AM3+ Motherboards: Anyone know when we'll see them?

[chucky2]

Just wondering if anyone has any decently solid info on when the AM3+ motherboards will be for sale?

Chuck

 

[Elixer]

Q1 '11 is what I am told.

 

[Tanclearas]

I have been wondering the same, but I doubt we'll see AM3+ boards until next year with the new processors.

 

[Elixer]

I also noticed there have been 0 leaks for AM3+ boards, unlike intel's new socket boards...

 

[chucky2]

Really would have been smart of AMD to release new AM3+ chipsets, and hence boards, in time to make it for Christmas holiday season.

Then people could be bought a board now, and have enough saved up again for when the CPU's hit. Also would have been somewhat of a stopgap against people buying Sandy Bridge stuff - aka kept people 'in the family' at least.

Oh well...maybe the chipsets just weren't ready in time, who knows...

Chuck

 

[hans007]

Really would have been smart of AMD to release new AM3+ chipsets, and hence boards, in time to make it for Christmas holiday season.

Then people could be bought a board now, and have enough saved up again for when the CPU's hit. Also would have been somewhat of a stopgap against people buying Sandy Bridge stuff - aka kept people 'in the family' at least.

Oh well...maybe the chipsets just weren't ready in time, who knows...

Chuck

i read Q2 2011.

i dont think they are going to rush it because teh chipsets probably aren't ready. not to mention why bother.

the cheaper chipset i think the 980g might not even work with am3 chips according to some leaked slides. so only the higher end ones would work.

plus the enthusiast market is pretty small to begin with.

 

[Rifter]

SB is going to crush it in initial sales due to the time delay. It would have been a great idea to release boards early as mentioned above.

I expect to see them late Q1 or early Q2.

I hope for sooner so that Intel cant rape people with the SB pricing for too long, as it will have no competition from AMD till the new chips show up.

 

[GundamF91]

What will AM3+ have that AM3 does not?

 

[chucky2]

My hope is native USB 3.0, along with a better onboard video (DirectX 11). If it doesn't have either of these, then, AMD's CPU better be rediculously better than the ones they have now, or, AMD will be done in a year or two's time - as we know them now at least.

I think Intel at this point is really just keeping their pace intentionally slow, else they'll be in court defending why they're a monopoly, why they're engaging in anti-competitive pricing, etc.

They've got too much of a lead.....

Chuck

 

[fidof650]

What will AM3+ have that AM3 does not?

A Bulldozer! :biggrin:

~fidof650

 

[nenforcer]

I'm hoping that since 890F/GX series based boards already natively support SATA 3 6Gbps that AMD is just holding off releasing anything unnecessary at this point.

Then I expect everything Chucky2 says to be in the 9XX based boards by the time Bulldozer rolls out.

 

[chucky2]

That's what baffles me though. AMD has the huge advantage of having at its disposal a complete graphics division, something Intel could only dream about: And given the disparity of the two companies, that's saying something.

AMD's 800 series of onboard video should have been DirectX 11, not 10.1. This on a feature comparison (not to mention longevity) with Intel, would have been far ahead of them.

Why AMD does this to themselves I just do not comprehend....

Chuck

 

[Vette73]

That's what baffles me though. AMD has the huge advantage of having at its disposal a complete graphics division, something Intel could only dream about: And given the disparity of the two companies, that's saying something.

AMD's 800 series of onboard video should have been DirectX 11, not 10.1. This on a feature comparison (not to mention longevity) with Intel, would have been far ahead of them.

Why AMD does this to themselves I just do not comprehend....

Chuck

AMD does not have billions to invest in many differant lines. Llano is what is getting AMDs money and support now. Why upgrade the current onboard when it is about to be replaced. Hell intel does have billions to blow yet its atoms graphics are just awful.
That and DX11 would never get any real usage with onboard with its lowwer abilities, 10.1 is fine.

 

[Tanclearas]

It's interesting to read my post from over 3 years ago about AM2+.

5th post down: http://www.anandtech.com/show/3277

Feeling almost the same way now. Even though I reference Phenom in that post, I could have waited for PhII and still put it into an AM2+ board. Fast forward to today, and I would love to have a platform that I can put an X4 (or perhaps X6) into right now, then replace the CPU sometime next year.

Oh well.

 

[chucky2]

AMD does not have billions to invest in many differant lines. Llano is what is getting AMDs money and support now. Why upgrade the current onboard when it is about to be replaced. Hell intel does have billions to blow yet its atoms graphics are just awful.
That and DX11 would never get any real usage with onboard with its lowwer abilities, 10.1 is fine.

They don't need billions though, they already chose to put out the 800 series - although, they could have saved themselves money there, it was hardly an upgrade over the 700 series - and they already are working on the DirectX part for their video card line. So they're already doing the integration...instead of chosing the DirectX 10.1 core for the 800 series, they ought to have just waited and chose the DirectX 11 core for it instead. At least then it'd have had the featurebox check for all those PC's sitting on store shelves and online.

800 series ought to have been DirectX 11. Now they'll be in a position where they're competing with Intel on an even more uneven playing field, and for what? So the 800 series could get pushed out the door a few months sooner? For what? Nothing. 800 series had basically nothing over 700 series. Bravo!

Chuck

 

[chucky2]

It's interesting to read my post from over 3 years ago about AM2+.

5th post down: http://www.anandtech.com/show/3277

Feeling almost the same way now. Even though I reference Phenom in that post, I could have waited for PhII and still put it into an AM2+ board. Fast forward to today, and I would love to have a platform that I can put an X4 (or perhaps X6) into right now, then replace the CPU sometime next year.

Oh well.

Exactly. AMD is great for upgrade path, they could have done that this time around also. I'm running an AM3 Phenom II X2 550 in my AM2 (not AM2+) board...it was a great upgrade over the Athlon X2 3600 I originally had in there.

Chuck

 

[flexcore]

I can't remember where ,but I read that AM3+ is going to be basically 8xxseries-> 9xxseries with upgraded power mgmt, thats all. I hope it's not true, but they have said that the only reason the 8xx series wont support bulldozer is because of new power mgmt features. AMD has many projects and I think not enough money to do them right. Very unfortunate.

 

[Tanclearas]

http://pcper.com/#NewsID-9584

This is the first I've seen! Finally! Of course, there are almost no details, but still...

 

[chucky2]

Nice...maybe they're coming afterall. At this point, anything new that will sell can't be bad for AMD. They're going to get buried by Sandy Bridge...I hope they survive (as they are now, not as a VIA)...

Chuck

 

[Delta6Echo]

http://pcper.com/#NewsID-9584

This is the first I've seen! Finally! Of course, there are almost no details, but still...

That article says before summer. We have to wait another 6 or so months? WOW

 

[gaban]

amd need to release bd fast, summer is to late. They have only been bumping processor speed instead of a genuine upgrade. Now sandy bridge is out, using less power, overclock like a dream and the boards are not expensive either, high end amd processors are obsolete. Amd can only sell mid and low ends now, that is if intel dont lower their prices which they could.

 

[chucky2]

Wait till Intel releases Ivy Bridge...it's just going to get even worse. AMD really needs to bring something significant to the party, CPU and motherboard included, else I think this'll be it....AMD will be going the way of VIA once nVidia launched the nForce chipsets and AMD bought ATI and started doing chipsets of their own...

Chuck

 

[Edgy]

Not understanding anyone complaining about how AMD handles CPU/MB transition/compatibility as new products ship from them...

Compared to what Intel does (anyone wanting SB stuck w/socket 1155/1366 boards less than year old?), I think AMD goes out of its way for much better experience with their stuff...

Of course, not having a "NEW" architecture for past god knows how many years on their CPUs might have little something to do with that but AMD is better on this regard.

With Fusion and BD, if AMD needs to prep new chipsets that is not backwards compatible, then I say be done with it - it's about time... and that goes for both new architecture and chipset lacking backward compatibility.

 

[chucky2]

I don't think anyone was complaining about it, we were just saying, they really need to get AM3+ out to take some of the hit of Sandy Bridge away...and also that BD better be good.

 

[Delta6Echo]

I don't think anyone was complaining about it, we were just saying, they really need to get AM3+ out to take some of the hit of Sandy Bridge away...and also that BD better be good.

I can't believe that AMD is going to wait 6 months before they introduce Bulldozer. By that time Intel will have a leg up. I just don't see AMD getting back into the game. I see AMD going straight GPU and exiting out of the CPU business very soon. They already have to fight off nVidia and their money is better spent focusing on their graphics division.