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Will ES processors work as an upgrade on a 2009 Mac Pro?

Flocarino

Flocarino

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 4, 2010
249
37
Montreal, Canada
I've seen a great deal on Ebay for these processors: Intel Xeon GULFTOWN X5675 Processor Q3QR 12MB 6-CORE(ES) for my 2009 2 x 2.26Ghz Mac Pro and would like to know if they are suited for the upgrade or I should stay away from Engineering Samples?
Thank you in advance.
 
Tutor

Tutor

macrumors 65816
Jun 25, 2009
1,449
11
Home of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
Flocarino said:
I've seen a great deal on Ebay for these processors: Intel Xeon GULFTOWN X5675 Processor Q3QR 12MB 6-CORE(ES) for my 2009 2 x 2.26Ghz Mac Pro and would like to know if they are suited for the upgrade or I should stay away from Engineering Samples?
Thank you in advance.
Click to expand...

With this utility: http://forum.netkas.org/index.php/topic,852.0.html
these: Intel Xeon GULFTOWN X5675
should work. I first put 5580's (mid 2009) and later 5680's (early 2011 - using a similar technique) in my system that was originally the very same as yours.

But whether you should buy ES or other used chips is a question for which I do not have an answer.
 
Flocarino

Flocarino

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 4, 2010
249
37
Montreal, Canada
I already applied the firmware patch for 5.1.
What I need to know it's if an ES Intel Xeon 5675 will work or shoud I go with the retail version of the processor and NOT Engineering Samples?
 
A

ashman70

macrumors 6502a
Dec 20, 2010
977
13
One thing I know about ES is that they have unlocked multipliers which means they are ideal for over clocking. There is no way for you to tell if these chips were ever over clocked, or how far they were pushed. Also, I don't think its allowed to sell ES as they are meant for engineers to test, Intel sends them out as samples, they are not meant for the general public.

To be safe, I would go with a retail set, you get warranty and support.
 
Tutor

Tutor

macrumors 65816
Jun 25, 2009
1,449
11
Home of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
Flocarino said:
I already applied the firmware patch for 5.1.
What I need to know it's if an ES Intel Xeon 5675 will work or shoud I go with the retail version of the processor and NOT Engineering Samples?
Click to expand...

ES Intel Xeon 5675 should work in a Mac (others have used ES chips successfully), but whether you should go with the retail version of the processor and not Engineering Samples is the question that I don't have an answer to.
 
S

Svoy

macrumors newbie
Aug 17, 2011
20
0
Tutor said:
ES Intel Xeon 5675 should work in a Mac (others have used ES chips successfully), but whether you should go with the retail version of the processor and not Engineering Samples is the question that I don't have an answer to.
Click to expand...

I am interested as well in Intel Xeon X5675 ES compatibility with Mac pro 2010...
Can anybody else confirm it.

Thank in advance...
 
X

xcodeSyn

macrumors 6502a
Nov 25, 2012
548
7
Flocarino said:
Intel Xeon GULFTOWN X5675 Processor Q3QR 12MB 6-CORE(ES)
Click to expand...
This processor seems fishy to me. For one thing, X5675 is in the family of Westmere-EP, not Gulftown. A quick search of Q3QR seems to confirm it is an ES processor with Gulftown core, which has a single-processor not dual-processor setting. Then there were two posters mentioned in this link that Q3QR processors did not work with the dual-processor motherboard of EVGA SR-2. Normally the right ES processors could work in MP, but in this particular case I wouldn't touch them with a ten-foot pole.
 
Last edited:
PowerPCMacMan

PowerPCMacMan

macrumors 6502a
Jul 17, 2012
800
1
PowerPC land
Engineering Sample

Hi,

I have a w3680 ES that I bought for my Mac Pro - Works like a charm! No problems whatsoever.

Your milage may vary though.. some batches of ES's are good others are bad.. I was lucky though.. but in most cases an ES will work just as the same as if you were to have a retail processor.

ES based processors can be cheaper in the long run.
 
S

Svoy

macrumors newbie
Aug 17, 2011
20
0
xcodeSyn said:
This processor seems fishy to me. For one thing, X5675 is in the family of Westmere-EP, not Gulftown. A quick search of Q3QR seems to confirm it is an ES processor with Gulftown core, which has a single-processor not dual-processor setting. Then there were two posters mentioned in this link that Q3QR processors did not work with the dual-processor motherboard of EVGA SR-2. Normally the right ES processors could work in MP, but in this particular case I wouldn't touch them with a ten-foot pole.
Click to expand...

Thanks everybody for response...

Are you saying that if it will be "right" ES Westmere-EP not Gulftown processor it could work with the dual-processor Mac Pro?
 
X

xcodeSyn

macrumors 6502a
Nov 25, 2012
548
7
Svoy said:
Are you saying that if it will be "right" ES Westmere-EP not Gulftown processor it could work with the dual-processor Mac Pro?
Click to expand...
Except that I have not seen compatible Westmere-EP ES processors recently on eBay. It may make sense to consider ES processors when Intel first introduces its new generation CPU. Given that Westmere-EP is a more than 2-year old design, it makes more sense to buy the retail version (new or used) than the overclocked/abused ES processors.
 
S

Svoy

macrumors newbie
Aug 17, 2011
20
0
xcodeSyn said:
Except that I have not seen compatible Westmere-EP ES processors recently on eBay. It may make sense to consider ES processors when Intel first introduces its new generation CPU. Given that Westmere-EP is a more than 2-year old design, it makes more sense to buy the retail version (new or used) than the overclocked/abused ES processors.
Click to expand...

ES version is twice or more cheaper than retail version...I've seen on Ebay as I recall it was Westmere-EP ES version for $400-455....I think its a good start, considering retail price...$900 for chip..
 
X

xcodeSyn

macrumors 6502a
Nov 25, 2012
548
7
Svoy said:
ES version is twice or more cheaper than retail version...I've seen on Ebay as I recall it was Westmere-EP ES version for $400-455....I think its a good start, considering retail price...$900 for chip..
Click to expand...
This X5680 is currently sold for $695/each with 3-year warranty, and the price will probably go down further as OEM companies switching to Snady/Ivy Bridge-EP and dumping their Westmere-EP inventory. Also used processors are likely to appear later this year as most businesses coming off their 3-year leases. If you can actually find any Westmere-EP ES processors close to X5680 performance at $400-455, then by all means grab them.
 
S

Svoy

macrumors newbie
Aug 17, 2011
20
0
xcodeSyn said:
This X5680 is currently sold for $695/each with 3-year warranty, and the price will probably go down further as OEM companies switching to Snady/Ivy Bridge-EP and dumping their Westmere-EP inventory. Also used processors are likely to appear later this year as most businesses coming off their 3-year leases. If you can actually find any Westmere-EP ES processors close to X5680 performance at $400-455, then by all means grab them.
Click to expand...

Hmm.... Weird thing...X5680 almost twice cheaper than X5675...NICE!!!I guess it worth to wait until price goes down more...
 
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