Opteron/FX question

I am going to be building a computer for a friend of mine who does gfx work like 3ds and what not. I wanted to get him an FX based system, but there aren't to many mobos specifically for the FX though I am almost certain you can put an FX in an opteron mobo. What I am not sure about is can I use the opteron mobo and the FX with non-ECC memory? Hopefully someone knows the answer to this. Thank you for any and all help.

Edit: Oh and this will be his "first real PC". And has no budget.

Yeah, u should be able to use an FX in an opteron/fx mobo, they are designed w/ the same socket, as long as u get the latest BIOS, as some older ones are buggy and might not be fully-compatible with the FX

but no, as of now, u can NOT use non-ecc memory with the amd 64 fx...it only supports registered memory, AMD is coming out with a socket 939 soon that should make the fx-51 "obsolete"

im pretty sure it will let u use non-ecc memory, but im not 100% on the non-ecc version of the FX, but amd will come out with socket 939

the fx-51 is basically a limited time thing, just to get the fx line marketed, but not for real mainstream use, the later fx's for socket 939 will be the ones AMD will really build upon

and another thing...why would the fx be a "budget" computer?!?! the figgin processor itslef costs like 800 bucks!!

for a "budget" comp, id just buy a good 1800 stepping and OC it to around 11x200 for maximum stability but still have good performance

When I say budget I mean he is willing to spend $1000's of dollars and I also want to not burn him by getting him something that he will not be able to upgrade later like Socket A which should be gone by the end of 2004. So I want him to get close to the newest technology so it has some chance to last for him.

Edit: I missed your second paragraph there I didn't know that the current FX51 had to use the registered memory thank you for the clarification. Do you or does anyone have any timetable for the non-registered FX to come out?

as i sed earlier, socket 940 wont be around for too long...when socket 939 comes out, 940 will be "phased" out, AMD is taking a new approach to selling cpu's after losing so much money lately...and THEN might u get the chance to use non-ecc ram with the fx's

when they come out with a new cpu, say for example a newer version of the FX, they will completely stop production of the previous FX and only make the newest one, forcing the consumers to buy their fastest processor and spend more money...quite diabolical if u ask me

The reason I mentioned the 940 board is because I haven't been able to find any 939 boards out there. Though I have seen boards that are 940 and support the FX. I think we are on different brain waves.

*Edit 1*: I may have just figured out what you mean I have not heard of it. Are you saying that the FX-51 is a 940 pin processor? I thought all FX's were 939 pin processors.

*Edit 2*: I went to pricewatch and found out that the FX-51 does have 940 pins. Had no idea they weren't making 939 pin processors which is what you were saying before.

lol....well thats cuz socket 939 hasnt even come out yet...ull just have to wait some more...

and i have been trying to navigate thru AMD's horribly designed website to see when the socket 939 will come out..but no luck yet

Here's good reading:

http://www.overclockers.com/articles896/

Like dalilman said, the 940 socket will be phased out soon and the 64bit AMD chips will be outlined in the following two sockets

Socket 754 for lower end.
Socket 939 for middle and higher end (different chips, same socket).

I would also recommend waiting if yer thinkin of going AMD64. However, if you need to build a rig ASAP, then I would stick with AMD Barton, or P4c (or EE if you can work it into the budget). Again, socket 940 will be obsolete in a short time.

Yeah I knew that 940 would be phased out I just didn't know that opteron FX had 940 pins to begin with that seems to have been my whole dilemma. A mix up on my part.

When are the 939 motherboards going to be showing themselves?

i think they should be released sometime just a bit after the socket 939 comes out or maybe at the same release date as the new socket 939 fx's, AMD wouldnt give mobo manufacturers the specs for a socket 939 cpu AFTER they release it...

check here for amd cpu release dates, but these are just estimates, not guarantees, remember half-life 2?