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X5680 and X5690

S

spoonie1972

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 17, 2012
573
154
prices are dropping like crazy, so I thought I'd post if anyone wasn't paying attention. I picked up a used set of x5680 for $500 via local craigslist, and even then that's probably a bit high (but, instant gratification).

i'm only running double-channel (no 3rd chip on each bank) right now, so I geekbenched at 25,800 ish. Pretty great upgrade all things considered!

Easy-peasy change on the 2010, doable but a bit more butt-puckering on the 2009.
 
X5680 should be £270/$400 for a pair now. Should be half the price in a year.

X5690 are still being held artificially high because of demand especially in UK and Europe.

There's only a small performance difference between them.
 
And if you don't need 12 Cores, if you are more interested in single core speed, the 4 core (8 core total in a 2 CPU Mac Pro 4,1 or 5,1) then the 3.46MHz X5677 will fill the bill nicely.

Lou
 
When i added a apple pcie ssd and x5690's i really believe i can keep this computer for another 3-4 years
 
RoastingPig said:
When i added a apple pcie ssd and x5690's i really believe i can keep this computer for another 3-4 years
Click to expand...

Much longer. Mainstream software won't take advantage of all those cores for a while and the next generation SSDs in you X16 slot will be ridic fast.
 
I thought my x5690's for £460 for a matching pair was cheap seeing as I saw them trending around the £1000 for some time, guess I bought at the right "ish" time,

----------

Prices don't seem too mental? Pretty much new x5690's pair pulled from newish server £550?

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=281528309350
 
Sounds really good!

Congrats on that!

I am currently running 2 x 2.93 Ghz Quad Core, but I don't need that power at all.

I wish someone with a single 6-core 3.46 Ghz board would trade me for my dual cpu board...
 
I am running a single 3.46 Hex core CPU, and I want the dual processor board. However, my cMP is a 4,1 not 5,1.
 
EdDuPlessis said:
X5680 should be £270/$400 for a pair now. Should be half the price in a year.

X5690 are still being held artificially high because of demand especially in UK and Europe.

There's only a small performance difference between them.
Click to expand...

Ed,
On Ebay, Aventis Systems (Marietta, Georgia) has X5690s for $325 (US) brand new. I bought a bunch of them recently. Aventis provides excellent service. Visit: http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-INTEL-X...90-3-46GHz-12MB-Cache-SLBVX-CPU-/371206102426 .
 
Yes, the firmware is 5,1.

However, due to different SMC version between 4,1 and 5,1. By swapping our CPU tray, may cause both you and my Mac Pro's fan run at full speed.

I don't know if it's possible to use any fan control software as workaround. If not, the fan noise will be extremely annoying.

Anyway, I am in Hong Kong.
 
h9826790 said:
Yes, the firmware is 5,1.

However, due to different SMC version between 4,1 and 5,1. By swapping our CPU tray, may cause both you and my Mac Pro's fan run at full speed.

I don't know if it's possible to use any fan control software as workaround. If not, the fan noise will be extremely annoying.

Anyway, I am in Hong Kong.
Click to expand...

Ohh damn! I'm in Los Angeles, so the trade is probably impossible anyway.
Mine is a 4,1 as well, so I don't think it will be a problem though.
 
h9826790 said:
Yes, the firmware is 5,1.

However, due to different SMC version between 4,1 and 5,1. By swapping our CPU tray, may cause both you and my Mac Pro's fan run at full speed.

I don't know if it's possible to use any fan control software as workaround. If not, the fan noise will be extremely annoying.

Anyway, I am in Hong Kong.
Click to expand...

It didn't cause me that problem when I long ago ran the EFI-hack on my MP4,1.
Anyway, just use SMC Fan Control or another fan utility to control the speed of your fans.
 
Verdenshersker said:
Ohh damn! I'm in Los Angeles, so the trade is probably impossible anyway.
Mine is a 4,1 as well, so I don't think it will be a problem though.
Click to expand...

If you don't mind, you may still PM me your contact. I am working in an airline. Even though I won't fly to LA myself. It's possible that I ask my friend to take my CPU tray to LA and swap it with you. Of course, I have no idea when they roster to fly to there, and the timing / location may not be good for you as well.
 
To clarify, when you update firmware from 4,1 to 5,1 the SMC version stays same as 4,1.

It is when you put a genuine 5,1 tray in a 4,1 flashed to 5,1 that the SMC version doesn't match between backplane and CPU tray. (At least this is what has been reported, I have not actually tried this myself)

I have a single CPU 4,1 tray with 3.46 in it I would trade if you don't find someone else.
 
MacVidCards said:
To clarify, when you update firmware from 4,1 to 5,1 the SMC version stays same as 4,1.



It is when you put a genuine 5,1 tray in a 4,1 flashed to 5,1 that the SMC version doesn't match between backplane and CPU tray.
Click to expand...


That is also my understanding.
 
iBuildMacs said:
Yes, this is the best way to go...along with a nice triple-channel RAM upgrade.
Click to expand...

I agree with you 100%. Tarry and those new $325 X5690s*/ from Adventis Systems [ http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-INTEL-XE...-/371206102426?afsrc=1&rmvSB=true ] will be gone. Admittedly, when you update firmware from 4,1 to 5,1, the SMC version stays at 4,1. But, so what? I began hacking mine soon after the 5,1's updated firmware was released. Since I'd run my MP4,1 with SMC Fan Control and did so afterwards, I didn't and don't consider the mismatch to be an issue. If you do the firmware hack, after you've completed it:
(1) reset SMC (unplug all power sources to the MP (and this includes any auxiliary power supplies for GPUs, etc.) - Next, I wait at least 60 secs and push the power button in, holding it in for at least another 30 secs) and
(2) reset parameter ram (Before startup chime sounds hold down all four keys [ Option/Command/P/R ] simultaneously - I hold all four of them down for at least two chimes).

*/ Mine are the tray version of the SLBVX, but were factory sealed in plastic with protective covering.

I recently purchased a large number of them from Aventis because:
(1) these CPUS are the top of the line for Westmere processors (if you buy slower CPUs you might find soon yourself trying to touch your behind with the heel of one of your feet shortly after the new X5690s are all sold out),*
(2) they were/are selling for a deep discount (once they sold for $1,600 ea.) and now are selling at the lowest price that I'd (I've) seen,
(3) they are new and warranted (so they hadn't been improperly overclocked like many used CPUs for sale probably have been, unless they were pulled from servers [and that's where they were first and only installed - not overclockable there)], or only used in Macs - not overclockable there also), and
(4) the company is located not very far from me.

N.B. -
(1) On June 09, 2013, Intel announced discontinuation of, among others, X5690 Xeon CPUs. The last order date for those CPUs was December 27, 2013 [ http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Xeon/I...614X5690).html ]. So Intel’s warranty may not apply since they probably aren’t being manufactured by Intel any more. However, Aventis Systems provides a one year limited warranty.

(2) The firmware/SMC mismatch can be a reason for not doing the upgrade, if one simply loves a factory match. For me however, it wasn't a good reason not to upgrade.
 
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MacVidCards said:
To clarify, when you update firmware from 4,1 to 5,1 the SMC version stays same as 4,1.

It is when you put a genuine 5,1 tray in a 4,1 flashed to 5,1 that the SMC version doesn't match between backplane and CPU tray. (At least this is what has been reported, I have not actually tried this myself)

I have a single CPU 4,1 tray with 3.46 in it I would trade if you don't find someone else.
Click to expand...

You never answered the PM?
 
Tutor said:
I agree with you 100%. Tarry and those new $325 X5690s*/ from Adventis Systems [ http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-INTEL-XE...-/371206102426?afsrc=1&rmvSB=true ] will be gone. Admittedly, when you update firmware from 4,1 to 5,1, the SMC version stays at 4,1. But, so what? I began hacking mine soon after the 5,1's updated firmware was released. Since I'd run my MP4,1 with SMC Fan Control and did so afterwards, I didn't and don't consider the mismatch to be an issue. If you do the firmware hack, after you've completed it:
(1) reset SMC (unplug all power sources to the MP (and this includes any auxiliary power supplies for GPUs, etc.) - Next, I wait at least 60 secs and push the power button in, holding it in for at least another 30 secs) and
(2) reset parameter ram (Before startup chime sounds hold down all four keys [ Option/Command/P/R ] simultaneously - I hold all four of them down for at least two chimes).
Click to expand...


Tutor, I am not sure if we are all on same page so would like to clarify.

What we have been discussing is not a USER being bothered by seeing different SMC firmware # in system profiler.

What we have been discussing is that if you take a 5,1 CPU tray and slide it in a 4,1 Mac Pro (irrespective of it being flashed to 5,1 or original 4,1 boot rom) that it is the cMP itself which can't handle the discrepancy and goes into 100% fan mode.

Are you in fact stating that you have used a 5,1 CPU tray in a 4,1 or a 4,1 CPU tray in a 5,1 and that fans were still rational? If so, would be a nice piece of info to have. I abhor passing on "internet lore" as fact when I have not experienced myself, so having an actual user who has "mismatched " CPU tray would help many people if it could be stated that this is of no consequence.

When a 4,1 gets flashed into a 5,1, it still id's itself as "2009 Mac Pro" despite also calling itself "Mac Pro 5,1"

It has been believed that this is due to SMC version, though could also be read right from serial number.

If there is no issue placing a 2010-12 CPU tray in a (from birth) 2009, let's get that info verified.
 
MacVidCards said:
Tutor, I am not sure if we are all on same page so would like to clarify.

What we have been discussing is not a USER being bothered by seeing different SMC firmware # in system profiler.

What we have been discussing is that if you take a 5,1 CPU tray and slide it in a 4,1 Mac Pro (irrespective of it being flashed to 5,1 or original 4,1 boot rom) that it is the cMP itself which can't handle the discrepancy and goes into 100% fan mode.

Are you in fact stating that you have used a 5,1 CPU tray in a 4,1 or a 4,1 CPU tray in a 5,1 and that fans were still rational? If so, would be a nice piece of info to have. I abhor passing on "internet lore" as fact when I have not experienced myself, so having an actual user who has "mismatched " CPU tray would help many people if it could be stated that this is of no consequence.

When a 4,1 gets flashed into a 5,1, it still id's itself as "2009 Mac Pro" despite also calling itself "Mac Pro 5,1"

It has been believed that this is due to SMC version, though could also be read right from serial number.

If there is no issue placing a 2010-12 CPU tray in a (from birth) 2009, let's get that info verified.
Click to expand...

To clarify, I have not [and I don't know anyone who has] put a MP5,1 CPU tray into a MP4,1 case, without changing both boards. I was referring only to using the EFI hack, which when completed, my MP4,1 identified and identifies itself as a MP5,1 [ http://browser.primatelabs.com/geekbench2/422811 ] and did not go into 100% fan mode. Would that have happened if I had swapped the tray, I'm not sure. But if the only issue is the fan speed, that is likely correctable by using a free fan control utility. Also, I'd try both of the reset steps referred in my last post, above.
 
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Adventis has the X5690 for $325 and the X5680 for $219, both new. I know that is the best deal I have seen yet for either of those but it is still hard to palate the $106 price increase for only 130MHz single core speed increase and 780MHz multicore increase.

The problem is I have two dual socket and one single socket Mac Pro 4,1 at home. On the dual socket boards I think I will do it properly and have the IHS removed which also adds $200 to the cost so getting the X5680s would help cover all of the added cost.

Just seems like the X5680 is still the sweet spot no matter how much the price of the X5690 comes down.
 
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brand said:
I know that is the best deal I have seen yet for either of those but it is still hard to palate the $106 price increase for only 130MHz single core speed increase and 780MHz multicore increase.
Click to expand...

Good point. Other than either bragging rights or just getting the last ounce of power available is there any practical reason to get a 3.46 instead of a 3.33?
 
flowrider said:
And if you don't need 12 Cores, if you are more interested in single core speed, the 4 core (8 core total in a 2 CPU Mac Pro 4,1 or 5,1) then the 3.46MHz X5677 will fill the bill nicely.

Lou
Click to expand...

There are also 5687's that are 3.6 quads I don’t know if they work in MP's though.
 
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