The AMD FM2+ boards are out... so where are the processors?

[GunsMadeAmericaFree]

I've been thinking about upgrading my system for a while. I'm currently putting up with onboard Radeon 4250 graphics, and I've noticed a lot of slowdown even playing some basic tower defense website games on Armor Games & such. I was thinking about getting a video card, but my motherboard is pretty dated as well, and I'd like to upgrade my cpu above 2.8 GHz.

That's when I started looking at FM2, since you can upgrade the cpu & video at the same time. However, I heard that FM2+ was coming, so I waited a bit. Now I finally see that Newegg is selling some of these boards:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...Fc4WMgodYngAsg

FM2+ boards are now finally available retail, yet I don't see any processors for them. Officially, I've heard they have been delayed until mid next year. However, I have a hard time believing that they have released boards for a nonexistent processor, and expect purchasers to wait 7 or 8 months for the accompanying cpu's.

Has anyone heard any more details about when the FM2+ processors are coming?

Thanks!

 

[eternalone]

February.

 

[spaceman]

use an fm2 in interim?

 

[Skitzer]

use an fm2 in interim?

This

 

[Madmick]

Some of the new boards have PCIe 3.0 slots. Some of these boards also have PCIe 2.0 x 16 slots (running at x4). For example, the Gigabyte GA-F2A88X-D3H model is listed with these expansion slot specifications:

Expansion Slots

1. 1 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x16 (PCIEX16)* For optimum performance, if only one PCI Express graphics card is to be installed, be sure to install it in the PCIEX16 slot.
   (The PCIEX16 slot conforms to PCI Express 3.0 standard.)
   * To support PCI Express 3.0, you must install an FM2+ APU.
2. 1 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x4 (PCIEX4)
3. 3 x PCI Express x1 slots
   (The PCIEX4 and PCI Express x1 slots conform to PCI Express 2.0 standard.)
4. 2 x PCI slots

Perhaps it is less confusing to see Newegg's presentation:

PCI Express 2.0 x16: 1 (running at x4)
PCI Express x16: 1 x PCI Express 3.0 x16, running at x16
* To support PCI Express 3.0, you must install an FM2+ APU
PCI Express x1: 3
PCI Slots: 2

So there is both a x16 PCIe3 and x16 PCIe2 slot. You can only use the former with the yet to be released FM2+ CPUs. Supposing one has an FM2 processor, then I'm assuming that the PCIe2 runs at x16 if the PCIe3 isn't filled- is that correct? Or do you slot the GPU into the PCIe3 slot and run it at PCIe2.0(x16) speeds on an FM2 processor?

I'm just double-checking to ensure that these boards can support PCIe 2.0x16 speeds for a single GPU on the old FM2 processors.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

Some of the new boards have PCIe 3.0 slots. Some of these boards also have PCIe 2.0 x 16 slots (running at x4). For example, the Gigabyte GA-F2A88X-D3H model is listed with these expansion slot specifications:
Perhaps it is less confusing to see Newegg's presentation:
So there is both a x16 PCIe3 and x16 PCIe2 slot. You can only use the former with the yet to be released FM2+ CPUs. Supposing one has an FM2 processor, then I'm assuming that the PCIe2 runs at x16 if the PCIe3 isn't filled- is that correct? Or do you slot the GPU into the PCIe3 slot and run it at PCIe2.0(x16) speeds on an FM2 processor?

I'm just double-checking to ensure that these boards can support PCIe 2.0x16 speeds for a single GPU on the old FM2 processors.

That is no problem. The PCIe x16 slot just runs in 2.0 mode if you have an FM2 APU installed. If you want 3.0, you're required to install an FM2+ APU. The secondary PCIe x16 (x4) is not affected, as its actually wired to the southbridge, not the APU.

 

[Madmick]

That is no problem. The PCIe x16 slot just runs in 2.0 mode if you have an FM2 APU installed. If you want 3.0, you're required to install an FM2+ APU. The secondary PCIe x16 (x4) is not affected, as its actually wired to the southbridge, not the APU.

Sweet, that was my assumption. Thanks for the confirmation.

 

[Blue_Max]

use an fm2 in interim?

Can't argue with the fact that the base FM2 chip is a lousy $40 and still has way better video than you have now.

 

[zir_blazer]

Is rather stupid to see Kaveri Motherboards with two PCIe 16x Slots wired that way. They give full 16x 3.0 bandwidth to one, which is overkill, then a mere 4x 2.0 to the second one. Kaveri should be able to drive two 8x 3.0 slots in the same way that Haswell does, which is a much more balanced solution. Plus you still have those 4 PCIe 2.0 lanes from the Chipset to use for a few simple 1x Slots or so

 

[Insert_Nickname]

Is rather stupid to see Kaveri Motherboards with two PCIe 16x Slots wired that way. They give full 16x 3.0 bandwidth to one, which is overkill, then a mere 4x 2.0 to the second one. Kaveri should be able to drive two 8x 3.0 slots in the same way that Haswell does, which is a much more balanced solution.

You can actually get an FM2+ board with 2x PCIe 3.0 x8. If you need it.

Plus you still have those 4 PCIe 2.0 lanes from the Chipset to use for a few simple 1x Slots or so

The FM2 platform also has 4 general purpose PCIe 2.0 lines coming from the APU in addition to the 4 coming from the southbridge. A lot of mainboards use those for stuff like NICs, giving direct access to the APU, bypassing the southbridge. Some also have PCIe x1 slots directly wired to the APU. Quite clever really. AMD has apparently decided to use those 4 lines for a dedicated SSD port on FM2+. Now we just need some mainboards to take advantage of it...