Case Report of 2.66 to 3.46 upgrade
Hi:
I just upgraded my 12-core 5,1 (2010) from 2.66 GHz (5650) to 3.46 GHz (5690), and offer some observations for any other non-techie who is considering upgrading such a system.
1. Ease of Upgrade:
Installation is easy and has been nicely documented by others in this forum. Anyone with an understanding of screwdriver mechanics should be able to complete the upgrade in under an hour. (Earlier models reportedly require a bit more patience.)
2. Performance:
This upgrade increases processor speed from 2.66 to 3.46 GHz (+30.1%). The "turbo boost" processor speed increases from 3.06 to 3.73 GHz (+21.9%). Theoretically, I should thus expect multi-core, processor-intensive tasks to increase in speed by up to 30.1%, and single-core, processor-intensive tasks to increase in speed by up to 21.9%.
I used GeekBench 3 as my synthetic, processor-intensive task and measured an improvement of about 24% for the "multi-processor" scores and 18% for "single-processor" scores.
I then used Xcode to do a full recompile on my main project, with nearly 200 source files and about a million lines of code. (Xcode is able to pin all 24 virtual processors during parts of the compile.) Recompile turnaround times dropped from 13.5 to 10.9 seconds (-19.3%). This is a noticeable improvement, making for a more pleasant and productive development cycle.
(BTW, my previous development system sported a quad core i7 and required 43 seconds to compile the same project. The 12-core Mac Pro was a game-changer.)
I measured restart times using various operating systems and did document a tiny improvement, but it was not noticeable. One exception: restarting Windows 7 (running on Parallels inside 10.8.5) was 13% quicker.
Overall, processor-intensive activity on the Mac Pro "feels" about 20% quicker. Disk-intensive activity feels unchanged. Check out the recent report on BareFeats (
www.barefeats.com/mp12c346.html) for other benchmark results.
3. Heat:
The max TDP rating increases from 95 watts to 130 watts (+36.8%). Some folks have expressed hesitation, worrying about problems with overheating. I ran the GeekBench 3 "stress test" and measured CPU A and B Heatsink temps as well as fan speeds (iStat).
With a room temp of 78 deg F, I used the system for non-processor-intensive tasks (web surfing, text editing, email, etc.). The "idle" temps at the end of one hour were almost identical pre and post-upgrade.
After 10 minutes of the GeekBench 3 "stress test," the temps were about 13.5% higher on the post-upgrade system. The highest measured post-upgrade CPU Heatsink temp was 148 deg F.
I then stopped the stress test. After 1 minute, the temps were almost back to pre-stress levels and the difference between the pre and post upgrade systems was negligible.
4. Power:
My UPS monitors power draw. During normal, non-processor intensive activities, the pre and post-upgrade readings were identical (243 watts for the Mac Pro and Cinema Display). During the GeekBench "stress test," pre-upgrade power usage peeked at 450 watts and post-upgrade power usage peeked at 531 watts (+18%).
5. Noise:
During the "stress test," all of the measured fan speeds increased by about 200 rpm pre-upgrade and about 400 rpm post-upgrade. Overall noise level in a quiet, residential office went from "quiet" to "still quiet." During normal, non-processor intensive activities, the pre and post-upgrade fan speeds were nearly identical.
6. Ebay:
I purchased these processors (used) on Ebay through PayPal. I chose an established US reseller who offered a 14-day DOA warranty and had received good feedback scores selling similar items. By using a bit of caution, I feel confident with such transactions.
7. Price:
I paid a total of $1700 for both processors. My old 5650's can be sold for $200 each, however I may hang on to them for a while, just in case I run across unforeseen problems with the 5690's.
8. Reliability:
Intel has marketed the 5600 series as a reliable, business-class processor, designed for high-volume server and workstation duty. I suspect, given the measured findings above, that my 5690's will last a long time. I see no reason to worry about the Mac Pro's 980 watt power supply or cooling system. I see no reason to alter fan settings. YMMV.
Also note that OWC (my favorite site for Mac stuff) offers this same upgrade and feels confident enough to warranty the result for one year.
9. Is It Worth It?:
For me, yes.
This is the "finishing touch" on my Xcode development system and it improves my productivity by a noticeable amount. (And that's what I'm telling both the IRS and my spouse.)
For you, it depends.
Does your workflow require processor-intensive software? Have you already purchased the best software for the job? Automated your workflow? Added an SSD boot/work drive? Added enough RAM to avoid page outs? Added enough screen real estate? Appropriate video card? Faster internet? Accelsior?
Upgrading a 12-core Mac Pro from 2.66 to 3.46 GHz should probably be your last step.
