The recent compatibility between the Zambezi FX series of bulldozers and the AM3 and AM3+ sockets has attracted widespread attention. The question of whether and how bulldozers can be backward compatible has become a mystery, especially since AMD officials have always This remains silent, leaving the entire issue with a mysterious color.
Last weekend, John Fruehe, director of marketing for AMD's server, embedded and FireStream products, repeatedly discussed this issue with numerous users in the well-known hardware forum XtremeSystems. Some people questioned that he may not be aware of all the circumstances, or even deliberately concealed the facts and did not tell the truth. So the AMD executive who nicknamed "JF-AMD" replied: "If I am wrong, I will openly admit it, but I will not lie. If permission is granted, I will say it and I will admit it if it is wrong."
Then he said, "AMD will only support the bulldozer on the AM3+ socket." Then he disappeared...
This can be regarded as AMD official position, but it is obviously contrary to the fact that: Asus's six 890FX/890GX AM3 socket motherboards can support the bulldozer by flashing the BIOS. How can this be explained? If the AM3+ interface processor does not add pins, why do other motherboard makers have no similar move, but only take out the new 800 series chipset motherboards that will be retrofitted with AM3+ sockets?
The follow-up thread of "FlaK3r" seems very reasonable: "The Zambezi processor is indeed a true AM3+ interface! However, the exception of Asus is only the "functional cracking" of the AM3 socket, because Asustek activated the AM3+ platform from the very beginning. Two extra pins are needed. This is very different and it only shows that Asus is too far-sighted."
He supported John Fruehe's claim that only AM3+ sockets can support bulldozers, and further pointed out that Asustek only cracked, and only the combination of AM3+ sockets and the 990FX chipset can bring better performance and P-power status to bulldozer processors.
According to him, the AM3 socket has 940 contact points, but only 938 of them are active, which corresponds to the 938 pins of the AM3 processor; the contact points of the AM3+ socket are increased to 942, and the activated ones are 940. The 940 pins of the AM3+ processor. Do not know if it is not in advance to get the news from AMD, Asus "accurately foresaw the future", in advance on the 890FX/890GX high-end motherboard to activate the two pins required by the AM3+ processor, and prepared enough PWM power supply circuit, Gigabyte Other vendors did not do so, and Asustek became the only AM3 motherboard to support AM3+ processors.
If this is the case, then it is well explained: First, no matter how many pins of the AM3+ processor, in order to fully play its performance and function, it really needs the cooperation of the AM3+ socket, as to whether the chipset is the 800 series or the 900 series. Big relationship.
Secondly, AM3+ processors should not be compatible with AM3 motherboards. AMD had planned this way from the outset (AM3+ motherboards are compatible with AM3 processors), but I do not know why Asus leaked the secret, allowing some users to enjoy compatibility benefits.
Third, there are no signs that other manufacturers can do ASUS, but it seems unlikely. (About MSI's scalability is just a misunderstanding)