AM3 Back to 939 Pins

[ltcommander_data]

I guess AMD enjoys going retro. AM2 went back to 940 pins, and now it's been announced that AM3 will return to 939 pins. This would explain how they'll be backwards compatible with AM2, since instead of reorganizing the pin out, they just remove a pin.

http://www.hkepc.com/bbs/itnews.php?tid=633569&starttime=0&endtime=0

For the upcoming Socket AM3 interface, it has 939-pins and is designed to consistent with Socket AM2. With 939 pins only, Socket AM3 processors are compatible to 940-pin Socket AM2 mainboard. The only limitation is just DDR2 and Hyper-Transport 1.0 support only. However, 940-pin Socket AM2 processors are certainly not compatible to 939-pin Socket AM3 mainboard.

The other tidbit, is that desktop K8L processors are to arrive in Q1 2008. This has kind of been implied, but this seems to be the first time someone has bluntly gone out and said it.

The last high-end K8 processor Athlon 64 FX-66 (3.2GHz/1MBx2 L2/1GHz HT) is expected to release in 2007 Q3. After that, new K8L products are going to appear in 2008 Q1.

Also, there's a curious statement about 65nm Turions.

http://www.hkepc.com/bbs/itnews.php?tid=633603&starttime=0&endtime=0

According to the latest roadmap of AMD mobile products, 65nm process introduction in is scheduled in the upper half of 2007. Without any change in design, Tyler and Sherman are the codenames for 65nm Turion 64 x2 and Mobile Sempron. As dual-core is becoming common, AMD has no plan for 65nm single-core Turion64 and Turion64 is going to fade out in 2007 Q3.

The question is what does "upper half" mean? H1 or H2? I would hope H1 since H2 is too late. Anyways, the first 65nm Turions look to be a die shrink "without any change in design" just like the first 65nm desktop chips. No sign of Bulldozer. The earliest Bulldozer can appear would probably be in Q3 maybe closer to Q4 if K8L's server introduction, which supposedly is for Q2 or Q3, requires more of AMD's attention.

 

[Action_Man]

Sux to be an AMD fanboy, especially if your name is BaronMatrix.

 

[jaguarskx]

I guess AMD enjoys going retro. AM2 went back to 940 pins, and now it's been announced that AM3 will return to 939 pins. This would explain how they'll be backwards compatible with AM2, since instead of reorganizing the pin out, they just remove a pin.

Hmm....

Interesting, perhaps they simply remove one of the pins that draws power. Could mean a slightly more power efficient design. Pure speculation though.

 

[Action_Man]

One pin isnt going to make a difference, the additional pin for AM2 is probably redundant.

 

[JonathanDeane]

One pin isnt going to make a difference, the additional pin for AM2 is probably redundant.

Awesome so all AMD has to do is move a pin around and keep the same basic peice of plastic !!! cost savings passed on to the customer of course !!! hehehe ohh I feel for them as ill be dumping a perfectly good 775 bourd here to buy another one for Core 2 LOL

 

[jaguarskx]

One pin isnt going to make a difference, the additional pin for AM2 is probably redundant.

Yeah, that could be true too. Anyway, it's not a big deal.

 

[Heyyou27]

One pin isnt going to make a difference, the additional pin for AM2 is probably redundant.

I'm pretty sure it is; it had to do with people not mistakenly buying an AM2 processor and trying to put it into a 939 board.

 

[JonathanDeane]

One pin isnt going to make a difference, the additional pin for AM2 is probably redundant.

I'm pretty sure it is; it had to do with people not mistakenly buying an AM2 processor and trying to put it into a 939 board.

Yes but then AMD is missing out of alot of sales on fried CPU's !!! just think you could make all your CPU's fit in one socket and when it fried becouse some noob tried to stick it in the wrong socket BAM ! 300$ Profit !!! Of course this could do some damage to there image as a consumer freindly company

 

[ltcommander_data]

This is more to 9-inch specifically, but try if possible to place as many related articles as you can in one thread to avoid spamming the forum. I believe the mods have commented for you to start a official 9-inch News Thread before.

http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/Intel-Announcements-Price-Lists-Merom-July-Launch-ftopict191658.html

Something like the above isn't as flashy or attention grabbing, but it wouldn't be right for me to have flooded the forum with 6 articles one after another.

 

[BaronMatrix]

Sux to be an AMD fanboy, especially if your name is BaronMatrix.

That would actually be "username" considering that I spent awhile trying to find one that would work on every site.

I think I've done a good job of making sure no one ever adopts that username.


Oh and that's not my real name.

 

[BaronMatrix]

[/quote]9-inch, BaronMatrix ----

Take note, this post is newsworthy and is appropriate for conversation. It does not violate the terms of agreement.

If you look at my post about the server roadmap, either I already read this article or I'm a ringer.

Your choice.

 

[Action_Man]

Notice that 'username' has the word 'name' in it. So obviously to save typing I just used name. Although by typing this out that saving is cancelled out and then some.

Anyways looks like AMD is going to get owned for a quite a while, especially in the mobile sector. A shame but their pricing should keep them competitive.

 

[hashv2f16]

I guess AMD enjoys going retro. AM2 went back to 940 pins, and now it's been announced that AM3 will return to 939 pins. This would explain how they'll be backwards compatible with AM2, since instead of reorganizing the pin out, they just remove a pin.

Hmm....

Interesting, perhaps they simply remove one of the pins that draws power. Could mean a slightly more power efficient design. Pure speculation though.

Redesigning sockets, cooler retention mechanisms and pin-layouts just for the sake of it isn't cheap, so why can't they just use something that they already know which works just as well... We will be able to use our retro zalman coolers again yay!!!

This just tells us that sometime after AM2 was released, AMD will be dropping support for anything but AM2, which we already knew.

 

[BaronMatrix]

Notice that 'username' has the word 'name' in it. So obviously to save typing I just used name. Although by typing this out that saving is cancelled out and then some.

Anyways looks like AMD is going to get owned for a quite a while, especially in the mobile sector. A shame but their pricing should keep them competitive.

And someone posted a story where AM3 would have "<= 940 pins."

Turion X2 posted record S3 power levels(total blank - Google MSI S3). I actually posted the link previously.

AMD is looking at power only. Starting at K8 is a real advantage. It was something totally unexpected that fit so well with HT that it didddddd make a name for them. I also remember posting that I wouldn't use AMD for my studio PC for years.

 

[Action_Man]

And someone posted a story where AM3 would have "<= 940 pins."

Who? When?

Turion X2 posted record S3 power levels(total blank - Google MSI S3). I actually posted the link previously.

Those were TDP numbers not real numbers.

Starting at K8 is a real advantage.

They didn't start at K8, its largely based off K7 you moron. Its obviously not an advantage since they're getting their asses handed to them.

 

[1Tanker]

]The last high-end K8 processor Athlon 64 FX-66 (3.2GHz/1MBx2 L2/1GHz HT) is expected to release in 2007 Q3.

Looks like AMD isn't just going to be late for the party, but they're showing up a day late after the cleanup. As far as the s939, i guess all the AMD fanboys who ragged about Intel doing the switch-a-roo with sockets over the years, are going to be eating their words...and now AMD is screwing their customers over....Intel style. This is becoming extremely amusing and gratifying to watch. Better than the soap operas my wife watches.

 

[shinigamiX]

Sure K8 is a bit old, but as long as AMD can squeeze every last ounce of performance out of the sucker who cares?

 

[1Tanker]

Sure K8 is a bit old, but as long as AMD can squeeze every last ounce of performance out of the sucker who cares?

Just like Intel did with Netburst, but when Intel did it, it was stupid and they were ripping people off.

 

[guyinyourattic37]

Oh and that's not my real name.

I hope its not.

 

[RichPLS]

What could hurt them launching K8L that late, is tha it will be lucky to match Intels CPU in a year and a half. They also will have tweaked quad core 65nm by then and be working on 45nm probably with a working sample.

What it could do is create SELL SELL SELL on their stock, making it plummet to dangerous; levels if they don't save some face soon.

 

[Itanium_Fanboi]

I hope were not seeing the days when Athlon XP's were rated above their perfomance just to compete with P4 Northwood.

AMD just tried to keep on squeezing 66mhz for every speed bin until the gap between AthlonXP and P4 was 1ghz. We all know what happened back then, Athlon XP was slower and AMD kept losing money and wasn't able to release K8 faster.

I hope history doesn't repeat itself, AMD keeps on releasing K8's because they can't release K8L yet.

 

[m25]

how much milk can they get from that?t

Talking about this, if K8 hasn't the temp/frequency limits of netburst, where do you think it's limits can be? It has relatively low clock speeds and the possibility to add all the stuff conroe has or even more. Am I missing anything here???

 

[DrBlofeld]

[/ quote]9-inch, BaronMatrix ----

Take note, this post is newsworthy and is appropriate for conversation. It does not violate the terms of agreement.
[ quote]


If you look at my post about the server roadmap, either I already read this article or I'm a ringer.

Your choice.

Considering your pickiness with regard to "username" and "name," you should learn how to do quotes properly. Maybe picking up an introduction to HTML book would help?

 

[Scribs]

As far as the s939, i guess all the AMD fanboys who ragged about Intel doing the switch-a-roo with sockets over the years, are going to be eating their words...and now AMD is screwing their customers over....Intel style.

Im no AMD fanboy by any means, but it hurts me to see a post this incorrect... You should read the article before you say things, as it clearly states that the switch back to 939 pins is to allow backwards compatability with AM2 sockets, while at the same time keeping someone from using an AM2 processor in an AM3 socket since it will have different RAM and HT specs. That means an AM3 processor will work in current motherboards AND future ones, seems pretty upgrade friendly to me.

Damn those Texans, trying to let us have our cake AND eat it too...

 

[Heyyou27]

As far as the s939, i guess all the AMD fanboys who ragged about Intel doing the switch-a-roo with sockets over the years, are going to be eating their words...and now AMD is screwing their customers over....Intel style.

I'm stuck in that position with 939.