***AMD Trinity review thread***

[humbug]

There isn't a lot they can do over partners slacking with boards, AMD can push but it's ultimately out of their control, which also counts for overclocking, it took a couple of BIOS updates to bet Bulldozer properly stable.

 

[yannis76]

My main concern with the FM2 platform is that there is no upgrade path as far as the CPU goes, there's a lot of talk about Intel GPU's being dire but you can always add a 6570 etc, what happens with Trinity when the CPU is holding you back?

If I were AMD I would have scrapped 990FX by now and merged Bulldozer/Piledriver with FM2.

I think the FM2 socket will stay with us for a while. Furthermore A10-5800K performs well with a discrete GPU (slower than Intel, but still good)

 

[shadow_boxer]

FM2 will be around for one more refresh of processors then its gone unfortunately.

 

[malachi]

FM2 will be around for one more refresh of processors then its gone unfortunately.

I thought AMD were moving everything from AM3+ to FM2 for future CPU's? I'm sure I read that somewhere.

 

[humbug]

I thought AMD were moving everything from AM3+ to FM2 for future CPU's? I'm sure I read that somewhere.

No, if anything its the other way round....

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2208525/amd-sticks-with-socket-am3-for-steamroller

CHIP DESIGNER AMD has said that its upcoming Vishera chip will not be the last to use Socket AM3+.
AMD's desktop Piledriver processor, which is better known by its Vishera codename, will use the firm's Socket AM3+, effectively meaning the chip is a drop-in replacement from previous generation Zambezi processors. The firm said that it will continue to support the AM3+ socket and that this won't be the last processor to use the socket.
AMD also confirmed a lot of leaked information on Vishera and touted its overclocking abilities, which The INQUIRER saw first hand two weeks ago. The firm not only confirmed that Socket AM3+ users can expect at least one more chip, almost certainly one based on the Steamroller architecture, it said that all of its future processors "in a few years time" will be socket compatible.
AMD's statement regarding top-to-bottom socket compatibility means that its upcoming accelerated processor units (APUs) will have another three years or so using the FM2 socket that will make its debut with Trinity in October. The firm said Trinity's use of FM2 will be the last socket change before it standardises on one socket for all of its desktop processors.
AMD deserves credit for supporting Socket AM3+ customers, however that could hamstring the company in the coming years as it tries to iterate the Bulldozer architecture from Piledriver to Steamroller. Nevertheless, when AMD does settle on a single socket for its desktop processors and in particular its high volume APU parts, that should help the firm win favour with OEMs and system builders that can standardise on a single motherboard.