AM2+ with Crossfire.

Liqourice · Oct 9, 2007, 09:10 PM

I've been searching the net about info on any upcoming motherboards with the AM2+ socket. Can't find anything so I guess there isn't much out there yet but I wonder if anyone knows anything and could give me a tip or two about where to look for info that I haven't found.

Looking into getting one with a Crossfire setup to get dual HD2900Pro. Partly to extend the life on my current AM2 CPU and be ready for an AM3 CPU later on. All to split the costs a bit over time.

Grace · Oct 10, 2007, 12:12 AM

To begin with, the AM3 will not be compatible with AM2. You MAY be able to install an AM3 CPU on an AM2 motherboard, but not vice versa. And I know of no board that comes certified to work with AM3 CPUs yet. It is just a guess, but maybe all of the AM3 processors will work on most current AM2 boards, since they have the proper DDR2 memory controller installed alongside with the DDR3 memory controller.

Second, my guess is that no company will release new AM2 socket boards now. They are all working on Socket 775 boards which are far more popular and perhaps early AM3 boards as well.

Judas · Oct 10, 2007, 12:24 AM

It was my understanding that you'd need a motherboard with a AM2+ socket...... a normal AM2 socket however would be likely "luck of the draw" on which would work ....

Either way it's a complicated and rather unrealistic mess that AMD has since created... AM3 is not out yet in any form.. so we aren't sure what's happening for sure yet...

and ATM, Intel is roasting AMD ...... so until we see the phenom series start rolling out with the launch of the quad care desktop parts..... i don't think we'll see much of anything AMD really going on .... (hell even the number of amd boards are getting hard to come by)

***Veridian3*** · Oct 10, 2007, 12:57 AM

AM2+ Ready Mainboards

AM2+ boards, none are crossfire atm.

Asus also have a couple, like this one: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.

But again not CF/SLI...

I would have to say that you shouldnt worry about CF too much, especially on a HD2900 setup. Your money would be better spent elsewhere.

Liqourice · Oct 10, 2007, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Veridian3

AM2+ Ready Mainboards

AM2+ boards, none are crossfire atm.

Asus also have a couple, like this one: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.

But again not CF/SLI...

I would have to say that you shouldnt worry about CF too much, especially on a HD2900 setup. Your money would be better spent elsewhere.

I know about those but those are AM2 socket with bios update to support AM2+ CPU's without support for HT3.0. That's not what I want.

I'm waiting for a motherboard that fully supports the AM2+ CPU's, with HT3.0 support and so on. If they will be able to take AM3 CPU's in the future or not is for the future to see but as far as I've read the idea is that they should.

As for Intel. I have a fully functional AMD CPU that does a good job and will for some time. The point is that I want to get away from the AGP bus that I have now and get a motherboard with PCI-E instead. Since I will have to get a new motherboard for that my idea was to get one that supports the CPU I have now AND the new line that is coming soon, with full support for the newer. If they can take AM3 CPU's or not is less important but I want one that fully supports the new Phenom line.

If I go for Intel I have to buy all of it which I can't afford right now. Sure, I can wait.. but my X850 is starting to get useless since many new games require SM3 which it doesn't have. I can get a motherboard and a gfx card right now. In a while I can hopefully get a second card (if the mobo has crossfire) and then eventually upgrade my CPU.

I know, it might cost me more in the long run but this is the way I have to do it to be able to upgrade at all.

procupine14 · Oct 10, 2007, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liqourice

The point is that I want to get away from the AGP bus that I have now and get a motherboard with PCI-E instead. Since I will have to get a new motherboard for that my idea was to get one that supports the CPU I have now AND the new line that is coming soon, with full support for the newer. If they can take AM3 CPU's or not is less important but I want one that fully supports the new Phenom line.

wait wait wait....woah.....are you telling me that there is an AM2 board out there that runs AGP?!?!?!

Liqourice · Oct 10, 2007, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by procupine14

wait wait wait....woah.....are you telling me that there is an AM2 board out there that runs AGP?!?!?!

There's a few as far as I know, besides the one I have (you can see on the side of my post which one) I've seen at least two others. One of them, MSI K9MM-V, is NOT a good choise since it didn't accept my X850 at all. Then again, I've never had any good experience with VIA chipsets.

I know the mobo I have now is not good for overclocking and the nvidia nforce3 chipset is a bit old with no more driver updates, but I am still surprised how well it performs, it's a perfect match for my AGP X850.

However, it's stretched to its limit now, I need a new gfx card and AGP is no go for the new top of the line cards. I know there are AGP X1950's that are great but I can get a HD2900Pro for just a tad more money so I need a new motherboard.

OldBuzzard · Oct 10, 2007, 11:18 PM

Yup. He has an Asrock AM2NF3-VSTA. It has an AGP slot.

Asrock has made some very interesting boards. Even had one that had AGP and PCI-E on the same board, and another that had a provision for upgrading it from 939 to AM2, or maybe it was 754 to 939.

Lots of 'enthusiests' like to look at the ASROCK boards as low end/mainstream, and think that they are beneath their notice, but I've been very happy with my current one. It's rock solid, and I have OCed my 4800+ to just an eyelash under 3Ghz by increasing the FSB only. I'm sure that I could break 3Ghz if I played with memory timings and voltages, but I just did it to see if I could, and didn't want to bother with a lot of work. I'm back to stock now.

procupine14 · Oct 11, 2007, 06:11 PM

yeah now that you mention it i do remember a few boards that were from ASrock and PC CHips that did "crossing over" boards like that....yeah there was one for each....754 to 939 and then 939 to am2 and those boards....(if i remember correctly) had slots for DDR and DDR2 RAM

Liqourice · Oct 13, 2007, 01:00 PM

I am extremely happy with the Asrock motherboard I have now. I can't OC it more than 5% but it's working perfectly with my old X850XT. I didn't even think that card could perform as good as it does.

Problem is I can't play most new games with it so I need a new card. The only viable option right now without getting a new motherboard is an X1950Pro. It's a great card, no doubt about that, but it's starting to get old as well. I want to keep with ATI as well, so it's a 2900Pro I'm looking at.. and it would be great to be able to run two in crossfire when I can afford to buy a second one. Not a must though, one is probably enough so any motherboard with full AM2+ support that will run my current AM2 cpu is perfect.

I just have to wait a little while to see.. but I want it now!

Oct 9, 2007, 09:10 PM	#1
Liqourice HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Stockholm Posts: 1,713 Rep Power: 98 System Specs	AM2+ with Crossfire. I've been searching the net about info on any upcoming motherboards with the AM2+ socket. Can't find anything so I guess there isn't much out there yet but I wonder if anyone knows anything and could give me a tip or two about where to look for info that I haven't found. Looking into getting one with a Crossfire setup to get dual HD2900Pro. Partly to extend the life on my current AM2 CPU and be ready for an AM3 CPU later on. All to split the costs a bit over time.

Oct 10, 2007, 11:18 PM	#8
OldBuzzard DH's oldest Geek Join Date: May 2003 Location: Oberlin, OH Posts: 2,783 Rep Power: 145 System Specs	Yup. He has an Asrock AM2NF3-VSTA. It has an AGP slot. Asrock has made some very interesting boards. Even had one that had AGP and PCI-E on the same board, and another that had a provision for upgrading it from 939 to AM2, or maybe it was 754 to 939. Lots of 'enthusiests' like to look at the ASROCK boards as low end/mainstream, and think that they are beneath their notice, but I've been very happy with my current one. It's rock solid, and I have OCed my 4800+ to just an eyelash under 3Ghz by increasing the FSB only. I'm sure that I could break 3Ghz if I played with memory timings and voltages, but I just did it to see if I could, and didn't want to bother with a lot of work. I'm back to stock now. __________________ When looking for a reason as to why things go wrong, never rule out sheer STUPIDITY

Oct 11, 2007, 06:11 PM	#9
procupine14 Why is it Beeping!?!?! Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: USA, Missouri Posts: 1,400 Rep Power: 58 System Specs	yeah now that you mention it i do remember a few boards that were from ASrock and PC CHips that did "crossing over" boards like that....yeah there was one for each....754 to 939 and then 939 to am2 and those boards....(if i remember correctly) had slots for DDR and DDR2 RAM __________________ HTPC/file server: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit - AMD Phenom x4 9850 - 4GB OCZ DDR2 800 (2x2GB) - 1TB WD Black - 4 x 1TB Hitachi DeskStar in RAID 5 - ATi TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner - HIS Raedon 4850 512MB - ASRock N68C-S UCC mobo - OCZ ModExtreme Pro 500W PSU GF's Gaming PC: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit - AMD Phenom 9850 - 4GB OCZ DDR2 1066 - 500GB Western Digital GP - HIS Raedon 5770 1GB - ASUS M3A78-EM - Zalman 650W PSU Media Streamer: Win 7 Pro 64-bit - AMD Athlon x2 3200+ - 4GB SuperTalent DDR2 800 - 250GB SeaGate Barracuda - MSI K9N6PGM2-V2 - ASUS Raedon 5450 SILENT - FSP group 250W PSU

Oct 10, 2007, 12:12 AM	#2
Grace HH's Tomboy Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Anywhere but in my house! Posts: 776 Rep Power: 56	To begin with, the AM3 will not be compatible with AM2. You MAY be able to install an AM3 CPU on an AM2 motherboard, but not vice versa. And I know of no board that comes certified to work with AM3 CPUs yet. It is just a guess, but maybe all of the AM3 processors will work on most current AM2 boards, since they have the proper DDR2 memory controller installed alongside with the DDR3 memory controller. Second, my guess is that no company will release new AM2 socket boards now. They are all working on Socket 775 boards which are far more popular and perhaps early AM3 boards as well.

Oct 10, 2007, 12:57 AM	#4
*Veridian3* Administrator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Cloaked Posts: 5,028 Rep Power: 182	AM2+ Ready Mainboards AM2+ boards, none are crossfire atm. Asus also have a couple, like this one: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. But again not CF/SLI... I would have to say that you shouldnt worry about CF too much, especially on a HD2900 setup. Your money would be better spent elsewhere.

Oct 13, 2007, 01:00 PM	Thread Starter #10
Liqourice HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Stockholm Posts: 1,713 Rep Power: 98 System Specs	I am extremely happy with the Asrock motherboard I have now. I can't OC it more than 5% but it's working perfectly with my old X850XT. I didn't even think that card could perform as good as it does. Problem is I can't play most new games with it so I need a new card. The only viable option right now without getting a new motherboard is an X1950Pro. It's a great card, no doubt about that, but it's starting to get old as well. I want to keep with ATI as well, so it's a 2900Pro I'm looking at.. and it would be great to be able to run two in crossfire when I can afford to buy a second one. Not a must though, one is probably enough so any motherboard with full AM2+ support that will run my current AM2 cpu is perfect. I just have to wait a little while to see.. but I want it now!