
Our Phenom launch article showed clearly that AMD's new quad core cannot compete with Intel's high end processors - despite being clearly faster when comparing individual cores including the entire cache hierarchy. Hence AMD adjusted its product strategy and points at the value of the Phenom processor together with the AMD790 chipset (Spider platform) as well as Phenom being an excellent upgrade option for the majority of socket AM2 systems on the market. Such an upgrade scenario is very likely, so we grabbed nine different socket AM2 motherboards to see if Phenom would really work with them Compare Prices on AMD Phenom Processors.
In theory, a motherboard should provide a suitable core voltage to a processor automatically, and since the HyperTransport interface hasn't changes as well (with the exception that Phenom supports the faster HT 3.0), chances are that a Phenom processor could boot on a compatible motherboard even without having updated the BIOS. We've seen this in the past when AMD released faster Athlon 64 X2 models or stepping upgrades. Some motherboards would boot and display generic processor information together with a clock speed. Though this is not ideal due to missing support for processor features and probably improper processor settings together with missing micro code updates, it can help to check whether compatibility is there. We don't recommend to run a system with a processor not officially supported by the motherboard.
The more reliable approach is to look for a BIOS update on the website of your motherboard manufacturer. We've compiled a list of links to the download pages of the most popular motherboard manufacturers; you'll find it at the end of this article. Make sure that your desired processor is supported once you find an updated BIOS version for your motherboard. The BIOS update process depends on the motherboard, as there are multiple approaches to flash the firmware. We will discuss the upgrade options first and have a look at the nine socket AM2 motherboard, which we tried to upgrade with a Phenom 9600.
As this article deals with Phenom as an upgrade option, please note that the motherboards we used are somewhat aged and mostly end of life product. We wanted to know if and how well Phenom would work with existing products and will look at current socket AM2+ in the near future.
BIOS stands for Basic Input/Output System. It represents the software, which every electronics product needs to commence operation when powering on. In the case of motherboards, the BIOS provides a self-check sequence (POST - Power-On Self Test) and initialization of motherboard components. In addition, it will update a processor's micro core using the latest updates from the processor manufacturers.
BIOS updates are not only required to properly support new processor models, but they are frequently provided to fix known bugs, to alter the feature set or to introduce more options within the BIOS configuration menu. You can enter the BIOS setup by pressing F2 or DEL, depending on the BIOS versions. If your system shows a customized screen (e.g. the manufacturer's logo), try pressing TAB to see more technical information.
The traditional way of updating the BIOS requires you to download the BIOS update file. This is usually an image of the firmware content. Then you'll have to create a bootable floppy disc and copy the BIOS file together with the update executable (typically awdflash.exe or amiflash.exe for Award and AMI BIOSes). Once you set the boot sequence to consider floppy disks first (drive A), the system will boot into a basic DOS environment, where you have to execute the update program, providing the image file as a parameter. Motherboard manufacturers usually provide documentation for this process. The BIOS flash process may not be interrupted, as an incomplete flash process may render your motherboard dysfunctional.
Modern motherboard products support more convenient BIOS update options. The most comfortable one is a so-called online update. This requires you to download and install a BIOS update software, which will work directly under Windows. The software will then look at your system configuration and search for the latest BIOS version on the manufacturer's servers automatically. Once the BIOS image has been downloaded, the flash utility will update it automatically. All you have to do is restart your system and check the BIOS for new settings or for settings that may be overwritten.
The third way to upgrade the motherboard firmware is to provide the update file directly to the BIOS, provided that it does support an integrated update feature. In this scenario you have to copy the BIOS image file onto a USB Flash memory device or a similar storage device, from which the BIOS will grab it and update the Flash ROM.

We used Phenom to upgrade nine mature socket AM2 motherboards. It didn't work in most cases, though.
We grabbed nine different socket AM2 motherboards to check whether or not the new Phenom quad core processor can be used as an upgrade. Here is the list:
- Asus Crosshair (Nvidia nForce 590 SLI chipset)
- Asus M2A-VM HDMI (AMD690G chipset)
- Biostar TForce 590 SLI Deluxe (Nvidia nForce 590 SLI chipset)
- Epox MF570 SLI (Nvidia nForce 570 SLI chipset)
- Foxconn C51XEM2AA (Nvidia nForce 590 SLI chipset)
- Foxconn/Winfast K8M890M2MA-RS2H (VIA K8M890 chipset)
- Gigabyte GA-M57SLI-S4 (Nvidia nForce 570 SLI chipset)
- Gigabyte GA-M59SLI-S5 (Nvidia nForce 590 SLI chipset)
- MSI K9A Platinum (ATI Crossfire Xpress 3200 chipset)
- MSI K9NU Neo-V (ULi/Nvidia M1697 chipset)
As you can see, the list includes high-end, mainstream and entry-level motherboards. We wanted to be sure that different market segments are represented in this test. All of these motherboards are based on socket AM2 and officially support all current Athlon 64 X2 processors. The brands, Asus, Biostar, Epox, Foxconn, Gigabyte, MSI and Winfast (Foxconn) usually provide updates for their platforms when new processors are released. Phenom has been available for one month now, which we consider sufficient lead time to implement support for the new processors.
We wanted to see how close together the Athlon 64 X2 and the Phenom really are, so our first step was to take the motherboard and install the Phenom 9600. For this first attempt we did not bother about the installed BIOS version, as we wanted to check whether or not the system would boot. As expected, this wasn't the case with any of the nine motherboards. Obviously, an updated BIOS version is imperative, while some new Athlon 64 X2 revisions would still at least boot (though not offering full support for processor features such as Cool'n'Quiet or updated micro codes).
In a second step, we installed an Athlon 64 X2 4600+ processor, which is based on the Windsor F3 core. This CPU worked fine in all of the motherboards. We looked at the installed BIOS version (see table at the end of the motherboard evaluations) and downloaded the most recent update if available. We found BIOS updates for each of the nine motherboards, which shows that the motherboard makers do care a lot about supporting the latest processors. However, only few BIOS descriptions actually mentioned Phenom, although at least four of them were dated November 2007 and later. Let's see which boards support Phenom and which don't.
The test setup is based on standard components, which we have been using for months, but it also utilizes hardware from our brand-new Reference System configuration. We already used a similar configuration to compare the Athlon 64 X2 and the Phenom working with only a single processing core.
| System Hardware | |
|---|---|
| AM2 Processors | AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+ (Windsor F3 core, 2.4 GHz, 2x 512 kB L2 Cache)
AMD Phenom 9600 (Barcelona B2 core, 2.3 GHz, 4x 512 kB L2 Cache, 2 MB L3 Cache) |
| Memory | 2x 1 GB Corsair DDR2-800
CM2X1024-8888-C4D, Timings 4-4-4-12 |
| DVD-ROM | Samsung SH-D163A , SATA150 |
| Graphics Card | Gigabyte Radeon HD 3850 GV-RX385512H
GPU : 670 MHz Memory : 512 MB DDR3 (830 MHz, 256 Bit) |
| Sound Card | Integrated |
| Power Supply | Coolermaster RS-850-EMBA, ATX 12V V2.2, 850 Watt |
| System Software & Drivers | |
| Operating System | Windows Vista Enterprise Version 6.0 (Build 6000) |
| DirectX 10 | DirectX 10 (Vista default) |
| DirectX 9.0c | Version : April 2007 |
| Graphics Card | ATI Radeon Version 7.11 (54440) |
| AMD Chipset Driver | Version 3.0.642 (28/11/2007) |
| Java | Java Runtime Environment 6.0 Update 1 |
Asus Crosshair (Nvidia nForce 590 SLI)

Board Revision: 1.04
Installed BIOS: 0702 (2007-06-20)
Upgraded with: 0904 (2007-11-08)
The M2 Crosshair, being an enthusiast motherboard, has received multiple new BIOS versions during the last months. We downloaded version 0904, which adds Phenom support, adjusts Cool'n'Quiet support, bringt an improved CPU auto-detection algorithm and AGESA version 3.1.3.0 (AMD Generic Encapsulated Software Architecture).
The BIOS update worked: While it was not possible to start this motherboard with Phenom using the initial BIOS version 0702, the board recognized the Phenom 9600 and worked properly with BIOS version 0904.


Board revision: ?
Installed BIOS: 0302 (2007-03-12)
Upgraded with: 1603 (2007-12-04)
This motherboard is a MicroATX model, which is based on AMD's 690 chipset with integrated ATI graphics. Different from most other compact motherboards for home or HTPCs, this one comes with both D-Sub and HDMI video outputs.
Again, the BIOS update worked and allowed us to use the Phenom processor.


Board Revision: 1.0
Installed BIOS: 2006-05-12
Upgraded with: N5SAA521 (2007-07-02)
This is an upper mainstream nForce 590SLI motherboard with a powerful six phase voltage regulator and optional dual PCI Express x16 SLI graphics. As you can already tell from the BIOS version, a release dated July 2007 certainly does not support the Phenom processor. This version was released to support AMD's Athlon X2 BE-2000 processor series, rated at a 45 W TDP. We weren't able to run Phenom on this motherboard. Since we still consider the platform suitable for serious gaming, especially when working with a Phenom quad core, it would be great if Biostar continued to support it.


Board Revision: 1.0
Installed BIOS: 08-01-2006
Upgraded with: 01-12-2007
The MF570 SLI is a mainstream dual graphics motherboard, which supports dual SLI graphics using eight PCI Express lanes for each slot. Four phases on the voltage regulator are still sufficient to support Phenom. However, the last BIOS update by Epox was released almost one year ago. The latest version we found is dated January 2007, and it adds support for AMD's initial 65-nm processor generation along with some bug fixed. There was no change to run the Phenom on this motherboard due to missing processor support.


Board Revision: ?
Installed BIOS: 612W1P23 (07-20-2006)
Upgraded with: 612W1P36 (03-21-2007)
The C51XE is Foxconns's nForce 500 series. The C51CEM2AA is the high-end model, which is based on the nForce 590 SLI chipset. Hence it can be considered over average even today. A four phase voltage regulator is powerful enough to operate AMD's new Phenom processor and there are multiple interfaces and features to please enthusiast users. However, we only found a BIOS version, which is already nine months old. Hence we were not able to operate a Phenom processor on this motherboard.


Board Revision: ?
Installed BIOS: 641W1P24 (08-30-2006)
Upgraded with: 641W1P41 (10-10-2007)
Once again, the BIOS version that we found on the support website was too old to support Phenom, though the version P41, dated October 10, cannot be called outdated. All other AMD processors are supported perfectly well. The K8M890M2MA is based on VIA's K8M890 chipset with integrated graphics. This certainly isn't a powerful solution, but it was a cost-effective standard platform for AMD processors.


Board Revision: 0.2
Installed BIOS: F7 (01-18-2007)
Upgraded with: F12 (11-21-2007)
Finally, we found a motherboard for which we found an updated BIOS that officially includes Phenom support as well as some bug fixes. Like the Epox MF570 SLI, the Gigabyte M57SLI-S4 is based on Nvidia's mainstream SLI chipset nForce 570 SLI with support for dual x8 PCI Express graphics. With the exception of having only a three phase voltage regulator, this product is very well equipped and offers a plethora of BIOS features for enthusiasts. However, we weren't able to run it with the Phenom processor - despite official BIOS support. The pre-production motherboard revision 0.2 could be the issue, though.

Board Revision: 0.2
Installed BIOS: D3 (12-05-2006)
Upgraded with: F8H (05-21-2007)
We found it hard to believe that there was a BIOS with official Phenom support for the mainstream motherboard GA-M57SLI-S4, but not for the GA-M59SLI-S5, which targets the enthusiasts community. The platform comes with a four phase voltage regulator and it even features a powerful heat pipe solution (Gigabyte Silent Pipe) to cool the voltage regulators and the chipset components. Gigabyte also added lots of SATA ports, Firewire and all the goodies an enthusiast expects. We also found it great to see that there is a third x16 PCI Express slot - although the chipset only has four lanes left to power it. We're confident that Gigabyte will follow up with a BIOS enabling Phenom support for this motherboard soon. At this point we weren't able to run Phenom on this motherboard.

Board Revision: 1.0
Installed BIOS: 1.2 (09-25-2006)
Upgraded with: 1.8 (11-02-2007)
The K9A Platinum was MSI's socket AM2 flagship motherboard based on the ATI Crossfire Xpress 3200 chipset. Different from the nForce chipsets, which support dual Nvidia graphics setup in SLI mode, this product can run ATI Crossfire dual graphics on AMD processors. The feature set is reasonable, but comprehensive, but we were disappointed not having found a BIOS update with support for Phenom; especially since this motherboard is based on an AMD/ATI chipset and since the last update was not even two months ago. Low-end Sempron processors now are supported; Phenom is not. Hopefully MSI will follow up soon.


Board Revision: 1.0
Installed BIOS: 1.0 (05-19-2006)
Upgraded with: 1.7 (09-06-2007)
We decided to add another low-cost motherboard to our test lineup. This one is based on the M1697 chipset, which has its origins with ULi, which was bought by Nvidia a couple years ago. Feature-wise this product is nothing special, but it's certainly capable enough to run any Athlon 64 X2 or Sempron processor. We found it good to see that MSI cared for supporting this product, although it is positioned at the lower end of the market. There have been several BIOS updates over the last months; the last one is dated September 6, 2007. Obviously, this is too early to support Phenom and it doesn't come as a surprise that the quad cores didn't work with this platform.

MSI provides a CPU compatibility page, where you can check the compatibility of your motherboard with a certain CPU.

Not yet an upgrade option: AMD's Phenom processor. Only Asus has provided BIOS updates to support the new quad core on mature motherboards.
I don't really like the conclusion and AMD won't like it either, but the upgrade situation for users interested in replacing their Athlon 64 X2 processor with a quad core Phenom is all but promising Compare Prices on AMD Phenom Processors. We looked at ten different motherboards to check how well these would work with the new Phenom quad core processor. The vast majority, eight out of ten motherboards, did not work with Phenom at all, which I found a very frustrating result. Yes, Phenom has only been available for roughly one month, and AMD is busy bug-fixing the TLB issue, which certainly came at a difficult moment. However, not being able to run the new processor on existing platforms, as promised by AMD, is both disappointing for those users still interested in using a quad core Phenom processor right away, as well as for AMD, who critically depends on selling its new product.
This result is independent from the chipset used, or from the price category or market segments the motherboards were in. Only Asus and Gigabyte were quick enough to provide a BIOS update, which officially declares Phenom support. However, Gigabyte only provides the update for a mainstream product, but not for the enthusiast model we also looked at. To make things worse, the Gigabyte Phenom update for the mainstream motherboard did not work - at least it doesn't on the 0.2 pre-release sample we had at our disposal for this test.
Motherboard makers such as Biostar or Epox haven't followed up with BIOS versions for their products for some months; others such as Foxconn or MSI simply have not yet released updated BIOS versions with Phenom support. The successful Phenom upgrade on the two Asus motherboard leaves no doubt that even older socket AM2 products are capable of running the quad core Phenom. In the end, the matter of supporting the new processor comes down to time to market from a support standpoint. It's difficult to say if it is AMD who could have done more to facilitate BIOS updates, and if the TLB bug had an influence on BIOS releases. It is likely that some motherboard makers prefer to wait with releasing Phenom enabling BIOS updates until the workaround can be implemented.
Eventually, the reasons for the lack of Phenom support are secondary. Looking at the results and BIOS resources available on the web, we cannot recommend to upgrade existing socket AM2 systems from Athlon 64 X2 to Phenom right away. Our recommendation hence is simple: Keep your Athlon 64 X2 if you can and wait for the Phenom B3 stepping. Not only will it fix the TLD bug, but we expect most motherboard manufacturers to be ready with proper Phenom support by then.
Update:
AMD has informed us that there is a list of recommended motherboards for Phenom. The list is available on its website:
As of January 3rd we found 17 motherboards with guaranteed Phenom compatibility. While this is better than nothing, most of these recommendations are based on rather new chipsets. There will be more and more motherboards compatible with Phenom soon, but it is obvious that compatibility for older motherboards still isn't where it could be.