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gaizka

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 2, 2013
10
0
Portugal
Hello people.

I own a Mac Pro with 2x3 Ghz Dual Core Intel Xeon processors and 6GB 677 Mhz DDR2 FBDIMM ram.
I also has a ATI Radeon X1900 512mb graphic card and 3 Sata HDD (1tb+1tb+250gb)

I would like to upgrade "my baby" but I have a few doubts about where exactly should I start. I already asked this to a guy at an IT Store and he said he will take a look at the computer and advise me, but I'd love to hear from you on the subject.

Thanks in advance
 

Tesselator

macrumors 601
Jan 9, 2008
4,601
6
Japan
Hello people.

I own a Mac Pro with 2x3 Ghz Dual Core Intel Xeon processors and 6GB 677 Mhz DDR2 FBDIMM ram.
I also has a ATI Radeon X1900 512mb graphic card and 3 Sata HDD (1tb+1tb+250gb)

I would like to upgrade "my baby" but I have a few doubts about where exactly should I start. I already asked this to a guy at an IT Store and he said he will take a look at the computer and advise me, but I'd love to hear from you on the subject.

Thanks in advance

Your options for under the mouse speed-ups (in order of significance):
SSD boot drive (256GB or so) - $150
More RAM (16 to 24GB is the sweet spot) - $275
A faster GPU (maybe the GTX 570 or GTX 670). - $150 for the 570

If you're doing many multi-core tasks then there's also the option of using quad-core CPUs. - $175​
 

fouel

macrumors member
May 14, 2008
68
1
Your options for under the mouse speed-ups (in order of significance):
SSD boot drive (256GB or so) - $150
More RAM (16 to 24GB is the sweet spot) - $275
A faster GPU (maybe the GTX 570 or GTX 670). - $150 for the 570

If you're doing many multi-core tasks then there's also the option of using quad-core CPUs. - $175​
About video card,
If don't card about boot screen, GTX 580 ,570 ,470 480,285, ATI 5870 5850 6870 6850....etc will works without flashed.
Plug and play but need 10.7.x OS.
They are cheap now.
To get boot screen needs more money.:p
 

gaizka

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 2, 2013
10
0
Portugal
Your options for under the mouse speed-ups (in order of significance):
SSD boot drive (256GB or so) - $150
More RAM (16 to 24GB is the sweet spot) - $275
A faster GPU (maybe the GTX 570 or GTX 670). - $150 for the 570

If you're doing many multi-core tasks then there's also the option of using quad-core CPUs. - $175​

This is helpfull.
Do you know if this hardware you mentioned is compatible with my Mac Pro 1,1?
Upgrading to Quad core CPUs will make me upgrade my Logic Board too or will mine work just fine?
 

fouel

macrumors member
May 14, 2008
68
1
This is helpfull.
Do you know if this hardware you mentioned is compatible with my Mac Pro 1,1?
Upgrading to Quad core CPUs will make me upgrade my Logic Board too or will mine work just fine?
using those cards in mac pro 1,1 won't get boot screen.
But OS requirement: 10.7.5 is better.
 

gaizka

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 2, 2013
10
0
Portugal
using those cards in mac pro 1,1 won't get boot screen.
But OS requirement: 10.7.5 is better.

I don't care about the boot screen... What about the CPUs. Using this CPUs on my logic board won't give me trouble or force me to upgrade the logic board?
 

spaz8

macrumors 6502
Mar 3, 2007
492
91
An SSD and double or tripling your Ram will probably see the most tangible speed boost.

I'm not sure you'd feel much putting even a 7950, or 670 in there.
 

Tesselator

macrumors 601
Jan 9, 2008
4,601
6
Japan
This is helpfull.
Do you know if this hardware you mentioned is compatible with my Mac Pro 1,1?
Upgrading to Quad core CPUs will make me upgrade my Logic Board too or will mine work just fine?

They will work just fine in your current motherboard. You should try to get a matched pair of X5365 but recently some folks have said that matching isn't that important. Do some searching here as some X5565 chips have different features and are identifiable by lettering on the chip like SLEG or something. Check that out before buying.

Also the 8 total cores (instead of your current 4) won't feel any faster "under your mouse". The OS and most programs will feel exactly the same except when you set them to task. For example if you're ripping a DVD or CD using Handbrake, when you click Start it will finish in close to half the time as your current system. Same with 3D CG applications; everything will go at the same speed until you click Render and then it will finish in half the time. There's almost no video or photo editors which can take advantage of this though - in most cases the best you will get is a 10 to 20% increase for long heavy jobs. And so on.

There are very many step tutorials on-line which explain exactly how install the new CPUs once acquired. I think there's even one by me floating around somewhere. All the one's I've seen will work fine - I've never read one I didn't agree would work fine tho some are more anal than others. The most critical step is the application of thermal paste and the two important points there are 1) make the surfaces clean with acetone first, 2) don't put too much paste, and 3) keep your fingers out of the paste and don't let debris get into it.



On the video cards fouel and spaz8 are talking about, yes, they work in your MP1,1 just fine. Flash them if you want a boot screen and don't if you don't care. They're right that you won't feel much difference for just OS stuff. But you will if you're video editing or playing games. For example most games will feel 5 or 6 times faster using a GTX570 over your current X1900. Some games that were barely playable will now be very playable and games where you had to turn off certain rendering features and use low res screens can now be played at your monitor's native resolution with everything turned on. And etc. like that.
 
Last edited:

gaizka

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 2, 2013
10
0
Portugal
They will work just fine in your current motherboard. You should try to get a matched pair of X5365 but recently some folks have said that matching isn't that important. Do some searching here as some X5565 chips have different features and are identifiable by lettering on the chip like SLEG or something. Check that out before buying.

Also the 8 total cores (instead of your current 4) won't feel any faster "under your mouse". The OS and most programs will feel exactly the same except when you set them to task. For example if you're ripping a DVD or CD using Handbrake, when you click Start it will finish in close to half the time as your current system. Same with 3D CG applications; everything will go at the same speed until you click Render and then it will finish in half the time. There's almost no video or photo editors which can take advantage of this though - in most cases the best you will get is a 10 to 20% increase for long heavy jobs. And so on.

There are very many step tutorials on-line which explain exactly how install the new CPUs once acquired. I think there's even one by me floating around somewhere. All the one's I've seen will work fine - I've never read one I didn't agree would work fine tho some are more anal than others. The most critical step is the application of thermal paste and the two important points there are 1) make the surfaces clean with acetone first, 2) don't put too much paste, and 3) keep your fingers out of the paste and don't let debris get into it.



On the video cards fouel and spaz8 are talking about, yes, they work in your MP1,1 just fine. Flash them if you want a boot screen and don't if you don't care. They're right that you won't feel much difference for just OS stuff. But you will if you're video editing or playing games. For example most games will feel 5 or 6 times faster using a GTX570 over your current X1900. Some games that were barely playable will now be very playable and games where you had to turn off certain rendering features and use low res screens can now be played at your monitor's native resolution with everything turned on. And etc. like that.

Sounds great! I'll do my research. What's the price range for these cpu's.
Thank you very much.
 
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