Xeon X5680s Now $45... October 2018

[kgdrum]

fwiw I was told by a tech @ OWC that even if you add 1333 ram (which I did)it will be read as 1066 because of the architecture of the ram bus or something like that, and it would be virtually impossible to actually be able to tell a difference to a user in either case.

Read as 1066, no. My RAM, with the exact same computer upgraded reads the Ram (labelled 1066 btw) as 1333 just fine. The W3680-90 or X5680-90 CPU upgrades allow this.

Imperceptible, yes.

interesting,there's so much misinformation out there.......

HC a question : are the W3680-90 or X5680-90 CPU upgrades compatible with my 2012 MacPro?
Thanks

[HCMarkus]

HC a question : are the W3680-90 or X5680-90 CPU upgrades compatible with my 2012 MacPro?
Thanks

Absolutely compatible with all 2010-2012 5,1's. Drop in, no firmware update required.

Tools: Long-handled hex wrench, lint-free cloth, thermal paste and remover (to clean old paste off of base of CPU heatsink).

Single CPU Macs can use W3680,W3690, X5680 or X5690.
Dual CPU Macs require the X5680 or X5690.

X5680 is currently best bang for the buck of the top end CPUs of this generation. $200 Ebay used.

[Michael Canavan]

Went ahead and purchased two X5680's

I think I'm going to attempt the thin razor blade + iron method rather than pay someone the price of a destroyed CPU ($200) to do it for me. If I destroy one using this method I'm out no money VS paying someone, if all goes well it's cheaper and fun, if two die in the process then oh well.

I'm realizing that I should probably also do the SSD upgrade to the boot drive at the same time, as various software companies use various methods of authorizing your computer tied to the boot drive and on occasion specs they think won't change like CPU's.

[HCMarkus]

Went ahead and purchased two X5680's

I think I'm going to attempt the thin razor blade + iron method rather than pay someone the price of a destroyed CPU ($200) to do it for me. If I destroy one using this method I'm out no money VS paying someone, if all goes well it's cheaper and fun, if two die in the process then oh well.

I'm realizing that I should probably also do the SSD upgrade to the boot drive at the same time, as various software companies use various methods of authorizing your computer tied to the boot drive and on occasion specs they think won't change like CPU's.

Good Luck! I watched that video… it looks do-able. OTOH, it is probably less risky to go with the unadulterated lidded Xeons and thicker thermal pad approach. Whatever method you choose, may the force be with you!

For anyone wondering what we're talking about, Michael has a 2009 4,1 dual CPU Mac Pro. This is the only 4,1 or 5,1 that uses CPUs without the metal lid (Integrated Heat Spread or IHS) and is thus more difficult to upgrade, as all aftermarket Xeons you can buy have an IHS.

[James Steele]

I wonder if it's worth it to try and sell the original processor from the MacPro4,1 on eBay? I should do a search. I can't imagine me needing it again.

[Michael Canavan]

I wonder if it's worth it to try and sell the original processor from the MacPro4,1 on eBay? I should do a search. I can't imagine me needing it again.

I would wait a few months. CPU's hardly ever die on their own but still all these cheap CPUs are pulled from servers running 24/7 for two or three plus years. If everything you do is tied to a single computer and it has a second hand server CPU you recently installed, then IMO waiting a couple months to make sure things don't go wrong is a good idea.

Plus there's a possibility this run of cheap CPUs dries up as all the supply from servers that get upgraded to the 8 and 10 core Xeons slows to trickle. IE it might be actually easier to sell in a month or two.

[James Steele]

I wonder if it's worth it to try and sell the original processor from the MacPro4,1 on eBay? I should do a search. I can't imagine me needing it again.

I would wait a few months. CPU's hardly ever die on their own but still all these cheap CPUs are pulled from servers running 24/7 for two or three plus years. If everything you do is tied to a single computer and it has a second hand server CPU you recently installed, then IMO waiting a couple months to make sure things don't go wrong is a good idea.

Plus there's a possibility this run of cheap CPUs dries up as all the supply from servers that get upgraded to the 8 and 10 core Xeons slows to trickle. IE it might be actually easier to sell in a month or two.

True enough. Fortunately the MacPro5,1 firmware I installed is backwardly compatible with the original processor, so might be good I guess to keep it around. I just look over there at that little plastic bag with my old processor and think to myself that if that's $60 or something sitting there, why not let it go? I'll hang on to it for a month or two. Anything to offset the cost of the upgrade would be nice, however.

[Michael Canavan]

Good Luck! I watched that video… it looks do-able. OTOH, it is probably less risky to go with the unadulterated lidded Xeons and thicker thermal pad approach. Whatever method you choose, may the force be with you!

The risk IMO is an either/or thing. The X5680 runs at 130 watts VS 95 watts for the current 2.66ghz chips, so anything at all that can be done to power down the set up. People have successfully done the mod where you tweak a few things and count turns on the heat sinks, but IMO it's still a layer away from the heat sink, and as the guy selling the de-lidding service points out, this model was made for un-lidded CPUs.


I'm thinking of installing my regular hard drives in an external USB3 bay, and I'm going with the Samsung XP941 M.2 in a PCIe slot, it seems that beyond sheer speed, they don't require power from the SATA drive bays to run. The temptation is to wait for the SM941 to come out, but it's not been tested to work as a boot drive in Mac Pros yet, and it's not going to be available until April it seems... I've already had to replace the power supply in this Mac Pro, which although it means that the supply is new, suggests I be cautious with these mods and pull as little power from the Mac Pro as I have to.

Tempting to wait though, the SM941 has a read speed of around 1600mbs per second, although PC users are reporting more like 1400mbs in practice that's still close to three times faster than the 550mbs which seems to be the top speed for SATA SSDs. The XP941 is reported to get about 1170mbs in Mac Pros in a PCIe slot. Negligible difference when You've been dealing with 7200rpm HD's though at 120mbs at their fastest.

[kgdrum]

HC a question : are the W3680-90 or X5680-90 CPU upgrades compatible with my 2012 MacPro?
Thanks

Absolutely compatible with all 2010-2012 5,1's. Drop in, no firmware update required.

Tools: Long-handled hex wrench, lint-free cloth, thermal paste and remover (to clean old paste off of base of CPU heatsink).

Single CPU Macs can use W3680,W3690, X5680 or X5690.
Dual CPU Macs require the X5680 or X5690.

X5680 is currently best bang for the buck of the top end CPUs of this generation. $200 Ebay used.

HC
Just to confirm the de-lidding process you are discussing with Michael Canavan is not required in my case with a 2012 4 core to 6 core upgrade? correct?
Where would someone buy the correct hex wrench?
I saw on ebay a seller has the 5680 refurbished with a 1 year warranty($260) in your opinion is there a significant advantage over a refurb over the used processor? reliability,longer warranty etc....

Thanks

[HCMarkus]

Dr. Steele: Nominal value for that CPU. I'm thinking like $20, but that is a guess. I've got mine sitting in a drawer though, so you can sell yours and have mine if you ever need it.

Mr. Canavan: Fun stuff… if you pick up an Apple branded PCIe SSD, you won't have to worry about enabling Trim under Yosemite. I saw that somebody on Ebay had the new edition version for a brief time, but they got snapped up qwik.

KG… I have no idea what "refurbished: means when it comes to CPUs. My guess: they clean the old thermal paste off the top. The warranty is only as good as the seller. Anyway, history suggests that if the CPU works when you get it, it will, absent extreme thermal abuse, continue to work for a good long time. I'd save the $60.

And you are correct, no de-lidding is required for your machine or any 5,1. Only the 4,1 dual cpu Mac Pros used lidless Xeons.

Long-handled hex (allen) wrenches abound…Home Depot comes to mind. I think James got his there. I bought this set from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Allen-Wrench-Heav ... hex+wrench

Worked fine… we don't need a lot of torque for this job. But reviews aren't so hot, so if you are planning to go into the retrofitting Mac Pro business, you might want to shop around.

[HCMarkus]

Just stumbled across this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-INTEL-XEON- ... 2426&rt=nc

"New" X5680s for $219. Some positive remarks noted on sites I visit. Apparently from trays, but factory-sealed. Better than the $595 I paid two years ago for W3680...

[kgdrum]

Just stumbled across this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-INTEL-XEON- ... 2426&rt=nc

"New" X5680s for $219. Some positive remarks noted on sites I visit. Apparently from trays, but factory-sealed. Better than the $595 I paid two years ago for W3680...

Thanks HC,that's a great find & I purchased!

now i need to figure out if I can do this or find a reasonable tech here in NY that can do it for me.......

[James Steele]

Wow! Only $20 for the old processor? I guess I'll keep mine in a drawer too!

[kgdrum]

Wow! Only $20 for the old processor? I guess I'll keep mine in a drawer too!

same here James,I'm keeping mine just in case........................

[Michael Canavan]

Mr. Canavan: Fun stuff… if you pick up an Apple branded PCIe SSD, you won't have to worry about enabling Trim under Yosemite. I saw that somebody on Ebay had the new edition version for a brief time, but they got snapped up qwik.

The speed difference make worries about TRIM secondary. RAM City order in for this monster, the fastest available SSD out there, and tested in Mac Pros by RAM City:
https://www.ramcity.com.au/buy/samsung- ... HCGL-00000

There is already a Trerminal scipt out there to enable TRIM on third party SSDs in Yosemite. I'm planning on letting you all know how it goes; RAM city are reporting 1100mbs with Mac Pros, the fastest drives besides this one are around 700mbs.