Future-Proofing: Will You Be Able to Upgrade?
You may have a shiny new PC now, but what if you want a speed boost a couple months down the road? If you're hoping to upgrade your processor, you should pay attention to how long AMD and Intel plan to stick with their current CPU sockets.
Intel introduced the LGA775 socket in 2004, and the company's subsequent processors have all used it. According to spokesperson Dan Snyder, Intel's next-generation CPU will continue to use LGA775. But it's unclear whether you'll be able to upgrade to this processor (code-named Conroe) with current motherboards: Snyder could not say whether Conroe will work with existing chip sets.
Meanwhile, AMD plans to introduce new processors later this year to support the faster DDR2 memory that now works only with Intel-based motherboards. Those new chips will require a new socket called AM2 that's incompatible with today's Socket 939. AMD spokesperson Damon Muzony claims that the company will continue to support Socket 939 "for as long as there is a customer demand," though whether the company will introduce any new Socket 939 chips is uncertain.
Richard Baguley is a freelance writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Ad Choices