Expand Your Computer With Six-Core AMD Processors Featuring an AM3 Socket

AM3 is a CPU socket designed for certain AMD processors. The socket connects the processor to the computer motherboard. By upgrading your computer to a six-core CPU, you can run more tasks in parallel without slowdown, from multimedia to virus protection to multiple web tabs.

What type of motherboard is compatible with these processors?

These processors are compatible with the same type of AM3 socket on the motherboard. They may also have limited compatibility with the predecessor, the AM2 socket, and the successor, the AM3+ socket, depending on the manufacturer of the motherboard. The processors support both DDR2 and DDR3 memory modules.

Which processors use this socket?

This socket is found in many different AMD processors, but only the 45-nanometer Thuban series from the Phenom II family contains six cores. These microprocessors can be identified by the name Phenom II X6. There are eight different models in this series, ranging from the 1035T to the 1100T. You may want to consider the following characteristic of each model:

  • Frequency: The frequency describes the speed at which the microprocessor can process a given workload. The Thuban series ranges between 2.6GHz and 3.3GHz. The frequency can be boosted beyond its base level, although the computer might generate extra heat and power.
  • CPU cache: The cache is a small amount of memory embedded on the CPU. The Thuban series has three levels of cache, known as L1, L2, and L3, respectively. Each level holds a different amount of data. When the CPU needs to access data, it will first access the three levels of cache in order. All Thuban CPUs feature 512KB of L2 cache per core, plus a general pool of 6MB L3 cache.
  • Thermal design power: The thermal design power, or TDP for short, is the amount of heat that the CPU is designed to handle while operating within normal parameters, though not necessarily the maximum amount of heat it can generate. The TDP of the Thuban series is either 95 watts or 125 watts, depending on the model.
What are the main features of the Thuban processors?

All Thuban microprocessors share the exact same features. Apart from the implementation of MMX, SSE, and other instruction sets, these features may include:

  • HyperTransport: HyperTranport technology reduces communication bottlenecks within the CPU by creating point-to-point links between different integrated circuits.
  • AMD Turbo Core: Turbo Core will dynamically adjust the speed of the CPU whenever it needs the extra performance boost.
  • AMD64: This is AMD's implementation of 64-bit computing. It affects many different aspects of the computer, including the amount of memory it can handle at once.
  • AMD Cool'n'Quiet: This technology is designed to save power by altering the clock speed and voltage when the system is idle.
  • Enhanced 3DNow: 3DNow is designed to improve performance for certain multimedia applications and graphically-demanding programs.
  • NX Bit: NX Bit can stop dangerous code from spreading through a system or network by marking off certain areas of the memory as non-executable.