MP 6,1 Should I go or should I skip...

[TheBigHunt]

A factory D500 Mac Pro with build date after 2017 is the most reliable late-2013 Mac Pro, almost the same performance of D700 when your application doesn't need 6GB of VRAM.

Mmm, thanks. How can I be sure about the factory date? Does it mean that before 2017, the D500 was not reliable? Thanks a lot

 

[TheBigHunt]

A factory D500 Mac Pro with build date after 2017 is the most reliable late-2013 Mac Pro, almost the same performance of D700 when your application doesn't need 6GB of VRAM.

Do you mean that earlier Mac Pro with D500 made before 2017 are a no go compared to the D300 version? Where can you check the made date of the Can?

 

[adam9c1]

Visit http://www.chipmunk.nl/klantenservice/applemodel.html and provide the serial number.
This site has a good database of serials and built dates.

 

[TheBigHunt]

Visit http://www.chipmunk.nl/klantenservice/applemodel.html and provide the serial number.
This site has a good database of serials and built dates.

Thanks, mine is from jan 2014, D300 16GB and 256SSD, base model 4C/8T

 

[tsialex]

Do you mean that earlier Mac Pro with D500 made before 2017 are a no go compared to the D300 version? Where can you check the made date of the Can?

Avoid buying any late-2013 made before 2017 for multiple reasons, the most expensive one is the D500/D700 GPU recall, read below, but there are also other problems.

Apple Launches Repair Program for Late 2013 Mac Pro Video Issues

Apple today launched a new Repair Extension Program that addresses video issues on some late 2013 Mac Pro models, according to an internal notice...

www.macrumors.com

Btw, from my experience with late-2013 Mac Pros, the problematic GPUs were only really sorted after 2017, not just the 2015 models that the recall listed back then. While D300 never had an official recall, these GPUs have KP problems with Mojave/Catalina, usually after waking from or going to sleep.

2017 and later D500 late-2013 Mac Pros are very good (for MacPro6,1 standards).

 

[TheBigHunt]

Mmmm ok, thanks a lot. I found a 300$ late 2016 Can with a D700 and a 6 core Xeon... i'm considering it... is there a big chance for the GPU to have issues ?

On the other end, i guess that Can still up and running today either had their GPU fixed / changed or they were not affected...

 

[tsialex]

Mmmm ok, thanks a lot. I found a 300$ late 2016 Can with a D700 and a 6 core Xeon... i'm considering it... is there a big chance for the GPU to have issues ?

Two years newer and just $50 more, if the seller accepts returns should be worth the risk.

 

[avro707]

When you do the CPU upgrade, be sure to take the opportunity to replace the battery. 'cans have problems with battery failure and replacing the battery is a PITA. Do it while you have the machine apart. Note that this machine requires a special BR2032 battery, so get that and have it on hand before upgrading the machine.

Speaking of Trashcan problems with failed batteries, mine has a dead battery and of course does not keep time when shut down. That does not bother me. But now it does not like keyboards. Specifically, the <<, >II, and >> playback keys are unresponsive. Other keys work. There is nothing wrong with multiple keyboards, all of which work fine with other machines. So I may have to take it apart and install the new battery I got for it. Has anyone else found that their keyboards attached to MP 6,1 machines act this way when the batteries fail?

So it's the same as the 5,1 that also wants the BR2032. I have a stash of them here.


On the topic of upgrading GPUs, the D500 and D700 upgrade would likely be similar complexity to replacing the CPU, but with the cost of the GPU paired set.

Visit http://www.chipmunk.nl/klantenservice/applemodel.html and provide the serial number.
This site has a good database of serials and built dates.

Out of interest, I checked my 7,1 and the information was incorrect for it, wrong CPU, wrong maximum ram, likely incorrect build date as well.

 

[arw]

In regard to the build date: From my experience, Coconut Battery provides the date very close to that stored in the bootrom.
_Coconut_ | _Bootrom_ | chipmunk.nl
2014-02-17 | 2014-01-29 | 2014-02-08 | (D300) still running/sleeping fine with original BR2032
2018-01-08 | 2018-01-10 | 2018-01-02 | (D500)

 

[TheBigHunt]

ok, so i accepted a second TrashCan (I dont know why i did this...) with the original 8C and D700. It's from late 2016. My idea is to transfer the 32Gb from it to the one i bought last week and sell it at a cheap price for a Can lover. So i will end up with a D700 with my 64GB and a 2TB Intel SSD in it.

Question: I've ordered a 2667 V2 (40$) but i didnt received it yet... Is it worth replacing the original 8C from my coming Can with it? Or should I keep the original? I can see that it's a 3Ghz where as the 2667 is a 3.3GHz. Any thoughts?

 

[th0masp]

I wouldn't put much stock in the expectation that the younger models are somehow better. My 2018 edition saidd otherwise. Did they even bother with revisions for this thing? At least you now got spares.

 

[TheBigHunt]

I wouldn't put much stock in the expectation that the younger models are somehow better. My 2018 edition saidd otherwise. Did they even bother with revisions for this thing? At least you now got spares.

He he, i don't... I just wanted to get the D700... so no spare part as I'll probably quickly resell the D300 Can...
I just wonder if I should wait for the 2667 v2 to replace the stock 8C from Apple...

 

[arw]

You must decide if the small bump of the 2667 is worth 40$ for you. (it is to me)
3,3 GHz 2667-v2 (turbo 4,0 GHz) vs. 3,0 GHz 1680-v2 (turbo 3,9 GHz):
Single score should be 2,5% higher
Multi score should be ~10% higher (don‘t know the turbo frequency of all cores for the 1680-v2 and haven‘t yet installed my 2667 to test it myself)

 

[mikas]

If you plan to upgrade your RAM to 128GB, it should run faster with E5-1xxx than E5-2xxx series would run. That's been a concensus for some time if I remember it right. But I think I have seen a post just recently claiming somehow otherwise than that. Can't remember precisely.

Me and myself are busy at the moment, so E5-1680 v2 and 2667 v2 both are waiting still to be installed in my Cans. And I've got an 2690 v2 too, so have to decide which one of these, the best of the best.
😂

 

[TheBigHunt]

Bought my second can today and i've teared appart every little screw and board. Changed the thermal pastes, etc... and it's now running as I write here from it.
I don't think I'll go again through the process for the 2667 v2... i cannot cancel it as I order it on AliExpress... and itøs already shipped. Will see.

 

[MacPoulet]

You know you’ve gone down the rabbit hole, right?

 

[TheBigHunt]

You know you’ve gone down the rabbit hole, right?

Ha ha ha... until the next "toy"...

 

[TheBigHunt]

Just saw some stats on my energy consumption... I've a real time monitor and... wooowww, the can eats a lot of electricity.
On my desk, I've a 34" UWHD screen, a lamp and the can.

My setup consumes 120w idle but all on (can on, screen on, lamp on).
As soon as i do some work, like photoshop or other that consumes a bit of CPU, my usage bump to 160-170w...
Crazy how the Xeon consumes....