SOCKET AM2

The 'Socket AM2', renamed from 'Socket M2' (to prevent using the same name as Cyrix MII processors), is a CPU socket designed by AMD for desktop processors, including the performance, mainstream and value segments. It was released on May 23, 2006, as a replacement for Socket 939 & Socket 754.

Contents

Technology

Successors

Socket AM2+

Socket AM3

See also

External links

Technology

AM2 processors are incompatible with 939 motherboards and vice versa, and although it has 940 pins, it is incompatible with Socket 940[1]. DDR2 can transfer more data per clock cycle, but suffers from higher latencies, while drawing less power than DDR memory, which the previous Socket 939 supported. AnandTech reported that Socket AM2 system performance was 0-7% faster than Socket 939 equivalents, with most applications about 2% faster [2][3], despite having over 30% greater memory bandwidth due to DDR2 support.
The first processor cores to support socket AM2 are the single-core Orleans (Athlon 64) and Manila (Sempron), and the dual-core Windsor (Athlon 64 X2 and Athlon 64 FX). Most processors on Socket AM2 include SSE3 instructions and were developed with 90 nanometer technology. Recent models feature 65 nanometer technology.
Socket AM2 will support upcoming AMD Phenom processors.
Socket AM2 is a part of AMD's next generation of CPU sockets, along with Socket F for servers and Socket S1 for mobile computing.
There are also single-socket Opteron processors available for AM2.[4]

Successors

Multiple sockets have been announced which are pin-compatible with socket AM2, but which differ in terms of features.

Socket AM2+

Main articles: Socket AM2+

Socket AM2+ is an intermediate successor to socket AM2, which features DDR2 SDRAM and HyperTransport 3.0 support. Socket AM2+ chips can plug into a socket AM2 motherboard, but operates only with HyperTransport 2.0.

Socket AM3

Main articles: Socket AM3

AMD has announced that Socket AM3 processors will be able to run on Socket AM2 motherboards, but not vice-versa. AM3 processors will have a new memory controller supporting both DDR2 and DDR3 SDRAM, allowing backwards compatibility with AM2 and AM2+ motherboards. Since AM2 processors lack the new memory controller, they will not work on AM3 motherboards.

See also

★ List of AMD Sempron microprocessors

★ List of AMD Athlon 64 microprocessors

★ List of AMD Opteron microprocessors

External links

★ AMD FAQ Athlon64 socket AM2

★ AMD's Socket AM2 – The Next K8 (Short-Media)

★ AM2 launch article (AnandTech)

★ AMD Reinvents itself (Tom's Hardware Guide)