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Mac Pro CPU Upgradeability Confirmed With Processor Swap

Friday January 3, 2014 12:40 pm PST by Juli Clover
Following the release of the Mac Pro, a quick teardown by Other World Computing (OWC) revealed that the tower's Intel Xeon E5 processor was socketed and removable, theoretically allowing for future upgrades. All CPUs in the Mac Pro were found to use the same LGA 2011 socket standardized on the Mac Pro's motherboard.

Today OWC confirmed that the Mac Pro's processor is indeed upgradeable, successfully replacing the default Intel E5–1650 V2 6-core 3.50Ghz processor with an Intel E5–2667 V2 8-core 3.30GHz processor with 25MB of L3 cache, an option not offered by Apple. The upgraded processor gave OWC's machine a 30 percent multi-processor performance boost, outperforming Apple's standard 8-core option with a Geekbench score of 27004 vs. 24429.

upgradedmacpro
With a replaceable CPU, customers can purchase more affordable lower-configuration Mac Pros that can be updated in the future as processor prices drop. Prices for multi-core processors today remain high, with the CPU OWC used from Intel priced at $2000. Apple's own CPU upgrade options range in price from $500 to $3500. Based on the 3.7Ghz quad-core Intel Xeon E5 with 10MB of L3 cache, pricing from Apple is as follows:

- 3.5GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon E5 with 12MB of L3 cache: +$500
- 3.0GHz 8-core Intel Xeon E5 with 25MB of L3 cache: +$2000
- 2.7GHz 12-core Intel Xeon E5 with 30MB of L3 cache: +$3500

The upgradeable CPU in the Mac Pro is a deviation from standard practice for Apple, with most consumer-oriented Macs featuring soldered processors. Along with a removable CPU, Mac Pro buyers are also able to upgrade memory and other components. In a recent teardown, iFixit gave the Mac Pro a repairability score of 8 out of 10, highlighting the easily accessible internal components and the non-proprietary screws.

Apple's Mac Pro is currently available exclusively through the online Apple Store. Due to low supply and high demand, new orders are not expected to ship until February or later, but customers who placed orders shortly after the computer went on sale have begun receiving units.

Related Roundup: Mac Pro
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[ 136 comments ]


Top Rated Comments

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Lesser Evets
70 months ago
That ruins some doubters' rainy day parades. That new Pro isn't bad, from the reports coming out.
Rating: 22 Votes
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proline
70 months ago

That ruins some doubters' rainy day parades. That new Pro isn't bad, from the reports coming out.

Don't worry, the whiners will move on to their next perceived issue or just go back to the garbage about lack of internal storage.
Rating: 10 Votes
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sransari
70 months ago
NOWWW we're talkin...I understand that maybe Apple doesn't want to advertise after-market upgrades, but these types of simple, inexpensive, and effective upgrades is what makes Pro towers so valuable and desirable.
Rating: 9 Votes
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ugahairydawgs
70 months ago

Too bad you can't order the new Mac Pro without any CPUs in it. The problem with ordering a lower model and then upgrading to a higher CPU model is that you're still stuck with the original CPU. I suppose you can try to sell it, but you're not going to get what you paid for it (relative to the cost of the machine) back. Unfortunately, Apple won't sell bare-bones machines and let users upgrade it themselves because they make all their BILLIONS by bending the customer over and shoving the parts in themselves at 200-600% markup. :eek:


Same as it is for any pre-configured OEM machine.
Rating: 9 Votes
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cal6n
70 months ago


The upgradeable CPU in the Mac Pro is a deviation from standard practice for Apple, with most consumer-oriented Macs featuring soldered processors.

*snip*


Eh?

Although I agree that most consumer-oriented Macs have featured soldered processors for some time, the Pro line has employed socketed processors exclusively as a matter of course as far back as I can recall. Certainly as far back as the G3 PowerMacs and most likely even before that.
Rating: 8 Votes
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Redbeard25
70 months ago

I'm blown away. But why did it take so long to figure this out? :D


Because no one had one?

So next questions - what procs will the MB accept? all LGA 2011s?
Rating: 7 Votes
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Stephent
70 months ago

You live in hope… but don't forget that an upgradable CPU doesn't equal drive bays or PCIe slots.

To those people I would quote the Rolling Stones

You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you just might find
You just might find
You get what you need
Rating: 7 Votes
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iBug2
70 months ago

The sceptic in me can't help but wonder if Apple will alter the system firmware to only work with and boot up with certain CPU's installed. I'd love to believe that they won't, but it somehow seems inevitable.


Why would they? If the TDP is within the limits, it should boot with any processor you throw at it.
Rating: 7 Votes
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Hitrate
70 months ago
Ahh so now all the "pro" whiners can shut up (fingers crossed)
Rating: 7 Votes
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Porco
70 months ago

To those people I would quote the Rolling Stones

You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you just might find
You just might find
You get what you need


To be fair, those people might well say:

I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no satisfaction
'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try
I can't get no, I can't get no ….

:p;)
Rating: 6 Votes

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