AM2+ Motherboard with an AM3 processor?

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jackypops

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Jun 8, 2014
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My computer is due for an upgrade especially the processor. I am currently running an 'AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+' and my motherboard is a ASUS M3N78-VM which supports AM2+ and my 8GB of DDR2 RAM. I've read upon AMD's backwards compatibility and how it works but I'm not 100% sure how to update my BIOS if necessary for the upgrade. I've looked at processors such as the Phenom II X4 965 3.4 Ghz AM3 Black Edition, and honestly I think this would be my best choice for a CPU upgrade.

Can I get your guys opinion on this upgrade, and if there is anything you'd change or suggest please say.
 
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spdragoo
The board version is kind of a subset of the motherboard model. There can be slight differences between them -- for example, I had to replace my current Gigabyte motherboard (revision 1.0) with a newer version (revision 4.0), & while Gigabyte still sells the board it's up to revision 5.0 now. You should see it listed on the board somewhere.

The BIOS version means just that, the version of BIOS listed on your board.

As long as your board has the right version number & right version of BIOS installed, you can just drop a new Phenom II Socket AM3 chip in, & all Windows should do is download a driver update for the CPU: no reinstallation of Windows, no BSODs/weird boot loops, etc.
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little_me

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May 9, 2015
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as https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/M3N78VM/HelpDesk_CPU/ says:

Phenom IIX4 965 (HDZ965FBK4DGM),3.4GHz,125W,rev.C3,SocketAM3,Quad-Core
Board version:1.02G
Bios version: 1309

So.. you would need to check the board version/revision printed on motherboard and then possibly update the BIOS.

past that, it is likely best way to add more oomph on the computer without replacing motherboard itself. If the upgrade budget gets closer to 150 to 200 total, you might be better off changing both processor, motherboard and ram since... processors have gone forwards a LOT since 2010.
 
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jackypops

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What do you mean by the board version/revision print? I'm on a budget so upgrading the one component is where I want to go.
 
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spdragoo

spdragoo

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The board version is kind of a subset of the motherboard model. There can be slight differences between them -- for example, I had to replace my current Gigabyte motherboard (revision 1.0) with a newer version (revision 4.0), & while Gigabyte still sells the board it's up to revision 5.0 now. You should see it listed on the board somewhere.

The BIOS version means just that, the version of BIOS listed on your board.

As long as your board has the right version number & right version of BIOS installed, you can just drop a new Phenom II Socket AM3 chip in, & all Windows should do is download a driver update for the CPU: no reinstallation of Windows, no BSODs/weird boot loops, etc.
 
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COLGeek

COLGeek

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There do not appear to be different motherboard versions, just BIOS versions. Use the latest BIOS on your motherboard and you should be good to go with whatever compatible CPU you decide to install. The link provided earlier lists those compatible CPUs for the Asus.
 
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madmatt30

madmatt30

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Oh it's am2+ , didn't read first post.

Am2+ was released before the am3 chips but in preparation they included the extra pin in the socket to support some am3 chips running with ddr2.

However I would honestly be very dubious about dropping a 140w 965 on that old board myself irregardless of what the compatibility list says.
 
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