Upgrade base dual 2.4GHz quad core to dual 2.93GHz hex core

[statistical]

I'm just going to order a new Mac Pro and noticed that it was slightly cheaper to order the base dual processor model and buy the 2.93GHz hex cores myself. A couple of questions arise:

Will my AppleCare still be valid or will I have to keep the 2.4GHz Xeons if I need to return it to Apple for any reason?

Is there market for the 2.4GHz processors?

Can I upgrade to the 3.33GHz processors or will this not work?

TIA

stats

 

[dissolve]

You can do it, but the common knowledge is that it will void your warranty. For the 2009 models, upgrading the dual-proc systems was very difficult. I don't think this has changed in the 2010 models. Have a search around here for recent threads on upgrading the CPU.

I haven't looked at those CPUs in particular, but there is a market on eBay for this processors if you choose to sell. Personally, I'm going to wait until my warranty is up or nearly up before going this route.

 

[WardC]

OK, I will give you the answer.

YES. You can upgrade the dual processor 2.4GHz Westmere 8-core machine to a dual hex core (12-core) machine running at 3.33GHz per chip, with the Xeon X5680 chips. The new processor board on the 2010 dual Mac Pro has latches, so it's easier install than on the 2009 models, which did not have latches and the processors for these were lidless, without an integrated heat spreader. This means you can easily use the standard Xeon processors with the IHS lids on the 2010 models with no problem. The X5690s are coming out soon, and they will be 6-cores at 3.46GHz and this will the fastest chip upgrade that you can do. You basically take the processor card out, loosen the screws on the heatsinks, carefully take the heatsinks off, undo the latch on each of the processors and take the processors out, put the new processors in, put the latch back on, apply thermal paste, and then screw your heatsinks back on and put your processor card back in your Mac Pro and you are done. You can upgrade a 2.4GHz 8-core Mac Pro Westmere up to a dual 3.46GHz 12-core machine when those processors are available. Right now the X5680 3.33GHz is the fastest processor you can get for the dual machines.

 

[hoxley]

weighing up the hex v dual 2.4 quad decision. the hex is a few hundred more expensive and the benchmark vary as to what is "better", in a logic benchmark test the dual 2.4 quad outperforms - other say the hex 3.33 is a better buy.

the later date (when out of applecare warranty) upgradability of the dual 2.4 quad as you stated (i imagine the chips will be much cheaper as well by then) tempts me towards the dual quad 2.4 over the hex.

is no other work needed, such as cooling?

thanks

 

[Tim3308]

I bought a refurb'd 2010 Mac Pro 2.8 GHz. Sent the tray to OWC, to upgrade it to a 3.46 GHZ. If I didn't have to play state sales tax to Apple it would've been cheaper than a brand new 3.33 GHz model, total!

 

[Terminal.app]

A dual X5690 MP would be RIDICULOUS. I can't even imagine what it would be like having a computer that fast. o_0

Also drooling over the thought of a dual LGA2011 MP with two octo-core Sandy Bridge-EP Xeons.

 

[100Years]

The Mac Pro I bought, was the base model 2010 -- 2.8GHz Nehalem. I had a PC build, from which I removed the processor & RAM (Intel i980x & DDR3 1333 Non-ECC RAM); then loaded it into my Mac Pro.

It was a quick job, and the Mac has been running flawlessly

 

[WardC]

The Mac Pro I bought, was the base model 2010 -- 2.8GHz Nehalem. I had a PC build, from which I removed the processor & RAM (Intel i980x & DDR3 1333 Non-ECC RAM); then loaded it into my Mac Pro.

It was a quick job, and the Mac has been running flawlessly

This would work. You would have to use non-ECC RAM to work with the i7, the Xeon will support both ECC and non-ECC RAM. Yes, you can upgrade a Mac Pro with a LGA1366 i7 chip, but you have to use non-ECC RAM with it, regular ECC RAM will not work.

 

[Broc27]

I wonder if it would be possible to remove the 2.4GHz cpus and replace them with just a single x5600 cpu, leaving one socket empty, ready for an upgrade later?