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AMD Bulldozer Will Bring Socket Shift To PCs

Posted by Soulskill on from the make-sure-to-pick-up-the-socket-bonus dept.

An anonymous reader writes "One of the most dreaded hurdles on the PC upgrade path is the CPU socket. If socket design changes then you'll almost certainly need a new motherboard when you do upgrade. This is an area where AMD has historically been much better than Intel. Intel tends to change sockets with each generation of CPU — currently there are three types out there, LGA 1155 for Sandy Bridge, LGA 1156 for first generation core and LGA 1366 for the performance Core i7 processors. AMD on the other hand has always tried to keep sockets across generations. When it releases its new Bulldozer core desktop processors later this year AMD is having to make a socket shift from the current AM3 socket to a new one called AM3+. This article discusses the change, issues like backwards compatibility and what the industry is doing to prepare for the socket shift."

2 of 219 comments (clear)

  1. Is it necessary? by colinrichardday · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Perhaps you can only maintain backward compatibility so far.

  2. A fucking waste by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Agree. Who really cares anyways? Computers are so affordable that buying a whole new set instead of just upgrading only the CPU is normal fare.

    It's a goddamn waste, though. It's sickening to throw out all that electronics, metal, and otherwise pretty good hardware just because someone wants to upgrade or because a component died.

    At least with computers we have some choice. The other day, a pump went out on my pressure washer. Pump: $249. New pressure washer: $259 - WTF! So, I either pay out the ass for a new pump, or chuck out a perfectly good engine, frame, hose, nozzle, etc ...

    OR Norelco electric shaver. New: $40. Replacement blades: $32. WTF!!!

    I tell ya, our consumerist disposable society is really getting out of fucking hand.

    And I'll refrain from the pollution and filling landfills with our disposable products.

    I've stopped buying that shit - No more consumer electronics because it is THE worst offender.