidth of DDR3 and HT3 come into effect... So AM2+ Quads and duals will work with an AM2 motherboard.... provided that there will be a possible bios update for the chipsets. 590 570 550... X580/xpress 3200, and 480x/xpress 1150..

Hope that straighens some stuff out..

Idk squat about Intel's path right now..

 

[ARM]

You could just get p35 for future compatability. 680i and 650i are not Intel chipsets, they are nVidia, so I am not sure that Intel has to support them.

 

[joe_967]

ah ok, so if I upgrade now, I can use the quad's later minus the ddr3, sounds good, thanks!

 

[yourmothersanastronaut]

which means that any AM2 user will have to upgrade their motherboards to get full use out of upcoming CPUs. I think quad cores will technically be compatible with AM2, but they won't get the benefit of the higher FSBs they use.

I believe that's roughly what I said

Although I did forget to mention DDR3, thanks for that.

 

[fender22]

which means that any AM2 user will have to upgrade their motherboards to get full use out of upcoming CPUs. I think quad cores will technically be compatible with AM2, but they won't get the benefit of the higher FSBs they use.

I believe that's roughly what I said

Although I did forget to mention DDR3, thanks for that.

yep!

But I thought I would clarify that the lack of DDR3 and HT3, will not have much impact - if any at all - on the desktop user.

 

[fender22]

ah ok, so if I upgrade now, I can use the quad's later minus the ddr3, sounds good, thanks!

As long as you have a am2 system, from the looks of your sig, you have a 939 system which is sadly a dead path now....

So if you think you want to build a new am2 system and upgrade in a month or so to a am2+ quad... you could do that.

Personally, I would hold out on that system you've got now and go all out on a new am2+ system that will have DDR3 and HT3. Just cause that is even more future proof. And even if you don't care for DD3 and HT3 (am2+ mobos), those new mobos and ram could drive down prices of regular am2 mobos and give save you a bit of money... Just think, can you live with your current system? If the answer is yes, then hold on and hop onto a complete am2+ system or a cheaper am2 system.

 

[yourmothersanastronaut]

I'd say wait. You've got 2GB of RAM and a 7800GTX, you should be set for a while.

And the rule is, don't upgrade until you feel the need to. Your card is only about two years old, that's plenty good.