Channel Register

AMD to bridge Socket AM2, AM3 with intermediate interconnect?

Socket AM2+ may be key to AM3 backwards compatibility

By Tony Smith • Get more from this author

Posted in PC Builder, 3rd October 2006 11:14 GMT

Free whitepaper – Managing desktop software for fun and profit

AMD looks set to implement a Socket AM2 revision spanning the processor interconnect's current specification and the upcoming Socket AM3 due in 2008. That at least is what reports coming out of Taiwan citing local motherboard-maker sources claim.

According to a Chinese-language HKEPC report, the intermediate interconnect is currently called Socket AM2+. Like AM2, it will support both today's dual-core K8 CPUs plus next year's quad-core K8L chips. The bus speed will rise to 4GHz from today's 2GHz, thanks to the implementation of HyperTransport 3.0.

At this stage the interconnect is down as supporting DDR 2 memory - AM3's key feature is the ability to hook up to DDR 3, support for which is expected to be added to AMD's on-processor memory controller in the 2008 timeframe.

According to the report, AM2+ will debut Q3 2007 - alongside the 'Altair' K8L chip, presumably - with AM3 coming in H2 2008.

It's been claimed in the past that Socket AM2 motherboards will, with a BIOS update, support AM3 processors, even though AM3 mobos will not be able to host AM2 CPUs. Socket AM2+ may be the means by which this, if true, will be achieved. ®

Free whitepaper – Straight Talk with Dell: Sending out an SaaS