You cannot install Socket AM2 or AM2+ processors in Socket AM3 motherboards.Here is a summary of the compatibility between AM2, AM2+, AM3, and AM3+ processors and motherboards: Socket AM2 processors can technically work in Socket AM2+ motherboards however, this also requires BIOS support, which is not present in all motherboards. Socket AM2+ chips are backward compatible with Socket AM2 motherboards, but only at reduced HyperTransport 2.0 FSB speeds. Although Sockets AM2 and AM2+ are physically the same, Socket AM2+ adds support for split power planes and HyperTransport 3.0, allowing for FSB speeds of up to 2.6 GHz. Socket AM2+ is an upgrade to Socket AM2 that was released in November 2007.
Sockets 939, 940, and AM2 support HyperTransport v2.0, which limits most processors to a 1 GHz FSB.
Processors designed for Sockets 754, 939, and 940 include DDR memory controllers and are not pin compatible with Socket AM2. Socket AM2/AM2+: The arrow (triangle) at the lower left indicates pin 1.Īlthough Socket AM2 contains 940 pins-the same number that Socket 940 uses-Socket AM2 is designed to support the integrated dual-channel DDR2 memory controllers that were added to the Athlon 64 and Opteron processor families in 2006.
