MP 1,1-5,1 Hex 3.2 update from 2010 quad 2.8 photos new! CPU to use!

[bokkow]

Did it! Swapped the standard W3530 for a X5670 and upped the ram as well from 6GB to 16GB. And all of this for the sweet price of €100,-. Temps are more or less the same at around 40-45 degrees celsius, no additional fan noise. Couldn't be more satisfied!

 

[bokkow]

But then a new opportunity presented itself:

A X5680 for €135,-. True, the X5670 was astonishing value at €65,-, but still, this itches

I could buy this X5680 and sell the X5670 at a profit (at around €100,-) and gain 400MHz at the cost of a 35W higher TDP and investing €35,- net.

What to do? What would you guys do? Would that be worth it? Will this cause my single-CPU MP5.1 to make more noise when at idle?

 

[MacUser2525]

But then a new opportunity presented itself:

A X5680 for €135,-. True, the X5670 was astonishing value at €65,-, but still, this itches

I could buy this X5680 and sell the X5670 at a profit (at around €100,-) and gain 400MHz at the cost of a 35W higher TDP and investing €35,- net.

What to do? What would you guys do? Would that be worth it? Will this cause my single-CPU MP5.1 to make more noise when at idle?

More noise at idle nah the processor will be in its lowest power state there and MPs default to hotter over loud fan noise anyways so it would just let it heat up before speeding up the fans. Worth it depends on your usage load case as to whether you will actually ever get any benefit from the extra speed. If you do lot of single thread processing then you will see speed increase lots of multi-threaded work possible to see some increase depending again on how that load is translated into chip speed at that load.

 

[RoastingPig]

Average Prices
w3680 $175
w3690 $185
x5680 $135
x5690 $230

Look like the x5680 is the best deal currently for a 6 core processor

 

[bokkow]

Makes sense, my usage is currently more focused towards single core performance: 3D modelling/CAD where the software doesn't properly utilize more than 2 cores and the occasional game.

I'll think it over. I guess I'll do it if I can sell my X5670 at around 100,-. Then effectively the upgrade from W3530 to X5680 set me back 100,-

 

[BillyBobBongo]

A X5680 for €135,-. True, the X5670 was astonishing value at €65,-, but still, this itches

Where are you ordering your processors from? I'm also in the Netherlands but you seem to finding much better deals than I am at the moment.

Care to you share your source?

 

[OB-NZ]

Makes sense, my usage is currently more focused towards single core performance: 3D modelling/CAD where the software doesn't properly utilize more than 2 cores and the occasional game.

I'll think it over. I guess I'll do it if I can sell my X5670 at around 100,-. Then effectively the upgrade from W3530 to X5680 set me back 100,-

Have you thought about the X5677 they are under $80 USD at present, would one effectively give you the same benefit as putting in an X5690 if you are only going to use maybe two or three cores at most?
http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Xeon/Intel-Xeon X5677 - AT80614005145AB.html

 

[bokkow]

Where are you ordering your processors from? I'm also in the Netherlands but you seem to finding much better deals than I am at the moment.

Care to you share your source?

Sure thing! Perhaps you already know tweakers.net, I roam around in the "Vraag & Aanbod" section, hunting down cheap bargains. I found two resellers of office equipment that often have great deals on CPU's and ECC MEM. If you want I can bring you in touch with them (look me up over at tweakers.net, same nickname). I know that the one where I bought my X5670 is getting another two this week, I'm not sure the deal will be as good as I got though, you'll have to ask

Have you thought about the X5677 they are under $80 USD at present, would one effectively give you the same benefit as putting in an X5690 if you are only going to use maybe two or three cores at most?
http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Xeon/Intel-Xeon X5677 - AT80614005145AB.html

Yeah, I did, and performance-wise in my situation it would perhaps be marginally better to have 4 x 3,46 compared to 6 x 3,33.. Then again; a 6-core Mac Pro has a nice ring to it and there are advantages in area's like encoding video although that is not that common for me.

However, I made the deal: 135,- for the X5680 and sold the X5670 at 110,- so effectively it costs me 25,- to make this upgrade and compared to the stock W3530 the new X5680 costs me 90,-, still quite a steal if you ask me!

 

[BillyBobBongo]

Sure thing! Perhaps you already know tweakers.net, I roam around in the "Vraag & Aanbod" section, hunting down cheap bargains. I found two resellers of office equipment that often have great deals on CPU's and ECC MEM. If you want I can bring you in touch with them (look me up over at tweakers.net, same nickname). I know that the one where I bought my X5670 is getting another two this week, I'm not sure the deal will be as good as I got though, you'll have to ask

I had never thought to look there to be honest, thanks for sharing your source. I'll drop you a message on Tweakers.

 

[OB-NZ]

Sure thing! Perhaps you already know tweakers.net, I roam around in the "Vraag & Aanbod" section, hunting down cheap bargains. I found two resellers of office equipment that often have great deals on CPU's and ECC MEM. If you want I can bring you in touch with them (look me up over at tweakers.net, same nickname). I know that the one where I bought my X5670 is getting another two this week, I'm not sure the deal will be as good as I got though, you'll have to ask



Yeah, I did, and performance-wise in my situation it would perhaps be marginally better to have 4 x 3,46 compared to 6 x 3,33.. Then again; a 6-core Mac Pro has a nice ring to it and there are advantages in area's like encoding video although that is not that common for me.

However, I made the deal: 135,- for the X5680 and sold the X5670 at 110,- so effectively it costs me 25,- to make this upgrade and compared to the stock W3530 the new X5680 costs me 90,-, still quite a steal if you ask me!

Your right, it does have a nice ring to it, and maybe a better re-sale value also?

 

[mathemabeat]

Hey hey guys.

Having some troubles with a pair of delided x5680s I recently received. I bought them from DNComputers and I have sent them an email on this issue as well. But thought I would also ask you guys.

The install seemed to go fine.

However I get random lockups and then the machine reboots.

This only happens when I stress test it with something like GeekBench or Cinebench or anything else that can really hammer the cpus. Usually happens within 1 minute.


I have been keeping an eye on temps with iStat and at idle Cpu A runs about mid 40's Celsius and Cpu B is right 40 celsius. Once all 12 cores start getting taxed via one of the benchmarks, I see them shoot up to as high 80 degrees celsius before the machine locks up and reboots. However I have seen them only in the mid 60s when it reboots.


I have removed both heatsinks and cleaned off the Arctic Silver again and reapplied and reinstalled the heatsinks. Same result. My next test will be to swap the cpus out and install the original 2.26 Quads see if the problem goes away as I suppose the issue could be the new cpu's themselves.


I have also reset the SMC and PRAM. The Machine is a 2009 Dual cpu machine with 8 gigs of Crucial ECC 1066 memory and has the original GT120 video card in it. I added in a Highpoint Rocket USB 3 card and a Apricorn Velocity Solo x2 card with a 500 gig Samsung 850 Evo on it.




Any chance this is simply a duff cpu? I'll probably swap back in the old ones tonight to retest them.

todd

 

[bokkow]

Leave them in and first try to manually set the fans so that temp doesnt get above 75, preferably below 70 even, just to test if it is temp related

 

[mathemabeat]

Update:

Problem has been resolved and machine is working perfect with all 12 cores getting hammered with Geekbench's stress test option.


Turns out it was the heatsink on CPU A that wasn't completly sitting flush on the CPU. Must have been ever so slightly lifted in one corner. Proves just how important the heatsink install is on these machines even with delided chips.


Daniel from DN Computers offered me a ton of trouble shooting advice on resolving this. He even offered to let me swap CPUs and he would test these ones out. In the end it was all user error. lol

Big, big thumbs up to DN Computers for their support!

 

[BillyBobBongo]

So I made some time today to Upgrade my Mac Pro 5.1 (2010) from 8 cores (2 x 2.4 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon) to 12. Thanks to @bokkow I managed to get my hands on 2 x 3,33 GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon (X5680).

The switch was relatively easy, although I did have an issue getting one of the heatsinks off. The screw loosened but never seemed to want to let go. I tightened the remaining screws back up and proceeded to unscrew that particular screw first and it came loose.

I picked up some Gelid Solutions GC-Extreme thermal paste, which I'd read was quite viscous. But I got around this heating it up 'au bain-marie'.

My CPU temps have maybe gone up by about a degree when idling, so all in all that strikes me as a successful upgrade. CPUs are sitting at around 45 and 36 degrees celsius.

 

[bokkow]

Great man! Awesome clean upgrade!

 

[zephonic]

The W3670 is quite a bit cheaper (<$130) than the W3680/3690 now. As far as I can tell, the main differences are lower clockspeed (3.2 vs. 3.3 or 3.4), QPI (4.8 vs. 6.4) and memory speeds (1066 vs. 1333). How noticeable would that be in real-world use? Worth paying more for?

 

[scott.n]

The W3670 is quite a bit cheaper (<$130) than the W3680/3690 now. As far as I can tell, the main differences are lower clockspeed (3.2 vs. 3.3 or 3.4), QPI (4.8 vs. 6.4) and memory speeds (1066 vs. 1333). How noticeable would that be in real-world use? Worth paying more for?

I'd be patient and look out for new W3680 (or X5680) listings for a while before settling for a W3670. Stock seems to be low at the moment, but recently the former processors were going for $150 or less on eBay.

A few months ago I bought a pair of X5680 for $125 each.

 

[jdmuys]

Average Prices
[...]
x5690 $230

What would a good source for x5690 as of january 2016?

Thanks

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

Just checking the prices on ebay, I'm surprised how high they have become. Two X5690's is a ridiculous cost and would certainly put the ca-bosh on doing an economical dual CPU upgrade.

 

[flehman]

Just checking the prices on ebay, I'm surprised how high they have become. Two X5690's is a ridiculous cost and would certainly put the ca-bosh on doing an economical dual CPU upgrade.

Holy &@$! you are not kidding...$500+ at the moment. I bought a X5690 for around $150 less than a year ago. Either that particular CPU has crossed the Rubicon from "obsolete and plentiful" to "obsolete and rare," or the speculators and scalpers have moved in on the market.

 

[someoldguy]

Holy &@$! you are not kidding...$500+ at the moment. I bought a X5690 for around $150 less than a year ago. Either that particular CPU has crossed the Rubicon from "obsolete and plentiful" to "obsolete and rare," or the speculators and scalpers have moved in on the market.

+1 …. I got the one in my 4.1-5.1 for IIRC 140 in early June of last year . Was a bunch of them on eBay for around the same price then , too .

 

[jetjaguar]

Yea I was considering picking up a dual cpu 4,1 to upgrade to x5690s but they are like 500 each now .. they were like 200 not too long ago. Hell I swapped out to a w3690 for like 150 last year on my old mac pro .. prices now are insane and definitely made me rethink my future purchase.

 

[DPUser]

I paid $600 for a new W3680 3.5 years ago and thought I was getting a great deal!

X5680s are currently running about $200 each on Ebay.
Compared to nMP, the upgrade is still a great value proposition.

 

[steveOooo]

I finally finished my cpu upgrade video - filmed in 4k ultra hd (click the cogwheel bottom right - quality - select '4k 2160p')

Took me two attempts - should have smoothed over the heat gel over the entire cpu tray - read more on this site

http://www.unboxfresh.com/computing...2-from-a-quad-core-to-a-6-core-4k-ultra-hd-2/

 

[flehman]

I finally finished my cpu upgrade video - filmed in 4k ultra hd (click the cogwheel bottom right - quality - select '4k 2160p')

Took me two attempts - should have smoothed over the heat gel over the entire cpu tray - read more on this site

http://www.unboxfresh.com/computing...2-from-a-quad-core-to-a-6-core-4k-ultra-hd-2/

Great video! I performed the same procedure on my 4,1->5,1 last year. The most confusing part for me was deciding how to apply the thermal compound. I read so many different opinions - the pea-sized ball in the middle, an X, or even spreading it across the CPU's heat spreader. In the end I just applied the pea-sized amount to the middle of the heat spreader (I used MX-4) and resolved to watch the system temps like a hawk. It worked out great - my diode temp is 30-35 during idle.