Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

AM3+ Socket Motherboard Help?

Sep 28, 2013 11:58AM PDT

I bought a new motherboard for the desktop I am building. I was wider if it has an AM3+ processor socket will it work with any AMD processor with an AM3+ plug in? Or do I have to buy a certain processor?

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Answer
In past you matched the processor to the socket
Sep 28, 2013 12:31PM PDT

AMD complicated things a bit in the AM2, AM2+ and AM3 phase of things. For instance you can't use an AM2 processor in an AM3 socket or later. You CAN use an AM3 processor however in both AM2 and AM2+ sockets. Easiest thing is to look at what the motherboard manufacturer says will fit. Almost always however, if the socket and the processor descriptions are the same, they will fit. You then have to worry about how much power you want to use when it's turned on, how much heat you are willing to generate and deal with, how much CPU power you need for what you do. For instance I have an AMD Phenom X4 processor on one computer which can be used for intensive stuff when needed. More often when I'm just visiting forums, reading emails, maybe run a few low rez youtube videos, I use a low power Sempron processor on a Linux box which I leave on most of the time. Although higher power processors ramp down when at rest, so do those already low power. A new Sempron 45W might run at 25W when just resting. I doubt my Phenom x4 processor on newer mobo drops to that level.

Fit processor to socket
Fit your expected power requirements
Fit your budget

- Collapse -
Thank you!
Sep 28, 2013 12:45PM PDT

Thank you this helps a lot!

- Collapse -
Answer
No......yes
Sep 29, 2013 12:58AM PDT

You take the make and model of the mobo and visit the maker's site.
You then look at the cpu support list.
That will tell you what cpu's are supported and what bios level is needed.