MP 7,1 What are the best upgrade options for my 2019 MP?

[avro707]

Care to elaborate where you got the new from Apple W6800X Duo?

iPowerResale ordered it from Apple as part of a computer purchase.

Apart from that the only other place that has it is amazon.de who were showing two of them. Everywhere else is out of stock. You may find some used through Gainsaver as part of computers but they don't ship internationally.

There are a few that appear occasionally on ebay as open-box or second hand. One currently from an NY seller but it looks dubious.

Our ability to upgrade these machines and stay in MacOS is limited.

This is definitely my last Apple computer.

 

[H2SO4]

RX6900XT is the newest supported GPU on the MacOS side. Under Windows you have no such restrictions, though you have to measure the length of the GPUs to make sure they don't exceed the physical space inside the machine.

I imagine without the MPX module you lose a lot of thunderbolt ports. I have the W6800X 32GB MPX and decided to upgrade to dual W6800X Duo MPX (128GB total). If you use an off-the-shelf Radeon GPU you must have the power-cable set as well.


For PCI-E SSD go for this: https://www.sonnettech.com/product/m2-4x4-pcie-card/overview.html

Stack it with up to 4 NVME SSDs. That's what I run on mine for Windows 11 Pro for Workstations.

You're not booting Windows from that card carrier of course?

 

[avro707]

You're not booting Windows from that card carrier of course?

I am actually booting Windows from that Sonnet card. I took a lot of work to get it going (the normal bootcamp assistant wouldn't allow using those).

 

[startergo]

 

[avro707]

View attachment 2392966

I would believe that when and if they actually arrive. These things are becoming difficult to find.

I hope they can actually deliver.

 

[Regulus67]

I would believe that when and if they actually arrive. These things are becoming difficult to find.

I hope they can actually deliver.

As you said earlier. There are two cards for sale on Amazon (Germany and Sweden).
It is possible Amazon got one more card, as there was only one left when I purchased my last one.

Kind of a mystery if these cards are still available in any quantity

 

[Regulus67]

I am considering ordering Apple original RAM memory modules. As the 64GB and 128GB modules are Load Reduced "LRDIMM". So Apple didn't skimp on quality here.
From one older article I read, it has deeper ECC.

A blog recently explaining the differences: xbyte Difference between memory modules

 

[H2SO4]

I am actually booting Windows from that Sonnet card. I took a lot of work to get it going (the normal bootcamp assistant wouldn't allow using those).

I might give that a try then as I was under the impression that they didn't...........
In fact I emailed them January this year;
Hi all, hope well. I have the aforementioned card and although I know it won’t boot Windows, (at least that’s what your info says – I haven’t actually tried), are there any plans to provide Windows boot support?

and was told;
I have not heard of any plans to add boot support for Windows or our M.2 SSD PCIe cards.
Thanks,
Jason

But now their website says;
Boot Support (From a Single SSD)

• macOS

Mac Pro 5,1 or Mac Pro 7,1
Any Thunderbolt Mac

• Windows, Linux

Computers with UEFI BIOS

 

[avro707]

am considering ordering Apple original RAM memory modules. As

I think it’s just SK Hynix RAM.

Buy from memory.net and save heaps. The Apple ram prices are ridiculous.

might give that a try then as I was under the impression that they didn't...........

It definitely

As you said earlier. There are two cards for sale on Amazon (Germany and Sweden).
It is possible Amazon got one more card, as there was only one left when I purchased my last one.

Kind of a mystery if these cards are still available in any quantity

My impression is that they aren’t available in great numbers new, perhaps just 4-5 that we know of and that any other stock is parts for replacing dead cards.

I have one card here in a few days then another new card coming as part of an entire computer (with the Fabric link connectors).

Stores saying “4-6 weeks back in stock” or similar I don’t believe. If anyone is looking to buy, question them firmly.

One of my cards I had to pressure the eBay seller to do international shipping- which he did then organise and let me know then I bought it immediately within a minute of the change of the listing.

and was told;
I have not heard of any plans to add boot support for Windows or our M.2 SSD PCIe cards.
Thanks,
Jason

For my setup I had to manually enable booting from the PCI-E NVME drives (Apple has security to prevent it).

Then I had the Windows installer on one of the NVME drives to speed up the install.

By the way anyone doing the windows installer make sure you have a monitor connected via HDMI to the MPX Module otherwise you’ll end up with a blank screen when rebooting to finish the install (until the display drivers are installed).

 

[avro707]

iPowerResale weren't joking about being able to get W6800X Duo from Apple.

They've shipped the machine I ordered - that was damn fast. I expect I'll get hit with a big customs duty when it arrives but so be it, this kind of machine just about doesn't exist in my country at all.

The spec is:

7,1 2019 Mac Pro "excellent" condition
Xeon W3275M 2.5ghz 28 core
Radeon Pro W6800X Duo MPX and Infinity Fabric Link (new card)
96GB RAM
2TB SSD.

I have one W6800X Duo now here now and running.

 

[Edward G]

Tell me how to distinguish an original processor when purchasing from engineering and test samples. What should be written on the lid? the seller sells them in a closed box and an antistatic bag and refuses to open them, arguing that opening the bag will cause the goods to lose part of their value. for example, is this inscription on the lid original?

 

[tsialex]

Tell me how to distinguish an original processor when purchasing from engineering and test samples. What should be written on the lid? the seller sells them in a closed box and an antistatic bag and refuses to open them, arguing that opening the bag will cause the goods to lose part of their value. for example, is this inscription on the lid original?

Just look for the S-Spec inscription on the lid. S-Spec part number for the W-3245:

ES/QS: QQVU
Production: SRFFD

 

[Rimmsi]

I recently tried to get a W-3265 processor on ebay and after paying the amount, the seller messaged me that they no longer have it in stock but can offer the QS version at a lower price. I refused this and asked for a refund of the amount paid. Fortunately, the money was returned to me in good order and without much delay. Good luck.

 

[bax2023]

Has anybody here or knows somebody who experienced any issues with ES/QS Xeon W-32xx series CPUs compatibile with Mac Pro ?

 

[avro707]

I recently tried to get a W-3265 processor on ebay and after paying the amount, the seller messaged me that they no longer have it in stock but can offer the QS version at a lower price. I refused this and asked for a refund of the amount paid. Fortunately, the money was returned to me in good order and without much delay. Good luck.

Fortunate! Did they really have it in the first place… I wonder.

Why don’t you look at getting an entire computer instead? The prices are okay now from the reputable places.

My W6800X Duo has been running a few days now. It first gave kernel panics on startup. On a hunch I took the card out then firmly reseated it in the slot.

That appears to have solved the problem. Of all the unlikely things. Fingers still crossed but plenty of startups yesterday and now started again this morning without issue.