Looking for another upgrade

[timmahtherebel]

Will a AMD Socket AM3 processor... fit into an AM2 socket? And how would that affect the performance.. I am looking for an upgrade.

I have a Quad Core Phenom and 4GB RAM. But the processor I have doesn't have enough L2+L3 cache to satisy my needs.

 

[adaffme149]

I'm positive, no. Different sockets are for different processor pins. Kinda like AM2+ will take an AM2 processor, but an AM2 socket will not take an AM2+ processor. Plus, AM3 has a different pin layout. And it will affect performance depending on how good of a processor you get, and which motherboard you get to support the AM3 processor. I'd say, at this point, go for 4 GB of RAM. If you have that, get a quad-core phenom. If you have that, get a better one, or upgrade your graphics card, or get faster RAM (1066 from 800, if you can support it.) If you have ALL of that, you should be set. There is no need to upgrade. Get a few 10k or 15k RPM drives, if you've got money burning a hole in your pocket. Or buy a server with multiple Xeon/Opteron processors.

...Or you could splurge on a AM3 processor and new motherboard, but then you'd want to get DDR3 RAM with it, too.

Actually, since the AM3 has 938 pins, and the AM2+ has 941 pins, some motherboards are AM3 compatible, with a BIOS upgrade.

 

[EmmEmmThree]

Certain motherboards have AM2+/AM3 hybrid sockets, they'll take AM2, AM2+, and AM3 CPUs. The best AM2+ CPU I've seen is the Phenom II X4 940BE. 3GHz stock, and the thing overclocks like a beast. Anything higher than a Phenom II 940 (anything below is AM2+) will be AM3.

From wikipedia; this should clear things up compatibility wise:

Socket AM3 breaks compatibility with AM2/AM2+ processors due to a subtle change in key placement. The socket has 941 pin contacts[1] while current AM3 processors have only 938 pins. Tom's Hardware removed the two obstructing key pins from an AM2+ Phenom II in order to fit it into an AM3 socket. The processor did not work in the AM3 socket, but still worked in an AM2+ socket, suggesting that compatibility issues run deeper than merely the key pins.[4]
However, AM3 processors are backwards-compatible with Socket AM2+, contingent upon a BIOS update for the motherboard. Manufacturers including Asus,[5] Gigabyte,[6] and others have labeled existing AM2/AM2+ boards as being "AM3 Ready" or similar, indicating that BIOS support is provided for the specified boards. This allows existing AM2/AM2+ systems to upgrade the CPU without having to upgrade any other components.

 

[timmahtherebel]

Ah.. I did not know my computer would support a Phenom II... I have the AM2+ socket... I am just looking for a decent upgrade with a lot of cache because I need the cache... for what I am currently doing have this proc maxed on a daily basis for up for 3-4 hours at a time... I need a better processor.

 

[adaffme149]

for what I am currently doing have this proc maxed on a daily basis for up for 3-4 hours at a time... I need a better processor.

Waait? What ARE you doing, if I may be so nosey?

 

[timmahtherebel]

Basically I am encoding and re-encoding multiple streams of video and decompressing it to burn to DVD.

And I am virtualizing a server to run a website for a friend whos paying me large sums of money to host it.. And the website in question gets about 2k hits an hour... all of which are rendered on my computer...


Which I was running his website on a Pentium 4 2.8GHZ w/HT and 1GB RAM.. the machine literally overheated to the point of melting half the motherboard...
I don't know if there is anything that would be a reasonable price to be able to handle it... should I build a dedicated server box, or a new machine with Intel Core 2 Quad ( like my Dell Studio.. it wouldn't have been maxed out by this, infact both of these tasks running on my Dell would have only taken 50% CPU and not come even close to maxing it out...